WILLIAM, an eminent English comic poet, was born about 1640. A little before the restoration of King Charles II. he became a gentleman commoner of Queen's college Oxford, where he was reconciled by Dr Barlow to the Protestant religion, which he had a little before abandoned in his travels. He afterwards entered himself in the Middle-temple, but soon quitted the study of the law for pursuits more agreeable to his own genius, as well as to the taste of the age. Upon writing his first play, entitled, Love in a Wood, or St James's Park, which was acted in 1672, he became acquainted with several of the celebrated wits both of the court and town, and likewise with the duchess of Cleveland. Some time after appeared his comedies, called The Gentleman Dancing Master, the Plain Dealer, and the Country Wife; all which were acted with applause. George duke of Buckingham had a very high esteem for him, and bestowed on him several advantageous posts. King Charles also showed him signal marks of favour; and once gave him a proof of his esteem, which perhaps never any sovereign prince before had given to a private gentleman. Mr Wycherley being ill of a fever, at his lodgings in Bow-street, the king did him the honour of a visit. Finding him extremely weakened, he commanded him to take a journey to the south of France, and assured him, at the same time, that he would order him 500l. to defray the charges of the journey. Mr Wycherley accordingly went into France; and having spent the winter there, returned to England entirely restored to his former vigour. The king, shortly after his arrival, told him, that he had a son, who he was resolved should be educated like the son of a king, and that he could not choose a more proper man for his governor than Mr Wycherley; for which service 1500l. per annum should be settled upon him.

Immediately after this offer he went to Tunbridge, where walking one day upon the Well's walk with his friend Mr Fairbeard of Gray's Inn, just as he came up to the bookseller's shop, the countess of Drogheda, a young widow, rich, noble, and beautiful, came there to inquire for the Plain Dealer; "Madam," says Mr Fairbeard, "since you are for the Plain Dealer, there he is for you;" putting Mr Wycherley towards her. "Yes," says Mr Wycherley, "this lady can bear plain dealing; for she appears to be so accomplished, that what would be a compliment to others, would be plain dealing to her." "No, truly, Sir," said the countess, "I am not without my faults, any more than the rest of my sex; and yet notwithstanding, I love plain dealing, and am never more fond of it than when it tells me of them." "Then, madam," says Mr Fairbeard, "you and the Plain Dealer seem designed by Heaven for each other."—In short, Mr Wycherley walked a turn or two with the countess, waited upon her home, visited her daily while she stayed at Tunbridge, and married her soon after without acquainting the king. By this step, which was looked upon as a contempt of his majesty's orders, he forfeited the royal favour. The countess of Drogheda settled her whole fortune upon him; but his title being disputed after her death, he was so reduced by the expenses of the law and other incumbrances, as to be unable to satisfy the impatience of his creditors, who threw him into prison; and the bookseller who printed his Plain Dealer, by which he got almost as much money as the other gained reputation, was so ungrateful as to refuse to lend him 20l. in his extreme necessity. In that confinement he languished seven years; but at length King James going to see the above play, was so charmed with it, that he gave immediate orders for the payment of his debts, and even granted him a pension of 200l. per annum. But the prince's bountiful intentions were in a great measure defeated merely through Mr Wycherley's modesty; he being ashamed to tell the earl of Mulgrave, whom the king had sent to demand it, a true state of his debts. He laboured under the weight of these difficulties till his father died, who left him 600l. a-year. But this estate was under limitations, he being only a tenant for life, and not being allowed to raise any money for the payment of his debts. However, he took a method of doing it which few suspected to be his choice; and this was making a jointure. He had often declared, that he was resolved to die married, though he could not bear the thoughts of living in that state again: accordingly, just at the eve of his death, he married a young gentlewoman with 1500l. fortune, part of which he applied to the uses he wanted it for. Eleven days after the celebration of these nuptials, in December 1715, he died, and was interred in the vault of Covent-garden church.

Besides his plays above mentioned, he published a volume of poems in folio. In 1728 his posthumous works in prose and verse were published by Mr Theobald.