KILLIGREW, William, was the eldest son of Sir Robert Killigrew, and born at Han worth, Middlesex, in theyear 1605. At the age of seventeen, he became a gentleman commoner of St John’s College, where he remained about three years; he then travelled into foreign parts, and, after his return, was made governor of Pendennis Castle and of Falmouth Haven in Cornwall. At a subsequent period, he attended Charles I. as gentleman-usher of the privy chamber; and, upon the breaking out of the civil war, he commanded one of the two troops of horse which were appointed to guard the royal person. He was in attendance upon the king when the court resided at Oxford; in 1642, he was created doctor of the civil law by the university of that place; and when the king’s affairs were completely ruined, he suffered like the other cavaliers, and was obliged to compound with the republicans for his estate. But the Restoration made him some compensation for the losses he had sustained in the royal cause. He was appointed gentleman-usher of the privy chamber to Charles II.; and, upon the king’s marriage, [7:12:719]he was created vice-chamberlain, an office which he held for twenty-two years. Killigrew died in 1693, four years after the Revolution. He was the author of four plays, printed at Oxford, 1666, in folio, and which have been commended by some eminent judges of dramatic merit, particularly b} Waller. Another play, called the Imperial Tragedy, 1690, in folio, is also ascribed to him; and a little poem of Ins, set to music by Henry Lawes, is likewise extant. Wood informs us that, in his declining age, after he had retired from court, he wrote The Artless Midnight Thoughts of a Gentleman at Court, 1684, in 8vo, the second edition of which he dedicated to Chari es II.; and another work, entitled Midnight and Daily Thoughts, in prose and verse, 1694, in 8vo. (a.)

Killigrew, Thomas, brother of the preceding, was born in 1611, and also distinguished for uncommon natural abilities. He was page of honour to Charles I., and afterwards groom of the bed-chamber to Charles II., with whom he had passed many years in exile. During his residence abroad, he visited France, Italy, and Spain, and was sent on a mission to Venice in August 1651. But the chief occupation of his leisure hours consisted in the cultivation of poetry and the composition of plays. Of the latter, Denham mentions only six; but it appears that he wrote nine during his travels, and two after his return, all of which were printed at London, 1664, in one vol. folio. Kiljigrew died in 1682, and was interred in Westminster Abbey. Possessing a vein of wild humour, to which he gave unlimited scope, he became a great favourite with Charles II., who, diverted by his sallies, paid more attention to Killigrew than to his ministers, and allowed the former access to the royal presence when that favour was denied to the latter. When he attempted to write, he was nothing. It was in conversation, and, above all, in light repartee, that he showed to advantage; being, in this respect, the reverse of Cowley, who made no figure in company, though he excelled in composition. Hence Denham, who knew them both, has thus characterised their respective excellencies and detects:
Had Cowley ne’er spoke, Killigrew ne’er writ,
Combin’d in one, they’d made a matchless wit. (a.)

Killigrew, Anne, “a grace for beauty, and a muse for wit,” as Mr Wood says, was the daughter of Dr Henry Killigrew, brother of the two foregoing, and was born a little before the Restoration. She gave early indications of genius, and became eminent in the arts both of poetry and painting. She drew the Duke of York and his duchess, to whom she was maid of honour, as well as several other portraits and history pieces; and crowned all her other accomplishments with unblemished virtue and exemplary piety. Mr Dryden seems quite lavish m her praise, though Wood assures us he has said no more of her than she was equal if not superior to. This amiable young woman died of the small-pox in 1685; and, the year after, her poems were published, in a thin quarto volume.