Constable was of Roman Catholic family, and was educated at St John's, Cambridge, where he took the degree of B.A. in 1579. He was obliged to leave England in 1595, from suspicion of treasonable practices. Venturing back in 1601 or 1602, he was committed to the Tower, from which he was not released till towards the close of 1604. Like Daniel , Constable does not attempt the delineation of stormy passions, yet his deepest vein is quite different from Daniel's.
Tears fall from the poet's eyes in the following sonnet, but they fall like rain in sunshine.
Dyed with the blood she made my heart to shed. The living heat which her eyebeams do make Warmeth the ground, and quickeneth the seed. The rain wherewith she watereth these flowers Falls from mine eyes which she dissolves in showers. My love a fire, and so ascends above. Pardon my Love, he is a goddess' son, And never feedeth but of dainty meat, Else need he not to pine as he hath done.