She wou'd if she cou'd, a Comedy, 4to. 1671. Acted also at the Duke of York's Theatre. This Comedy is accounted by Mr. Langbain, with whom I agree, one of the first Rank, and by Mr. Shadwell (in his Preface to his Humorists) the best Comedy written since the Restauration of the Stage.
F
Sir Francis Fane, Jun. Knight of the Bath.
This Honourable Author is lately deceased, his late Residence was at Fulbeck in Lincolnshire; he was Grandson to the Earl of Westmorland, and has given us the two following Plays:
Love in the Dark; or, The Man of Business; a Comedy, 4to. 1675. Acted at the Theatre Royal by his Majesties Servants, and Dedicated to the Right Honourable John, Earl of Rochester. The Plot taken from the Invisible Mistress in Scarron's Novels, 8vo. Boccace's Novels, Day 3. Nov. 3, and Day 7. Nov. 7. Loves of Great Men, p. 59.
The Sacrifice, a Tragedy 4to. 1686. and Dedicated to the Right Honourable Charles, Earl of Dorset and Middlesex. This Play tho' Published without Acting, was highly commended by two Copies of Verses to the Author by Mr. Tate and Mrs. Behn; For the Plot see Chalcocondylas, lib. 3. Leundavius, lib. 6. See also the Lives of Bajazet and Tamerlain, the last by Mr. D'Assigny, and the former by Knoll's in his Turkish History.
Sir Richard Fanshaw.
Brother to the Right Honourable Thomas Lord Fanshaw of Ware-Park in Hertfordshire; he was Educated at Cambridge, from thence removed to Court; he perfectly understood Latin, French, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese; was Secretary to the King in Holland, France, and Scotland, was after the Restauration sent Ambassador to Portugal, to Consummate the Match between the present Queen Dowager and Charles the Second. In the Year 1664. he was sent into Spain, Ambassador, to confirm the Treaty of Commerce and League between the two Crowns, and dyed at Madrid, 1666. to say nothing of his Capacity as a Statesman, we confine our selves only to his Poetry, and particularly his Dramatick Pieces.
