ash'd the villain and the ass.
[Footnote 1: General Dictionary. See the article Shadwell.]
* * * * *
Sir WILLIAM KILLEGREW.
The eldest son of Sir Robert Killegrew, Knt. chamberlain to the Queen,
was born at the Manor of Hanworth, near Hampton-Court, in the month
of May, 1605. He became a gentleman commoner in St. John's College in
Midsummer term 1622; where continuing about three years he travelled
beyond seas, and after his return, was made governor of Pendennis
castle, and of Falmouth haven in Cornwall, with command of the militia
in the west part of that county. After this he was called to attend King
Charles I. as one of his gentlemen ushers of his privy chamber; in which
employment he continued till the breaking out of the great rebellion;
and had the command given him of one of the two great troops of horse
that guarded the King's person, during the whole course of the war
between his Majesty and his Parliament. Our author was in attendance
upon the King when the court resided at Oxford, and was created doctor
of the civil laws 1642;[1] and upon the ruin of the King's affairs, he
suffered for his attachment to him, and compounded with the republicans
for his estate.
Upon the restoration of King Charles II. he was the first of
his father's servants that he took any notice of, and made him
gentleman-usher of his privy chamber: the same place he enjoyed under
the deceased King. Upon Charles IId's marriage with Donna Catherina of
Portugal, he was created his Majesty's first vice chamberlain, in which
honourable station he continued twenty-two years.
His dramatic works are,
1. Orinasdes, or Love and friendship, a tragi-comedy.
2. Pandora, or the Converts, a Comedy.
3. Siege of Urbin, a Tragi-Comedy.
4. Selindra, a Tragi-Comedy.
All these plays were printed together in folio, Oxon 1666. There is
another play ascribed to our author, called the Imperial Tragedy,
printed in 1699; the chief part was taken out of a Latin play, and much
altered by him for his own diversion; tho' upon the importunity of his
friends, he was prevailed upon to publish it, but without his name.
The plot is founded upon the history of Zeno, the 12th emperor of
Constantinople after Constantine. Sir William Killegrew's plays have
been applauded by men very eminent in poetry, particularly Mr. Waller,
who addresses a copy of verses to him upon his altering Pandora from a
tragedy into a comedy,
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