Sir Henry Wotton, an English author, born at Bocton hall, parish of Boughton Malherbe, Kent, April 9,1568, died at Eton in December, 1639. He was educated at Winchester and Oxford, left the university in his 22d year, and travelled several years on the continent. On his return to England he became secretary to the earl of Essex, whom he accompanied to Spain and Ireland. When Essex was charged with treason in 1601, Wotton fled to France, and in 1602 was sent by the grand duke of Tuscany to warn King James of Scotland of a plot against his life. On the death of Queen Elizabeth he returned to England, and was knighted, and in 1604 was sent ambassador to Venice. He was recalled in 1610, was sent on a mission to the United Provinces in 1615, and in 1616 was reappointed to the Venetian embassy. From 1625 till his death he was provost of Eton college, having been ordained deacon in order to hold the office. He wrote "Elements of Architecture" (1624), "The State of Christendom" (1657), etc, but is best known now by his poems.

His more important works are included in the Reliquice Wottoniance, published with his life by his friend Izaak Walton in 1651 (enlarged ed., 1685). His poems have been edited by the Rev. Alexander Dyce (1843).