“The Legend of the Bischop of St. Androis Lyfe” and the Survival of Scottish Poetry
Parkinson, David J.
Early Modern Literary Studies 9.1 (May 2003)
Abstract
Their favoured manner readily characterized as feminine in its tendency to invective and rigmarole, Scottish poets experienced vicissitudes during the precarious early majority of James VI. Robert Sempill exemplifies one authorial strategy during this uncertain period: drawing knowledgeably on the rich poetic tradition of late-medieval Scotland, he hones satire into a political instrument of lasting value for reform, and thereby ensures the survival of elements at least from that tradition. “The Legend of the Bischop of St. Androis Lyfe,” a lengthy satire on the colourful Patrick Adamson, archbishop of St. Andrews, contains a variety of evidence for the collection and presentation of a scurrilous but plausible attack on a prominent public figure, an attack that implicates its target in a variety of disgraceful activities, notably the practices of witchcraft. At this decisive moment, satire not only reflects but also influences official and unofficial processes, and attains peculiar relevance to the increasingly sensitive topic of witchcraft.
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