Thomas Tallis was a 16th century English church musician (primarily).
He died over 430 years ago. His music is both inspirational, spiritual and good enough to have inspired a lot of English music that followed (I wish I could write like Tallis). By all accounts, a good person.
"Entered here doth ly a worthy wyght,
Who for long tyme in musick bore the bell:
His name to shew, was THOMAS TALLYS hyght,
In honest virtuous lyff he dyd excell.
As he dyd lyve, so also did he dy,
In myld and quyet sort (O happy man!)
To God ful oft for mercy did he cry,Wherefore he lyves, let deth do what he can.”
If you liked the movie Master and Commander this might take you to it.