ROWE, NICHOLAS, son of John Rowe, Lanerton, Devon, Serjeant at Law, and Elizabeth, dau. of Jasper Edwards (qv); bapt. 30 Jun 1674; adm.; KS 1688; left 1691; adm. Middle Temple 4 Aug 1691, called to bar 22 May 1696; abandoned law for writing for the stage; his play Ambitious Stepmother was performed at Lincoln’s Inn Fields 1700, Tamerlane in 1702 and The Fair Penitent in 1703; edited Shakespeare’s works, 1709; Under-Secretary to Secretary of State for Scotland Feb 1709 – Jul 1711; Poet Laureate from 1 Aug 1715; Secretary of Presentations, Chancery, from 5 May 1718; his verse translation of Lucan’s Pharsalia was published just after his death; a collected edition of his plays and occasional poems appeared in 1727; m. 1st, Antonia, dau. of Anthony Parsons, Auditor of the Revenue; m. 2nd, 1717 Anne, dau. of Joseph Devenish, Buckham, Dorset; d. 6 Dec 1718. Buried Poets’ Corner, Westminster Abbey. DNB.
Published
Partial
Final
WS-BUS-NN/4/38
GB 2014
Donated to the School by Godfrey Greene
Godfrey Greene's bookplate. First Edition.
* Revised by Elizabeth.Wells in 2014
* Imported to AtoM by Elizabeth.Wells 22/06/2018
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