John Caryll (senior)
Encyclopedia
John Caryll 1st Baron Caryll of Durford
in the Jacobite Peerage
, was a poet, dramatist, and diplomat; not to be confused with his nephew, John Caryll, the dedicatee of Alexander Pope
's Rape of the Lock.
Caryll was born at West Harting, England. He was head of an old English Catholic and Royalist
family at that time settled in West Harting, in Sussex
. His father, of whom he was heir, was likewise named John; his mother was a daughter of William, second Baron Petre
. Of his education he received part at the English College of St. Omer, in Artois
, part at the Venerable English College in Rome. During the reign of Charles II of England
he produced several plays and poems. In poetry his chief performances were a translation of Ovid
's Epistle of Briseïs to Achilles, first appearing in 1680 in a work entitled Ovid's Epistles, translated by several hands, and afterwards separately; also a translation of Virgil
's first Eclogue
, printed in Nichol's Select Collection of Miscellany Poems and published in 1683.
His plays, both of them brought out at the Duke of York's Theatre
, were a tragedy written in 1666 and called The English Princess, or the death of Richard III (Samuel Pepys
, who saw this piece acted 7 March 1667, found it no more than "pretty good"), and a comedy entitled Sir Solomon Single, or the Cautious Coxcomb, which came out in 1671, upon the pattern of Molière
's The School for Wives
. In 1679, during the so-called "Popish Plot
", Caryll, as a Catholic of distinction, was committed to the Tower of London
, but was soon let out on bail. When James II of England
succeeded to the throne in 1685, he sent Caryll as his agent to the court of Pope Innocent XI, withdrawing him some months later upon the Earl of Castlemaine
's appointment to that post.
Caryll was then appointed secretary to Queen Mary of Modena
, in whose service he continued after the Glorious Revolution
of 1688, when he followed the exiled royal family across the sea to Saint-Germain
. From his voluntary expatriation, however, there ensued no confiscation of his property until 1696, when, by reason of his implication in one of the plots to overthrow William of Orange (William III)
, he having furnished money for that purpose, his estate in West Harting was declared forfeited. His life interest in West Harting was thereon granted to Lord Cutts, but redeemed by Caryll's aforementioned nephew for £6,000. In exile at Saint-Germain, he was created by the dethroned James II
(d. 1701) Baron Caryll of Durford (or Dunford)
in West Sussex
and appointed his Joint Secretary of State
together with Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton
from 1694 to 1696.
His son, the so-called Old Pretender, James Francis Edward Stuart
, recognised by Jacobites
as "King James III and VIII" re-appointed him one of his Secretaries of State, a post which he continued to hold up until his death. Meanwhile, in 1700, Caryll published anonymously another work, this time in prose, entitled The Psalmes of David, translated from the Vulgat. He died 4 September 1711, and was buried at Paris in the church of the Scots College
, of which he had been a benefactor and where there was set up a tablet to his memory. He married Margaret, a daughter and co-heir of Sir Maurice Drummond. She died in 1656. They left no children, and by a special remainder, he was succeeded in his Jacobite peerage, by his nephew, also named John Caryll
. One of his sisters, Mary, became first abbess of the English Benedictine
nuns in Dunkirk. The last of the Caryll family, a grandson of the above mentioned nephew, died at Dunkirk in 1788, having served as Secretary to Charles Edward Stuart
, called "the Young Pretender", known by Jacobites as "King Charles III".
Baron Caryll of Durford
Baron Caryll of Durford of Harting in West Sussex is a title in the Jacobite Peerage of England created by the dethroned King James II for John Caryll, poet, dramatist and diplomat, with apparently a special remainder to the issue male of his brothers.The first Baron was succeeded, under the...
in the Jacobite Peerage
Jacobite peerage
After the deposition by the English parliament in February 1689 of King James II and VII from the thrones of England and Ireland , he and his successors continued to create peers and baronets, which they believed was their right...
, was a poet, dramatist, and diplomat; not to be confused with his nephew, John Caryll, the dedicatee of Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope
Alexander Pope was an 18th-century English poet, best known for his satirical verse and for his translation of Homer. He is the third-most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations, after Shakespeare and Tennyson...
's Rape of the Lock.
Caryll was born at West Harting, England. He was head of an old English Catholic and Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
family at that time settled in West Harting, in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. His father, of whom he was heir, was likewise named John; his mother was a daughter of William, second Baron Petre
Baron Petre
Baron Petre , of Writtle, in the County of Essex, is a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1603 for Sir John Petre. He represented Essex in parliament and served as Lord Lieutenant of Essex...
. Of his education he received part at the English College of St. Omer, in Artois
Artois
Artois is a former province of northern France. Its territory has an area of around 4000 km² and a population of about one million. Its principal cities are Arras , Saint-Omer, Lens and Béthune.-Location:...
, part at the Venerable English College in Rome. During the reign of Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
he produced several plays and poems. In poetry his chief performances were a translation of Ovid
Ovid
Publius Ovidius Naso , known as Ovid in the English-speaking world, was a Roman poet who is best known as the author of the three major collections of erotic poetry: Heroides, Amores, and Ars Amatoria...
's Epistle of Briseïs to Achilles, first appearing in 1680 in a work entitled Ovid's Epistles, translated by several hands, and afterwards separately; also a translation of Virgil
Virgil
Publius Vergilius Maro, usually called Virgil or Vergil in English , was an ancient Roman poet of the Augustan period. He is known for three major works of Latin literature, the Eclogues , the Georgics, and the epic Aeneid...
's first Eclogue
Eclogue
An eclogue is a poem in a classical style on a pastoral subject. Poems in the genre are sometimes also called bucolics.The form of the word in contemporary English is taken from French eclogue, from Old French, from Latin ecloga...
, printed in Nichol's Select Collection of Miscellany Poems and published in 1683.
His plays, both of them brought out at the Duke of York's Theatre
Duke of York's Theatre
The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End Theatre in St Martin's Lane, in the City of Westminster. It was built for Frank Wyatt and his wife, Violet Melnotte, who retained ownership of the theatre, until her death in 1935. It opened on 10 September 1892 as the Trafalgar Square Theatre, with Wedding...
, were a tragedy written in 1666 and called The English Princess, or the death of Richard III (Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
, who saw this piece acted 7 March 1667, found it no more than "pretty good"), and a comedy entitled Sir Solomon Single, or the Cautious Coxcomb, which came out in 1671, upon the pattern of Molière
Molière
Jean-Baptiste Poquelin, known by his stage name Molière, was a French playwright and actor who is considered to be one of the greatest masters of comedy in Western literature...
's The School for Wives
The School for Wives
The School for Wives is a theatrical comedy written by the seventeenth century French playwright Molière and considered by some critics to be one of his finest achievements. It was first staged at the Palais Royal theatre on 26 December 1662 for the brother of the King...
. In 1679, during the so-called "Popish Plot
Popish Plot
The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy concocted by Titus Oates that gripped England, Wales and Scotland in Anti-Catholic hysteria between 1678 and 1681. Oates alleged that there existed an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate Charles II, accusations that led to the execution of at...
", Caryll, as a Catholic of distinction, was committed to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, but was soon let out on bail. When James II of England
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
succeeded to the throne in 1685, he sent Caryll as his agent to the court of Pope Innocent XI, withdrawing him some months later upon the Earl of Castlemaine
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine
Roger Palmer, 1st Earl of Castlemaine PC was an English courtier, diplomat, and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1660. He was also a noted Catholic writer...
's appointment to that post.
Caryll was then appointed secretary to Queen Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena
Mary of Modena was Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of King James II and VII. A devout Catholic, Mary became, in 1673, the second wife of James, Duke of York, who later succeeded his older brother Charles II as King James II...
, in whose service he continued after the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
of 1688, when he followed the exiled royal family across the sea to Saint-Germain
Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye
The Château de Saint-Germain-en-Laye is a royal palace in the commune of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, in the département of Yvelines, about 19 km west of Paris, France. Today, it houses the Musée d'Archéologie Nationale ....
. From his voluntary expatriation, however, there ensued no confiscation of his property until 1696, when, by reason of his implication in one of the plots to overthrow William of Orange (William III)
William III of England
William III & II was a sovereign Prince of Orange of the House of Orange-Nassau by birth. From 1672 he governed as Stadtholder William III of Orange over Holland, Zeeland, Utrecht, Guelders, and Overijssel of the Dutch Republic. From 1689 he reigned as William III over England and Ireland...
, he having furnished money for that purpose, his estate in West Harting was declared forfeited. His life interest in West Harting was thereon granted to Lord Cutts, but redeemed by Caryll's aforementioned nephew for £6,000. In exile at Saint-Germain, he was created by the dethroned James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
(d. 1701) Baron Caryll of Durford (or Dunford)
Baron Caryll of Durford
Baron Caryll of Durford of Harting in West Sussex is a title in the Jacobite Peerage of England created by the dethroned King James II for John Caryll, poet, dramatist and diplomat, with apparently a special remainder to the issue male of his brothers.The first Baron was succeeded, under the...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
and appointed his Joint Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
together with Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton
Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton
Charles Middleton, 2nd Earl of Middleton, Jacobite 1st Earl of Monmouth, PC was a Scottish and English politician who held several offices under Charles II and James II & VI...
from 1694 to 1696.
His son, the so-called Old Pretender, James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward Stuart
James Francis Edward, Prince of Wales was the son of the deposed James II of England...
, recognised by Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
as "King James III and VIII" re-appointed him one of his Secretaries of State, a post which he continued to hold up until his death. Meanwhile, in 1700, Caryll published anonymously another work, this time in prose, entitled The Psalmes of David, translated from the Vulgat. He died 4 September 1711, and was buried at Paris in the church of the Scots College
Scots College (Paris)
The Scots College was a college of the University of Paris, France, founded by an Act of the Parlement of Paris on 8 July 1333. The act was a ratification of an event that had already taken place, the founding of the Collegium Scoticum, one of a number of national colleges into which the...
, of which he had been a benefactor and where there was set up a tablet to his memory. He married Margaret, a daughter and co-heir of Sir Maurice Drummond. She died in 1656. They left no children, and by a special remainder, he was succeeded in his Jacobite peerage, by his nephew, also named John Caryll
John Caryll the younger
John Caryll was the second Jacobite Baron Caryll of Durford.A friend of Alexander Pope, Caryll was the son of Richard Caryll , of West Grinstead, Sussex, and Frances , daughter of Sir Henry Bedingfield, and nephew and heir of John Caryll, Jacobite first Baron Caryll of Durford. He succeeded his...
. One of his sisters, Mary, became first abbess of the English Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
nuns in Dunkirk. The last of the Caryll family, a grandson of the above mentioned nephew, died at Dunkirk in 1788, having served as Secretary to Charles Edward Stuart
Charles Edward Stuart
Prince Charles Edward Louis John Casimir Sylvester Severino Maria Stuart commonly known as Bonnie Prince Charlie or The Young Pretender was the second Jacobite pretender to the thrones of Great Britain , and Ireland...
, called "the Young Pretender", known by Jacobites as "King Charles III".