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Biography of John Taylor
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John Taylor was born in Gloucester, England on 24th August 1580. He was educated at the Crypt Grammar School and later spent much of his life working on the River Thames as a waterman - a member of the guild of boatmen who ferried passangers between the banks of the river in London. He later became a member of the ruling body of the guild and discussed the disputes they embarked upon (such as with the theatre comapnies) in a number of pamhplets.
In all, Taylor produced over 150 publications in his lifetime. Many were collected in the compilations All the Works of John Taylor the Water Poet (1630). The title of 'The Water Poet' was one which he had given himself. Prior to the publications of his collected works, much of his writing had been published by subscription, i.e. he would propose a book, ask for contributors, and write it when he had enough subscribers to undertake the printing costs.
Taylor died in 1654. He is remembered as an astute observer of the people and styles of his time and as such his work is still studied by social historians today.
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Popular Poems
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The Prayse Of The Needle
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To all dispersed sorts of arts and trades
I write the needles prayse (that never fades).
So long as children shall be got or borne,
So long as garments shall be made or worne,
So long as hemp or flax, or sheep shall bear
Their linen woolen fleeces yeare by yeare,
So long as silk-wormes, with exhausted spoile,
Of their own entrails for man's gaine shall toyle,
Yea till the world be quite dissolv'd and past,
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Poets
