, an English dramatic author, who lived in the time of James I. and
, an English dramatic author, who
lived in the time of James I. and wrote eight plays. Wood
says, “that he was a student in Corpus-Christi college,
Oxford; but where he was born, or from what family descended, is not known.
” When he left Oxford, he was
entered of the Middle Temple, of which society he was
chosen lecturer in the 34th of Elizabeth; but much more
of his personal history is not known. He lived in friendship with Ben Jonson, as appears by his addressing to him
his “Malecontent,
” a tragi-comedy, in Catiline and Sejanus,
” in his “Epistle
”
prefixed to “Sophonisba,
” another tragedy. “Know,
”
says he, “that I have not laboured an this poem, to relate
any thing as an historian, but to enlarge every thing as a
poet. To transcribe authors, quote authorities, and to
translate Latin prose orations into English blank verse,
hath in this subject been the least aim of my studies.
”
Langbaine observes, and with good reason, “that none,
who are acquainted with the works of Ben Jonson, can
doubt that he is meant here, if they will compare the orations in Sallust with those in his Cataline.
” Jonson appears
to have quarrelled with him and Decker, and is supposed
to have ridiculed both in his “Poetaster.
”