Lord Mohun, as we have already observed, was tried, and acquitted by his peers; as it did not appear, that he immediately assisted Hill, in perpetrating the murder, or that they had concerted it before; for tho’ they were heard to vow revenge against Mountford, the word murther was never mentioned.  It seems abundantly clear, that lord Mohun, however, if not active, was yet accessary to the murther; and had his crime been high treason, half the evidence which appeared against him, might have been sufficient to cost him his head.  This nobleman himself was killed at last in a duel with the duke of Hamilton.[1]

Mr. Mountford, besides his extraordinary talents as an actor, is author of the following dramatic pieces.

1.  The Injured Lovers, or the Ambitious Father, a Tragedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal 1688, dedicated to James earl of Arran, son to the duke of Hamilton.

2.  The Successful Strangers, a Tragi-Comedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal 1690; dedicated to lord Wharton.  The plot is taken from the Rival Brothers, in Scarron’s Novels.

3.  Greenwich-Park, a Comedy, acted at the Theatre-Royal 1691; dedicated to Algernon earl of Essex.

Besides these, he turned the Life and Death of Dr. Faustus into a Farce, with the Humours of Harlequin and Scaramouch, acted at the queen’s theatre in Dorset-Garden, and revived at the Theatre in Lincoln’s-Inn-Fields 1697.

Mr. Mountford has written many Prologues and Epilogues, scattered in Dryden’s Miscellanies; and likewise several Songs.  He seems to have had a sprightly genius, and possessed a pleasing gaiety of humour.—­He was killed in the year 1692; and was buried in St. Clement Danes.

[Footnote 1:  The foundation of the quarrel between lord Mohun and the duke (however it might be improved by party suggestions) was a law suit between these noblemen, on account of part of the earl of Macclesfield’s estate, which Mr. Savage would have been heir to, had not his mother, to facilitate her designed divorce from that earl (with the pleasing view of having her large fortune restored to her, and the no less pleasing prospect of being freed from an uncomfortable husband) declared unhappy Savage to be illegitimate, and natural son of the then earl Rivers.  Of this farther notice will be taken in Savage’s Life.]

* * * * *

THOMAS SHADWELL.

This celebrated poet laureat was descended of a very antient family in Staffordshire; the eldest branch of which has enjoyed an estate there of five-hundred pounds per ann.  He was born about the year 1640, at Stanton-Hall in Norfolk, a seat of his father’s, and educated at Caius College in Cambridge[1], where his father had been likewise bred; and then placed in the middle Temple, to study the law; where having spent some time, he travelled abroad.  Upon his return home he became acquainted with the most celebrated