is no account of his being
raised to any preferment during the Protector's government. He died
the 30th of November, 1654.

We shall present the readers with the prologue to the Queen of
Arragon, acted at Black-Fryars, as a specimen of this author's poetry.

Ere we begin that no man may repent,
Two shillings, and his time, the author sent
The prologue, with the errors of his play,
That who will, may take his money and away.
First for the plot, 'tis no way intricate
By cross deceits in love, nor so high in state,
That we might have given out in our play-bill
This day's the Prince, writ by Nick Machiavil.
The language too is easy, such as fell
Unstudied from his pen; not like a spell
Big with mysterious words, such as inchant
The half-witted, and confound the ignorant.
Then, what must needs, afflict the amourist,
No virgin here, in breeches casts a mist
Before her lover's eyes; no ladies tell
How their blood boils, how high their veins do swell.
But what is worse no baudy mirth is here;
(The wit of bottle-ale, and double beer)
To make the wife of citizen protest,
And country justice swear 'twas a good jest.
Now, Sirs, you have the errors of his wit,
Like, or dislike, at your own perils be't.

Footnote:
1. Wood Athen. Oxon. v. 1, p, 100.

* * * * *

FRANCIS GOLDSMITH.

Was the son of Francis Goldsmith, of St. Giles in the Fields in
Middlesex, Esq; was educated under Dr. Nicholas Grey, in
Merchant-Taylor's School, became a gentleman commoner in
Pembroke-College in the beginning of 1629, was soon after translated
to St. John's College, and after he had taken a degree in arts, to
Grey's-Inn, where he studied the common law several years, but other
learning more[1]. Mr. Langbaine says, that he could recover no other
memoirs of this gentleman, but that he lived in the reign of King
Charles the First, and obliged the World with a translation of a play
out of Latin called, Sophompaneas, or the History of Joseph, with
Annotations, a Tragedy, printed 4to. Lond. 1640, and dedicated to the
Right Hon. Henry Lord Marquis of Dorchester. This Drama was written by
the admirable Hugo Grotius, published by him at Amsterdam 1635, and
dedicated to Vossius, Professor of History and Civil Arts in
Amsterdam. He stiles it a Tragedy, notwithstanding it ends
successfully, and quotes for his authority in so doing,