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Ben Jonson: Selected by Thom Gunn (Poet to Poet)
Ben Jonson Selected by Thom Gunn - Poet to Poet Author:Ben Jonson Ben Jonson (1572-1637) was born in London, and became a leading poet, playwright and essayist of the Elizabethan age. In 1598 he killed an actor in a duel but escaped hanging by pleading benefit of the clergy, and by 1616 had re-established enough Court favour to be awarded a pension by James I - in effect making him the first Poet Laureate.