Thomas Hoccleve, The Regiment of Princes

Derek Pearsall (University of York)

Ed. by David Fuller, University of Durham
The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.1.02: English Writing and Culture: High and Late Medieval, 1066-1485.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Rory Critten (Université de Lausanne), David Fuller (University of Durham), Natalie Hanna (University of Liverpool), Hugh Magennis (Queen's University Belfast), Jamie McKinstry (University of Durham), Sarah Peverley (University of Liverpool), Sebastian Sobecki (Rijksuniversiteit Groningen)

Dates

First circulation or publication 1411 - 1412

Places

England (Country of Origin)

Genres and Modes

Poem collection

Resources

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Thomas Hoccleve was born about 1367, but nothing is known of the first twenty years of his life, before he was appointed as a clerk in the office of the Privy Seal about 1387, an occupation he was to follow, without much advancement, until his death in 1426. His first significant poem was the

Letter of Cupid

, or

Epistre de Cupide

(1402), a free translation of the

Epistre au Dieu d”Amours

by his French contemporary Christine de Pizan (b.1365). It was followed a year or two later by

La Male Regle

(1405-6), a tongue-in-cheek apology for his “badly ruled” life and misspent youth and a request for the payment of his annuity, which was overdue. Subsequent

balades

to the Chancellor, to Henry Somer, under-treasurer at the Chancery, and to John Carpenter, another civil servant, are also in…

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3882 words

Citation: Pearsall, Derek. "The Regiment of Princes". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 11 June 2009 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=7554, accessed 25 November 2024.]

Thomas Hoccleve, The Regiment of Princes

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