Robert Mead

, Son of Rob. Mead a Stationer, was born at the Black Lyon in Fleetstreet, London, elected Student of Ch. Church from Westminster School, in the year 1634, and that of his age 18, took the degrees in Arts, bore Arms for his Maj. in the Garrison of Oxon, and at length was made a Captain. In May 1646 he was appointed by the Governor thereof one of the Commissioners to treat with those appointed by Fairfax the Generalissimo of the Parliament Forces then besieging Oxon, for the surrender thereof; and in June following he was actually created Doctor of Physick. In 1648 he was deprived of all right he had to his Students place by the Visitors appointed by Parliament; so that going into France, he was employ’d by our exil’d King, as an Agent into Sweedland. Afterwards he returned into England, took up his Quarters in the house of his Father, where being overtaken by a malignant fever, died soon after. He was, tho little, a stout and learned man, and excellent in the faculty of Poetry and making Plays. His eminent and general Abilities were also such, that they have left him a character pretious and honorable to our Nation. He hath written,

The Combate of Love and Friendship, a Comedy. Lond. 1654 qu. formerly presented by the Gentlemen of Ch. Ch. in this University. He is also said by one or more Writers to have been the Author of,

The costly Whore, a Com.—But whether true I cannot justly say, because a late ((*))((*)) Gerard Langbaine, in his Account of the Engl. Dramatick Poets, p. 366. Author (very knowing in such matters) doubts it. This worthy person Captain Mead, who hath also written several Poems, some of which are occasionally printed in the books of other Authors, died in his Fathers house before mentioned on the 21 of Feb. or thereabouts,1652/3. in sixteen hundred fifty and two, and was buried in the Church of S. Dunstans in the West in Fleetstreet, on the 23 of the same month, being then Ashwednesday.