Henry Lok facts for kids

Henry Lok (born around 1553, died around 1608) was an English poet. He lived during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. Lok was known for his religious poems, especially his sonnets.

Henry Lok's Life Story

Henry Lok was the third son of Henry Lok, a merchant from London. His mother was Anne Vaughan, who was also a poet. Henry Lok's uncle was Michael Lok, a famous traveler. His grandfather was Sir William Lok. Michael Cosworth was his cousin.

Early Years and Education

According to historical records, Lok spent some time studying in Oxford. This was between the ages of sixteen and twenty-one. However, he did not officially join the university. He also did not earn a degree there. After leaving Oxford, he went to the royal court. There, he found someone important who supported his work.

Work and Travel

Lok had connections with important people. These included the Duke of Lennox and the Earl of Bothwell. In November 1590, he was in Edinburgh, Scotland. In 1591, he wrote a sonnet for a book by King James VI of Scotland. In May of that year, he reported on important events to William Cecil. Cecil was a very powerful advisor to Queen Elizabeth I.

Lok often asked for help or support. In early 1597, the Countess of Warwick encouraged him. She suggested he ask Sir Robert Cecil for money to help him out. Lok's many requests led to a special job in 1599. He worked in Bayonne and the Basque country. His job was to gather information about politics. He was good at using secret codes. However, he was sometimes careless. At one point, he faced some risks because of his work. A year later, he was living in London. Cecil did not hire him for any more jobs.

Later Life and Challenges

In March 1606, Lok faced financial difficulties. He was held in a special place for people who owed money. This place was called the Westminster Gatehouse. In May 1608, he was in a similar situation. He was held in a place called the Clink in Southwark. He did not have many friends to help him then. Henry Lok married Ann Moyle from Cornwall. They had two sons, Henry, born in 1592, and Charles.

Henry Lok's Writings

Some people did not always like Lok's writings. For example, a play from 1601 suggested his works were not very important. Later, a writer named Thomas Warton also criticized them.

Early Published Works

In 1593, a printer named Richard Field got permission. He could print a book called The first Parte of Christian Passions. This book had one hundred sonnets. These poems were about meditation, humility, and prayer. Sadly, no copies of this book exist today.

In 1597, Richard Field printed Lok's version of Ecclesiastes. This is a book from the Bible. Lok dedicated the entire work to Queen Elizabeth. The book included a message to the reader. In this message, Lok mentioned other versions of Ecclesiastes. These were by Theodore Beza and Tremellius. The book also had poems praising Lok's work. Some were in Latin by John Lyly. Others were in English by 'M.C.', who was Michael Cosworth, Lok's cousin. Along with Ecclesiastes, Lok also included Sundry Psalms of David. These were Psalms from the Bible that he translated into verse. He tried to keep them short and meaningful.

Sonnets and Other Poems

Lok's sonnets were part of the Ecclesiastes book. They had their own title page. Two hundred and four of these sonnets were about Christian feelings. After these, there were 102 more. These were called Sundry Affectionate Sonets of a feeling Conscience. They explored the same ideas. Another group of twenty-two poems followed. These were titled Peculiar Prayers. Some copies of the book also had an extra section. This section contained sixty sonnets that were not religious. These were written for important people at Queen Elizabeth's court. Alexander Balloch Grosart later reprinted all these sonnets. He also included the one Lok wrote for King James VI's book.

Lok also wrote poems that praised Michael Cosworth's version of the Psalms.