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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D7 The old Cicilian fox

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Notes. The exact meaning of this short verse is difficult to pin down, though Croft (“Reputation” 57) briefly discusses representations of Cecil as a cunning and corrupt fox. It is probable that the foods mentioned are puns: butterbox was a slang term for a Dutchman (though it is not clear who, in particular, this might refer to); and Bacon may very well refer to Sir Francis Bacon.

The old Cicilian fox1

Whose faults are yet not shaken

Preferd his flemish butterbox

before his side of Bacon.


Source. Beinecke MS Osborn b.197, p. 202

D7

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1   fox: refers to Cecil’s cunning. <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.

Arts and Humanities Research Council
Early Modern Literary Studies

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