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Henry Wotton (poet) facts for kids

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Henry Wotton (sometimes spelled Wooton) was an English writer from the 1500s. He was the son of John Wotton and Margaret Brampton, who lived in a place called North Tuddenham in Norfolk, England. Henry also had a brother, also named John Wotton. This brother's second wife was Mary Fiennes, who was known as Lady Dacre of the South.

In 1578, Henry Wotton published a book he had translated from French. It was a collection of stories from Italian romances, mixed with poems. The book was titled A Courtlie Controversie of Cupids Cautels containing five Tragicall Historyes by three Gentlemen and two Gentlewomen, translated out of French by Hen. Wotton. He dedicated this book to his sister-in-law, Lady Dacre of the South. Today, only two copies of this old book are known to exist. One is in the Bodleian Library, and the other is in the British Museum.

Family History in Stained Glass

The Wotton family history is remembered in beautiful stained glass windows in churches. These windows often show "coats of arms," which are special designs that represent families.

Celebrating Marriages

In St. Mary's Church in North Tuddenham, Norfolk, you can still see a special window. This window celebrates the marriage of Henry Wotton's parents, John Wotton and Margaret Brampton. It shows their family coats of arms joined together. Margaret's family, the Bramptons, also had a similar window in their hometown.

St Mary's church in North Tuddenham - geograph.org.uk - 2038137
St. Mary's church in North Tuddenham, where Wotton family windows can be seen.

Henry Wotton's father, John Wotton, also put up a window to honor his own parents. These were Henry Wotton's grandparents, William Wotton and Ann Southwell. William Wotton was an important person called a Baron of the Exchequer, which was a legal role.

Another window in St. Mary's Church, which was there until at least the 1700s, showed the coat of arms for Henry Wotton's brother John and his wife Mary Neville (Lady Dacre). This was the same Lady Dacre to whom Henry Wotton dedicated his book. There was also a window showing the marriage of a Wotton daughter to a man whose family symbol was a silver lion on a red background.

Later Generations

Henry Wotton had a nephew, also named John Wotton, who was the son of his brother John and his first wife, Elizabeth Lestrange. This nephew died in 1546 while serving King Henry VIII. He had a daughter named Anne Wotton. Anne was a very important heiress, meaning she inherited a lot of wealth. She married three times: first to Thomas Woodhouse, then to Henry Reppes, and finally to Bassingbourne Gawdy.

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