WYATT, Sir THOMAS, was born in 1503, at Allington castle in Kent. His father, sir Henry Wyatt, of a family originally of Yorkshire, stood high in favor with Henry VII. ; and not less so with Henry VIII., who succeeded him. In 1515 the young Wyatt was entered at St. John's college, Cambridge, where in due time he took his degrees of bachelor and master of arts. While still very young, he was married to Elizabeth Brooks, daughter of lord Cobham. Through his father's influence, a career at court was open to him. In this sphere he was thoroughly well qualified to succeed; he was ono .of the most accomplished men of his day; of a noble presence and fine manners, and withal dexterous and subtle in the management of affairs, though of unimpeached honor and integrity. In 1536 he received at the hands of the king the honor of knight hood, and the next year he was made high sheriff of Kent. Though necessarily involved in much perilous court intrigue, he continued—though once or twice in some hazard of losing it—to retain the favor of the king, and was frequently employed by him in posi tions of trust and importance. His chief service was rendered as English ambassador at the court of Charles V., in which capacity he acquitted himself with much diplomatic tact and skill. In 1542, in token of the king's appreciation of his services, he received
a grant of lands at Lambeth; and the year after, lie was named high steward of the king's manor at Maidstone. He had now very much withdrawn himself frompublic life, and lived for the most part retired at Allington. On Oct. 11, 1542, he died at Sherborne, of a fever contracted, it is said, on an over-hasty journey caused by a sudden summons to attend the king.
Among the other accomplishments of Wyatt was that of verse, which he seems to have begun to cultivate early, and continued through life to practice. During his life he had acquired considerable reputation as a poet; and in 1557 his poems, along with those of the celebrated Surrey, were published in London. As marking a stage m the progress of our early literature, they hold a permanent place. His love poetry is some what overrun with conceits derived from the study of Italian models; but some of the shorter pieces are models of grace and elegance. His satires also possess very consider able merit. More lately, in 1815, an edition of his works, in two volumes, was pub lished in London.