Background
François l'Hermite was born at the Château de Soliers in the Haute Marche in 1601.
François l'Hermite was born at the Château de Soliers in the Haute Marche in 1601.
François l'Hermite's adventures began early, for he killed his enemy in a duel at the age of thirteen, and was obliged to flee to England. The story of his childhood and youth he embroiders in a burlesque novel, the Page disgraciA. He was in succession poet to Gaston d'Orleans, to the duchesse de Chaulnes and the duke of Guise. He died on the 7th of September 1655. His first tragedy, Mariamne (1636), was also his best. It was followed by Penthee (1637), La Mori de Sen'eque (1644), La Mart de Crispe (1645) and the Parasite (1653). He was also the author of some admirable lyrics. Three of his best plays are printed in the Théâtre français of 1737.