An account of the English dramatick poets, or, Some observations and remarks on the lives and writings of all those that have publish'd either comedies, tragedies, tragi-comedies, pastorals, masques, interludes, farces or opera's in the English tongue by Gerard Langbaine.

Captain William BEDLOE.

A Person so remarkable in this Nation not many years since, on the Account of the Popish Plot; that few are ignorant of his part of the discovery. I shall not pretend here, to give you an account of his Life, but refer you to that which was written by an Unknown Hand, intituled, The Life and Death of Captain Willi∣am Bedloe, printed in octavo, Lond. 1681.

The Reason why we mention him in our Catalogue is, on account of a Play writ by him, called, The Excommunicated Prince: or, The false Relick: a Tragedy Acted by his Ho∣liness's Servants: being The Popish Plot, in a Play, printed in folio, Lond. 1679. Dedicated to his Grace the Duke of Buckingham. I must confess, I was very desirous to read this Piece for the sake of the Title-page, and came to it with great expectations; but found them al∣together frustrated, and only a Story which I had formerly read in Dr. Heylin's Geography, described in it. But afterwards when his Life came out, I was satisfied with the Account the Publisher gave of it: which for the Readers Information, and the Justification of the De∣ceased, I shall quote word for word.

d 1.1

In the next place, I desire leave to speak something of his Dramatick Poem, call'd The Excommunicated Prince, or, The False Relick. As to the worth of the Play, I do own my self so unskilful in Poetry, that I will not rashly pretend to give my opinion of it.

But that which I know, let me assert in its vindication, viz. That it was both began and finisht in the space of two Months, which every one must needs acknowledge was but a very short time, considering the great busi∣ness that then more earnestly imploy'd his thoughts, which must necessarily be a weighty clog to the ablest Muse. Whereas some of the chiefest Poets of this Age have thought it no disparagement to confess, that a correct Play to be perfected, will require at least twelve Months time. And I remember in some Prologue, I think in that to the Virtuoso, I have read this Distick to the same purpose.

A Play, like Ground, must a Year Fallow lye, E're it can ripen to good Comedy.

This consider'd, (and it being the first Essay he ever finish'd of this Nature) what few mistakes are found in his Play, may be easily excus'd. But besides its real faults, the errors of the Press, and what it suffers thro' the prejudice and malice of the Author's Adversaries, I do not at all wonder if even the most impartial Reader too, should look severely on it, seeing he is promis'd in the Title-page, what he can never find in the Book. It would fain cozen him to believe that he shall meet with the Popish Plot re∣presented in that Play, though I have heard Mr. Bedloe often say he never intended any such thing. The History he designed, may, as I am inform'd, be read in several Authen∣tick Authors; but in Heylin's Geography I re∣member I met with it my self. So may any

that will peruse his History of Georgia. Mr. Bedloe well knew it was against his Interest so for to ridicule the Plot, as to compose a Play of it; and he had more judgment in Poetry, than to imagine that such a new thing would please in Tragedy. And least any one should suspect that his design did in the least incline that way, he writ an Epistle to assure his Reader of the contrary. Which the Stationer, (supposing under that pretence the Play would vend much better) thought it his interest to stifle, and added these words to the Title-page (Being the Popish Plot in a Play) without the Author's consent or knowledge.

Notes

• d 1.1

  See his Life, pag. 110.