1612 - Anonymous - Satirical epitaph on Robert Cecil

By Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2014-08-26. Revised by Henrik Thiil Nielsen, 2018-07-12.

Allusion

Here lies thrown, for the Worms to eat,
Little Bossive Robin [sc. Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury], that was so Great.
Not Robin Good-fellow, nor Robin Hood,
But Robin th'Encloser of Hatfield Wood.
Who seem'd as sent from ugly Fate,
To spoil the Prince and rob the State.
Owning a Mind of dismal ends,
As Traps for Foes, and Tricks for Friends.
But now in Hatfield lies the —
Who stank while he liv'd and died of the —

Source comments

This epitaph and another one that is more learned but no less satirical are cited in Francis Osborne's "Traditional Memoires on the Reign of King James", which is the second part of his "Historical Memoires on the Reigns of Q. Elizabeth, and King Iames". Osborne has the verse in italics with emphasized words in normal type; I have reversed this.

IRHB comments

Osborne notes among the things Cecil was reviled for his acquisition and enclosure of Hatfield Chase. He also provides the rather unsavoury details required for a proper understanding of the last line, but this fortunately does not concern Robin Hood.

Lists

• Not included in Dobson, R. B., ed.; Taylor, J., ed. Rymes of Robyn Hood: an Introduction to the English Outlaw (London, 1976), pp. 315-19.
• Outside scope of Sussex, Lucy, compil. 'References to Robin Hood up to 1600', in: Knight, Stephen. Robin Hood: A Complete Study of the English Outlaw (Oxford, UK; Cambridge, Massachusetts: Blackwell, 1994), pp. 262-88.

Editions

• [Osborne, Francis]. Historical memoires on the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, and King James (London and Oxford, 1658). Not seen.
• [Osborne, Francis]. Historical memoires on the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, and King James (London and Oxford, 1658). Not seen.
• Osborne, Francis. Historical memoires on the reigns of Queen Elizabeth, and King James (London and Oxford, 1658). Not seen.
• Osborne, Francis. The works of Francis Osborn Esq; Divine. Moral. Historical. Political. 7th ed. (London, 1673), pp. Ii - Kk, 467-547; see p. 513.
• Osborne, Francis. The works of Francis Osborn, Esq. 8th ed. (London, 1682). Not seen.
• Osborne, Francis. The works of Francis Osborn Esq; Divine, Moral, Historical, Political. In Four Several Tracts. 9th ed. (London, 1689), pp. Dd-421-87; see p. 459.
• Osborne, Francis. The Works of Francis Osborn, Esq. Divine, Moral, Historical, Political. 10th ed. (London, 1700). Not seen.
• Osborne, Francis. The Works of Francis Osborn, Esq. Divine, Moral, Historical, Political. 10h ed. (London, 1701). Not seen.
• Osborne, Francis. The Miscellaneous Works of that Eminent Statesman Francis Osborn, Esq. 11th ed. (London, 1722). Not seen.
• [Scott, Walter], ed.Secret History of the Court of James the First (Edinburgh and London, 1811), vol. I, pp. i-xvi, 1-297; see vol. I, pp. 235-36.

Citations

• C., G. E.], ed. Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom Extant, Extinct, or Dormant (London; Exeter, 1887), vol. VII, p. 40 note d.
• Page, William, ed. The Victoria History of the County of Hertford. Vol. 3 (The Victoria History of the Counties of England) (London, 1912), p. 100. Online text (British History Online).

Background

• Wikipedia: Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury.

Notes