John Cleveland facts for kids
John Cleveland was an English poet born on June 16, 1613. He lived during a time when England had a big fight called the English Civil War. John Cleveland supported the King's side, known as the Royalists. He was famous for writing funny and sharp poems that made fun of politics and the King's enemies. He passed away on April 29, 1658.
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His Early Life and Education
John Cleveland was born in a town called Loughborough. His father, Thomas Cleveland, was a church leader in Hinckley. John went to Hinckley Grammar School. Later, he studied at Christ's College, Cambridge, and earned his first degree in 1632. He then became a teacher and lecturer at St John's College, Cambridge, starting in 1634. He taught students how to speak and write well, which is called rhetoric.
Supporting the King
John Cleveland was a strong supporter of the King. He did not agree with Oliver Cromwell being chosen as a leader for Cambridge in the Long Parliament. Because of his strong beliefs, John lost his teaching job at the college in 1645.
After losing his job, he joined King Charles I. The King welcomed him and gave him a job as a judge advocate in Newark-on-Trent. This meant he helped with legal matters for the King's army.
Challenges and Later Life
In 1646, John Cleveland lost his judge advocate job. He then traveled around the country, relying on help from other Royalists who supported the King.
In 1655, he was put in prison in Great Yarmouth. However, he wrote a letter to Oliver Cromwell, who was then the leader of England. Cromwell decided to release him. After that, John Cleveland moved to London and lived there for the rest of his life. You can read his letter to Cromwell in a work called May it please yr Highnesse (1657).
His Poems and Writings
John Cleveland's poems first appeared in a collection called The Character of a London Diurnal in 1647. After that, his works were featured in about 20 other collections. He was very good at writing political poems that made fun of people and ideas. These poems were often written in a style called "heroic couplets."
People have described him as a poet who thought deeply and also as a strong writer who used satire to make his points. Satire is a way of using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize people's mistakes or foolishness.
Cleveland also wrote news books that supported the Royalist cause, like Mercurius Pragmaticus. These were published after King Charles I was executed. He was also interested in the Wat Tyler rebellion from the 14th century, which was a revolt against King Richard II.
His own book of Poems was published in 1654.
See also
In Spanish: John Cleveland para niños
