Lydgate, John

(?1370-?1451)

   He was born at Lidgate, Suffolk, and at fifteen was a novice in the Benedictine abbey of Bury St. Edmunds, where he became a priest in 1397. He knew Chaucer, who was his inspiration as a poet. That he knew what it was like to be poor in London is portrayed in his poem "London Lackpenny." He celebrated in verse Henry V's return to London after Agincourt in 1415 and was regularly court poet from 1422. In this last years he wrote his Testament, declaring his readiness for death. He died at Bury St. Edmunds while translating the Secreta Secretorum (Secrets of Old Philosophers). Most of his works have been produced by various publishers within the last two centuries. His vast output can be grouped thus: narrative or epic-3; devotional-6; hagiological5; philosophical and scientific-3; allegories, fables, and moral romances-11; historical (political)-3; and social satire-3. Some of his poems: "A Kalendare," "Bycorne and Chychevache," "The Boy Serving at Table," "The Daunce of Machabree," "The Floure of Curtesy," "The Servant of Cupyde Forsaken."

   Sources: An Anthology of Catholic Poets. Shane Leslie, ed. Macmillan, 1952. Dictionary of National Biography. Electronic Edition 1.1. Oxford University Press, 1997. Encyclopædia Britannica Ultimate Reference Suite DVD, 2006. English Poetry: Author Search. Chadwyck-Healey Ltd., 1995 (http://www.lib.utexas.edu:8080/search/epoetry/author.html). English Poetry: A Poetic Record, from Chaucer to Yeats. David Hopkins, ed. Routledge, 1990. The Columbia Granger's Index to Poetry. 11th ed. The Columbia Granger's World of Poetry, Columbia University Press, 2005 (http://www.columbiagrangers.org). The Oxford Book of Children's Verse. Iona Opie and Peter Opie, eds. Oxford University Press, 1973. The Oxford Book of English Verse. Christopher Ricks, ed. Oxford University Press, 1999. The Oxford Book of Medieval English Verse. Celia Sisam and Kenneth Sisam, eds. Oxford University Press, 1970. The Oxford Companion to English Literature. 6th edition. Margaret Drabble, ed. Oxford University Press, 2000. The Palis of Honoure: Introduction. Gavin Douglas and David Parkinson, eds. Kalamazoo, Mich.: Medieval Institute Publications, 1992 (http://www.lib.rochester.edu/camelot/teams/palisint.htm). The Penguin Book of Bird Poetry. Peggy Munsterberg, ed. 1984.