The third son of George Tuke, Samuel was admitted to Gray's Inn in 1635 and had fought in Europe before the Civil War broke out in 1640.
By late 1642 he was a major in the Duke of York's Regiment, serving with William Cavendish's northern army and fighting at the battle of Marston Moor.
There he met John Evelyn,[1] attended on Charles's younger brother Henry Stuart and became known as a duellist and a wit.
1661 also saw the first edition of his play The Adventures of Five Hours - this was based on the Spanish comedy Los empeños de seis horas, which Charles II had suggested Tuke adapt and produce in English.
[4] A catalogue of publications of Henry Herringman published in 1684 also mentions Tuke as one of the authors of the 1664 Pompey the Great.