Wotton, Henry (1568 - 1639) Available works: Character of a Happy Life (The) (How happy is he born and taught ...) On his Mistris, the Queen of Bohemia (You meaner Beauties of the Night...) Upon the death of Sir Albert Morton's Wife (He first deceased; she for a little tried...) In the seventeenth century a gentleman was more or less expected to write, to study the sciences, to be involved in politics and diplomacy, and probably in the Church or the army as well. The diplomat and scientist Sir Henry Wotton is thought to have written only about fifteen poems, but several are still read. Wotton spent much of his adult life in Venice.