nother opinion, and his Majesty being willing, that a trial should
be made, laid his commands on his lordship, to employ some of his
leisure time that way, which his lordship readily complied with, and
soon after composed the Black Prince.

It is difficult to give a full and accurate account of this nobleman's
compositions; for it must be owned, he was a better statesman than a
poet, and fitter to act upon the wide theatre of life, than to write
representations for the circumscribed theatre of the stage. In the
light of an author he is less eminent, and lived a life of too much
hurry to become proficient in poetry, a grace which not only demands
the most extensive abilities, but much leisure and contemplation. But
if he was not extremely eminent as a poet, he was far removed above
contempt, and deserves to have full mention made of all his writings;
and we can easily forgive want of elegance and correctness in one who
was of so much service to his country, and who was born rather to live
than to write a great part.

According to the least exceptionable account, his works are as follow:

1. The Irish Colours displayed, in a reply of an English Protestant,
to an Irish Roman Catholic, Lond. 1662, 4to.

2. An Answer to a scandalous Letter lately printed and subscribed be a
Peter Walsh, procurator for the Secular and Romish priests of Ireland:
This was the same infamous Walsh who forged the commisssion to act
against the Protestants. In this letter his lordship makes a full
discovery of the treachery of the Irish rebels, Dublin 1662, 4to.
Lond. 1662, 4to.

3. A Poem on his Majesty's Restoration, presented by the earl himself
to the King.

4. A Poem on the Death of the celebrated Mr. Abraham Cowley, Lond.
1667, fol. reprinted by Dr. Sprat, before his edition of Cowley's
works; also reprinted and much commended by Mr. Budgel.

5. History of Henry V. a tragedy. Lond. 1668, fol. In this play Mr.
Harris who played Henry, wore the Duke of York's coronation suit; and
Betterton, who played Owen Tudor, by which he got reputation, wore the
King's; and Mr. Liliston, to whom the part of the Duke of Burgundy was
given, wore the Earl of Oxford's.

6. Mustapha the Son of Solyman the Magnificent, a Tragedy, Lond. 1667,
fol. This play succeeded tollerably well.

7. The Black Prince, a Tragedy, Lond. 1672, fol. When this play was
begun his lordship lay ill of the gout, and after he had finished two
acts of it, he sent it to the Ki