Thursday, March 20, 2014

Keep it Classy Henry Killegrew

19 March 1668: "The pleasant story of [Captain] H[enry] Killigrew is that he opiated the mother and the daughter, and then ravished the daughter for which he was condemned to the gallows, but by the great mediation of the Queen Mother & Madame he is only banished."

It seems Captain Henry Killigrew was always getting into trouble, or close by when trouble happened.

8 February 1667: "Mr Henry Killigrew's servant was t'other night stabb'd in the next room to his Majesty, 'tis said he killed himself, but others suspect the master who was in the room with him drunk, some say alone, some say there was a third person however, Mr Killigrew is confined to his chamber".

25 October 1666: "H[enry] Killigrew is banished the Court for raw words spoken against a lady of pleasure, but it's thought will return again."

1667: Killegrew gets into trouble with the Duke of Buckingham at the theatre:

"H Killigrew being in the next box to the Duke of Buckingham at a play drolled with him and made fun at him and spake scurvy language to him insomuch that the Duke told him he might govern his tongue and his face better."

Killigrew left and tried to get "Vaughan" to challenge the Duke. Vaughan refused and Killigrew returned and "stroke the Duke times on the head with his sword in the scabbard and then ran away most noble over the boxes and the Duke after him and cut him well favouredly, he crying, 'Good, your Grace, spare my life' and fell down, some say to beg for his life but certainly the Duke kicked him. The Duke lost his wig in the pursuit for a while".