Gavin Douglas (c. 1474 – September 1522) was a Scottish bishop,
makar
A makar () is a term from Scottish literature for a poet or bard, often thought of as a royal court poet.
Since the 19th century, the term ''The Makars'' has been specifically used to refer to a number of poets of fifteenth and sixteenth cen ...
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'' ( ; or ) is a Latin Epic poetry, epic poem that tells the legendary story of Aeneas, a Troy, Trojan who fled the Trojan War#Sack of Troy, fall of Troy and travelled to Italy, where he became the ancestor of the Ancient Rome ...
'' of Virgil into
Scots, 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
Tantallon Castle is a ruined mid-14th-century fortress, located east of North Berwick, in East Lothian, Scotland. It sits atop a promontory opposite the Bass Rock, looking out onto the Firth of Forth. The last medieval curtain wall castle to b ...
, 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
The University of St Andrews (, ; abbreviated as St And in post-nominals) is a public university in St Andrews, Scotland. It is the oldest of the four ancient universities of Scotland and, following the universities of Oxford and Cambridge, t ...
in 1489–94, and thereafter, it is supposed, at Paris. He chiefly studied Aristotle's 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
Monymusk () is a planned village in the Marr area of Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
History
Malcolm Canmore first established Celtic foundation on the site in 1078 The Culdees of Munimusc are recorded as inhabiting the site in 1170. Monymusk Pri ...
, 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 d ...
of Lynton (modern
East Linton
East Linton is a village and former police burgh in East Lothian, Scotland, situated on the River Tyne, Scotland, River Tyne and A199 road (former A1 road (Great Britain), A1 road) five miles east of Haddington, East Lothian, Haddington, with ...
) and rector of Hauch (modern
Prestonkirk), in
East Lothian
East Lothian (; ; ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, as well as a Counties of Scotland, historic county, registration county and Lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area. The county was called Haddingtonshire until 1921.
In ...
. About 1501 he was preferred to the deanery or
provostship of the
collegiate church
In Christianity, a collegiate church is a church where the daily office of worship is maintained by a college of canons, a non-monastic or "secular" community of clergy, organised as a self-governing corporate body, headed by a dignitary bearing ...
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 or Brainston Moor was fought on 9 September 1513 during the War of the League of Cambrai between the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland and resulted in an English victory ...
in September 1513, Gavin Douglas appears to have been occupied with his