Richard, a poet and dramatic writer in the reign of Charles II. He was an Irishman by birth, and was originally a priest of the Order of Jesus. Like many of the small wits and minor poets of that day, Flecknoe owes the rescue of his name from oblivion to the satirical genius of Dryden. That satirist availed himself of Flecknoe's name as a stalking horse from behind which to assail the poetaster Shadwell, who had been appointed to replace him in the laureateship. The opening lines of this satire may be quoted as a specimen of the whole:

All human things are subject to decay; And when fate summons, monarchs must obey. This Flecknoe found, who, like Augustus young, Was called to empire, and had governed long; In prose and verse was owned without dispute Throughout the realms of nonsense absolute, &c. &c.

It is but fair, however, to remark, that clever and effective as this poem is, it is in its application to Flecknoe utterly unjust. Flecknoe was the author of several plays, one of which was acted with considerable success, and also of many minor pieces, which, though possessing no great merit in the matter of versification, nevertheless contain many happy turns of thought and felicities of expression. His most important works were the following:

Les Demoiselles à la Mode, printed in 1677, and addressed to the Duke and Duchess of Newcastle; Ermina, or the Chaste Lady; Love's Domination, printed in 1654; and The Marriage of Orleans and Britannia. His other works consist of, 1. Epigrams and Euphuistical Observations, 1670, in 8vo; 2. Miscellanies, or Poems of all sorts, with divers other pieces, 1653, in 12mo; 3. Diversion, or the Journal, divided into twelve Journals, in burlesque verse, London, 1656, in 12mo. Flecknoe died in 1678.