BRYAN, or BRYANT, SIR FRANCIS, an English poet, warrior, and statesman, was born of a respectable family, and educated at Oxford. In 1522 he attended in a military capacity the Earl of Surrey in his expedition to the coast of Brittany, and commanded the troops in the attack of the town of Morlaix, which he took and burnt. For this service he was knighted on the spot by the earl. In 1529 he was sent ambassador to France, and the following year to Rome, on account of the king's divorce. He was gentleman of the privy chamber to Henry VIII., and to Edward VI., in the beginning of whose reign he marched with the protector against the Scots; and after the battle of Musselburgh, in which he commanded the light horse, he was made banneret. In 1549 he was appointed chief governor of Ireland; and there he married the Countess of Ormond. He died in 1550, and was buried at Waterford. He wrote Songs and Sonnets, some of which were printed with those of Surrey and Wyatt, Lond. 1565; and Letters (MSS.) written from Rome concerning the king's divorce.