Henry Constable

Henry Constable (1562–1613) was an English poet, son of Sir Robert Constable. He went to St John's College, Cambridge, where he took his degree in 1580. Becoming a Roman Catholic, he went to Paris, and acted as an agent for the Catholic powers. He died at Liège. In 1592 he published Diana, a collection of sonnets, and contributed to England's Helicon for poems, including Diaphenia and Venus and Adonis. His style is characterised by fervour and richness of colour. Of the numerous sonnets he wrote, the twenty eight of the sequence, Diana, and the four To Sir P.Sidney's soul, prefixed to the later. Apology for poetry, contain his best work. Which lady Diana stands for is unknown, for little is known about Constable's life. But his in 'My Lady' presence makes the Roses Red, he is able to capture Spenser's charm. His rhyme-scheme is mixed Italian and English like Sidney's the octave being Italian and the rest English.