'The Epistle Dedicatory To the Right Honourable John Ld. Haughton' is signed: 'John Dryden' and is followed by the 'Prologue', with list of 'Dramatis Personae' on the verso; the 'Epilogue, By a Friend of the Authour' is on verso of page 63. The 'Friend' is Robert Wolseley, 'the author of the admirable Preface to Valentinian' [Macdonald]

'The erroneous belief that Dryden had taken a share in satirising Charles, and his attack upon the catholics in the 'Spanish Friar', suggested the hypothesis that Dryden was in sympathy with Shaftesbury's opposition to the court. A libeller even represented him as poet laureate to Shaftesbury ... and another said that his pension had been taken from him, and that he had written the 'Spanish Friar' in revenge. He put an end to any such impression by publishing the first of his great satires ... 'Absalom and Achitophel ... ' [DNB]

First performance: 8 March 1680 at Dorset Garden. 'It is a bitter attack upon the hypocrisy and licentiousness attributed to the catholic priesthood' [DNB].

Wing D2370; Macd. 86c; Woodward & McManaway 463.