William Taverner

William Taverner (died 8 January 1731) was an English lawyer, known as a dramatist.

Life The son of Jeremiah Taverner, a portrait-painter of the early 18th century, he was trained in the civil law, and practised at Doctors' Commons in London. He became a procurator-general of the Court of Arches of Canterbury.

Taverner died on 8 January 1731 at his house in Doctors' Commons. He had a reputation for professional honesty.

A companion comedy, The Artful Wife, appeared at Lincoln's Inn Fields 3 December 1717. It was printed with the date 1718 on the title-page.

Other works were:

A masque on the story of Ixion (1697), performed around that time with The Italian Husband by Edward Ravenscroft. The Faithful Bride of Granada, acted at Drury Lane in 1704, and published in the same year. The Maid the Mistress, brought out at Drury Lane on 5 June 1708. The Female Advocates, acted only once, at Drury Lane, on 6 January 1713 (it was in part copied from The Lunatic, an anonymous unperformed piece of 1705). Presumptuous Love, printed without date, in 1716. This was a masque, with music by William Turner. Everybody Mistaken, brought out at Lincoln's Inn Fields on 10 March 1716, and acted three times. 'Tis Well if it Takes, presented 28 February 1719 at Lincoln's Inn Fields, and ran for five nights.

Family Taverner's widow, Alathea, took out letters of administration at the prerogative court of Canterbury on 6 February 1731. William Taverner the painter (1703–1772), their son, was articled to his father on 5 April 1720. Like his father, he became a procurator-general of the arches court of Canterbury.