A web-based edition of early seventeenth-century political poetry from manuscript sources. It brings into the public domain over 350 poems, many of which have never before been published.

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D6 Robert E. of Salisburie. Libellous Anagram on Cecil

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Notes. This anagram, which presumably circulated in London news circles, was mentioned in passing in a marginal note John Chamberlain added to a copy of the anti-Cecil poem “Two R:R:rs twoe Crookebacks of late ruled Englands helme”. “Burs” probably means “burse”, purse or shop, hence making a reference to Cecil’s role as Lord Treasurer.

Robert E. of Salisburie. The anagram wherof is a silie burs.1


Source. PRO SP 14/69/67:I (transcribed in Chamberlain 1.356, n. 34)

D6

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1   ‘Burs’probably has a double meaning here. Literally it is ‘burse’, purse or shop, and thus a reference to Salisbury’s role as royal treasurer. But ‘burse’ was also contemporary slang for the scrotum. <back>

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Edited by Alastair Bellany and Andrew McRae
with the assistance of Paul E.J. Hammer and Michelle
O'Callaghan

Preferred citation format:

Full reference, e.g. "Early Stuart Libels: an edition of poetry from manuscript sources." Ed. Alastair Bellany and Andrew McRae. Early Modern Literary Studies Text Series I (2005).
<http://purl.oclc.org/emls/texts/libels/>

Short reference, e.g. "Early Stuart Libels" Piii5.

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Early Modern Literary Studies

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