John Taylor, 1578-1653.
John Taylor was an English poet nicknamed 'The Water Poet’. He was born in Gloucester, but spent much of his life as a waterman in London, ferrying passengers across the River Thames. He also served in the English navy. John Taylor was politically active and wrote various pamphlets, especially in support of the watermen.
Taylor also published poems, including The Praise of Hemp-Seed (1620). He was also the author of The Praise of the Needle, a book with embroidery designs that is preceded by a long poem and six sonnets, which refer to various types of contemporary decorative needlework, stitches and women famous for their embroidery.
Digital source of illustration (retrieved 1st July 2016).
GVE
