Ane New Yeir Gift to Quene Mary is a poem written by Alexander Scott (1520?-1582/1583) in 1562, as a New Year's gift to Mary, Queen of Scots. Mary had recently returned to Scotland from France following the death of her first husband, Francois II of France (d.1560). The poem was written in an effort to placate Mary's displeasure following her official reception into the City of Edinburgh organised by its burgh council in August 1561, at which Protestant imagery was highlighted. As a committed Catholic Mary had taken offence.
During her absence in France, Scotland had undergone a Protestant Reformation in 1559–1560, against Mary's wishes and those of her mother, Marie de Guise, Regent of Scotland (d.1560). The imagery used in her formal entry into Edinburgh was deliberately used to impress the authority claimed by the reformed kirk over the practice of religion in Scotland. Scott's poem was designed to redress the bluntness of the royal entry's message, suggesting a more moderate middle way in the interest of the 'common weill' of the realm. It contained a 'mixture of advice to and support of Mary'.[1] That Scott was able to do this suggests his status and the recognition by the court and the burgh of him as someone suitable to articulate this advice to the young queen.
'Ane New Yeir Gift' is Scott's longest poem at 224 lines, and it is written in old Scots.[3] It is a lyrical poem in 28 stanzas of 8 lines each. It starts in a suitably deferential and laudatory manner addressing Mary (text modernised):
'Welcome! illustrious lady, and our queen;/ Welcome! our lion with the fleur de lis;/ Welcome! our thistle with the Lorraine green;/ Welcome! our ruby rose upon the stem;/ Welcome! our precious and joyful mother;/ Welcome! our flame of Albion to bear;/ Welcome! our pleasant princess, most prized;/ God give your Grace against this good new year.'
It goes on to express hopes of a fruitful marriage for her and the arrival of an heir, and a time of 'peace, tranquility and rest' following the religious and political upheavals of the preceding years. 'Go staunch all strifes, and pacify your estates/ In constance, concord, charity, and love;/ Be busy now to banish all debates'. The poet hopes that she will rule with God's advice and preserve his church, his 'true kirk' in Scotland. To get the full flavour of it however, it is best read in its old Scots version.[3]
It has been preserved in the Bannatyne Manuscript, a large manuscript collection of mainly Scottish poetry compiled around 1568. The Bannatyne MS Project[4] is currently in the process of digitising this long manuscript.
References
^Heijnsbergen, Theo Van (1 January 2008). Chapter Four. Advice To A Princess: The Literary Articulation Of A Religious, Political And Cultural Programme For Mary Queen Of Scots, 1562. Brill. doi:10.1163/ej.9789004168251.i-476.12. ISBN978-90-474-3373-6.
^Andrea Thomas, Glory and Honour: The Renaissance in Scotland (Edinburgh, 2013), p. 170: Theo van Heijnsbergen, 'Advice to a Princess: the literary articulation of a religious, political and cultural programme for Mary Queen of Scots', Julian Goodare & A. A. MacDonald, Sixteenth-century Scotland (Brill, 2008), pp. 118-9
^ abScott, Alexander; Donald, Alexander Karley (1902). Ane New Yeir Gift, in The poems of Alexander Scott. University of California Libraries. London : Pub. for the Early English text society by K. Paul, Trench Trübner & co., limited. pp. 3–9.
^"About the Bannatyne MS Project". Bannatyne MS Project. Retrieved 2 December 2020.
External links
Sixteenth-Century Scotland: Essays in Honour of Michael Lynch, ed. Julian Goodare and Alasdair A. MacDonald. Brill: Leiden/Boston, 2008 (Brill's Studies in Intellectual History, 166)
Sixteenth-Century Scotland : Essays in Honour of Michael Lynch
Alexander Scott in the Oxford DNB
January 25, 2023
yeir, gift, quene, mary, poem, written, alexander, scott, 1520, 1582, 1583, 1562, year, gift, mary, queen, scots, mary, recently, returned, scotland, from, france, following, death, first, husband, francois, france, 1560, poem, written, effort, placate, mary, . Ane New Yeir Gift to Quene Mary is a poem written by Alexander Scott 1520 1582 1583 in 1562 as a New Year s gift to Mary Queen of Scots Mary had recently returned to Scotland from France following the death of her first husband Francois II of France d 1560 The poem was written in an effort to placate Mary s displeasure following her official reception into the City of Edinburgh organised by its burgh council in August 1561 at which Protestant imagery was highlighted As a committed Catholic Mary had taken offence Ane New Yeir Gift to Quene Maryby Alexander ScottCountryScotlandPublication date1562Lines224During her absence in France Scotland had undergone a Protestant Reformation in 1559 1560 against Mary s wishes and those of her mother Marie de Guise Regent of Scotland d 1560 The imagery used in her formal entry into Edinburgh was deliberately used to impress the authority claimed by the reformed kirk over the practice of religion in Scotland Scott s poem was designed to redress the bluntness of the royal entry s message suggesting a more moderate middle way in the interest of the common weill of the realm It contained a mixture of advice to and support of Mary 1 That Scott was able to do this suggests his status and the recognition by the court and the burgh of him as someone suitable to articulate this advice to the young queen On New Year s day 1562 Mary travelled from Holyrood Palace to Seton Palace and perhaps the poem was presented at the home of a leading courtier and her Master of Requests George Seton 7th Lord Seton 2 Ane New Yeir Gift is Scott s longest poem at 224 lines and it is written in old Scots 3 It is a lyrical poem in 28 stanzas of 8 lines each It starts in a suitably deferential and laudatory manner addressing Mary text modernised Welcome illustrious lady and our queen Welcome our lion with the fleur de lis Welcome our thistle with the Lorraine green Welcome our ruby rose upon the stem Welcome our precious and joyful mother Welcome our flame of Albion to bear Welcome our pleasant princess most prized God give your Grace against this good new year It goes on to express hopes of a fruitful marriage for her and the arrival of an heir and a time of peace tranquility and rest following the religious and political upheavals of the preceding years Go staunch all strifes and pacify your estates In constance concord charity and love Be busy now to banish all debates The poet hopes that she will rule with God s advice and preserve his church his true kirk in Scotland To get the full flavour of it however it is best read in its old Scots version 3 It has been preserved in the Bannatyne Manuscript a large manuscript collection of mainly Scottish poetry compiled around 1568 The Bannatyne MS Project 4 is currently in the process of digitising this long manuscript References Edit Heijnsbergen Theo Van 1 January 2008 Chapter Four Advice To A Princess The Literary Articulation Of A Religious Political And Cultural Programme For Mary Queen Of Scots 1562 Brill doi 10 1163 ej 9789004168251 i 476 12 ISBN 978 90 474 3373 6 Andrea Thomas Glory and Honour The Renaissance in Scotland Edinburgh 2013 p 170 Theo van Heijnsbergen Advice to a Princess the literary articulation of a religious political and cultural programme for Mary Queen of Scots Julian Goodare amp A A MacDonald Sixteenth century Scotland Brill 2008 pp 118 9 a b Scott Alexander Donald Alexander Karley 1902 Ane New Yeir Gift in The poems of Alexander Scott University of California Libraries London Pub for the Early English text society by K Paul Trench Trubner amp co limited pp 3 9 About the Bannatyne MS Project Bannatyne MS Project Retrieved 2 December 2020 External links EditSixteenth Century Scotland Essays in Honour of Michael Lynch ed Julian Goodare and Alasdair A MacDonald Brill Leiden Boston 2008 Brill s Studies in Intellectual History 166 Sixteenth Century Scotland Essays in Honour of Michael Lynch Alexander Scott in the Oxford DNB Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ane New Yeir Gift to Quene Mary amp oldid 1083637213, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
