Richard Crashaw

Born in London around 1613, Richard Crashaw was the son of the Puritan preacher William Crashaw. He studied at Charterhouse and at Pembroke College, Cambridge, later becoming a fellow of Peterhouse, and he built a reputation as a gifted scholar, teacher, and poet.

Crashaw is remembered as one of the major metaphysical poets, but his voice stands apart for its emotional warmth, rich ornament, and religious intensity. His best-known work is associated with Steps to the Temple, a collection of sacred poetry that blends learned wit with vivid spiritual feeling.

The upheavals of the 1640s changed his life as well as his career. After leaving England, he converted to Roman Catholicism, traveled on the Continent, and died at Loreto in Italy on August 21, 1649.