DURFEY Tom

DURFEY Tom (alias D'Urfey Tom) (born in1653 - 26 February 1723) was an English writer and author of jokes. In addition to writing jokes, he wrote plays, poems, and poetry. He was an important innovator and collaborator in the development of ballad opera. He wrote about 500 songs and 32 plays, beginning with The Siege of Memphis or Ambicious Queen (1676), the comedy Madam Fickle (1677), A Fond Husband (1676), The Virtuous Wife (1680), and Wonders in the Sun, or , The Birds of Birds (1706).