, descended from this family, was the eldest son of sir Robert Killigrew,
, 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,
” 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,
” Midnight and daily Thoughts,
in prose and verse,
”