Gavin Douglas (c. 1474 – September 1522) was a Scottish bishop,
makar and translator. Although he had an important political career, he is chiefly remembered for his poetry. His main pioneering achievement was the ''
Eneados'', a full and faithful vernacular translation of the ''
Aeneid
The ''Aeneid'' ( ; la, Aenē̆is or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem, written by Virgil between 29 and 19 BC, that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan_War#Sack_of_Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to ...
'' of Virgil into
Scots
Scots usually refers to something of, from, or related to Scotland, including:
* Scots language, a language of the West Germanic language family native to Scotland
* Scots people, a nation and ethnic group native to Scotland
* Scoti, a Latin na ...
, and the first successful example of its kind in any
Anglic language. Other extant poetry of his includes ''Palice of Honour'', and possibly ''King Hart''.
Life and career
Early life
Gavin (or Gawin, Gawane, Gawain) Douglas was born c. 1474–76, at
Tantallon Castle, East Lothian, the third son of
Archibald, 5th Earl of Angus by his second wife Elizabeth Boyd. A Vatican register records that Gavin Douglas was 13 in 1489, suggesting he was born in 1476. An application had been lodged to award Gavin the right to hold a Church canonry or prebend and enjoy its income. Another appeal to Rome concerning church appointments made in February 1495 states his age as 20.
He was a student at
St Andrews University
(Aien aristeuein)
, motto_lang = grc
, mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best
, established =
, type = Public research university
Ancient university
, endowment ...
in 1489–94, and thereafter, it is supposed, at Paris. He chiefly studied
Aristotle
Aristotle (; grc-gre, Ἀριστοτέλης ''Aristotélēs'', ; 384–322 BC) was a Greek philosopher and polymath during the Classical Greece, Classical period in Ancient Greece. Taught by Plato, he was the founder of the Peripatet ...
, but also studied other areas including Logic, Physics, Natural Philosophy, and Metaphysics.
in 1492 he received his bachelor's degree, and in 1496 was named among the ''Licentiati'', or Masters of Arts, which was regarded at the time as an advanced academic degree.
In 1496 he obtained the living of
Monymusk, Aberdeenshire, and later he became
parson
A parson is an ordained Christian person responsible for a small area, typically a parish. The term was formerly often used for some Anglican clergy and, more rarely, for ordained ministers in some other churches. It is no longer a formal term ...
of Lynton (modern
East Linton
East Linton is a village and former police burgh in East Lothian, Scotland, situated on the River Tyne and A199 road (former A1 road) five miles east of Haddington, with an estimated population of in .
During the 19th century the population ...
) and rector of Hauch (modern
Prestonkirk
East Linton is a village and former police burgh in East Lothian, Scotland, situated on the River Tyne and A199 road (former A1 road) five miles east of Haddington, with an estimated population of in .
During the 19th century the population ...
), in
East Lothian
East Lothian (; sco, East Lowden; gd, Lodainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a historic county, registration county and lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In 1975, the hi ...
. About 1501 he was preferred to the deanery or
provostship of the
collegiate church In Christianity, a collegiate church is a Church (building), church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college (canon law), college of canon (priest), canons: a non-monastic or secular clergy, "secular" community of clergy, organis ...
of
St Giles, Edinburgh, which he held with his parochial charges.
Early career
Until the
Battle of Flodden
The Battle of Flodden, Flodden Field, or occasionally Branxton, (Brainston Moor) was a battle fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland, resulting in an English ...
in September 1513, Gavin Douglas appears to have been occupied with his