Bartholomew Griffin

An English poet active in the late 16th century, he is chiefly remembered for Fidessa, more chaste than kinde, a sequence of sonnets published in 1596. The poems place him among the many writers shaped by the Elizabethan sonnet vogue, yet his work has continued to attract interest for its grace and musical style.

Biographical details are scarce. Sources agree that he died around 1602, but much of his life remains uncertain, so modern readers know him more through his writing than through documented personal history.

That air of mystery is part of his appeal today. Even with only a small surviving record, Fidessa preserves a distinct poetic voice from the rich literary world of late Tudor England.