Cleveland (or Cleiveland), John (1613–1658)

English poet. He belonged to the group of Cavalier poets, but also turned his hand to satire. His best-known satire is ‘The Rebel Scot’, denouncing the Scots' betrayal of Charles I; others are ‘The Mixed Assembly’ and ‘Smectymnuus’.

Cleveland was born in Loughborough, Leicestershire, and studied at Cambridge where in 1634 he became a fellow of St John's, but was ejected in 1645 because of his Royalist sympathies. He became judge-advocate of Newark for a time, but in 1655 was imprisoned in Yarmouth, Isle of Wight, as a Royalist.

His cutting invective, together with a wealth of allusive conceits and rare command of rhythm, gave him a contemporary popularity far eclipsing that of John Milton. His first volume of poems appeared in 1647. His work as a ‘character’ writer in the manner of the ancient Greek Theophrastus is best seen in The Character of a London Diurnall (1647).