Selected Poems

Wyatt Thomas

Sir Thomas Wyatt (1503-1542), "the first great English lyric poet", remains one of the most popular writers of Henry VIII's court, and the most romantic, given his entanglement with Anne Boleyn, which resulted – legend has it – in some of his most passionate and vulnerable poems. This book contains a representative selection of the work: all the best-loved poems and many lesser-known pieces which illuminate a complex and sophisticated sensibility. Hardiman Scott sees Wyatt as a modern poet before his time and demonstrates the impact he and his younger contemporary the Earl of Surrey had on the development of English poetry. Wyatt introduced the sonnet, "terza rima" and other Italian verse forms into English and invented forms and processes of his own.

About the Author

Sir Thomas Wyatt was born in Kent in 1503 and spent most of his life in the service of King Henry VIII. In 1520 he married Elizabeth Brooke and the following year their son was born. The marriage was not a success and five or six years later Wyatt separated from his wife. It is possible that at this time he became involved in a relationship with Anne Boleyn. Wyatt first showed his diplomatic skills on a mission to France in 1526; in 1537 he was appointed ambassador to the court of the emperor Charles V. In 1541, however, Wyatt was imprisoned in the Tower of London on a charge of treason. Although the allegations were never substantiated, Wyatt had to confess to his guilt and return to his wife as a condition of his release. In 1542 Wyatt was sent by the king to escort a Spanish envoy from Falmouth to London. He died of a fever brought on by the journey.

Back to the list of books