Walter Quin (1575?–1640) was an Irish poet who worked in Scotland and England for the

House of Stuart The House of Stuart, originally spelt Stewart, was a royal house of Scotland, England, Ireland and later Great Britain. The family name comes from the office of High Steward of Scotland, which had been held by the family progenitor Walter fi ...

Ireland

Born about 1575 in Dublin, nothing is known of Quin's early life before he travelled to study law at the Jesuit

University of Ingolstadt The University of Ingolstadt was founded in 1472 by Louis the Rich, the Duke of Bavaria at the time, and its first Chancellor was the Bishop of Eichstätt. It consisted of five faculties: humanities, sciences, theology, law, and medicine, all o ...

in Germany around 1590. Although Quin referred to his Dublin origins in his work, his Irish family cannot be identified. The Stuarts rewarded him with property in Ireland, but there is no direct evidence that he returned to his native country. Quin wrote in English, Latin, French, and Italian, a polyglot combination that was a hallmark of his output. He is one of the earliest modern Irish writers to have had original work printed in English and of this small group he is notable for producing several (albeit slim) volumes that included works of court poetry, history, biography and philosophy.

Scotland

Having, for unknown reasons moved to the Calvinist

University of St Andrews (Aien aristeuein) , motto_lang = grc , mottoeng = Ever to ExcelorEver to be the Best , established = , type = Public research university Ancient university , endowment ...

in Scotland, in 1595 Quin was presented to

James VI James is a common English language surname and given name: *James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambiguat ...

, who was charmed with his manner and his verse. He further recommended himself to the king's favour by giving him some poetic ''

Anagram An anagram is a word or phrase formed by rearranging the letters of a different word or phrase, typically using all the original letters exactly once. For example, the word ''anagram'' itself can be rearranged into ''nag a ram'', also the word ...

s'' of his own composition that were based on James's name in four languages. The good impression which Quin made was confirmed by his presenting the king, on New Year's Day 1596, with an oration about his title to the English throne, a subject that was increasingly controversial as

Elizabeth I Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was Queen of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is sometimes referred to as the "Virgin Queen". El ...

grew older and yet had no official heir. The political implications of his poetry led to Quin's appearances at court being tracked by the English agents of Sir Robert Cecil who was sent a copy of Quin's ''Anagrams'' in 1600.John Flood, editor (2014)
''The works of Walter Quin: An Irishman at the Stuart courts''
. Dublin: Four Courts Press Because of this controversy, the Edinburgh printer,

Robert Waldegrave Robert Waldegrave or Walgrave (c.1554 – October 1603), the son of Richard Waldegrave of Blockley, Worcestershire, was a 16th-century printer and publisher in England and Scotland. From 1578 to 1588 he printed numerous, mainly religious works in ...

, refused, to print a book on the subject which Quin prepared in February 1598. He was at the time reported to be "answering Spenser's book, whereat the king is offended". Meanwhile, Quin had been taken into the service of James VI as tutor to his sons, and he gave proof of his loyalty by publishing, in 1600, ''Sertum Poeticum in honorem Jacobi Sexti'' The volume consists of some of Quin's early anagrams on the king's name, with Latin odes and epigrams, and English sonnets, addressed to members of the royal family and the rescuers of James VI during the

Gowrie Conspiracy John Ruthven, 3rd Earl of Gowrie (c. 1577 – 5 August 1600), was a Scottish nobleman who died in mysterious circumstances, referred to as the "Gowrie Conspiracy", in which he and/or his brother Alexander were attempting to kill or kidnap King ...

. An extravagant sonnet on Sir William Alexander (afterwards Earl of Stirling) appeared in the first edition of the latter's ''Tragedie of Darius'' (1603). In 1604 Quin celebrated the marriage of Sir William with an

epithalamium An epithalamium (; Latin form of Greek ἐπιθαλάμιον ''epithalamion'' from ἐπί ''epi'' "upon," and θάλαμος ''thalamos'' nuptial chamber) is a poem written specifically for the bride on the way to her marital chamber. This form ...

and two sonnets.

England

Quin migrated with king James to England in 1603 where he was employed as a music teacher in the household of

Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales (19 February 1594 – 6 November 1612), was the eldest son and heir apparent of James VI and I, King of England and Scotland; and his wife Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuar ...

. As part of the prince's circle Quin contributed Italian verses "In lode del autore" to

Thomas Coryat Thomas Coryat (also Coryate) (c. 15771617) was an English traveller and writer of the late Elizabethan and early Jacobean age. He is principally remembered for two volumes of writings he left regarding his travels, often on foot, through ...

's '' Odcombian Banquet'' (1611). In common with many other poets of the time, he lamented his young patron's death; these elegies were printed in

Joshua Sylvester Josuah Sylvester (1563 – 28 September 1618) was an English poet. Biography Sylvester was the son of a Kentish clothier. In his tenth year he was sent to school at King Edward VI School, Southampton, where he gained a knowledge of French ...

's ''Lachrymæ Lachrymarum'' (1612). Quin subsequently became a tutor to Prince

Charles Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English language, English and French language, French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic, Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*k ...

. For Charles's use he compiled ''Corona Virtutum principe dignarum ex varijs Philosophorum, Historicorum, Oratorum, et Poetarum'' (1603), a neo-Stoic florilegium on virtue culled from the work of

Justus Lipsius Justus Lipsius (Joest Lips or Joost Lips; 18 October 1547 – 23 March 1606) was a Flemish Catholic philologist, philosopher, and humanist. Lipsius wrote a series of works designed to revive ancient Stoicism in a form that would be compatible w ...

with accounts of the lives and virtues of

Antoninus Pius Antoninus Pius (Latin: ''Titus Aelius Hadrianus Antoninus Pius''; 19 September 86 – 7 March 161) was Roman emperor from 138 to 161. He was the fourth of the Five Good Emperors from the Nerva–Antonine dynasty. Born into a senatoria ...

and

Marcus Aurelius Marcus Aurelius Antoninus (Latin: áːɾkus̠ auɾέːli.us̠ antɔ́ːni.us̠ English: ; 26 April 121 – 17 March 180) was Roman emperor from 161 to 180 AD and a Stoic philosopher. He was the last of the rulers known as the Five Good ...

. In ''The Memorie of the most worthy and renowned Bernard Stuart, Lord D'Aubigni, renewed'' (1619), Quin produced a biography of

Bernard Stewart, 4th Lord of Aubigny Bernard Stewart, 4th Seigneur d'Aubigny (French language, French: Bérault Stuart) (c. 1452 – 15 June 1508) was a French soldier, commander of the ''Garde Écossaise'', and diplomat belonging to the Scotland, Scottish family of Stewart of ...

, a Franco-Scottish hero who he believed was unduly neglected despite his importance to military affairs in France, Italy, and England (where he had fought for Henry Tudor at the

Battle of Bosworth The Battle of Bosworth or Bosworth Field was the last significant battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the houses of Lancaster and York that extended across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 Augu ...

). In the preface, Quin states that he had collected materials in French for a prose life of his hero but they proved inadequate for his purpose so ''A Short Collection of the most Notable Places of Histories'' is appended, together with a series of poems addressed to Prince Charles. On Charles I's marriage to

Henrietta Maria Henrietta Maria (french: link=no, Henriette Marie; 25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland from her marriage to King Charles I on 13 June 1625 until Charles was executed on 30 January 1649. She wa ...

in 1625 Quin published ''In Nuptiis Principum incomparabilium'', congratulatory verses in Latin, English, French, and Italian. Appropriately, French poetry was to the fore for a French bride and Quin rejoiced in the union of the rose of England with the lily of France. Around this time he returned to historical biography with a French prose account of the memorable sayings of

Henri IV Henry IV (french: Henri IV; 13 December 1553 – 14 May 1610), also known by the epithets Good King Henry or Henry the Great, was King of Navarre (as Henry III) from 1572 and King of France from 1589 to 1610. He was the first monarc ...

, the new queen's father. This was Quin's last extended work. Ten Latin lines signed "Walt. O—Quin Armig." are prefixed to Sir Thomas Herbert's ''Travels'' (1634). Quin died in London in 1640.

Family

Another son of Quin's, James (1621–1659), born in Middlesex, obtained a scholarship at Westminster, and was elected to Christ Church, Oxford, in 1639. He graduated B.A. in 1642, and M.A. in 1646, and was elected a senior student. As an avowed royalist he was ejected from this position by the parliamentary visitors in 1648.

Anthony à Wood Anthony Wood (17 December 1632 – 28 November 1695), who styled himself Anthony à Wood in his later writings, was an English antiquary. He was responsible for a celebrated ''Hist. and Antiq. of the Universitie of Oxon''. Early life Anthony W ...

, who was acquainted with him, often heard him "sing with great admiration." His voice was a bass, "the best in England, and he had great command of it … but he wanted skill, and could scarce sing in consort." He contrived to obtain an introduction to Cromwell, who was so delighted with his musical talent that, "after liquoring him with sack," he restored him to his place at Christ Church. But in 1651 he was reported to be insane and he died in October 1659 and was buried in the cathedral of Christ Church. James Quin contributed to the Oxford University collections of Latin verse issued on the return of the king from Scotland in 1641, and on the peace with the Dutch Republic in 1654.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Quin, Walter 1640 deaths People from County Dublin 16th-century Irish historians 17th-century Irish historians Irish biographers Irish male non-fiction writers Irish male poets Male biographers Irish philosophers Irish musicians Irish Latinists Linguists from Ireland Scottish poets Alumni of the University of St Andrews University of Ingolstadt alumni Neo-Stoics 17th-century male writers Year of birth uncertain Irish expatriates in Germany Irish expatriates in Scotland Irish expatriates in England 17th-century Irish poets 16th-century Irish poets 1570s births

Ireland

Scotland

England

Family

See also

References