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Ben Jonson |
Ben Jonson started as an actor, but he always wanted to write. His early plays were unsuccessful and his hot temper landed him in prison several times, once for manslaughter. Even his best plays got him in trouble for lewdness, slander, and treason against the crown. Finally, he gave up, having made less than £200 on the lot. He was appointed the first Poet Laureate, and began writing masques and public verse for royal occasions and memorials. His art declined, but his wit and influence continued, and when he died in 1637 his remains were buried in Westminster Abby.
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Immortal Poets: Their Lives and Verse, by Christopher Burns |