TheFamousPeople

Find out more about the greatest 16th Century British Poets, including William Shakespeare, Christopher Marlowe, John Donne, George Herbert and Ben Jonson

Famous 16th Century British Poets

William ShakespeareWilliam Shakespeare
26 April 1564
Writer
Christopher MarloweChristopher Marlowe
26 February 1564
Playwright, Poet

John DonneJohn Donne
22 January 1572
Poet, lawyer, satirist

Emilia LanierEmilia Lanier
31 December 1569
Poet

Ben JonsonBen Jonson
11 June 1572
Dramatist, Poet & Actor

Edmund SpenserEdmund Spenser
1552 AD
Poet
George HerbertGeorge Herbert
03 April 1593
Poet

Anne AskewAnne Askew
1521 AD
poet

Henry Howard, Earl of SurreyHenry Howard, Earl of Surrey
1517 AD
Politician
Philip SidneyPhilip Sidney
30 November 1554
Poet

John LylyJohn Lyly
1553 AD
Writer
Thomas NasheThomas Nashe
31 October 1567
Playwright

Thomas MiddletonThomas Middleton
18 April 1580
Playwright, Poet, Writer

Mary SidneyMary Sidney
27 October 1561
Countess

George PeeleGeorge Peele
25 July 1556
Translator

Michael DraytonMichael Drayton
1563 AD
Poet, Writer
John HeywoodJohn Heywood
1497 AD
Writer

John SkeltonJohn Skelton
1463 AD
Poet

Fulke Greville, 1st Baron BrookeFulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke
03 October 1554
Writer

Thomas Sackville, 1st Earl of DorsetThomas Sackville, 1st Earl of Dorset
1536 AD
Poet
Thomas LodgeThomas Lodge
1558 AD
Writer

Thomas OverburyThomas Overbury
18 June 1581
Poet
Henry WottonHenry Wotton
30 March 1568
Author

Samuel DanielSamuel Daniel
1562 AD
Poet

George GascoigneGeorge Gascoigne
1535 AD
English poet
Gervase MarkhamGervase Markham
1568 AD
Poet

Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of LeicesterRobert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester
19 November 1563
Statesman
Francis QuarlesFrancis Quarles
08 May 1592
Poet

Thomas TusserThomas Tusser
1524 AD
Author, Writer

George SandysGeorge Sandys
02 March 1578
Traveler
George WitherGeorge Wither
11 June 1588
Poet

Continue Reading Below
Anthony MundayAnthony Munday
1560 AD
Playwright
Phineas FletcherPhineas Fletcher
08 April 1582
Poet

Francis MeresFrancis Meres
30 November 1565
Author

William CornyshWilliam Cornysh
1465 AD
Composer

John DaviesJohn Davies
16 April 1569
English poet and writing master
Thomas DeloneyThomas Deloney
1543 AD
Novelist
Edward DyerEdward Dyer
30 September 1543
Courtier

Giles FletcherGiles Fletcher
1586 AD
Poet

Richard BrathwaitRichard Brathwait
1588 AD
Poet

Giles Fletcher, the ElderGiles Fletcher, the Elder
1548 AD
Poet
John MarstonJohn Marston
07 October 1576
Poet

Stephen HawesStephen Hawes
1474 AD
Poet

Thomas Vaux, 2nd Baron Vaux of HarrowdenThomas Vaux, 2nd Baron Vaux of Harrowden
25 April 1509
Poet

Thomas ChurchyardThomas Churchyard
1520 AD
Author

Thomas MayThomas May
1595 AD
Poet
George TurbervilleGeorge Turberville
1540 AD
Poet

Nicholas BretonNicholas Breton
1545 AD
Poet
William AlabasterWilliam Alabaster
27 February 1567
Poet

John ChalkhillJohn Chalkhill
1594 AD
English poet

Nicholas GrimaldNicholas Grimald
1519 AD
Poet
Josuah SylvesterJosuah Sylvester
1563 AD
Poet

Sir John Beaumont, 1st BaronetSir John Beaumont, 1st Baronet
1583 AD
Poet
John LelandJohn Leland
13 September 1503
Poet

Robert CrowleyRobert Crowley
1517 AD
Poet

Robert HerrickRobert Herrick
24 August 1591
Poet

Edmund BoltonEdmund Bolton
1575 AD
Historian

Abraham FraunceAbraham Fraunce
31 October 1558
Poet
Arthur BrookeArthur Brooke
Poet

William SomervilleWilliam Somerville
02 September 1675
Poet

Robert SouthwellRobert Southwell
1561 AD
Poet

Edward Herbert, 1st Baron HerbertEdward Herbert, 1st Baron Herbert
03 March 1582
Soldier