| Timeline |
| 1552 |
Born (year approx) in London |
| 1561 |
Enters Merchant Taylor's school (year approx.) |
| 1569 |
Matriculates as a sizar at Pembroke Hall, Cambridge |
| 1573 |
Graduates B.A. from Pembroke |
| 1576 |
Recieves M.A., leaves Cambridge for Kent, where he acts as secretary for the Bishop of Rochester |
| 1577 |
Employed by the Earl of Leicester (date approx.) |
| 1579 |
The Shephearde's Calendar published |
| 1580 |
Appointed secretary to Arthur, fourteenth Lord Grey de Wilton (Lord Deputy of Ireland) |
| 1581 |
Appointed clerk of the Chancery for Faculties in Dublin |
| 1586 |
Astrophel published |
| 1590 |
First three books of The Faery Queen published |
| 1590 |
Presented to Queen Elizabeth by Sir Walter Raleigh |
| 1591 |
Books IV through VI of The Faery Queen and Complaints published |
| 1591 |
Returns to Ireland |
| 1594 |
Marries Elizabeth Boyle |
| 1595 |
Epithalamion published |
| 1596 |
Prothalamion published |
| 1598 |
A Vewe of the present state of Irelande completed |
| 1598 |
Appointed Sheriff for County Cork; Kilcolman is sacked in October, and Spenser and his family flee to Cork ; Spenser leaves for London |
| 1599 |
Dies 13 January at Westminster, a pauper |
