I have heard Sir William Davenant and Mr. Thomas Shadwell (who is counted the best comoedian we have now) say that he had a most prodigious witt, and did admire his naturall parts beyond all other dramaticall writers. He was wont to say (B. Johnson's Underwoods) that he 'never blotted out a line in his life'; sayd Ben: Johnson, 'I wish he had blotted-out a thousand.'
His comoedies will remaine witt as long as the English tongue is understood, for that he handles mores hominum. Now our present writers reflect so much upon particular persons and coxcombeities, that twenty yeares hence they will not be understood.
Though, as Ben: Johnson sayes of him, that he had but little Latine and lesse Greek, he understood Latine pretty well, for he had been in his younger yeares a schoolmaster in the countrey.—from Mr. ... Beeston[964].
Ralph Sheldon (1623-1684).
[965]Ralph Sheldon, of Beoley, esq., natus at Weston, Warwickshire, Aug. 4, 1623, about 5 of the clock in the morning.
Memorandum the plott brake out in Oct. 1678. His house was search't; he disarmed; and afterwards a prisoner at Warwick.
Anno ..., very like to dye of a dropsey—quaere Sir Thomas Millington de hoc.
Faire Madam Frances Sheldon (one of the maydes of honour[966]) was born 24 Febr. at 8 or 9 at night. She was 23 last Febr. (1677/8).