Pordage, Samuel

(1633-?1691)

   Born in London, he was educated at Merchant Taylors' School, London. In 1654 his father, a clergyman, was charged with heresy and mysticism and dismissed from the church, although he was reinstated at the Restoration to the parsonage of Bradfield, Berkshire (he died only ten years before his son). At one time Samuel was chief steward to Philip Herbert, fifth earl of Pembroke, Wilton House, Salisbury. In 1673 his Herod and Mariamne, a tragedy, was acted at the Duke's Theatre, London, as was The Siege of Babylon, in 1678. The exact date of his death is uncertain. Some of his publications: Troades, 1660. Poems upon Several Occasions, 1660. Heroick Stanzas on His Maiesties Coronation, 1661. Mundorum Explicatio, 1661. Azaria and Hushai, 1682. The Medal Revers'd, 1682. The Loyal Incendiary, 1684. Some of his poems: "Absence," "Acrostick," "Corydon's Complaint," "Invocation," "Proæmium," "To Lucia Playing on Her Lute."

   Sources: Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. Stanford University Libraries and Academic Information Resources (http://library.stanford.edu). The Cavalier Poets. Robin Skelton, ed. Oxford University Press, 1970.The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The New Oxford Book of Seventeenth Century Verse. Alastair Fowler, ed. Oxford University Press, 1991.