Samuel Tuke (playwright)
Encyclopedia
Sir Samuel Tuke first baronet was an English officer in the Royalist
army during the English Civil War
and a notable playwright. He is best known for his 1663
play The Adventure of Five Hours, possibly co-authored by George Digby
- the play (an adaptation of a Spanish work by Antonio Coello
) was produced by the Duke's Company
and later proved an influence on Sheridan's opera The Duenna
.
in 1635 and had fought in Europe before the Civil War broke out in 1640. By late 1642 he was a major in the Duke of York's Regiment, serving with William Cavendish's northern army and fighting at the battle of Marston Moor
. He then served in western England in 1645 under the command of George Goring
before resigning his commission after he was passed over for promotion to major-general of horse in favour of Goring's brother-in-law George Porter. He tried to force Porter into a duel but the council of war instead forced him into an apology. He then defended Colchester
in 1648, acting as one of its occupants' commissioners on the surrender and then going into exile with Prince Charles
(later Charles II) in France throughout the Protectorate. There he met John Evelyn
, attended on Charles's younger brother Henry Stuart
and became known as a duellist and a wit. He tried to become Henry's governor but instead was recommended to Charles as James, Duke of York
's secretary by their mother Queen Henrietta Maria
, though Charles and Edward Hyde
veoted such an appointment. By 1659 at the latest Tuke had also converted to Roman Catholicism.
On the Restoration, Tuke remained a favourite of Charles II, who made him a knight and a baronet in 1664. He was also sent to the French court in 1661 with Charles's condolences for the death of Cardinal Mazarin. 1661 also saw the first edition of his play The Adventures of Five Hours - this was based on the Spanish comedy Los empeños de seis horas, which Charles II had suggested Tuke adapt and produce in English. Its premiere was on 8 January 1663 at Lincoln's Inn Fields
- this was attended by Samuel Pepys
, who called it "the best, for the variety and the most excellent continuance of the plot to the very end, that ever I saw or think ever shall" and "the best play that ever I read in my life" , thinking it superior to Othello
. A catalogue of publications of Henry Herringman published in 1684 also mentions Tuke as one of the authors of the 1664 Pompey the Great. He was one of the first members of the Royal Society
(publishing a history of the breeding of green Colchester oysters in the Transactions of the Royal Society) and backed loyal Catholics in the house of Lords
(advocating their claims to remission of the penal laws). He died in 1674 at Somerset House and was buried in its chapel.
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...
army during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and a notable playwright. He is best known for his 1663
1663 in literature
The year 1663 in literature involved some significant events.-Events:*February - The Académie des inscriptions et belles-lettres is founded in Paris....
play The Adventure of Five Hours, possibly co-authored by George Digby
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol
George Digby, 2nd Earl of Bristol was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1640 until 1641 when he was raised to the House of Lords...
- the play (an adaptation of a Spanish work by Antonio Coello
Antonio Coello
Antonio Coello was a Spanish dramatist and poet. He entered the household of the duke de Albuquerque, and after some years of service in the army received the order of Santiago in 1648...
) was produced by the Duke's Company
Duke's Company
The Duke's Company was one of the two theatre companies that were chartered by King Charles II at the start of the English Restoration era, when the London theatres re-opened after their eighteen-year closure during the English Civil War and the Interregnum.The Duke's Company had the patronage of...
and later proved an influence on Sheridan's opera The Duenna
The Duenna
The Duenna is a three-act comic opera, mostly composed by Thomas Linley the elder and his son, Thomas Linley the younger, to an English-language libretto by Richard Brinsley Sheridan...
.
Life
The third son of George Tuke, Samuel was admitted to Gray's InnGray's Inn
The Honourable Society of Gray's Inn, commonly known as Gray's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court in London. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and Wales, an individual must belong to one of these Inns...
in 1635 and had fought in Europe before the Civil War broke out in 1640. By late 1642 he was a major in the Duke of York's Regiment, serving with William Cavendish's northern army and fighting at the battle of Marston Moor
Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
. He then served in western England in 1645 under the command of George Goring
George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich
George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich was an English soldier.He was the son of George Goring of Hurstpierpoint and Ovingdean, Sussex, and of Anne Denny, sister of Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich. He matriculated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1600, and may subsequently have spent some...
before resigning his commission after he was passed over for promotion to major-general of horse in favour of Goring's brother-in-law George Porter. He tried to force Porter into a duel but the council of war instead forced him into an apology. He then defended Colchester
Siege of Colchester
The siege of Colchester occurred in the summer of 1648 when the English Civil War reignited in several areas of Britain. Colchester found itself in the thick of the unrest when a Royalist army on its way through East Anglia to raise support for the King, was attacked by Lord-General Thomas Fairfax...
in 1648, acting as one of its occupants' commissioners on the surrender and then going into exile with Prince Charles
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...
(later Charles II) in France throughout the Protectorate. There he met John Evelyn
John Evelyn
John Evelyn was an English writer, gardener and diarist.Evelyn's diaries or Memoirs are largely contemporaneous with those of the other noted diarist of the time, Samuel Pepys, and cast considerable light on the art, culture and politics of the time John Evelyn (31 October 1620 – 27 February...
, attended on Charles's younger brother Henry Stuart
Henry Stuart, Duke of Gloucester
Henry Stuart, 1st Duke of Gloucester was the third adult son of Charles I and his queen, Henrietta Maria of France...
and became known as a duellist and a wit. He tried to become Henry's governor but instead was recommended to Charles as James, Duke of York
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...
's secretary by their mother Queen Henrietta Maria
Henrietta Maria of France
Henrietta Maria of France ; was the Queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles I...
, though Charles and Edward Hyde
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two English monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
veoted such an appointment. By 1659 at the latest Tuke had also converted to Roman Catholicism.
On the Restoration, Tuke remained a favourite of Charles II, who made him a knight and a baronet in 1664. He was also sent to the French court in 1661 with Charles's condolences for the death of Cardinal Mazarin. 1661 also saw the first edition of his play The Adventures of Five Hours - this was based on the Spanish comedy Los empeños de seis horas, which Charles II had suggested Tuke adapt and produce in English. Its premiere was on 8 January 1663 at Lincoln's Inn Fields
Lincoln's Inn Fields
Lincoln's Inn Fields is the largest public square in London, UK. It was laid out in the 1630s under the initiative of the speculative builder and contractor William Newton, "the first in a long series of entrepreneurs who took a hand in developing London", as Sir Nikolaus Pevsner observes...
- this was attended by 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 called it "the best, for the variety and the most excellent continuance of the plot to the very end, that ever I saw or think ever shall" and "the best play that ever I read in my life" , thinking it superior to Othello
Othello
The Tragedy of Othello, the Moor of Venice is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in approximately 1603, and based on the Italian short story "Un Capitano Moro" by Cinthio, a disciple of Boccaccio, first published in 1565...
. A catalogue of publications of Henry Herringman published in 1684 also mentions Tuke as one of the authors of the 1664 Pompey the Great. He was one of the first members of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
(publishing a history of the breeding of green Colchester oysters in the Transactions of the Royal Society) and backed loyal Catholics in the house of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
(advocating their claims to remission of the penal laws). He died in 1674 at Somerset House and was buried in its chapel.
Marriage and issue
He married twice:- in 1664, to Mary Guldeford (died 1666)
- in 1668, to Mary Sheldon (died 1705, Portugal), a dresser to Charles II's queen Catherine of BraganzaCatherine of BraganzaCatherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
- she was accused of interfering with a witness to the Popish PlotPopish PlotThe 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...
in 1679 and after Charles's death returned to Portugal with Catherine in 1692. The couple's children included Charles Tuke (1671–1690), the eldest son, who died of wounds sustained at the Battle of the BoyneBattle of the BoyneThe Battle of the Boyne was fought in 1690 between two rival claimants of the English, Scottish and Irish thronesthe Catholic King James and the Protestant King William across the River Boyne near Drogheda on the east coast of Ireland...
whilst fighting on the Jacobite side as a captain in Tyrconnell's Horse.