1581 in poetry

Events

• Italian poet Torquato Tasso's epic poem Jerusalem Delivered is first published complete, a pirated edition printed in Parma being followed by an authorized edition from Ferrara, where the poet is confined in the Ospedale di Sant'Anna. Also this year, Aldus Manutius the Younger prints a selection of Tasso's lyrics and prose in Venice.

  Works published

Great Britain">English poetry">Great Britain

• Anonymous, A Triumph for True Subjects, and a Terrour unto al Tratiours, ballad on the execution of Edmund Campion on December 1, 1561, attributed to William Elderton, who was likely not the author
• Sir Philip SIdney, An Apology for Poetry

  Other

• Marie de Romieu, Premières Œuvres poetiques de MaDamoiselle Marie de Romieu Vivaroise, France
• Philippe Desportes, an edition of his works; France
• Torquato Tasso, Jerusalem Delivered, Italy

  Births

• March 16 - Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft, Dutch historian, poet and playwright
• Also:
• *Henry Adamson, Scottish poet and historian
• *Hieronim Morsztyn, Polish poet
• *Sir Thomas Overbury, English poet and essayist
• *Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford, English countess, minor poet and major patron of poets

  Deaths

• Hywel ap Syr Mathew, Welsh poet, genealogist and soldier
• Paul Speratus died, German
• Mikolaj Sep Szarzynski died, Polish
• Surdas, died sometime from this year to 1584, Indian, Hindi poet and saint who wrote in the Brij Bhasha dialect