Thomas Porter (1636 – 1680) was an English dramatist and duellist.

Life

He was the fourth son of

Endymion Porter Sir Endymion Porter (1587–1649) was an English diplomat and royalist. Early life He was descended from Sir William Porter, sergeant-at-arms to Henry VII, and son of Edmund Porter, of Aston-sub-Edge in Gloucestershire, by his cousin Angela, ...

and his wife Olivia Boteler, and brother of

George Porter George Porter, Baron Porter of Luddenham (6 December 1920 – 31 August 2002) was a British chemist. He was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1967. Education and early life Porter was born in Stainforth, near Thorne, in the then West ...

. Porter abducted, on 24 February 1655, Anne Blount, daughter of

Mountjoy Blount, 1st Earl of Newport Mountjoy Blount, 1st Earl of Newport, to 12 February 1666, was an English courtier and politician, who held a number of positions under Charles I of England and supported the Royalists in the First English Civil War. Personal details Mountjoy ...

. For this, he was for a short time imprisoned, and the contract of marriage was declared null and void by the quarter sessions of

Middlesex Middlesex (; abbreviation: Middx) is a Historic counties of England, historic county in South East England, southeast England. Its area is almost entirely within the wider urbanised area of London and mostly within the Ceremonial counties of ...

on 17 July following. A valid marriage subsequently took place, and they had a son

George George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presid ...

. On 26 March of the same year, Porter killed a soldier named Thomas Salkeld in

Covent Garden Covent Garden is a district in London, on the eastern fringes of the West End, between St Martin's Lane and Drury Lane. It is associated with the former fruit-and-vegetable market in the central square, now a popular shopping and tourist si ...

, probably in a duel, and was consequently tried for murder. He pleaded guilty to

manslaughter Manslaughter is a common law legal term for homicide considered by law as less culpable than murder. The distinction between murder and manslaughter is sometimes said to have first been made by the ancient Athenian lawmaker Draco in the 7th cen ...

, was allowed

benefit of clergy In English law, the benefit of clergy (Law Latin: ''privilegium clericale'') was originally a provision by which clergy Clergy are formal leaders within established religions. Their roles and functions vary in different religious traditions, ...

, and was sentenced to be burned in the hand. On 28 July 1667, Porter had a duel with his friend, Sir Henry Belasyse, fully documented by

Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...

, who remarked on the "silliness of the quarrel". Belasyse was mortally wounded, and Porter, who was also hurt, had to leave the country. The

coroner's jury A coroner's jury is a body convened to assist a coroner in an inquest, that is, in determining the identity of a deceased person and the cause of death. The laws on its role and function vary by jurisdiction. United Kingdom In England and Wale ...

were later ordered to find that the cause of death was unknown. Porter subsequently married Roberta Anne Colepeper, daughter of Sir Thomas Colepeper. PORTER(1670) The Villain, a tragedy

Works

He was the author of the following plays: * '' The Villain'', a tragedy, 1663, 1670, 1694. This play was acted at the Duke's Theatre in October 1662 for ten nights in succession to crowded houses. Its success was chiefly owing to

Samuel Sandford Samuel Sandford (fl. 1661–1699) was an English character actor, known for his roles as villains. Career He joined William D'Avenant's company at Lincoln's Inn Fields about a year after its formation, and was, on 16 December 1661, the original ...

's performance of the part of Maligni. The epilogue to this play was written by

Sir William Davenant Sir William Davenant (baptised 3 March 1606 – 7 April 1668), also spelled D'Avenant, was an English poet and playwright. Along with Thomas Killigrew, Davenant was one of the rare figures in English Renaissance theatre whose career spanned bot ...

and was printed in his works. * ''The Witty Combat, or The Female Victor, a Trage-comedy'', 1663. * '' The Carnival (play)'', a comedy, 1664; acted at the Theatre Royal. * ''

The French Conjuror ''The French Conjuror'' is a comedy play by the English writer Thomas Porter. It was first staged by the Duke's Company at the Dorset Garden Theatre in London in June 1677. The original cast included Thomas Jevon as Avarito, John Crosby as Cla ...

'', a comedy, 1667: acted at Dorset Garden

References

* *

Diary of Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no marit ...

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Porter, Thomas 1636 births 1680 deaths English dramatists and playwrights English male dramatists and playwrights