Killigrew, William

, descended from this family, was the eldest son of sir Robert Killigrew, knt. and born at Han worth in Middlesex, 1605. He became a gentlemancommoner of St. John’s college, Oxford, in 1622; where continuing about three years, he travelled abroad, and, after his return, was made governor of Pendennis castle, and of Falmouth haven, in Cornwall. After this he was called to attend Charles I. as one of the gentlemen-ushers of his privy-chamber; in which employment he continued till the breaking out of the civil wnrs, and then had the command given him of one of the two great troops of horse | that guarded the king’s person. He was in attendance upon the king when the court resided at Oxford, and was created doctor of civil law in 1642; and, when the king’s affairs were ruined, he suffered as the other cavaliers did, and compounded with the republicans for his estate. Upon the restoration of Charles II. he was made gentleman- usher of the privy chamber again and, on that king’s marriage, was created his first vice-chamberlain, in which station he continued twenty-two years. He died in 1693, and was buried in Westminster-abbey. He was the author of four plays, which were printed at Oxford, 1666, in folio, and have been applauded by men very eminent in poetry; particularly by Waller, who addresses a copy of verses to him upon his altering “Pandora” from a tragedy into a comedy, because not approved on the stage. There is another play ascribed to him, called “The Imperial Tragedy,” 1690, folio. There is also a little poem of his extant, which was set to music by the noted Henry Lawes. Wood says, that after be retired from court, in his declining age, he wrote “The artless midnight Thoughts of a gentleman at court, who for many years built on sand, which every blast of cross fortune has defaced, but now has laid new foundations on the rock of his salvation,” 1684, 8vo, of which the second edition, with additions, was dedicated to Charles II.; and another work entitled “Midnight and daily Thoughts, in prose and verse,” 1694, 8vo. ¹