onferred on him by bishop Duppa,[4] and in 1643 was chosen junior
proctor of the university; he was also metaphysical reader, and it was
generally said, that those lectures were never performed better than
by Mr. Cartwright, and his predecessor Mr. Thomas Barlow of Queen's
College, afterwards lord bishop of Lincoln.[5] This ingenious
gentleman died of a malignant fever, called the Camp-disease, which
then reigned in Oxford, and was fatal to many of his contemporaries,
in the 33d year of his age, 1643. His death was very much lamented by
all ranks of men, and the King and Queen, then at Oxford, frequently
enquired after him in the time of his sickness, and expressed great
concern for his death. Mr. Cartwright was as remarkable for the
endowments of his person as of his mind; his body (as Langbaine
expresses it) "being as handsome as his soul. He was, says he, an
expert linguist, understanding not only Greek and Latin, but French
and Italian, as perfectly as his mother tongue; an excellent orator,
and at the same time an admirable poet, a quality which Cicero with
all his pains could never attain." The editor of his works applies
to him the saying of Aristotle concerning AEschron the poet, "that he
could not tell what AEschron could not do," and Dr. Fell, bishop of
Oxford, said of him, "Cartwright was the utmost a man can come to."
Ben Johnson likewise so highly valued him, that he said, "My son
Cartwright writes all like a man." There are extant of this author's,
four plays, besides other poems, all which were printed together in
1651, to which are prefixed above fifty copies of commendatory verses
by the most eminent wits of the university.

Langbaine gives the following account of his plays;

1. Ordinary, a Comedy, when and where acted is uncertain.

2. Lady Errant, a Tragi-Comedy; there is no account when this play was
acted, but it was esteemed a good Comedy.

3, Royal Slave, a Tragi-comedy, presented to the King and Queen, by
the students of Christ Church in Oxford, August 30, 1636; presented
since before both their Majesties at Hampton Court by the King's
servants. As for the noble stile of the play itself, and the ready
address, and graceful carriage of the students (amongst which Dr.
Busby, the famous master of Westminster school; proved himself a
second Roscius) did exceed all things of that nature they had ever
seen. The Queen, in particular, so much admired it, that in November
following, she sent for the