John Dryden ( 1631 - 1700 )

Birth: Aldwinkle All Saints [Aldwincle], Northamptonshire, England, Europe (9 August 1631) Death: Gerrard Street, London, England, Europe (1 May 1700) Burial: 1) St Anne's Church, Soho (2 May 1700); moved to Chaucer's grave, 'Poet's Corner', Westminster Abbey, London, England, Europe (13 May 1700) Occupation: Playwright Poet Education: Westminster School; Trinity College, Cambridge; MA (Lambeth 1668) Career: Clerk to his cousin, Sir Gilbert Pickering, Chamberlain to Cromwell; Wrote 'Astraea redux (Justice brought back)' for returning Charles II (1660); Staged first play 'The Wild Gallant' (1663); Wrote major works 'Dramatick Poesie' and 'Annus mirabilis' (1665-1667); Poet Laureate and Historiographer Royal (1670-1688); published 'Troilus and Cressida' (1679); translated parts of 'Ovid's Epistles' (1680) Membership: Original Fellow Election Date: 20/05/1663 Proposers: Walter Charleton (12 November 1662) Date of ejection/withdrawal: 29 October 1666 (due to non-payment of subscriptions) Committee appointments include: Committee for collecting all the phenomena of nature hitherto observed (1664).