Campion, Thomas (1567-1620), was an English composer, poet, and doctor. He is most celebrated for his lyric poetry and songs for lute accompaniment. Campion wrote both words and music of these graceful songs. His lyric poetry expresses the pleasures of the natural world. He was famous in his own day for his masques (dramatic spectacles). Campion wrote one masque in 1607 and three more in 1613. His songs were published in A Booke of Ayres (1601), Two Books of Ayres (probably 1613), and The Third and Fourth book of Ayres (1617).
Campion was born on Feb. 12, 1567, in London. He was educated at Cambridge University, went to London to study law, and probably studied medicine at a university on the mainland of Europe. He died some time before March 1, 1620.
