Davenant, Charles, LL.D. (1656-1714), economists and politician, son of Sir William Davenant, the poet, was born in London. He was educated at Cheam Grammar School, Surrey, and in 1671 matriculated at Balliol College, Oxford, but did not then proceed to a degree. After composing, at the age of nineteen, a tragedy under the title of "Circe," which had some slight success, he turned his attention to the law, and appears to have taken the degree of LL.D., but at what university is uncertain. He held the office of commissioner of excise from 1683 to 1689, and represented St. Ives, Cornwall, in the first parliament of James II. His first work of economic interest, Ways and Means of supplying the War, was published in 1695. In it he strongly objected to meeting war expenses by borrowing money, and advocated an excise as the best and fairest tax. He sat again in parliament, this time for Great Bedwin, in 1698, continuing to write on economic and political subjects. Under William III, he did not hold office, and criticised the financial policy of the government with some bitterness; but, on the accession of Queen Anne, he returned to official life as secretary to the commission appointed to treat for the union with Scotland. In 1705 he was appointed inspector-general of exports and imports, which office he held until his death.