ladies were then his scholars, and that beauty in court who could not read Euphism, was as little regarded, as she who now speaks not French.  This extraordinary Romance I acknowledge I have not read, so cannot from myself give it a character, but I have some reason to believe, that it was a miserable performance, from the authority of the author of the British Theatre, who in his preface thus speaks of it; “This Romance, says he, so fashionable for its wit; so famous in the court of Queen Elizabeth, and is said to have introduced so remarkable a change in our language, I have seen and read.  It is an unnatural affected jargon, in which the perpetual use of metaphors, allusions, allegories, and analogies, is to pass for wit, and stiff bombast for language; and with this nonsense the court of Queen Elizabeth (whose times afforded better models for stile and composition, than almost any since) became miserably infected, and greatly help’d to let in all the vile pedantry of language in the two following reigns; so much mischief the most ridiculous instrument may do, when he proposes to improve on the simplicity of nature.”

Mr. Lilly has writ the following dramatic pieces;

Alexander and Campaspe, a tragical comedy; play’d before the Queen’s Majesty on twelfth-night, by her Majesty’s children, and the children of St. Paul’s, and afterwards at the Black Fryars; printed in 12mo.  London, 1632.  The story of Alexander’s bestowing Campaspe, in the enamoured Apelles, is related by Pliny in his Natural History.  Lib. xxxv.  L. x.

Endymion, a Comedy, presented before Queen Elizabeth, by the children of her Majesty’s chaple, printed in 12mo. 1632.  The story of Endymion’s being beloved by the moon, with comments upon it, may be met with in most of the Mythologists.  See Lucian’s Dialogues, between Venus and the Moon.  Mr. Gambauld has writ a romance called Endymion, translated into English, 8vo. 1639.

Galathea, a Comedy, played before the Queen at Greenwich on New year’s day, at night, by the children of St. Paul’s, printed in 12mo.  London, 1632.  In the characters of Galathea and Philidia, the poet has copied the story of Iphis and Ianthe, which the reader may find at large in the ninth book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis.

Maid’s Metamorphosis, a Comedy, acted by the children of St. Paul’s, printed in 12mo. 1632.

Mydas, a Comedy, played before the Queen on Twelfth-night, printed in 12mo.  London, 1632.  For the story, see the xith book of Ovid’s Metamorphosis.

Sappho and Phaon, a Comedy, played before the queen on Shrove-Tuesday, by the children of Paul’s, and afterwards at Black-Fryars, printed in Twelves, London 1632.  This story the reader may learn from Ovid’s Epistles, of Sappho to Phaon, Ep. 21.

Woman in the Moon, presented before the Queen, London 1667.  Six of these plays, viz.  Alexander and Campaspe, Endymion, Galathea and Mydas, Sappho and Phaon, with Mother Bombie, a Comedy, by the same author, are printed together under the title of the Six Court-Comedies, 12mo, London 1632, and dedicated by Mr. Blount, to the lord viscount Lumly of Waterford; the other two are printed singly in Quarto.——­He also wrote Loves Metamorphosis, a courtly pastoral, printed 1601.