William Killigrew

Sir William Killigrew (1606 – 1695) was an English court official under Charles I and Charles II. [ODNB article by J. P. Vander Motten, ‘Killigrew, Sir William (bap. 1606, d. 1695)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/15541] , accessed 9 Sept 2007]

He was the son of Sir Robert Killigrew (1580–1633) and Mary Woodhouse, of Kimberley, Norfolk, his wife. He was the elder brother to Thomas Killigrew. In 1625 or 1625, he married Mary Hill and they had seven children, of whom only sons Robert and William survived their father.

Killigrew was knighted in May 1626. He was elected MP for Newport and Penryn, Cornwall in March 1628, but only sat for the latter. In 1629, he and his father were jointly awarded the Governorship of Pendennis Castle. However, after some trouble, he resigned in favour of Sir Nicholas Slanning [Sir Nicholas Slanning (1606–43), English Civil War hero. Not to be confused with his son of the same name, who was MP for Penryn 1679-89.] in April 1635.

With partners, he attempted to drain the Lincolnshire fens, an immensely expensive undertaking. During the English Civil War he gave loyal and effective support to the King.

At the Restoration he was made the Queen's Vice-Chamberlain, an influential and well-rewarded post.

From 1664 to 1679 he was Member of Parliament for Richmond in Yorkshire.

He was the author of four plays of some merit. ["some merit": this is the judgement of the 1911 edition of "Britannica". ODNB assigns them "limited literary value", but great historical interest.] The four dramas, with their dates of publication, are:

* "Ormasdes, or Love and Friendship" (1664)
* "Pandora, or the Converts" (1664)
* "Selindra" (1664)
* "The Siege of Urbin" (1666).

The tragicomedy "The Siege of Urbin" has often been considered his best play. Poet Edmund Waller addressed verses to Killigrew on the subject of "Pandora", which indicate that the play was originally a tragedy; Killigrew revised it into a comedy after the tragic version failed onstage. [James Orchard Halliwell-Phillipps and David Erskine Baker, "A Dictionary of Old English Plays", London, J. R. Smith, 1860; p. 188.]

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