Thomas Howell (poet)

Thomas Howell (c. 1542 - c. 1590) was a Welsh poet who wrote primarily in English. While details of his life are scarce and somewhat uncertain, he is best known for his moral and didactic verse, often dealing with themes of fortune, adversity, and the proper conduct of life.

Howell is believed to have been born in Dunraven, Glamorgan. He may have studied at Oxford University, though definitive proof is lacking. He worked as a schoolmaster and potentially held other positions in the service of various patrons. His works suggest a man of some education and religious inclination, albeit one who experienced hardship and sought to offer guidance through his writing.

His most notable publication is Howell his Devises, for his owne exercise, and his friends pleasure (1581). This volume contains a collection of poems, prose pieces, and a playlet titled The Arbor of Amitie. The poems vary in form and content, ranging from sonnets and longer narratives to moral essays in verse. The Arbor of Amitie is a short allegorical drama focused on themes of friendship and virtue.

While Howell’s work is not considered to be of the highest literary merit, it provides valuable insight into the social and moral concerns of Elizabethan England. He is remembered as a minor poet who contributed to the broader literary landscape of the period. His poetry offers a glimpse into the anxieties and aspirations of the middling sort in Tudor society. Modern editions of his work are relatively uncommon, but selections often appear in anthologies of lesser-known Elizabethan poets.