Thomas Campion 1567?-1619
Thomas Campion was educated at Cambridge from 1581-1584 but there is no record of his having obtained a degree. He went on to study law at Gray's Inn and later became a doctor after studying medicine in France.
In 1595 he published Poemata, a volume of Latin poems. His treatise Observations in the Art of English Poetry (1602) argued against the use of rhyme in English verse. A musician as well as a poet, Campion published four books of lute songs between 1601 and 1617. These Books of Ayres contain English versions of Latin poems and ballads which he set to music himself. Among the most famous of these are Cherry-Ripe, Devotion, and Break Now My Heart and Die. He also wrote masques for presentation at court and a volume of songs on the death of Prince Henry.
Works include
Books you might enjoy
Selected Poems of Campion, Daniel and Raleigh (Penguin Classics)
Thomas Campion, Samuel Daniel, Walter Raleigh, Ronald Levao (Editor)