William Gager

was elected a Student of Ch. Church from Westminster School in 1574. took the degrees in Arts, and afterwards entring on the Law line, took the degrees in that Faculty also, in 1589. About which time, being famed for his excellencies therein, became Chancellour of the Diocess of Ely, and much respected by the Bishop thereof Dr. Martin Heton. He was an excellent Poet, (especially in the Lat. tongue, as several copies of verses, printed occasionally in various books, shew,) and reputed the best Comedian of his time, whether it was Edward Earl of Oxford, Will. Rowley the once ornament for wit and ingenuity of Pembroke hall in Cambridge, Rich. Edwards, Joh. Lylie, Tho. Lodge, Geor. Gascoigne, Will. Shakspeare, Tho. Nash, or Joh. Heywood. He was also a man of great gifts, a good Scholar, and an honest person, and (as it should seem by Dr. Joh. Rainolds’s several answers and replies to what this Doctor hath written,) hath said more for the defence of Plays than can be well said again by any Man that should succeed or come after him. The cause for the defence of Plays was very wittily and Scholarlike maintained between the said two Doctors for some time, but upon the rejoynder of Rainolds, Gager did let go his hold, and in a Christian modesty and humility yielded to the truth, and quite altered his judgment. He hath written several Plays, among which are,

Ulysses redux.

Rivales. Both which were several times acted in the large Refectory, of Ch. Ch. but whether ever printed, I cannot yet tell. The last was acted before Albert Alaskie Prince of Sirad, a most learned Polonian, in June 1583. in which year he purposely came into England, to do his devotions to, and admire the wisdom of, Queen Elizabeth. After he had beheld and heard the Play with great delight in the said Refectory, he gave many thanks in his own person to the author.

Meleager, Trag. Written also in Latin, as the two former were, and acted publickly in Ch. Ch. hall, an. 1581. or thereabouts, before the Earl of Pembroke, Rob. Earl of Leicester Chanc. of the Univ. of Ox. Sir Ph. Sidney, and many other considerable persons. This Tragedy giving great delight, was shortly after acted there again, and at length in 1592. ’twas printed at Oxon in oct. to the great content of Scholars. A copy of the said Tragedy, with two letters, being sent by the author to Dr. Jo. Rainolds, (in which letters, as I conceive, were many things said in defence of Theatre sights, Stage-plays, &c.) the said Doctor drew up an answer, dated at Queens coll. 10. Jul. 1592. Whereupon our author Gager making a reply, with a desire to Rainolds to forbear any farther writing against him, yet Rainolds came out with a rejoynder in July 1593. As for Gagers letters and reply, I think they were not printed, for among my searches, I could never see a copy of them. The answer of Rainolds with his rejoynder, I am sure were printed under the title of, The overthrow of Stage-plays, &c. This is all that I know of our author Gager, only that he was living in,Clar. 1610. or near to, the City of Ely, in sixteen hundred and ten, and that he wrote the Latine Epistle before the book of verses made by the University of Oxon. intit. Exequiae D. Philippi Sidnaei. Oxon. 1587. qu. In which book also he hath copies of verses on the death of that famous Knight; who, while he was in being, had a very great respect for the learning and virtues of Gager; of whom you may see more in Joh. Rainolds, under the year 1607. and in Will. Heale, who next follows. In 1615. was published a book at London in qu. intit. A refutation of the Apology for Actors, but by whom written I know not, for only the two letters J. G. are set to it.