1. EDMUND SPENSER Born c.1552 London, England Died 13 January 1599 London, England Occupation Poet

2. EDMUND SPENSER (c. 1552 – 13 January 1599) WAS AN ENGLISH POET BEST KNOWN FOR THE FAERIE QUEENE , AN EPIC POEM CELEBRATING, THROUGH FANTASTICAL ALLEGORY, THE TUDOR DYNASTY AND ELIZABETH I. HE IS RECOGNIZED AS ONE OF THE PREMIER CRAFTSMEN OF MODERN ENGLISH VERSE IN ITS INFANCY. EDMUND SPENSER WAS BORN IN LONDON AROUND 1552. AS A YOUNG BOY, HE WAS EDUCATED IN LONDON AT THE MERCHANT TAYLORS' SCHOOL. HIS MOST FAMOUS WORK WAS FAERIE QUEENE AND SPENSER'S EPITHALAMION IS THE MOST ADMIRED OF ITS TYPE IN THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE. IT WAS WRITTEN FOR HIS WEDDING TO HIS YOUNG BRIDE, ELIZABETH BOYLE.

3. LATER ON, DURING THE NINE YEARS WAR IN 1598, SPENSER WAS DRIVEN FROM HIS HOME BY IRISH REBELS. HIS CASTLE AT KILCOLMAN, NEAR DONERAILE IN NORTH CORK WAS BURNED, AND IT IS THOUGHT ONE OF HIS INFANT CHILDREN DIED IN THE BLAZE - THOUGH LOCAL LEGEND HAS IT THAT HIS WIFE ALSO DIED. HE POSSESSED A SECOND HOLDING TO THE SOUTH, AT RENNIE, ON A ROCK OVERLOOKING THE RIVER BLACKWATER IN NORTH CORK. THE RUINS OF IT ARE STILL VISIBLE TODAY. A SHORT DISTANCE AWAY GREW A TREE, LOCALLY KNOWN AS "SPENSER'S OAK" UNTIL IT WAS DESTROYED IN A LIGHTNING STRIKE IN THE 1960S. SPENSER WAS ADMIRED BY WILLIAM WORDSWORTH, JOHN KEATS, LORD BYRON AND ALFRED LORD TENNYSON, AMONG OTHERS.

4. LOCAL LEGEND SAYS THAT HE WROTE FAERIE QUEENE UNDER THIS TREE. QUEEN VICTORIA IS SAID TO HAVE VISITED THE TREE WHILE STAYING IN NEARBY CONVAMORE HOUSE DURING HER STATE VISIT TO IRELAND BEFORE SHE DIED. IN THE FOLLOWING YEAR SPENSER TRAVELED TO LONDON, WHERE HE DIED IN DIFFICULT CIRCUMSTANCES, AGED FORTY-SIX. IT WAS ARRANGED FOR HIS COFFIN TO BE CARRIED BY OTHER POETS, UPON WHICH THEY THREW MANY PENS AND PIECES OF POETRY INTO HIS GRAVE WITH MANY TEARS.