Edmund Spenser was born in London in 1552 and educated at Cambridge University but lived most of his life in Ireland, where he served as secretary to the colonial Lore Deputy. As a reward for these labours, Spenser came to occupy a castle and estate in County Cork, where he wrote some of his most celebrated works. As a poet, Spenser enjoyed much fame during his lifetime - and not just for his lengthy and nowadays most valued work, 'The Faerie Queene.' He was also admired for his love sonnets, his wedding songs and for his pastoral eclogues. All of these are represented in this present selection of his classic poems.