Freedom natural to one of the best tempered Prinees, told the Earl, he thought the Vice (though perhaps he gave too much Countenance to it by bis own Irregularity) bad enough with the Confent of the Fair, but where Force or Violence was used, it was fo heinous, he would not, though a Sovereign, indulge the thought of fuch an Action, much more permit it to be done by a Subject.

This Reproof caufed the Earl to answer with fome Referve; he faid he would think no more of her; but foon after he renewed his Affault, telling her it was impoffible to live without her. That her exalted Virtue had infpired him with other Sentiments, propofing to Marry her in private. This Bait Roxalana greedily fwallowed, ber Vanity inclining her to believe the Earl fincere. In fhort, the Earl comes, brings his Coachman dreffed like a Minifter, Marries her, and took her down to one of his Country-Seats,. where foon growing weary of her, he pulled off the Mask, and, with fcorn, bids her return to the Stage. Upon this, fhe threw herself at the King's Feet, who countenanced her fo far, that be made the Earl allow her 500 l. a Year; and, as long as her Son lived would not fueffr him to Marry any other Lady; but, on the Child's Death, the Concern for fo ancient a Family's becoming extinct (the Earl being the last of it) his Majefty through great Interceffion was prevailed on, to permit of the Earl's Re-Marriage.

.

Mr. John Lacy was a Native of Yorkshire, born near Doncafter. He was bred in the Profeffion of a Dancing Master, but pursuing fome military Views; he became a Lieutenant and Quarter-Mafter under Colonel Gerrand. He was a well shaped Man; of a noble Stature,

and

and justly proportioned. What brought him upon the Stage we cannot determine; but Langbaine, in his Account of the English Dramatick Poets, tells us, That he was a Comedian, whose Abilities in Action were fufficiently known to all who frequented the King's Theatre. He per formed all the Parts he undertook to a Miracle, in fo much that as the Age he lived in never had, fo I am apt to believe no other will ever have his Equal, at least not his Superior.

He was fo well approved of by King Charles II, an undeniable Judge in dramatick Arts, that he caufed his Picture to be drawn in three Characters in one and the fame piece, viz. Teague in the Committee; Mr. Scruple in the Cheats; and Monfieur Galliard, in the Variety, now in the Royal Palace of Windfor Caftle. Nor did his Talent wholly lie in Acting, he knew both how to judge and write Plays, and is the Author of three Comedies, viz.

I. The Dumb Lady: Or, The Farrier made Phyfician. Taken from Le Medicin malgre luy. Whoever will compare them together, will find that Mr. Lacy has greatly improved Moliere.

II. The Old Troop: Or, Monfieur Ragou, Taken likewife, as I conjecture, from the French. Both these Plays were acted with univerfal Applause.

III. Sir Hercules Buffoon: Or, The Poetical Squire. This Play was brought upon the Stage after the Author's decease, 1684. In the Prologue, fpoken by that very facetious Comedian Mr. Jofeph Haines, were the following Lines,

Know, that fam'd Lacy, Ornament o' th' Stage,
That Standard of Comedy, in our Age;
Wrote this Play:

And if it takes not, all that we can fay on't,
Is, we've his Fiddle, not his Hand to play on't.

This Comedy was very well received:

There were a great many good Actors, foon after the Reftoration of King Charles II. whofe Excellencies to enumerate would be endlefs. We have already given the Characters of fome of the principal, among whom may juftly be reckoned Mr. Smith and Major Mohun.

The following were fome of Mr. Hart's fhining Characters; Arbaces in King and no King. Amintor, in the Maid's Tragedy, Rollo Duke of Normandy, Brutus in Julius Cæfar, Othello, and Alexander the Great. In this laft Character he appeared with fuch Majefty in his Looks and Gefture, that a Courtier of the firft Rank was pleased to honour him with this Commendation,

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Hart, fays he, might teach any King on Earth "how to comport himself." He was likewife excellent in Comedy; particularly in the parts of Mofca in Volpone, Don John in the Duke of Buckingham's Chances, Wildblood in the Mock Aftrologer.

Major Mohun fhone in the parts of Volpone, Face in the Alchymift, Melanthius in the Maid's Tragedy, Mordonius in King and no King, Caffius in Julius Cæfar. Clytus in Alexander the Great. Mithridates King of Pontus: When he performed this last part, Mr. Lee cried out, in

the

the greatest Extafy, O Mohun, Mohun! Thou little Man of Mettle, were I to write a hundred Plays thou fhould't be in 'em all,

Never had any Court fo great a regard for Actors and theatrical Performances, as that of King Charles II. For when the Play of Love and Honour, written by Sir William Davenant, was acted before the Court, the King gave Mr. Betterton, who played Prince Alvaro, his Coronation-fuit. And to Mr. Harris, who played Profpero, the Duke of York gave his Suit. And to Mr. Price, who acted Lionel Duke of Parma, the Lord Oxford gave his Cloaths. Mrs. Davenport, an excellent Actrefs, played Evandra.

A fhort Time after this, at the Revival of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, a very merryIncident happened. There being a Fight in this play between the Houfe of Capulet and the Houfe of Paris, Mrs. Holden, a good Actress, who was the Wife of Paris, entering in a violent Hurry, and crying out, O MY DEAR COUNT, inadvertently omitted the Letter O, and laying, a vehement Accent on the Word, put the House into the loudeft Fit of Laughter and Merriment. While the Aftrefs, confcious of her Miftake, retired with the utmost precipitation.

The Characters of Mr. Booт H, and
Mr. WILK S.

MR. R. Booth and Mr Wilks, were certainly very good Actors, tho' of different Excel. lencies, and as they were Cotemporaries with Mr. Cibber, both in acting, and in the Management of the Theatre, it is not doubted but his Opinion of these two celebrated Actors, will be very agreeable, which take as follows, viz.

"If I were to paint them in the Colours they laid upon one another, their Talents would not be fhewn with half the Commendation, I am inclined to bestow upon them, when they are left to my own Opinion. But People of the fame Profeffion, are apt to fee themfelves in their own clear Glafs of Partiality, and look upon their Equals through a mift of Prejudice.

It might be imagin'd too, from the difference of their natural Tempers, that Wilks fhould have been more blind to the Excellencies of Booth, than Booth was to thofe of Wilks; but it was not fo: Wilks would fometimes commend Booth to me; but when Wilks excell'd, the other was filent: Booth feem'd to think nothing valuable, that was not tragically Great, or Marvellous; Let that be as true, as it may; yet I have often thought, that from his having no Tafte of Humour himself, he might be too much. inclin❜d to depreciate the Acting of it in others. The very flight Opinion, which in private Converfation with me, he had of Wilks's acting Sir Harry Wildair, was certainly more, than could

be