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JOHN FORD,

A Gentleman of the Middle-Temple, who wrote in the reign of Charles I. He was a well-wisher to the muses, and a friend and acquaintance of most of the poets of his time.  He was not only a partner with Rowley and Decker in the Witch of Edmonton, and with Decker in the Sun’s Darling; but wrote likewise himself seven plays, most of which were acted at the Phaenix in the Black-Fryars, and may be known by an Anagram instead of his name, generally printed in the title-page, viz,

Fide Honor.

His genius was more turned for tragedy than comedy, which occasioned an old poet to write thus of him: 

  Deep in a dump, John Ford was alone got,
  With folded arms, and melancholy hat.

These particulars I find in Mr. Langbaine, who gives the following account of his plays;

1.  Broken Heart, a Tragedy, acted by the King’s Servants at the private House in Black-Fryars, printed in 4to.  London 1633, and dedicated to Lord Craven, Baron of Hamstead-Marshal:  The Speaker’s Names are fitted to their Qualities, and most of them are derived from Greek Etymologies.

2.  Fancies Chaste and Noble, a Tragi-Comedy, acted by the Queen’s Servants, at the Phoenix in Drury Lane, printed 4to.  London 1638, and dedicated to Lord Randel Macdonell, Earl of Antrim, in the Kingdom of Ireland.

3.  Ladies Tryal, a Tragi-Comedy, acted by both their Majesties Servants, at the Private House in Drury-Lane, printed 4to.  London, 1639.

4.  Lover’s Melancholy, a Tragi-Comedy, acted at a Private House in Black-Fryars, and publickly at the Globe by the King’s Servants, printed 4to.  London 1629, and dedicated to the Society of Gray’s-Inn.  This Play is commended by four of the author’s Friends, one of whom writes the following Tetrastich: 

  ’Tis not the language, nor the fore-placed rhimes
  Of friends, that shall commend to after times
  The lover’s melancholy:  It’s own worth
  Without a borrowed praise shall see it forth.

The author, says Langbaine, has imbellished this Play with several fancies from other Writers, which he has appositely brought in, as the Story of the Contention between the Musician and the Nightingale, described in Strada’s academical Prolusions, Lib. ii.  Prol. 6.

5.  Love’s Sacrifice, a Tragedy, received generally well, acted by the Queen’s Servants, at the Phoenix in Drury-Lane; printed 4to.  Lond. 1663.  There is a copy of verses prefixed to this Play, written by James Shirley, Esq; a dramatic writer.

6.  Perkin Warbeck, a Chronicle History, and strange Truth, acted by the Queen’s Servants in Drury-Lane, printed 4to. 1634, and dedicated to William Cavendish, Duke of Newcastle.  This Play, as several of the former, is attended with Verses written by four of the Author’s friends.  The Plot is founded on Truth, and may be read in all the Chronicles of Henry vii.