Notizen zu dieser Person
1 _UID 8450FEC18B7148CE9C46792DCAD6C0028FBB
1 _UID 73CA2C5D2BC2D741906D952D46DCCBF76E43
... Bishop of Dunkeld, was the third son of Earl Archibald, andatanearlyage was presented to the rectory of Hawick. Some timebeforetheyear 1509he was appointed by James IV Provost of theCollegiateChurchof St. Giles,Edinburgh. A few months after the Battle ofFloddenhe wasnominated by theQueen-Dowager, Archbishop of St. Andrews, intheroom ofthe King's son,Alexander Stewart, who fell in thatdisastrousconflict.He was fiercelyopposed, however, by Hepburn, Prior ofSt.Andrwes, whohad obtained agrant of the benefice from the Pope,andDouglas withdrewin disgust fromthe unseemly contest. In thefollowingyear he wasappointed by the Queento the See of Dunkeld, andobtained apapal bullin his favour. But he wasimprisoned for more than ayear, onthe chargeof having violated the lawsof the realm by procuringbullsfrom Rome.After his release, a rivalcandidate, the brother of theEarlof Athole,attempted to keep possessionof the episcopal palaceandcathedral byforce of arms. Douglas in the endobtained possession oftheSee withoutthe effusion of blood, anddischarged the duties of theofficewith mostexemplary diligence andfidelity. He was distinguished alsoforhis actsof charity andmunificence, and his efforts to preserve thepeaceof thecountry. He madea praiseworthy but unavailing attempt tomediatebetweenthe rival factionsof the Douglases and Hamiltons beforethefamousskirmish of 'Clear theCausey,' in Edinburgh, 30th April, 1520.Attherequest of Angus, hisnephew, he waited upon ArchbishopBeaton,theChancellor, whose nieceArran, the head of the Hamiltons,hadmarried,and entreated that prelate,both as a churchman and astheofficialconservator of the laws of therealm, to act as apeacemaker.Beaton,however, had actually prepared forthe encounter byputting on acoat ofmail under his linen rochet; and inanswer to theappeal ofDouglas hesaid, 'Upon my conscience I know nothingof thematter,' at thesame timestriking his hand upon his breast, whichcausedthe armour toreturn arattling sound. 'My lord,' replied Douglas,withmerited sarcasm,'yoursonscience clatters' (tells tales). Afterthispointed rebuke hehastenedback to his nephew and told him that he mustdohis best todefendhimself with arms. 'For me,' he added, 'I will go tomychamber andprayfor you.' The conflict terminated in the completedefeatoftheHamiltons, who were the aggressors, and ArchibishopBeaton,whotookrefuge in the church of the Blackfriars' monastery, wasassaultedbythevictorious party, and would have been slain on the spotbutfortheprompt interposition of the Bishop of Dunkeld.
'In 1521, however, the party of Angus was worsted, andBishopDouglas,alongwith his nephew, was obliged to take refuge at theEnglishcourt,where hewas hospitabley entertained, and enjoyed thesociety ofPolydoreVirgil andother eminent scholars. The dominanat partyinScotland, onthe 21st ofFebruary, 1522, denounced the Bishop asatraitor,sequestered the revenuesof his cathedral, and wrote tothePope,beseeching his Holiness to bewareof nominating thetraitorGawainDouglas to the Archbishopric of St.Andrews, which hadagainbecomevacant. The Bishop was in consequence citedto appear at Rome,butbeforehe could obey the summons he suddenly died ofthe plague atLondon.
'Bishop Douglas left behind him various poems ofconsiderablemerit.Hischief original work is an elaborate and quaintallegoryentitled'KingHart,' intended to represent the progress of humanlife. Itisingenious,but heavy and full of alliteration. The longestofhisoriginalcompositions is 'The Palace of Honour,' whichdisplaysmuchlearning andversatility of fancy, but is marred byincongruouspassages,and tediousand confused descriptions. His translationofVirgil's'AEneid,' whichwas produced before there was an Englishversionof any ofthe classicalwriters, is on the whold felicitouslyexecuted. Theoriginalpiecesstyled 'Prologues,' which are affixed to eachbook, areamong thepoet'shappiest pieces.'
The Great Historic Families of Scotland, James Taylor
Thomas
Schäfer
