Cardell Goodman facts for kids

Cardell Goodman (sometimes called Cardonell) (around 1649–1699) was an English actor and an adventurous person. He is known today for being involved in a group called the Jacobites, who supported King James II.

Early life of Cardell Goodman

Cardell Goodman was the son of a clergyman (a church leader) who had the same name. His father lived in Shaftesbury, Dorset, and later in Freshwater, Isle of Wight.

Young Cardell went to St. John's College, Cambridge, and finished his studies in 1670. He was later asked to leave the university. This happened because he was part of a group who damaged a picture of the Duke of Monmouth, who was an important person at the university at the time.

After leaving Cambridge, Goodman moved to London. He worked for King Charles II for about five years. However, he was let go because he wasn't careful enough with his duties. When his father passed away, Goodman inherited some money, but he spent it quickly.

Cardell Goodman as an Actor

Goodman then joined the King's acting company at the Drury Lane Theatre. He first appeared on stage in 1677 in a play called The Rival Queens, or Alexander the Great. People said he was very good in this role.

He also played other important characters. These included Alexas in John Dryden's All for Love and Pharnaces in Mithridates, King of Pontus. He also played Valentinian in a play adapted by the Earl of Rochester.

Some of his most famous roles were playing Julius Caesar and Alexander the Great. Another actor, Colley Cibber, praised Goodman's performance as the chaplain in Thomas Otway's play The Orphan. In 1682, two big acting companies joined together. Goodman initially disagreed with this change but joined the new combined company about three years later.

Later Years and Political Involvement

After his acting career, Cardell Goodman faced some challenges. He became very loyal to King James II. This loyalty grew because King James II had helped him during a difficult time.

Around 1688, Goodman stopped acting. He then became very interested in games, especially a card game called ombre.

Because of his strong loyalty to King James II, Goodman became a Jacobite. The Jacobites were a group who wanted King James II to return to the throne. After Queen Mary died, Goodman became involved in a plan known as the Fenwick–Charnock plot. This plot was a secret effort against King William III.

When the plan was discovered, Goodman was arrested and held in the Gatehouse Prison. He was offered a chance to be set free if he would share information about another person involved, Sir John Fenwick. Goodman eventually agreed to leave England and receive money each year. He escaped to France, where he passed away from a fever in 1699, when he was about 50 years old.

Nickname

Cardell Goodman was sometimes called "Scum" Goodman. This nickname became well-known because of the historian Thomas Babington Macaulay.