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Memoir and Poems of Sir Robert Aytoun Secretary to the Queens of James VI. and Charles I

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

Charles Rogers
Charles Rogers
Affiliation:
Historiographer to the Historical Society
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Extract

In the seventh volume of his “History of Scotland,” pp. 365–6, Dr. John Hill Burton, Historiographer Royal, writes thus:—

“In baronial architecture and dwelling-houses there was a great advance between the Reformation and the Restoration. The French style of tall round towers or turrets with conical tops prevailed. In some instances the old square tower was surmounted with turrets and other decorations, and many dwellings were wholly built in the style of Chantilly and other great French châteaus. Of these there are a few fine specimens in Winton, Pinkie, Glammis, Fyvie, Castle Fraser, Craigievar, and Crathes. Heriot's Hospital is a curious modification of this style. It was designed by Sir Robert Aytoun, the poet, who evidently appears to have sought to bring the rambling picturesque character ef the French style into a rigid symmetry, like that which prevails in the classical styles. It may be said that the little corner turrets did not belong to his original plan. In this the towers were to be carried up into high abruptly shapen pavilion roofs, after the French fashion, as exemplified in the Tuileries. These petty turrets depart essentially from the rule that some useful end should be the object of all building—they are too small to serve as flanking works, or to be in any way of service to the main building.”

Type
Research Article
Information
Transactions of the Royal Historical Society , Volume 1 , December 1872 , pp. 104 - 219
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Historical Society 1872

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References

page 106 note * Transactions of Architectural Institute of Scotland. Vol. II. Edinburgh, 1852Google Scholar. 8vo.

page 107 note * The Poems of Sir Robert Aytoun. Edited by Chas. Rogers. Edinb., 1844. 8vo.

page 107 note † I have diligently compared the poems in these MSS. with those which appear in Watson's Collection. See Notes postea.

page 107 note ‡ See Sir Robert Aytoun's Will poslea.

page 108 note * Fasti Ecclesiæ Scoticanæ. By Hen. Scott, D.D. Edinburgh, 1869. 4to., vol. i. pp. 462, 464.

page 110 note * “An Introduction to the History of Poetry in Scotland,” Edinburgh, 1798. 4toGoogle Scholar.

page 110 note † “Lives of the Scotish Poets,” by Irving, David, LL.D. 2 vols., 8vo., Edinburgh, 1804Google Scholar.

page 111 note * Aytoun alludes to. his poem of Diaphantus in his Latin panegyric addressed to King James in 1603. It was published in a separate form, and sold for sixpence. Drummond of Hawthornden, in a catalogue of his English Books in 1611, mentions “Diaphantus.” No copy of the original edition is now known to exist.

page 112 note * A well-known expression in Scotland, though unfamiliar to English readers. “Of that ilk” signifies that the landowner so designated possessed an estate of the same name as his patronymic.

page 112 note † Act Buik Commissariat of St. Andrews, vol. i., p. 130.

page 112 note ‡ Matriculation Register of St. Andrews University.

page 113 note * The foundations of the castle were removed so lately as 1838.

page 113 note † Dempster's “Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Scotorum.”

page 113 note ‡ Aytoun's panegyrical poem appeared at Paris in ten quarto leaves, with a prose dedication to King James. It bears the following title:—“De Foelici, et semper Augusto, Jacobi VI. Scotiae, Insularumque adiacentium Regis Imperio, nunc recens florentissimis Anglise et Hibernise Sceptris amplificato, Roberti Aytoni, Scoti Panegyris. Parisiis CI⊃I⊃C. III.” The poem was reprinted in the Delitite Poetarum Scotorum, from which it has been transferrred to these pages.

page 114 note * Vol. ii., fol 96.

page 114 note † To Colonel Joseph L. Chester, whose genealogical researches are nearly un-rivalled, we are indebted for this information.

page 114 note ‡ Docquet Book of the Exchequer.

page 117 note * Letters of Lord Bacon, by Stephens, Robert. Lond., 1732Google Scholar.

page 117 note † Quoted by Dr. Birch. See Ackerman's, History of Eton, &c. London, 1816. 4toGoogle Scholar.

page 118 note * See postea.

page 118 note † Afterwards Lord Carleton and Viscount Dorchester.

page 118 note ‡ English State Papers (vols. 144, 145)

page 119 note * Sir James Balfour's Collections in the Advocates Library. Papers marked “State Business,” &c. 1621—1623. No. 96.

page 120 note * Balfour's Collections. State Business. No. 97.

page 121 note * The verses referred to by the poet, evidently a panegyric on his late friend the Provost of Eton, have not been preserved.

page 121 note † Balfbur's Collections, State Business, No. 98.

page 123 note * English State Papers, Dec. 26, 1626.

page 124 note * Account of the Royal Hospital and Collegiate Church of Katherine, St., by Nichols, J. B.. London, 1824. 4toGoogle Scholar.

page 124 note † Aubrey's Letters, vol. ii., p. 200.

page 124 note ‡ “Eight bookes of the Pelopponesian Warre, &c, interpreted with faith and diligence.” This translation, dedicated to Sir William Cavendish, Earl of Devonshire, was printed at London in 1634 in one folio volume. In his address to the feader Hobbes remarks that his translation “ had passed the censure of some whose judgement I very much esteem.”

page 125 note * “1637–8, February 28. Sir Robert Aeton, Secretary to his Majesty near y steps ascending to King Henry 7ths chapel.”—Westminster Abbey Register.

page 126 note * Fro.n the Will Registry at Doctors' Commons.

page 128 note * A Scottish process of serving an heir to an estate.

page 128 note † David Aytoune de Kinnaldie, hceres tallies et conquestus Domini Roberti Aytoune Secretarii S D N Regis Moderni, patrui, in terris de Over-Durdie. Decimus garbalibus dictarum in parochia de Kilspindie, et dominio de Scone. Inquis. Special. Perth, Oct. 27, 1649.

page 128 note ‡ Special Inquisitions, Fife.

page 128 note § Inq. Cane. Hib. Rep., vol. ii., tern. Car, I.

page 129 note * Dublin Prerogative Court Records.

page 129 note † Subsidy Rolls.

page 129 note ‡ Guthrie's Memoirs.

page 129 note § History of Scots Affairs, by James Gordon of Rothinnay, 1841, 3 vols. 4to. Vol. I., p. 50; Vol. II., p. 198. According to Clarendon, Murray gave warning of the King's intention to seize the five members in the House of Commons.

page 130 note * Borrichii Dissertationes academics de Poetis, p. 149, Francof 1683, 4to. “Roberto Aytono Scoto famulantur Pieredes quacunque incedit.”

page 130 note † Epigramatia Dunbar, Joan., Cent. iii. xlv. London, 1616, p. 73Google Scholar.

page 131 note * This poem was printed by Aytoun during his lifetime (see Memoir, p. III). It is contained in Cott. MSS., and appeared in Watson's Collection, Part III., p. 33. The editor has by a careful comparison of the three copies endeavoured to restore the original text.

page 137 note * Parts I. and II. of this song have been ascribed to Aytoun, chiefly on the ground of the sentiments and manner bearing such marked resemblance to his own. Neither “Parts” are included in our MSS. We have subjoined two other versions, the latter of which is so abundantly familiar as the composition of Robert Burns.

page 139 note * This second version is transcribed from Herd's Collection, vol. i., p. 177. It has been ascribed to Francis Semple.

page 140 note * The well-known version of Burns.

page 150 note * This composition appears in various collections. It has been attributed to Sir Walter Raleigh.

page 154 note * This_appears in Watson's Collection, Part III., p. 39.

page 157 note * These verses are printei in Piakerton's Tragic Ballads, but most incorrectly.

page 159 note * Printed in Watson's Collections, Part III, p. 41, and in various collections of old English poetry.

page 161 note * This composition is reprinted from Watson's Collection, Part III., p. 91, where it appears anonymously. By the editors of several collections it has been ascribed to Sir Robert Aytoun, we think correctly. It first appeared in Playford, “Select Ayres and Dialogues,” printed in 1659 Bums found it in an old poetical collection, and made an attempt “to improve the simplicity of the sentiments by giving them a Scottish dress.” In this instance the Bard of Coila has unquestionably failed. His version is as follows: —

page 164 note * These verses appear in Sir John Aytoun's MS. only. Many of the lines are evidently imperfect.

page 167 note * These stanzas to Sir James Hay serve as a dedication to Aytoun's Latin poem, “Basia, sive Strena Cal. Jan. ad Jacobum Hayum, Equitem illustrissimum, Londini, 1605.” 4to. The Latin poem will be found in another part of this volume. Sir James Hay was a favourite of King James, and was afterwards raised to the peerage by the title of Earl of Carlisle and Viscount Doncaster.

page 173 note * This appears in Watson's Collection, Part ii., p. 115.

page 175 note * Printed in Watson's Collection, Part ii., p. 114.

page 177 note * Melrose Abbey, in which was deposited the heart of King Robert the Bruce.

page 178 note * Margaret Lesly was daughter of Patrick Lesly, first Lord Lindores, second son of Andrew, fifth Earl of Rothes. She became the wife of John, second Lord Maderty, to whom she bore eight children. In this sonnet the poet refers to Lindores Abbey, which in 1606 was erected into a temporal lordship in favour of the father of his heroine. It is situated on the river Tay, near Newburgh, “where Neptune swells with pride.” The trees which adorned the Abbey orchard in the poet's time still yield a rich crop of fruit.

page 178 note † This commendatory sonnet is prefixed to the “Monarchick Tragedies” of Sir William Alexander of Menstrie, printed in 1607, and dedicated to King James. Sir William Alexander was afterwards created Earl of Stirling.

page 179 note * Published in Watson's Collection, Tart iii., p. 44.

page 180 note * This sonnet is prefixed to “Poeticall Essayes of Alexander Craige, Scotobritane,” London, 1604, quarto. It is acknowledged by Craig in the sonnet which follows it, to which our poet responds in another addressed to his early friend. The last is printed in Craig's “Poetical Recreations, Edinburgh, 1609, 4to.” Craig mentions Aytoun as “ his dear friend and fellow-student.” His history is imperfectly known. Besides his “Poetical Essays” and “Recreations,” he published a volume under the title “The amorous Songs, Sonnets, and Elegies of Mr Alexander Craig, Scoto-Britan,” London, 1606, 12moGoogle Scholar . He likewise appears as a contributor to the “ Muses' Welcome.” He received a pension of. £400 in 1605, and two years afterwards the grant was ratified by an Act of the Scottish Parliament (“Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland,” Vol. iv., p. 389Google Scholar ). A person of his name was Member of Parliament for Banff in 1621. On the 20th December, 1627, James Craig was retoured heir to his father, Alexander Craig of Rosecraig. (Inquisitionum Abbreviatio, vol. ii., inq. gen., 1372.)

page 181 note * Craig alludes to Aytoun's Latin Poem Basia sive Strena ad Jacobum Hayum Equitem Illustrissimum. See his Latin Poems.

page 181 note † Mr. Thomas Murray was tutor and afterwards Secretary to Charles I. He was uncle of Mr. William Murray, gentleman of the Bedchamber to Charles I., afterwards Earl of Dysart (see Memoir). These verses are contained in a volume of the Wodrow MSS., preserved in the Advocates Library, and are also printed in Watson's Collection, Part ii., p. 116.

page 182 note * These lines appear in Watson's Collection, Part iii., p.44.