Suckling was born at Whitton, Middlesex, on February 10, 1609.  His mother died when he was only four years of age.  His fater, a descedant of a prominent Norfolk family, was appointed Comptroller of James I`s household in 1622.  Suckling attended Trinity College, Cambridge in 1623 but left in 1626 before gettting his degree. In 1626, Suckling inherited extensive estates on his father`s death.  He was admitted to Gray`s Inn in 1627. Just eighteen years old, he pursued a military and ambassadorial career in teh Low Countries, and joined the English soldiers serving in the army of Gustavus Adolphus during the Thirty Years` War.  Suckling was knighted in September 1630.  He returned to the English court in May, 1632, where he became very popular through his wealth and charm.  He was known as a gamester, and is credited with having invented the game of cribbage.

In 1637, Suckling wrote the prose work Account of Religion by Reason.  His play, Aglaura was published in 1638 and performed twice for Charles I.  The play had two different endings. One was happy and one tragic.  It was not a critical success but it introduced the lyrical poem Why so pale and wan, fond lover?  In the same year, his comedy The Goblins was published.  It was much influenced by Shakespear`s The Tempest and is generally thought to be Suckling`s best work.

In May, 1641 Suckling took an active part in the royalist plot to rescue Strafford from the Tower.  When Parliament ordered him to account for his movements, Suckling fled to Paris.  He died there a few months later, in 1642, either from suicide by poison, or as another tradition has it, by the hand of a servant who placed a razor in his boot.

Bibliography source: luminarium.org

Image source: Representative Poetry On-line