{\b Sir Thomas Wyatt}.

{\b Date of Birth}.: 1503 (exact date not known)

{\b Date of Death}.: 6 October 1642

{\b Works}.

English poet. His poems were not published in his own lifetime, but were 
circulated in manuscript form among his friends. He is best known for his 
lyrics, particularly 'They Flee From Me' and 'Whoso List To Hunt'. Many of 
these were first published in 1557, in the collection now known as Tottel's 
Miscellany. He also wrote satires and translated the Penitential Psalms.

{\b Featured Works}.

'And Wilt Thou Leave Me Thus', '"Forget Not Yet the Tried Intent"', '"Blame 
Not My Lute! For He Must Sound"', '"I Find No Peace, And All My War is Done"', 
'"They Flee from Me That Sometime Did Me Seek"', '"My Lute, Awake! Perform the 
Last"', 'Is It Possible', 'The Long Love That in My Thought Doth Harbor', 'Lux, 
My Fair Falcon', 'Madam, Withouten Many Words', 'My Galley Charged with 
Forgetfulness', 'Patience, Though I Have Not', 'Stand Whoso List', 'What Should I 
Say', 'Whoso List to Hunt'.

{\b General Comment}.

Thomas Wyatt was born at Allington Castle in Kent, and educated at St John's 
College, Cambridge. While travelling as a diplomat for Henry VIII he developed 
his interest in Continental poetry; he was the first English poet to use the 
Italian forms of the sonnet and terza rima, and the French rondeau. His 
translation of the Penitential Psalms is based on a version by the Italian 
poet Pietro Aretino. 

In the course of his career Wyatt served his King Henry in a variety of 
offices, including those of Marshal of Calais, Sheriff of Kent and Ambassador 
to Spain, and he was also jailed several times. His first imprisonment, in 
1534, was for brawling; two years later his relationship with the disgraced 
Anne Boleyn resulted in a short spell in the Tower of London. Thomas and Anne 
had been lovers before her marriage to Henry, and his sense of loss at their 
separation forms the subject of the famous sonnet 'Whoso List To Hunt'.

Wyatt was restored to favour and knighted in 1537, and spent the next two 
years on his embassy to the court of Charles V of Spain. In 1540 however, his 
trusted patron Thomas Cromwell was executed, leaving him without an ally at 
court. The following year Wyatt was accused of treason by his enemies and 
imprisoned in the Tower once more. He managed to secure his own release but 
died of a fever soon afterwards.