Hampton Court by their own servants. Langbaine says the preference was given to the representation by the collegians, as much superior to that of the players.

2. The Lady Errant: tragi-comedy. 1651.

3. The Ordinary: a comedy. 1651.

4. The Siege; or, Love's Convert: tragi-comedy. 1651.

All these plays were printed with his other poems in 1651.

Thomas Killigrew, one of the sons of Sir Robert Killigrew, was born at Hanworth, in Middlesex, in February 1611. Although his writings are not wanting in those requisites which confer reputation on an author, yet he has been indebted for his fame more to the jests, for which he was as much admired by his sovereign as he was feared by the courtiers, than to any of his publications. He seems to have been early intended for the court; and to qualify him for rising there, every circumstance of his education appears to have been adapted. In 1635, while upon his travels, he chanced to be at Loudun, and an eye-witness of the celebrated imposture of exorcising the devil out of several nuns belonging to a convent in that town. Of this transaction he wrote a very minute and accurate account, printed

in three sheets folio. He was appointed page of honour to King Charles I., and faithfully adhered to his cause until the death of his master, after which he attended his son in his exile, to whom he was highly acceptable, on account of his social and convivial qualifications. He married Cecilia Crofts, one of the maids of honour to Queen Henrietta. With this lady he had a dispute arising out of jealousy, at which Thomas Carew was present, who wrote some verses on the occasion, and afterwards others on their nuptials.

In 1651 he was sent to Venice, as English resident at that state, although, says Lord Clarendon, the king was much dissuaded from it; but afterwards his majesty was prevailed upon, only to gratify him (Killigrew), that in that capacity he might borrow money of English merchants for his own subsistence, which he did, and nothing to the honour of his master; but was at last compelled to leave the republic for his vicious behaviour, of which the Venetian ambassador complained to the king, when he came afterwards to Paris. On his return from Venice, Sir John Denham wrote a copy of verses, bantering the foibles of friend Killigrew, who, according to his account, was as little sensible to the inconveniences of exile as his royal

His attachment to the interests of Charles II. continued unabated until the Restoration, when he was appointed groom of the bedchamber. He was a man of very great humour, and frequently diverted the king by his drollery, having access to Charles when admission was denied to the first peers in the realm. Amongst many other stories, the following is related of him. Charles II., who hated business as much as he loved pleasure, would often disappoint the council in vouchsafing his royal presence when they were met; by which their business was necessarily delayed, and many of the council much offended by the disrespect thrown on them. One day, when the council were met, and had sat some time in expectation of his majesty, the Duke of Lauderdale, who was a furious, ungovernable man, quitted the room in a passion, and accidentally met Killigrew, to whom he expressed himself disrespectfully of the king. Killigrew bade his grace be calm, for he would lay a wager of 100l. that he would make his majesty come to council in less than half an hour. Lauderdale, being a little heated, and under the influence of surprise, took him at his word. Killigrew went to the king, and without ceremony told him what had happened; and added, "I know that your majesty hates Lauderdale, though the necessity of your affairs obliges you to

behave civilly to him. Now if you would get rid of a man you hate, come to the council; for Lauderdale is a man so boundlessly avaricious, that rather than pay the hundred pounds lost in this wager, he will hang himself, and never plague you more. The king, pleased with the archness of this observation, answered, "Then, Killigrew, I'll go;" which he did. It is likewise related that, upon the king's suffering his mistresses to gain so great an ascendency over him, as to sacrifice for them the interest of the state, and neglect the most important affairs, while, like another Sardanapalus, he wasted his hours in the apartments of those enchantresses,-Killigrew went one day into his apartment dressed like a pilgrim prepared for a long journey. The king, surprised at this extraordinary frolic, asked him the meaning of it, and to what distant country he was going; to which Killigrew bluntly answered, "The country I seek, may it please your majesty, is hell.” "And what to do there?" replies the king. To bring Oliver Cromwell back," returned the wag, to take care of the English affairs, for his successor takes none." It was usually said of him, that when he attempted to write, he was nothing near so smart as he was in conversation; which was just the reverse of Cowley, who shone but little in company, though he excelled so much with his pen. Hence Sir John Denham, who knew them both, has taken occasion thus to characterise their respective excellences and defects:

"Had Cowley ne'er spoke, Killigrew ne'er writ,
Combined in one they'd made a matchless wit.'

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It does not appear that Killigrew availed himself of his interest with the king, either to amass a fortune or to advance himself in the state; we do not find that he obtained any other preferment than the post of master of the revels, which he held with that of groom of the bedchamber. Oldys says he was king's jester at the same time; but although he entertained his majesty in that capacity, it can scarcely be imagined to have been in consequence of any appointment of that kind. He died at Whitehall, 19th March, 1684, having in his lifetime published the following plays :

1. The Prisoners: tragi-comedy. 1641.

2. Claracilla: tragi-comedy. Written at Rome. 1641.

3. The Princess; or, Love at First Sight: tragi-comedy. Written at Naples.

4. The Parson's Wedding: comedy. Written at Basle.

5. The Pilgrim: tragedy. Written at Paris.

6. Cecilia and Clorinda; or, Love in Arms. The first part. Tragi-comedy. Written at Turin.

7. Cecilia and Clorinda. The second part. Written at Florence.

8, 9. Don Thomaso; or, the Wanderer: comedy. In two parts. Written at Madrid.

10. Bellamira, her Dream; or, the Love of Shadows: tragi-comedy. Written at Venice.

All these plays were printed together in folio in 1664.

HENRY KILLIGREW.

(Born 1612.)

In

Henry Killigrew, brother of Thomas and William Killigrew, was born in February 1612; educated first under the celebrated Thomas Farnaby, and then sent to Christ Church, Oxford, in 1628. 1638, having taken his degrees in arts, he went into orders, and became a chaplain in the king's army. In 1642 he was created doctor of divinity, and the same year made chaplain to James Duke of York, and Prebendary of Westminster. Afterwards he suffered for many years as an adherent to the king's cause; but at the Restoration was, in requital, made almoner to the Duke of York, superintendent of his chapel, rector of Wheatamsted in Hertfordshire, and master of the Savoy Hospital in Westminster. He wrote, when only seventeen years of age, a tragedy called The Conspiracy, which was much admired by some wits of those times, particularly by Ben Jonson, then living, "who gave a testimony of it," says Langbaine, ever to be envied," and by Lord Falkland. An imperfect copy of this getting out in 1638, he afterwards caused it to be republished in 1652, with the new title of Pallantus and Eudora. He published a volume of sermons, which had been preached at court in 1685, and also two or three occasional sermons. The year of his death does not appear.

SAMUEL BUTLER.*

(1612-1680.)

Of the great author of Hudibras there is a life prefixed to the later editions of his poem, by an unknown writer, and therefore of disputable authority; and some account is incidentally given by Wood, who confesses the uncertainty of his own narrative. More, however, than they knew cannot now be learned, and nothing remains but to compare and copy them.

Samuel Butler was born in the parish of Strensham, in Worcestershire, according to his biographer, in 1612. This account Dr. Nash finds confirmed by the register. He was christened Feb. 13.

His father's condition is variously represented. Wood mentions him as competently wealthy; but Mr. Longueville, the son of Butler's principal friend, says he was an honest farmer with some small estate, who made a shift to educate his son at the grammarschool of Worcester, under Mr. Henry Bright,t from whose care he

* Johnson.

These are the words of the author of the short account of Butler prefixed to Hudibras, which Dr. Johnson, notwithstanding what he says above, seems to have supposed was written by Mr. Longueville, the father; but the contrary is to be inferred from a subsequent passage, wherein the author laments that he had neither such an acquaintance nor interest with Mr. Longueville as to

removed for a short time to Cambridge; but, for want of money, was never made a member of any college. Wood leaves us rather doubtful whether he went to Cambridge or Oxford, but at last makes him pass six or seven years at Cambridge, without knowing in what hall or college; yet it can hardly be imagined that he lived so long in either University but as belonging to one house or another; and it is still less likely that he could have so long inhabited a place of learn

ing with so little distinction as to leave his residence uncertain. Dr. Nash has discovered that his father was owner of a house and a little land, worth about eight pounds a year, still called "Butler's tenement."

procure from him the golden remains of Butler there mentioned. He was probably led into the mistake by a note in the Biog. Brit. p. 1077, signifying that the son of this gentleman was living in 1736.

This friend and generous patron of Butler, Mr. William Longueville, was a conveyancing lawyer and a bencher of the Inner Temple, who had raised himself from a low beginning to very great eminence in that profession. He was eloquent and learned, of spotless integrity, supported an aged father who had ruined his fortunes by extravagance, and by his industry and application reedified a ruined family. He supported Butler, who, but for him, must literally have starved; and received from him as a recompense the papers called his Remains.