THOMAS KILLEGREW, one of the sons of Sir Robert Killegrew, chamberlain to the Queen, was born at Hanworth, in the county of Middlesex, in the month of 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 several 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 the year 1635, while upon his travels, he chanced to be at Loudon, 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', still in MSS. in the Pepysian library at Magdalen College, Cambridge. He was appointed page of honour to King Charles the First, 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 Mrs. Cicilia Crofts, one of the maids of honour to Queen Henrietta. With this lady he had a dispute on the subject of jealousy, at which Thomas Carew was present, and wrote a poem, introduced into the Masque of Calum Britannicum, and afterwards a copy of verses on their nuptials, printed in his works. 66 In the year 1651, he was sent to Venice as resident at that state, although, says Lord Clarendon 3, "the 66 King was much dissuaded from it, but afterwards his Majesty was prevailed upon, only to gratify him (Kil"legrew) 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 * Sidney Papers, VI. 378. O. G. 2 Carew's Poems, 1772, p. 129. 1 No. 8383. 3 Life of Lord Clarendon, p. 116. 450 " vicious behaviour; of which the Venetian ambassa"dor complained to the king, when he came afterwards "to Paris." On his return from Venice, Sir John Denham wrote a copy of verses, printed in his works *, bantering the foibles of his friend Killegrew; who, from his account, was as little sensible to the inconveniences of exile as his royal master. His attachment to the interests of Charles the Second continued unabated until the Restoration, when he was appointed groom of the bed-chamber, and became so great a favourite with his Majesty, that he was admitted into his company on terms of the most unrestrained familiarity, and at times when audience was refused to the first ministers, and even on the most important occasions.-It does not appear that he 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 bed-chamber. Oldys says, he was king's jester at the same time; but although he might, and certainly did entertain his Majesty in that capacity, it can scarce be imagined to have been in consequence of any appointment of that kind. He died at Whitehall on the 19th of March, 1682 *, having in his life-time published the following plays : 1. The Prisoners: a Tragi-Comedy. Written at London, and acted at the Phoenix in Drury Lane. 2. Claracilla a Tragi-Comedy. Written in Rome, and acted at the Phoenix in Drury Lane. [Both these plays were printed in 12mo. 1641, with verses prefixed by H. Benet, afterwards the celebrated Earl of Arlington, Robert Waring, and William Cartwright.] + P. 41. Edition, 1719. The stanza which relates particularly to his authorship is thefollowing: "But who says he was not A man of much plot May repent that false accusation; The Farce of his negociation." C. * Qy. Lysons says 1684. O. G. |