John Bellenden

John Bellenden or Ballantyne (fl. 1533–1587?) of Moray (why Moray, a lowland family) was a Scottish writer of the 16th century.

For other people named John Bellenden, see John Bellenden (disambiguation).

John Bellenden
NationalityScottish
Occupationwriter
Years activec. 1533–50

Life
Title page of Bellenden's Croniklis printed in Edinburgh, with the heraldry of James V of Scotland

He was born towards the close of the 15th century, and educated at St. Andrews and Paris. At the request of James V he translated Hector Boece's Historia Gentis Scotorum.[1] This translation, Croniklis of Scotland is a very free one, with a good deal of matter not in the original, so that it may be almost considered as a new work. It was published in 1536 in Edinburgh by Thomas Davidson. In 1533, Bellenden also translated the first five books of Livy's History of Rome.[2] These remain the earliest existing specimena of Scottish literary prose, and remarkable specimena they are, for the execution of which he enjoyed the Royal favour, and was made Archdeacon of Moray. [1] Both the Croniklis and the Livy are prefaced by poems, the Proheme of the Chronicles, 'Quehen Silver Diane', being more often anthologised.[3] Another work, the Banner of Piety, was prefaced by the poem 'Quhen goldin Phebus.'[4]

Bellenden latterly became involved in controversy which led to his being exiled to Rome, where he died, according to one account, about 1550. Another authority, however, states that he was still living in 1587.[1]

Family connections

John was the son of Patrick Bellenden of Auchnoule or Auchnolyshill (died 1514) and Mariota Douglas.[5] Mariota was the nurse of James V. John's sister Katherine Bellenden was a courtier, connected with the royal wardrobe and worked with Janet Douglas, who was the wife of David Lyndsay of the Mount, the diplomat, poet, and playwright.[6] Katherine Bellenden was married to Adam Hopper, then Francis Bothwell, and thirdly to the royal favorite Oliver Sinclair. John's older brother Thomas Bellenden of Auchnoule was a prominent lawyer and courtier.[7]

Post-mortem citations

Alan Balatine is a supposed historian mentioned by Edward Hall in the list of the English writers from whose works he compiled his Chronicle. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography makes it clear that this person is very likely a misnomer for Bellenden, rather than a separate individual.[8]

References
  1. Chisholm 1911.
  2. John Bellenden, Livy's History of Rome, 2 vols, Scottish Text Society (1901, 1903)
  3. Scottish Poetry, ed. M. M. Gray, London (1935): Bannatyne Manuscript, Hunterian Club (1873), 9-20.
  4. Bannatyne Manuscript, (1873), 3-8
  5. Register of the Great Seal of Scotland, (1883), no.1886
  6. Accounts of the Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 6, HM General Register House (1905), 298, 380-381, 390.
  7. Van Heijnsbergen, Theo, 'Literature in Queen Mary's Edinburgh: the Bannatyne Manuscript', in, The Renaissance in Scotland, Brill (1994), p.191-6
  8. Royan, Nicola. "Balatine, Alan". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/1149. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
Attribution

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