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WILLIAM CAVENDISH Duke of New-Castle

This Honourable Person, for his eminent Services to his Prince and Country, preferred from Earl to Duke of New-Castle; was a Person equally addicted both to Arms and Arts, which will eternize his Name to all Posterity, so long as Learning, Loyalty, and Valour shall be in Fashion.  He wrote a splendid Treatise of the Art of Horsemanship, in which his Experience was no less than his Delight; as also two Comedies, The Variety, and the Country Captain.  Nor was his Dutchess no less busied in those ravishing Delights of Poetry, leaving to Posterity in Print three ample Volumes of Her studious Endeavors; one of Orations, the second of Philosophical Notions and Discourses, and the third of Dramatick and other kinds of Poetry, of which five Comedies, viz. The Bridalls; Blazing World; Covent of Pleasure; the Presence; and The Sociable Companions, or Female Wits.

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Sir WILLIAM KILLIGREW.

Sir William Killigrew was one whose Wings of Fancy displayed as high Invention, as most of the Sons of Phoebus of his time; contributing to the Stage five Playes, viz. Ormardes, The Princess, or Love at first sight; Selindra, and The Seige of Urbin, Tragi-Comedies; and a Comedy called Pandora.  To whom we may joyn Mr. Thomas Killigrew, who also wrote five Plays, viz. The Parsons Wedding; and Thomaso, or the Wanderer, Comedies; the Pilgrim a Tragedy; and Clarasilla, and The Prisoners, Tragi-Comedies.

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JOHN STUDLEY.

Was one who besides other things which he wrote, contributed to the Stage four Tragedies, viz. Agamemnon, Hyppolitus, Hercules Oetes, and Medea, and therefore thought worthy to have a Place amongst the rest of our English Poets.

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JOHN TATHAM.

John Tatham was one, whose Muse began to bud with his Youth, which produced early Blossomes, of not altogether Contemptible Poetry, in a Collection of Poems entituled Fancys Theater; which was usher’d into the World by divers of the Chief Wits of that age.  He was afterwards City Poet, making those Speeches and Representations used at the Lord Mayors show, and other Publick Meetings.  He also contributed to the Stage four plays, viz.  The Scots Fegaries and The Rump, or Mirror of the late times, Comedies; the Distracted State, a Tragedy, and Love crowns the End; a Tragy-Comedy.  Here a tast of his juvenile wit in his Fancys Theater speaking in the Person of Momus.