Footnotes: 
1.  As the whole passage from Davila is subjoined to the text in the
   play, the reader may easily satisfy himself of the accuracy of what
   is here stated.  But, although the scene may have been written in
   1661, we must be allowed to believe, that its extreme resemblance
   to the late events occasioned its being revived and re-presented in
   1682.

2.  The poem, alluded to, was probably the Religio Laici, first
   published in November l682.

3.  Dryden and Shadwell had once been friends.  In the preface to “The
   Humourists,” acted, according to Mr Malone, in 1676, Shadwell thus
   mentions his great contemporary: 

“And here I must make a little digression, and take liberty to dissent from my particular friend, for whom I have a very great respect, and whose writings I extremely admire; and, though I will not say, his is the best way of writing, yet, I am sure his manner of writing is much the best that ever was.  And I may say of him, as was said of a celebrated poet, Cui unquam poetarum magis proprium fuit subito astro incalescere?  Quis ubi incaluit, fortius et faeclicius debacchatur?  His verse is smoother and deeper, his thoughts more quick and surprising, his raptures more mettled and higher, and he has more of that in his writings, which Plato calls sophrona manian than any other heroic poet.  And those who shall go about to imitate him, will be found to flutter and make a noise, but never to rise.”

Such a compliment, from a rival dramatist, could only have been extracted by previous good offices and kindly countenance.  Accordingly we find, that Dryden, in 1678-9, wrote a prologue to Shadwell’s play, of “The True Widow.”

4.  “The Female Prelate, or Pope Joan,” is a bombast, silly performance
   of Elkanah Settle; the catastrophe of which consists in the
   accouchement of the Pope in the streets of Rome.  The aid necessary
   in the conclusion of an English tragedy, (usually loudly called
   for, but never brought) is of a surgical nature; but here Lucina
   was the deity to be implored, and the midwife’s assistance most
   requisite.

Shadwell’s comedy of “The Lancashire Witches,” was popular for many years after the Revolution, chiefly, because the papists were reflected upon in the character of Teague O’Divelly, an Irish Priest, the high-church clergy ridiculed under that of Smerk, and the whole Tory faction generally abused through the play.  It is by no means one of Shadwell’s happiest efforts.  The introduction of the witches celebrating their satanical sabbath on the stage, besides that the scene is very poorly and lamely written, is at variance with the author’s sentiments, as delivered through Sir Edward Hartfort, “a worthy, hospitable, true English gentleman, of good understanding and honest principles,” who ridicules the belief in witches at all.  A different