A Celebration of Women Writers

"Henry Killigrew."

From: Wood, Anthony. Athenae Oxoniensis. An exact history of all the writers and bishops who have had their education in the University of Oxford. 1721 edition. Volume II, columns 1035-1036.

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Writers of Christ-Church College.

HENRY KILLIGREW, the fifth and youngest Son of Sir Robert Killigrew, Knt. Chamberlain to the Queen, was born at the Manour of Hanworth, near Hampton Court in Middlesex, on the eleventh Day of Feb. 1612, educated in Grammar Learning under Mr. Tho. Farnaby, in the Parish of St. Giles's Cripplegate in London, became a Commoner of Ch. Ch. in the Year 1628, and soon after Student, and when Bach. of Arts, one of the Quadragesimal Collectors. In July 1638 he was actually created M. of A. being then about to travel in transmarine Parts, and entring afterwards into the sacred Function, became a Chaplain in the King's Army, when his Parliament had raised another against him. In the beginning of November 1642 he was actually created Doct. of Div. and soon after, in the same Year, became Chaplain to James Duke of York, and Prebendary of the twelfth Stall in the Church of Westminster, on the Promotion of Dr. George Eglionby to the Deanery of Canterbury. Afterwards he suffered for many Years, as others of the Orthodox and Loyal Clergy did: in requital of which he was made, in the first Year of the Restoration of King Charles II. Almoner to the said Duke of York, Superintendent to the Affairs of his Chapel, Rector of Wheathamsted in Hertfordshire, and in the Year following Master of the Savoy Hospital within the Liberty of Westminster. He wrote in the 17th Year of his Age, while he was a Com. of Ch. Ch.
  The Conspiracy, Trag. Lond. 1638. qu. It was designed for an Entertainment of the King and Queen at York House, at the Nuptials of the Lady Mary Villiers, Daughter of George Duke of Buckingham, and the Lord Charles Herbert, Son of Philip Earl of Pembroke: and being afterwards acted at the Blackfryars in London, found the Approbation of the most excellent Persons which were in that time. Ben Johnson was then alive, who gave a Testimony to this Piece, even to be envied; and Lucius Viscount Falkland did much applaud it, considering the Age of the Author, who was then, when he made it, but 17 Years old, as before 'tis said. This Impression was printed without the Author's Consent, from a false and imperfect Transcript, the original Copy being with the Author in Italy; so that it might rather be called the first Design or foul Draught, than a true Copy. This occasion'd a new Edition, and the Publisher imposed * on it a new Title, that it might shew as little Affinity as possible, to (what he calls) its Antitype; styling it
  Pallantus and Eudora, Trag. Lond. 1652. fol. After our Author, Dr. Killigrew, had retired from the Court, he caused to be published
  Sermons preached partly before his Majesty at Whitehall, and partly before Anne Dutchess of York, at the Chapel of S. James's. Lond. 1685. qu. They are in num. 22. the first of which, preached on Christmas Day, is on I John 3. 5. and the last is on Lam. 3. 39, 40.
  Other Sermons, as (I) Sermon preached before the K. at Oxon, on Psal. 101, 1. Oxon 1643. qu. with the
[Column 1036] Picture of King Charles I. before it, wrought off from a Woodden Cut. (2) Sermon preached the Sunday before Easter in Westminster-Abby, on Psal. 110. 7. Lond. in the Savoy 1689. qu. &c. This worthy Dr. Killigrew had a Daughter named Anne, a Grace for Beauty, and a Muse for Wit, born in St. Martin's Lane in Lond. in the latter end of the the times of Usurpation, a little before the Restoration of King Charles II. and christned in a private Chamber, when the Offices in the Common-Prayer were not publicly allowed. Afterwards being tenderly educated, she became most admirable in the Arts of Poetry and Painting. She was one of the Maids of Honour to the Dutchess of York; but dyed of the Small-Pox, to the unspeakable Reluctancy of her Relations, and all others who were acquainted with her great Virtues, in her Father's Lodgings within the Cloister of Westminster-Abbey, on the 16th Day of June 1685, aged 25 or thereabouts, and was buried in the Chancel of St. John Baptist's Chapel in the Savoy Hospital before-mention'd. Soon after were publish'd of her Composition a Book entit. Poems by Mrs. Anne Killigrew. Lond. 1686, in a large thin qu. wherein is nothing spoken of her, which (allowing only for the Poetical Dress) she was not equal to, if not superior: and if there had not been more true History in her Praises, than Compliment, her Father would never have suffered them to pass the Press. Before them is an Ode made to her pious Memory and Accomplishments, by John Dryden Poet Laureat, and after it follows her Epitaph engraven on her Marble Tomb, which is put over her Grave, beginning thus: Heu ! jacet, fato victa, quæ stabat ubique victrix forma, ingenio, religione, &c.


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* Gerard Langbaine; in his Account of the Dramatic Poets, &c. printed 1691, p. 330.