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Gentleman eminent for learning. The place of his birth, and his father's name, are differently affigned by authors, who have mentioned him. Mr. Loyd fays t, that he was fon of Thomas Cartwright of Burford in Oxfordshire, and born August 16, in the year 1615; Mr. Wood §, that he was the fon of William Cartwright, and born at Northway, near Tewksbury in Gloucefterfhire in September 1611, that his father had diffipated a fair inheritance he knew not how, and as his laft refuge turned inn-keeper at Cirencester; when living in competence, he procured his fon, a youth of a promifing genius, to be educated under Mr. William Topp, mafter of the free fchool in that town. From thence he was removed to Westminster school, being chofen a King's fcholar, when compleating his former learning, under the care of Mr. Lambert Osbaldifton, he was elected a student in Christ Church in Oxford, in 1628, under the tuition of Mr. Jerumael Terrent ||, having gone through the claffes of logic and philofophy with unwearied diligence, he took the de'grees of Arts, that of Mafter being compleated in 1605. Afterwards he entered into holy orders, and gained great reputation in the univerfity for his pathetic preaching.

Memoirs, p. 422. ibid. vol. ii. col. 34.

§ Athenæ Oxon, p. 274.

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In 1642 he had the place of fuccentor in the church of Salisbury, conferred on him by bishop Duppa, and in 1643 was chofen junior proctor of the univerfity; he was alfo metaphyfical reader, and it was generally faid, that thofe lectures were never performed better than by Mr. Cartwright, and his predeceffor Mr. Thomas Barlow of Queen's College, afterwards lord bishop of Lincoln §. This ingenious gentleman died of a malignant fever, called the Camp-disease, which then reigned in Oxford, and was fatal to many of his cotemporaries, in the 33d year of his age, 1643His death was very much lamented by all ranks of men, and the King and Queen, then at Oxford, frequently enquired after him in the time of his fickness, and expreffed great concern for his death. Mr. Cartwright was as remarkable for the endowments of his perfon as of his mind; his body (as Langbaine expreffes it)" being as handsome 66 as his foul. He was, fays he, an expert lin "guift, understanding not only Greek and Latin, but French and Italian, as perfectly as his mo"ther tongue; an excellent orator, and at the "fame time an admirable poet, a quality which "Cicero with all his pains could never attain." The editor of his works applies to him the faying of Ariftotle concerning Efchron the poet, "that he could not tell what Efchron could not "do," and Dr. Fell, bishop of Oxford, faid of him, " Cartwright was the utmost a man can come to. Ben Johnfon likewife fo highly valued him, that he faid, "My fon Cartwright writes all like 66 a man." There are extant of this author's, four plays, befides other poems, all which were printed together in 1651, to which are prefixed above

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Athen. Oxon. col. 35. § Preface to his Poems in 8vo. London, 1651.

fifty

fifty copies of commendatory verfes by the most eminent wits of the univerfity.

Langbaine gives the following account of his plays;

1. Ordinary, a Comedy, when and where acted is uncertain.

2. Lady Errant, a Tragi-Comedy; there is no account when this play was acted, but it was efteemed a good Comedy.

3. Royal Slave, a Tragi-comedy, prefented to the King and Queen, by the ftudents of Chrift Church in Oxford, August 30, 1636; presented fince before both their Majefties at Hampton Court by the King's fervants. As for the noble ftile of the play itself, and the ready addrefs, and graceful carriage of the ftudents (amongst which Dr. Bufby, the famous mafter of Westminster school, proved himself a fecond Rofcius) did exceed all things of that nature they had ever feen. The Queen, in particular, fo much admired it, that in November following, fhe fent for the habits and fcenes to Hampton Court, fhe being defirous to fee her own fervants represent the fame play, whose profeffion it was, that she might the better judge of the feveral performances, and to whom the preference was due: the fentence was univerfally given by all the spectators in favour of the gown, though nothing was wanting on Mr. Cartwright's fide to inform the players as well as the fcholars, in what belonged to the action and delivery of each part.*

**

4. Siege, or Love's Convert, a Tragi-Comedy, when acted is not known, but was dedicated by the author to King Charles I. by an epiftle in verse.

Amongst his poems, there are feveral concerning the dramatic poets, and their writings, which must not be forgot; as thefe two copies

* Wood.

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which he wrote on Mr. Thomas Killegrew's plays, the Prisoner, and Claracilla; two copies on Fletcher, and one in memory of Ben Johnson, which are fo excellent, that the publisher of Mr. Cartwright's poems fpeaks of them with rapture in the preface, viz. what had Ben faid had he read his own Eternity, in that lafting elegy given him by our author. Mr. Wood mentions fome other works of Cartwright's; ft. Foemata Græca et Latina. 2d. An Offspring of Mercy iffuing out of the Womb of Cruelty; a Paffion Sermon preached at Chrift Church in Oxford, on Acts ii. 23. London, 8vo. 1652. 3d. On the Signal Days of the Month of November, in relation to the Crown and Royal Family; a Poem, London 1671, in a fheet, 4to. 4th. Poems and Verfes, containing Airs for -feveral Voices, fet by Mr. Henry Lawes.

From a Comedy of Mr. Cartwright's called the Ordinary, I fhall quote the following Congratulatory Song on a Marriage, which is amorous, and fpirited,

1.

While early light fprings from the skies,
A fairer from your bride doth rise;
A brighter day doth thence appear,
And make a fecond morning there.
Her blufh doth thed

All o'er the bed

Clear fhame-faced beams
That spread in ftreams,

And purple round the modest air.

II.

I will not tell what shrieks and cries,
What angry pishes, and what fies,

. What

What pretty oaths, then newly born,

The lift'ning bridegroom heard there fworn: While froward the

Moft peevishly

Did yielding fight,

To keep o'er night,

What she'd have proffer'd you e're morn.

III.

For, we know, maids do refuse
To grant what they do come to lose.
Intend a conqueft, you that wed;
They would be chaftly ravished;
Not any kifs

From Mrs. Pris,
If that you do

Perfuade and woo:

No, pleasure's by extorting fed.

Ο

IV.

may her arms wax black and blue Only by hard encircling you :

May the round about you twine
Like the eafy twifting vine;
And while you fip

From her full lip

Pleasures as new

As morning dew,

Like thofe foft tyes, your hearts combine.

GEORGE

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