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Born
London. Father is Captain David Trotter -
Father attends Lord Dartmouth as commodore
in the English navy's demolition of Tangiers. (She's 4 years old). as a reward for good service, Charles II sends Trotter from Tangiers to convoy the fleet of the Turkey company. It was understood that he would make his fortune in Turkey.
'Scanderoon' was plague-ridden when he arrived. -
Father dies in Scanderoon of the plague
along with all the other officers on his ship. The purser makes off with all his good on ship, and the goldsmith at home where most of his money was went bankrupt. Charles tells the Admiralty to pay a pension to the widow Sarah Ballenden, which was, for a year, until the King died and then it stopped. -
Pension to mother stops when Charles II dies
Sarah Trotter and her two daughters are obliged to family and friends for charity. -
Period: to
Catherine educates herself
Taught herself to write, learned French without the aid of a teacher, composed ex temporary verses, assisted in Latin and logic. Was drawn to 'the most serious subjects'. Upbringing of Anglican but chose Roman Catholicism. (Timespan is totally vague. Childhood stuff, don't know when.) -
john Locke published Essay on Human Understanding
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Writes to Bevil Higgins about recovering fro smallpox
We don't know whether she knew him or not, but he'd written a tragedy The Generous Conqueror and the prologue to Congreve's first play, The Old Bachelor earlier the same year. Critics reckon it was writing to him that brought her to the attention of Congreve and Dryden. She was 14. -
Agnes de Castro
adaptation of behn's short story translation. 'met with good success'. -
Writes verses to Congreve on his play The Mourning Bride
and he's mightily chuffed, and (I think) says he's going to print them instead of his own with the play? -
The Fatal Friendship
Staed at Lincoln's Inn Fields, where Congreve acted as chief writer and literary advisor. Gets great applause from 'even' Charles Gildon. Plot is extraordinary, for a tragedy, in its ingenious obsession with money, its advantages, and the problems resulting from the lack of it. -
Love at a Loss, or, Most Votes Carry It
Her only comedy. Performed at Drury Lane and published May 1701, but she wasn't in London when it was published and it had a lot of errors. In her dedication (handwritten) is throw-away about the values to her of comedy. -
Dryden dies and Catherine is engaged to write a verse tribute, along with 8 other women.
The nine muses, or, poems written by so many ladies, upon the death of the famous John Dryden Esq. She's 'Caliope' (eloquence and epic poetry) Poems by Mrs. Manley, Lady Peirce, Mrs. Field, Mrs. Pix, Mrs. C. Trotter, and Mrs. D.E.
Dedication signed: Ric. Basset. -
leaves London at the age of 22
Spends some time with her patron Lady Piers in Kent, and then settles in Salisbury in the house of Dr Inglis, her sister's husband. Friendship w Bishop Burnet. -
The unhappy Penitent
At Drury Lane. Apparently its preface is more interesting than the play, with her giving an assessment of English playwriting, saying that only Shakespeare is secure. -
A defence of Mr Locke's 'Essay of Human Understanding' published anonymously
She had shown it to Mrs burnet, who showed it to the Bishop and John Norris of Bemerton, the author of the anti-locke essay. Locke is hugely satisfied and sends books and a letter to her (indirectly, it seems). The his companion Lady Mascham tells Leibnitz that she doesn't think Catherine wrote it, and is sent a no-nonsense reply. -
The Revolution of Sweden
Sent to Congreve for beta reading in 1703. He suggested some issues but encouraging. She continues revising in 1704. Produced in 1706 at Haymarket Queen's theatre. Reached six days and 'expired', probably because the subject is dull. She'd wanted to 'reform' the taste. -
Leaves Salisbury for Ockham Mills in Surrey, living as companion with Mrs de Vere.
Also abandons Catholicism and writes A Discourse concerning a Guide in Controversies, discussing the whole problem of denominational Christianity. -
Marries Mr Cockburn
had been engaged in a friendship and correspondence. Settle in Nayland, Suffolk. Before the end of the year they move to London, where Mr Cockburn took the position of curate of St Dunstan's in Fleet Street. -
Period: to
Great poverty until Cockburn decides to take the oath, 12 years later
for the family including their young son and two daughters. -
Queen Anne dies, Stuart age ends
George 1st ascends, start of the Hanoverian age. Mr cockburn has scruples about taking the Oath of Abjuration, and is sacked. -
Cockburn apointed Minister of the Episcopalian Church in Aberdeen
and presented with the living of Long horeley, near Morepeth, Northumberland. He never went there and stayed in Aberdeen. -
Rewritings
Of Love at a Loss to The Honourable Deceivers, or All Right at the Last, and also Vindications of Mr Locke's Christian Principles from the Injurious Imputations of Dr Holdsworth (not published until two years after her death). -
Verses Occasioned by the Bust in the Queen's Hermitage written 1732
later printed in the Gentleman's magazine, 1737 -
The bishop of Durham makes them go to Long Horseley and actually do the job Cockburn was hired for.
Income drops as they don't have the Minister of the Episcopalian Church of Aberdeen any more. -
Remarks upon some Writers in the Controversy concerning the Foundation of Moral Duty and Moral Obligations
while her eyes are growing weak -
Confutes Dr Rutherford's Essay on the Nature and Obligations of Virtue
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Mr Cockburn dies
'after having long supported a painful disorder' -
Dies
aged 70
