born February 1609, Whitton, Middlesex, Eng.
died 1642, Paris, France
English Cavalier poet , dramatist, and courtier.
He inherited his father's considerable estates at age 18 and became prominent at court as a gallant and a gamester; he is credited with inventing cribbage . After participating in a foiled plot to rescue the Earl of Strafford from the Tower of London, he fled to France and is believed to have committed suicide. He wrote four plays, the best being the lively comedy The Goblins (1638). His reputation as a poet rests on his lyrics, the best of which are easy and natural. His masterpiece is "A Ballad upon a Wedding," written in the style and metre of the contemporary street ballad.