John Heywood (1497-1580) was an English writer known for his plays, poems, and collection of proverbs. He was born in or near London, but fled to Europe to avoid religious persecution for his Catholic faith and is believed to have died in Mechlin in Brabant (now Malines, Belgium). His son was the poet and translator Jasper Heywood.

Works

A partial list.

Plays

• The Merry Play between Johan the Husband, Tyb his Wife, and Sir John the Priest
• The Mery Play between the Pardoner and the Frere, the Curate and Neybour Pratte (before 1533)
• The Play called the foure PP; a newe and a very mery interlude of a palmer, a pardoner, a potycary, a pedler (c.1530)
• The Play of the Wether, a new and mery interlude of all maner of Wethers (1533)
• The Play of Love (1533)
• The Dialogue of Wit and Folly

Verse

• The Spider and the Flie (1556)

Collections

• Proverbs (c.1538)