We have no account how much our author was diftinguished as an actor, and it may be reafonably conjectured, that he did not fhine in that light; if he had, his biographers would fcarce have omitted fo fingular a circumftance, befides he seems to have addicted himself too much to poetry, to ftudy the art of playing, which they who are votaries of the mufes, or are favoured by them, feldom think worth their while, and is indeed beneath their genius.

The following is a particular account of our author's plays now extant :

1. Robert Earl of Huntingdon's downfall, an hiftorical Play, 1601, acted by the Earl of Nottingham's fervants.

2. Robert Earl of Huntingdon's Death; or Robin Hood of Merry Sherwood, with the tragedy of chafte Matilda, 1601. The plots of thefe two plays, are taken from Stow, Speed, and Baker's chronicles in the reign of King Richard I.

3. The Golden Age, or the Lives of Jupiter and Saturn, an hiftorical play, acted at the Red Bull, by the Queen's fervants, 1611. This play the author ftiles the eldest Brother of three Ages. For the ftory fee Galtruchius's poetical history, Rofs's Mystagogus Poeticus; Hollyoak, Littleton, and other dictionaries.

4. The Silver Age, 1613; including the Love of. Jupiter to Alcmena. The Birth of Hercules, and the Rape of Proferpine; concluding with the Arraignment of the Moon. See Plautus. Ovid. Metamorph. Lib. 3.

5. The Brazen Age; an hiftorical play, 1613. This play contains the Death of Centaure Neffus, the tragedy of Meleager, and of Jafon and Medea, the Death of Hercules, Vulcan's Net, &c. For the ftory fee Ovid's Metamorph. Lib. 4-7-8-9. 6. The

N 5

6. The Iron Age; the first part a history containing the Rape of Helen, the Siege of Troy, the Combat between Hector and Ajax. Hector and Troilus flain by Achilles, the Death of Ajax, &c, 1632.

7. Iron Age, the second part; a History containing the Death of Penthefilea, Paris, Priam, and He. cuba: the burning of Troy, the Deaths of Agamemnon, Menelaus, Clytemneftra, Helena, Oreftes, Egiftus, Pylades, King Diomede, Pyrrhus, Ce thus, Synon, Therfetus, 1632, which part is addreffed to the author's much refpected friend Thomas Manwaring, Efq; for the plot of both parts, fee Homer, Virgil, Dares Phrygius; for the Episodes, Ovid's Epiftles, Metamorph, Lucian's Dialogues, &c. 8. A Woman kill'd with Kindness, a comedy acted by the Queen's Servants with applause, 1617.

9. If you know not Me, you know Nobody; or the Troubles of Queen Elizabeth, in Two parts, 1623. The plot taken from Camden, Speed, and other English Chronicles in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

10. The Royal King, and Loyal Subject, a tragi-comedy, 1627, taken partly from Fletcher's. Loyal Subject.

The Fair Maid of the Weft, or a Girl worth Gold, 1631. This play was acted before the King and Queen. Our author in his epifle prefixed to this play, pleads modefty in not expofing his plays to the public view of the world in numerous fheets, and a large volume under the title of Works, as others, by which he would feem tacitly to arraign fome of his cotemporaries for of tentation, and vant of modefty. Langbaine is of opinion, that Heywood in this cafe levelled the accufation at Ben Johnson, fince no other poet, in thofe days, gave his plays the pompous title of Works, of which Sir John Suckling has taken notice in his feffion of the poets.

The

The first that broke filence, was good old Ben,
Prepar'd before with Canary wine;

And he told them plainly, that he deserved the bays,

For his were called works, where others were but: plays.

There was alfo a distich directed by fome poet of that age to Ben Johnson,

Pray tell me, Ben, where does the mystery lurk

What others call a play, you call a work..

Which was thus anfwered by a friend of his,

The author's friend, thus for the author fays,, Ben's plays are works, when others works are plays.

12. Fair Maid of the Weft, or a Girl worth. Gold, the fecond part; acted likewife before the: King and Queen with fuccefs, dedicated to Thomas Hammond, of Gray's-Inn, Efq;

13. The Dutchefs of Suffolk, an historical play 1631. For the play fee Fox's Martyrology, p.. 521.

14. The English Traveller, a tragi-comedy, acted at the Cock-pit in Drury-lane, 1633, dedicated to Sir Henry Appleton, the plot from Plautus. Moftellaria.

15. A Maidenhead well loft, a comedy acted in Drury-lane, 1634.

16. The Four London Apprentices, with the Conquest of Jerufalem; an hiftorical play, acted. by the Queen's fervants 1635. It is founded on the hiftory of Godfrey of Bulloign. See Taffo,. Fuller's hiftory of the holy war, &c. N 6

17. A

17. A Challenge for Beauty; a tragi-comedy, acted by the King's fervants in Black-Fryers, 1636.

18. The Fair Maid of the Exchance; with the Merry Humours of the Cripple of Fen-church, a comedy, 1637.

19. The Wife Woman of Hogfden; a comedy, acted with applause, 1638.

20. The Rape of Lucrece, a Roman Tragedy, acted at the Red Bull, 1638. Plot from Titus Livius.

21. Love's Mistress, or the Queen's Mask; presented feveral times before their Majefties, 1640. For the plot fee Apuleius's Golden Afs.

22. Fortune by Land or Sea, a comedy; acted by the Queen's fervants, 1653. Mr. Rowley affifted in the compofing of this play.

23. The Lancashire Witches, a comedy; acted at the Globe by the King's servants. Mr. Brome joined with Mr. Heywood in writing this comedy. This ftory is related by the author in his Hierarchy of Angels.

24. Edward IV. an hiftorical play, in two parts. For the ftory fee Speed, Hollinshed and other chronicles.

This author has published feveral other works in verfe and profe, as his Hierarchy of Angels, above-mentioned; the Life and Troubles of Queen Elizabeth; the General Hiftory of Women; An Apology for Actors, &c.

WILLIAM

WILLIAM CARTWRIGHT,

A

Gentleman eminent for learning. The place of his birth, and his father's name, are differently affigned by authors, who have mentioned him. Mr. Loyd fays t, that he was fon of Thomas Cartwright of Burford in Oxfordshire, and born August 16, in the year 1615; Mr. Wood §, that he was the fon of William Cartwright, and born at Northway, near Tewksbury in Gloucestershire in September 1611, that his father had diffipated a fair inheritance he knew not how, and as his laft refuge turned inn-keeper at Cirencester; when living in competence, he procured his fon, a youth of a promifing genius, to be educated under Mr. William Topp, mafter of the free school in that town. From thence he was removed to Westminster school, being chofen a King's fcholar, when compleating his former learning, under the care of Mr. Lambert Osbaldifton, he was elected a ftudent in Chrift Church in Oxford, in 1628, under the tuition of Mr. Jerumael Terrent, having gone through the claffes of logic and phi-, lofophy with unwearied diligencé, he took the degrees of Arts, that of Mafter being compleated in 1605. Afterwards he entered into holy orders, and gained great reputation in the univerfity for his pathetic preaching.

+ Memoirs, p. 422. ibid. vol. ii, col. 34.'

§ Athena Oxon. p. 274.

In