This article contains information about the literary events and publications of 17th century. __TOC__
Events and trends
1605–1615 – Miguel de Cervantes writes the two parts of Don Quixote. 1616: April – Death of both William Shakespeare and Miguel de Cervantes. 1630-1651: William Bradford writes Of Plymouth Plantation, journals that are considered the most authoritative account of the Pilgrims and their government. 1660–1669 – Samuel Pepys writes his diary which not only covers his life but also the daily and historic events in London during his time. 1667–68 – Marianna Alcoforado writes her Letters of a Portuguese Nun. 1671–1696 – Madame de Sévigné writes her famous letters. Metaphysical poets - a term made by Samuel Johnson for a group of 17th century English poets. German literature of the Baroque period
New books and plays 1600 Hamlet, Prince of Denmark by William Shakespeare England's Helicon (anthology) – including work by Edmund Spenser, Michael Drayton, Thomas Lodge, Philip Sidney and others Old Fortunatus – Thomas Dekker The Spanish Moor's Tragedy – Thomas Dekker, John Marston, and William Haughton
1601 Twelfth Night, or What You Will by William Shakespeare Cynthia's Revels – Ben Jonson Disputationes Metaphysicae by Francisco Suárez first published Satiromastix – Thomas Dekker
1602 Rymes by Lope de Vega Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare Antonio and Mellida (play) – John Marston Mirum in Modum (poetry) – John Davies of Hereford Satiromastix (play) – Thomas Dekker and John Marston A Survey of Cornwall – Richard Carew
1603 The True Law of Free Monarchies by King James VI and I Ane Godlie Dreame (poem) by Elizabeth Melville published in Edinburgh Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare Othello by William Shakespeare The Tragical History of Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe (published)
1604 All's Well That Ends Well by William Shakespeare The Honest Whore (play) – Thomas Dekker The Malcontent (play) – John Marston
1605 Timon of Athens by William Shakespeare The Dutch Courtesan (play) – John Marston The Tragedy of Philotas (play) – Samuel Daniel The Tragedy of King Lear by William Shakespeare Don Quixote (El Ingenioso Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha), Part I – Miguel de Cervantes Epistle concerning the Excellencies of the English Tongue – Richard Carew
1606 Macbeth by William Shakespeare Antony and Cleopatra by William Shakespeare
1607 A Woman Killed with Kindness (play) – Thomas Heywood Bussy D'Ambois (play) – George Chapman Michaelmas Terme (play) – Thomas Middleton The Knight of the Burning Pestle (play) – Francis Beaumont The Famous History of Sir Thomas Wyatt (play) – Thomas Dekker and John Webster The Legend of Great Cromwell – Michael Drayton Pericles, Prince of Tyre by William Shakespeare The Revenger's Tragedy by Thomas Middleton
1608 Coriolanus by William Shakespeare A Nest of Ninnies – Robert Armin Humour out of Breathe (play) – John Day The Belman of London (play) – Thomas Dekker The Merry Devil of Edmonton (play) – anonymous; has been attributed to William Shakespeare, Michael Drayton and others.
1609 The Winter's Tale by William Shakespeare Jerusalem Conquered (epic poem) by Lope de Vega Fourre Birds of Noahs Arke – Thomas Dekker
1610 Sidereus Nuncius by Galileo Galilei Cymbeline by William Shakespeare The Faithful Shepherdess (play) – John Fletcher
1611 Fuente Ovejuna (play) – Lope de Vega The Authorized Version (King James version) of the Bible The Tempest by William Shakespeare Catiline his Conspiracy (play) – Ben Jonson The Roaring Girle (play) – Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton
1612 Four Soluloquies – Lope de Vega El comendador de Ocaña (Ocaña's mayor) – Lope de Vega A Woman is a Weather-Cocke – Nathan Field
1613 Soledades – Luis de Góngora La dama boba (the fool lady) – Lope de Vega The Dog in the Manger (play) – Lope de Vega Henry VIII by William Shakespeare Tears on the Death of Moeliades – William Drummond of Hawthornden The Revenge of Bussy D'Ambois – George Chapman Purchas, his Pilgrimage; or, Relations of the World and the Religions observed in all Ages – Samuel Purchas
1614 Bartholomew Fair (play) – Ben Jonson La Lira by Giambattista Marino Fama fraternitatis Roseae Crucis oder Die Bruderschaft des Ordens der Rosenkreuzer – Johannes Valentinus Andreae
1615 Don Quixote, Part II – Miguel de Cervantes El caballero de Olmedo (The knight from Olmedo) (play) – Lope de Vega Confessio oder Bekenntnis der Societät und Bruderschaft Rosenkreuz – Johannes Valentinus Andreae
1616 Ben Jonson's Works The Whole Works of Homer – George Chapman Chymische Hochzeit Christiani Rosencreutz Anno 1459 – Johannes Valentinus Andreae Rollo, Duke of Normandy (also known as The Bloody Brother) (?1616–30?) – John Fletcher, Ben Jonson, Philip Massinger, George Chapman (The drinking song)
1617 Warenar (play) by Pieter Corneliszoon Hooft A Faire Quarrell (play) – Thomas Middleton and William Rowley
1618 History of Tythes – John Selden Amends for Ladies (play) – Nathan Field
1619 A King and No King (play) – Beaumont and Fletcher The Maid's Tragedy (play) – Beaumont and Fletcher The Shoemaker's Holiday – Thomas Deloney The Custome of the Countrey – John Fletcher and Philip Massinger Reipublicae Christianopolitanae descriptio – Johannes Valentinus Andreae
1620 Philaster – Beaumont and Fletcher
1621 The Anatomy of Melancholy – Robert Burton Women Beware Women – Thomas Middleton El vergonzoso en palacio – Tirso de Molina The Countess of Montgomery's Urania – Lady Mary Wroth
1623 The Heir (play) – Thomas May The Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh – Francis Bacon The French Disease – Richard Brome The Beggar's Bush – John Fletcher El tejedor de Segovia – Juan Ruiz de Alarcón The Changeling – Thomas Middleton and William Rowley text
1623 L'Adone by Giambattista Marino Love, honour and power (play) – Pedro Calderón de la Barca The Duchess of Malfi – John Webster First Folio – William Shakespeare
1624 Circe (poem) bu Lope de Vega Nero Caesar, or Monarchie Depraved – Edmund Bolton The Sun's Darling – John Ford
1625 De jure belli ac pacis by Hugo Grotius Complete Essays – Francis Bacon Les Bergeries – Racan
1626 El Buscón – Francisco de Quevedo
1627 England's schim (play) – Pedro Calderón de la Barca The Bataile of Agincourt – Michael Drayton First Steps up Parnassus – Michael Drayton
1628 Microcosmographie – John Earle
1629 The Roman Actor (play) – Philip Massinger La Dama Duende (play) – Pedro Calderón de la Barca The Tragedy of Albovine (play) – William D'Avenant
1630 The Conceited Pedlar – Thomas Randolph
1631 The punishment without vengeance (play) – Lope de Vega
1632 L'Allegro – John Milton La Dorotea – Lope de Vega The Fatal Dowry (play) – Nathan Field and Philip Massinger Dialogue Concerning the Two Chief World Systems by Galileo Galilei The Muses' Looking-Glass by Thomas Randolph
1633 A New Way to Pay Old Debts (play) – Philip Massinger Love's Sacrifice (play) – John Ford The Gamester (play) – James Shirley The Temple (poetry) – George Herbert
1634 Tottenham Court (play) – Thomas Nabbes
1636 Life is a dream (play) – Pedro Calderón de la Barca Le Cid (play) – Pierre Corneille
1637 La Vega del Parnaso (Parnasos' river bank) – Lope de Vega Discourse on the Method – René Descartes
1638 Two New Sciences by Galileo Galilei Alcione (play) – Pierre du Ryer
1639 Argalus and Parthenia (play) – Henry Glapthorne The City Match – Jasper Mayne
1640 Horace (play) – Pierre Corneille The Bay Psalm Book, the first book printed in North America Joseph's coloured Coat – Thomas Fuller
1641 Meditations on First Philosophy – René Descartes Episcopacy by Divine Right – Joseph Hall The Cardinall (play) – James Shirley (first extant edition, 1652) A Joviall Crew (play) – Richard Brome (first extant edition, 1652)
1642 September: Playhouses closed in England by government order. Religio Medici Sir Thomas Browne Saul (play) by Pierre du Ryer
1644 Principles of Philosophy – René Descartes Areopagitica by John Milton
1646 Andronicus or the Unfortunate Politician – Thomas Fuller Pseudodoxia Epidemica or Vulgar Errors – Sir Thomas Browne
1647 Philosophical Poems – Henry More
1648 The Amorous War – Jasper Mayne Hesperides by Robert Herrick (poet) Padmavati – Alaol (in Bengali)
1649 Eikon Basilike – John Gauden
1650 Silex scintillans – Henry Vaughan
1651 El alcalde de Zalamea – Pedro Calderón de la Barca Leviathan – Thomas Hobbes Reliquiae Wottonianiae – Sir Henry Wotton (posthumous) Jeune Alcidiane – Marin le Roy de Gomberville
1652 Brief Character of the Low Countries – Owen Feltham Theophilia or Love's Sacrifice (poetry) – Edward Benlowes The Cardinall (play) – James Shirley
1653 A History of New England – Edward Johnson The Compleat Angler – Izaak Walton Poems and Fancies – Margaret Cavendish The Princess Cloria – Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis
1654 Lucifer (play) – Joost van den Vondel Parlhenissa, a novel – Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery
1655 L'Étourdi ou les Contretemps first play by Molière
1656 El gran teatro del mundo (World's great theatre) (play) – Pedro Calderón de la Barca Nature's Pictures – Margaret Cavendish Oceana by James Harrington
1657 Guárdate del agua mansa (Keep out from silent waters) – Pedro Calderón de la Barca Katharina von Georgien (play) by Andreas Gryphius
1658 Hydriotaphia, Urn Burial – Sir Thomas Browne The Garden of Cyrus -Sir Thomas Browne
1659 Sati Mayna O Lorchandrani – Alaol (in Bengali) Lucasta – Richard Lovelace (posthumous) Pharonnida – William Chamberlayne
1660 Tohfa – Alaol (in Bengali)
1661 by Samuel von Pufendorf
1662 A new edition of the Book of Common Prayer of the Church of England (this edition remains the officially authorised book to the present day).
1664 La Thébaïde (play) – Jean Racine
1665 Alexandre le Grand (Alexander the Great) (play) – Jean Racine Memoires of François Bassompierre (posthumous) Saptapaykar – Alaol (in Bengali)
1666 Grace Abounding to the Chief of Sinners by John Bunyan
1667 Paradise Lost by John Milton Andromaque by Jean Racine Annus Mirabilis, the Year of Wonders 1666 – John Dryden Secret Love (play) – John Dryden
1668 Le Tartuffe – Molière The Miser – Molière Simplicius Simplicissimus – Hans Jakob Christoffel von Grimmelshausen Cyprianus Anglicanus – Peter Heylin Essay of Dramatick Poesie – John Dryden Observations upon Experimental Philosophy – Margaret Cavendish
1669 Saifulmuluk O Badiujjamal – Alaol (in Bengali)
1670 Pensées by Blaise Pascal The Conquest of Granada – John Dryden
1671 Madame de Sévigné writes her first letter Samson Agonistes – John Milton The Rehearsal (play) – George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham performed Sikandarnama – Alaol (in Bengali)
1672 Bajacet (play) by Jean Racine Marriage à la mode by John Dryden The Rehearsal (play) by George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham published
1674 Iphigénie (play) by Jean Racine The Tragedy of Nero, Emperour of Rome (play) – Nathaniel Lee
1675 The Country Wife by William Wycherley Gerania; a New Discovery of a Little Sort of People, anciently discoursed of, called Pygmies by Joshua Barnes
1676 The Man of Mode (play) – George Etherege English-Adventures by a Person of Honor – Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery
1677 Phèdre – Jean Racine Treatise of the Art of War – Roger Boyle, 1st Earl of Orrery
1678 All for Love – John Dryden The True Intellectual System of the Universe – Ralph Cudworth The Pilgrim's Progress by John Bunyan Threnodia Carolina – Sir Thomas Herbert
1679 Anima Mundi – Charles Blount
1680 The Life and Death of Mr Badman – John Bunyan
1681 Miscellaneous Poems by Andrew Marvell (posthumous) Absalom and Achitophel by John Dryden
1682 The Life of an Amorous Man (好色一代男, Kōshoku Ichidai Otoko) by Ihara Saikaku
1685 Five Women Who Loved Love (好色五人女, Kōshoku Gonin Onna) by Ihara Saikaku
1686 The Life of an Amorous Woman (好色一代女, Kōshoku Ichidai Onna) by Ihara Saikaku
1687 Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica - Isaac Newton