Page:The Lives and Characters of the English Dramatick Poets.djvu/51

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HIS AnthorAuthor [sic] liv'd a great part of his Time in Ireland, if not born there; about the Year 1670. he came over into England, and understanding well the Italian and French Tongues, he then Translated Two Plays, as also a Pastoral before. The first in Order is,

Agrippa King of Alba, or The False Tiberinus, T.C. 4to. 1675. written in Heroick Verse; printed in London, with Amendments from what it was before, when Acted divers times with great Applause in Dublin, before his Grace the Duke of Ormond, then Lord Lieutenant of Ireland; and Dedicated to the Lady Cavindish, Daughter of the said Duke: Translated from the French of Monsieur Quinault.

Aminta, a Pastoral, 8vo. 1660. This has been translated into Five several Tongues, from that celebrated Wit, Torquato Tasso, accounted the Father of Pastorals, and is, above all others he ever writ, the most esteem'd; this is printed with several Love Verses, &c. of the same Author.

Nicomede, a Tragi-Comedy, 4to. 1671. Acted at the Theatre Royal in Dublin; and Dedicated to the Right Honourable the Earl of Ossery. Translated from the French of Monsieur Corneille, being a Piece he much valued. Story from Justin., Book 34. He writ besides, a Romance, called, The English Lovers and (if we believe Mr. Winstanly) A compleat History of the late Times, and A Chronicle of the Kingdom of Portugal. Gentleman that flourish'd in the Reign of Queen Elizabeth and King James I. he was born near Taunton in Somersetshire, and was entred Commoner of St. Mary Magdalen-Hall, Oxon., 1581. in the 19th Year of his Age; from whence, after Three Years Study, his Merit, and his Brother-in-law, Florio, prefer'd him to be one of the Grooms of Queen Ann. Most of his Plays he writ at a little Retreat from London: weary of the World, he at last retired into Wiltshire or Somersetshire, and there turn'd Farmer, living in those Parts till he was near Eighty Years Old, to whose Memory a Monument was erected in the Parish-Church, at the Charge of the Lady