Why is't damnation to despair and die, When life is my true happiness disease? My soul! my soul' thy safety makes me fly The faulty means that might my pain appease, Divines, and dying men may talk of Hell; But, in my heart, her sev'ral torments dwell! Ah! worthless wit to train me to this woe! Deceitful arts, that nourish discontent! Ill thrive the folly that bewitched me so! Vain thoughts adieu, for now I will repent! And yet my wants persuade me to proceed, Since none take pity of a Scholar's need! Forgive me God, altho' I curse my birth, And ban the air wherein I breath a wretch! Since misery hath daunted all my mirth And I am quite undone, thro' promise breach O friends! no friends! that then ungently frown, When changing fortune casts us headlong down! Without redress, complains my careless verse, And Midas ears relent not at my moan! In some far land will I my griefs rehearse, 'Mongst them that will be moved when I shall groan! England adieu! the soil that brought me forth! Adieu unkind where still is nothing worth! * * * * * JOHN FORD, A Gentleman of the Middle-Temple, who wrote in the reign of Charles I. He was a well-wisher to the muses, and a friend and acquaintance of most of the poets of his time. He was not only a partner with Rowley and Decker in the Witch of Edmonton, and with Decker in the Sun's Darling; but wrote likewise himself seven plays, most of which were acted at the Phænix in the Black-Fryars, and may be known by an Anagram instead of his name, generally printed in the title-page, viz, FIDE HONOR. His genius was more turned for tragedy than comedy, which occasioned an old poet to write thus of him: Deep in a dump, John Ford was alone got, With folded arms, and melancholy hat. These particulars I find in Mr. Langbaine, who gives the following account of his plays; 1. Broken Heart, a Tragedy, acted by the King's Servants at the private House in Black-Fryars, printed in 4to. London 1633, and dedicated to Lord Craven, Baron of Hamstead-Marshal: The Speaker's Names are fitted to their Qualities, and most of them are derived from Greek Etymologies. 2. Fancies Chaste and Noble, a Tragi-Comedy, acted by the Queen's Servants, at the Phoenix in Drury Lane, printed 4to. London 1638, and dedicated to Lord Randel Macdonell, Earl of Antrim, in the Kingdom of Ireland. 3. Ladies Tryal, a Tragi-Comedy, acted by both their Majesties Servants, at the Private House in Drury-Lane, printed 4to. London, 1639. 4. Lover's Melancholy, a Tragi-Comedy, acted at a Private House in Black-Fryars, and publickly at the Globe by the King's Servants, printed 4to. London 1629, and dedicated to the Society of Gray's-Inn. This Play is commended by four of the author's Friends, one of whom writes the following Tetrastich: