George Herbert was born on April 3, 1593 in Montgomer, Wales. He was the son of Richard and Magdalen Newport Herbert. His father died in 1596 when George was only three leaving his widow with ten children. His mother along with John Donne raised George along with six brothers and three sisters. They moved shortly after the birth of Magdalen’s last child was born.
Herbert was tutored at home and later went to school at Westminister School. It was a very distinguished grammar school that taught Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and music. It is at this grammar school where he was introduced to one of the greatest churchmen and preachers of his time, Lancelot Andrewes . He went on to college at Trinity College, Cambridge where he graduated with his masters. He became the college’s public speaker known as the Public Orator. He must have been really good at public speaking as this job was only given to a person with the power of public speaking and the skill in sending letters of thanks to prominent people, like King James I. He also served two years in Parliament and would have pursued a career in the courts if King James I and his other patrons had not died.
Herbert decided to become an ordained priest and took holy orders in the Church of England in 1630. He preached and wrote poetry and helped rebuild the church at Bemerton out of his own pocket. In a biography written by Izaak Walton he described Herbert’s first sermon as one that was a learned and witty exercise that total confused his parishioners and he promised to be more simple and plain from that point on. He was very faithful and cared for the need of his parishoners. In one of the biographies of Herbert said that he was called “Holy Mr. Herbert” around their countryside.
Herbert’s poems were not published until after his death. He sent a manuscript titled, “The Temple: Sacred Poems and Private Ejaculations” to his friend Nicholas Ferrar to publish if he saw the poems fit. They were published at Cambridge soon after his death. He died on March 1, 1633.
image taken from http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/Bios/GeorgeHerbert.htm
