Cornish Worthies: Sketches of Some Eminent Cornish Men and Families, Volume 2 (of 2)Tregellas, Walter H. (Walter Hawken)
History
Cornish Worthies: Sketches of Some Eminent Cornish Men and Families, Volume 2 (of 2)
Tregellas, Walter H. (Walter Hawken)
Cornwall (England : County) -- Biography
Charles, the third brother, was born in 1650, and was buried in the
Savoy in 1725. He succeeded his father in the post of Master of the
Revels[88] in 1680, with a fee of £10 per annum; and he was made a
Commissioner of Prizes in 1707. J. T. Smith tells us that he used to
license, 'in black and red print,' all ballad-singers, mountebanks,
rope-dancers, prize-players, 'and such as make shew of motions and
strange sights.' He also succeeded to the ownership of the play-house
in Drury Lane; and is said to have done much to correct the profaneness
of the stage.
Amongst the Lord Chamberlain's Records of the Reign of Charles II.
is a volume marked 'Players Booke,' which contains many curious
entries, such as regulations against persons forcing their way into
the theatre without payment at the beginning of the last acts of the
piece. No actor to leave the theatre without giving three months'
warning. No visitor to come between the scenes, or sit or stand upon
the stage during the time of acting. It also appears that certain of
the actors had entered into a bond of £500 with Charles Killigrew for
the theatrical properties, and a regulation was made that thenceforth
none of the actors or actresses should 'presume to go out of the House
in theire acting Clothes.' The well known Mohun, who was one of the
parties to this bond, had served as Major of a regiment in Flanders.
But Harry, who seems to have been a son of Tom the elder, by his first
wife Cecilia Crofts, took most after his father. He was Groom of the
Chamber to James II., when Duke of York; and was the scapegrace of the
family. Pepys was more than once shocked at his conduct, and speaks
of him as a 'rogue newly come out of France.' Before he did this he
had earned a bad character abroad; for on 21st July, 1660, the Prince
Palatine wrote of a duel which Master Harry fought at Heidelberg, and
adds, 'He will never leave his lying as long as his tongue can wagg.'
There were ugly suspicions of his having, in a drunken fit, stabbed his
own servant; and of his having committed other outrageous misdeeds. In
1666 he was banished from the Court, 'for raw words spoken against a
lady of pleasure.' Yet he seems to have contrived to find his way back
again; for in 1667 occurred the memorable squabble between him and
Buckingham, which Pepys thus relates, and to which Charles II. also
referred in a letter to Prince Rupert:
'Creed tells me of the fray between the Duke of Buckingham at the
Duke's play-house the last Saturday (and it is the first day I have
heard that they have acted at either the King's or Duke's houses this
month or six weeks), and Henry Killigrew, whom the Duke of Buckingham
did soundly beat and take away his sword, and make a fool of, till the
fellow prayed him to spare his life; & I am glad of it, for it seems in
this business the Duke of Buckingham did carry himself very innocently
& well, & I wish he had paid this fellow's coat well.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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