Nahum Tate. Biography

Nahum Tate (1652 – 30 July 1715) was an Irish poet, hymnist and lyricist, who became England's poet laureate in 1692. Tate is best known for "The History of King Lear", his 1681 adaptation of Shakespeare's "King Lear".

Nahum Tate was born in Dublin and came from a family of Puritan clerics. He was the son of Faithful Teate, an Irish cleric who had been rector of Castleterra, Ballyhaise, until his house was burnt and his family attacked after he had passed on information to the government about plans for the Irish Rebellion of 1641.

After living at the provost's lodgings in Trinity College, Dublin, Faithful Teate moved to England — the incumbent at East Greenwich around 1650, and "preacher of the gospel" at Sudbury from 1654 to 1658 — before returning to Dublin by 1660. He published a poem on the Trinity entitled Ter Tria, as well as some sermons, two of which he dedicated to Oliver and Henry Cromwell.

Nahum Teate followed his father to Trinity College, Dublin in 1668, and graduated BA in 1672. By 1676 he had moved to London and was writing for a living. The following year he had adopted the spelling Tate, which would remain until his death, in 1715, in Southwark, London, England. He was buried at St George Southwark 1 August 1715 as 'of next to the Prince Eugene, Mint'.

Nahum Tate's Poems:

1. Whilst Shepherds Watch'D