William Wycherly, an English dramatist, born at Clive, near Shrewsbury, about 1640, died in London about the end of December, 1715. He was sent to France for his education, and frequented the residence of the duke de Montausier, governor of Angouleme, where he was converted to the Roman Catholic faith. He afterward studied at Oxford and was reconverted; but Pope, whom in his old age he employed to correct his verses, says he died a Catholic. In 1672 he produced with great success his first play, " Love in a Wood, or St. James's Park," composed according to his own account when he was but 19 years of age. The duchess of Cleveland, the king's mistress, introduced him, at court. The duke of Buckingham took him into his service, the king subsidized him liberally, and he became one of the most noted wits and gallants of the time. During this period he produced his three remaining plays, "The Gentleman Dancing-Master," " The Country Wife," and " The Plain Dealer," all of which were received with great favor, but are too licentious for modern representation. About 1680 "Wycherly married the dowager countess of Drogheda, who soon died, leaving him her whole fortune; but the settlement was contested, and a long litigation left him bankrupt and in prison.

James II. released him and settled upon him a pension of £200. The death of his father at length left to him the family estates. In 1704 he published a folio volume of " Miscellany Poems," remarkable chiefly for bad rhymes and worse morality. Eleven days before his death he married again, chiefly to annoy and burden his heir-at-law, a nephew whom he hated. A volume of his works, comprising poems and " moral reflections," was published in 1728. The latest edition of his plays is in a volume with the dramatic works of Congreve, Farquhar, and Vanbrugh, with biographical notices by Leigh Hunt (1840).