CLEVELAND, Duchess of. [See Villiers, Barbara.]
CLEVELAND, JOHN (1613–1658), the cavalier poet (whose name is properly spelt Cleiveland, from the former residence of the family in Yorkshire), was born at Loughborough, Leicestershire, in June 1613, and baptised on the 20th of the same month, as appears from the church register of SS. Peter and Paul (now known as All Saints). The poet's father, Thomas, was usher at Burton's Charity School from 1611 to 1621 (as proved by the Burton's Charity accounts), for which he received the stipend of 2l. half-yearly. The head-masters during that period were John Dawson and Woodmansly. Thomas Cleveland (father of John) must have been of straitened means, as appears from entries of small payments from 1611 to 1621 in the Burton's Charity accounts. The last recorded payment to him is on Lady day 1621. He also assisted the rector of Loughborough, John Browne the elder, whose will was dated 21 Feb. 1622-3, and was in 1621 presented to the living of Hinckley, a small market town in Leicestershire. As a royalist, he was dispossessed by the parliament in 1644-5; his congregation was dispersed by the committee of Leicester. He died in October 1652, 'and was a very worthy person, and of a most exemplary life' (Walker, Sufferings of the Clergy, p. 221).
John's early years were spent at Loughborough, and afterwards at Hinckley, where he was educated under the Rev. Richard Vynes, who is mentioned as 'the Luther of the presbyterians' (Nichols, Leicestershire), and as 'a man of genius and learning.' David Lloyd declares that Cleveland's natural fancy owed much of its culture to the Greek and Latin exercises which were superintended by Vynes, 'who was afterwards distinguished among the presbyterians, as his scholar was among the cavaliers' (LLoyd, Memoires, p. 617). In his fifteenth year Cleveland went to Cambridge, and was admitted, 4 Sept. 1627, at Christ's College, where he remained until he took the degree of B. A. in 1631 (Richardson, List of Graduates). He was then transplanted to St. John's College, there elected fellow on 27 March 1634, proceeded M.A. in 1635 (Baker, Hist. St. John's Coll. Cambridge, p. 294), and was unanimously admitted 24 March 1639-40 as 'legista' (ib. p. 295). Cleveland did not take orders, and within six years after election to his fellowship it was necessary to choose either law or physic, in accordance with the statutes. Cleveland not only pursued the 'law line,' but was admitted on that of physic on 31 Jan. 1642 (Alex. Chalmers). He lived at Cambridge nine years, 'the delight and ornament of St. John's society. What service as well as reputation he did it, let his orations and epistles speak; to which the library oweth much of its learning, the chapel much of its pious decency, and the college much of its renown' (Clievelandi Vindiciæ). One of his orations, addressed to Charles I when on a visit to Cambridge in 1641, gratified the king, who called for him, gave him his hand to kiss, and commanded a copy to be sent after him to Huntingdon. In 1637 Cleveland was incorporated M.A. at Oxford (Wood, Fasti Oxon.) When Cromwell was a candidate for the representation of Cambridge in the Long parliament, Cleveland vehemently opposed him, and, when the future Protector was returned by a majority of one, declared publicly that 'that single vote had ruined both church and kingdom.' The master and several of the fellows were ejected by the parliamentary visitors (Baker, p. 225). By order dated 13 Feb. 1644-5, the Earl of Manchester 'directed Anthony Houlden to be admitted in Cleveland's place, which was done 17 Feb.' Cleveland, whose father also suffered for his loyalty, had been one of the college tutors until his ejection, and was highly respected by his pupils, several of whom became eminent. Among them were John Lake, afterwards bishop of Chichester (Thoresby, Vicaria Leodensis, p. 99), and Dr. Samuel Drake, S.T.B., vicar of Pontefract. Long afterwards these two men edited their instructor's poems. Cleveland went to the royalist army at Oxford. His sportive sallies of verse, his sound scholarship, and his frank, generous disposition made him a favourite not only with the learned but with the military. Promoted to the office of judge-advocate under Sir Richard Willis, the governor, he remained with the garrison of Newark until the surrender. His appointment was noticed by the opposite faction thus in the 'Kingdome's Weekly Intelligencer,' No. 101, p. 811, for Tuesday, 27 May 1645: 'But to speak something of our friend Cleveland, that grand malignant of Cambridge, we hear that now he is at Newark, where he hath the title of advocate put upon him. His office and employment is to gather all college rents within the power of the king's forces in those parts, which he distributes to such as are turned out of their fellowships at Cambridge for their malignancy.' He has been commended for his skilful and upright conduct in the difficult office at so disturbed a time. He 'was a just and prudent judge for the king, and a faithful advocate for the country.' Unwearied in labours, inexhaustible in jests and playful sarcasms, he kept up the spirits of all around
