Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Sharpe, Lewis
SHARPE, LEWIS (fl. 1640), dramatist, lived in the reign of Charles I. He is known as the author of the ‘Noble Stranger,’ a comedy which was first acted ‘at the Private House in Salisbury Court, by Her Majestie's servants,’ and was printed, in 4to, for James Becket, of the Inner Temple Gate, Fleet Street. It is dedicated to ‘the Worthy Knight, Sir Edmund Williams,’ and is prefaced with eulogistic verses by Richard Woolfall. From these it appears to have been a popular piece, frequently acted. Langbaine speaks highly of the play, especially commending the parts of Pupillus and Mercutio. The British Museum contains two copies.
A younger contemporary, Roger Sharpe (fl. 1610), poet, is known as the author of ‘More Fooles yet. Written by R. S.—At London. Printed by Thomas Castleton’ (1610, 4to). An address to the reader is signed Roger Sharpe. The work, which consists of a collection of epigrams, is of extreme rarity. A copy is in the Malone collection in the Bodleian, which formerly belonged to Narcissus Luttrell [q. v.] (Collier, Bibliogr. Catalogue, pp. 340–2; Arber, Transcript of the Stationers' Register, iv. 196; Hazlitt, Handbook, p. 552).
[Langbaine's Account of the English Dramatic Poets, p. 335; Baker's Biographia Dramatica, i. 649, iii. 85; Fleay's Biogr. Chronicle of the British Drama, ii. 232.]