Gilbert Hay (poet) facts for kids
Gilbert Hay was a Scottish poet and translator who lived a long time ago, in the 1400s. He was known for writing poems and translating important books into Scots. He might have been related to the Earls of Errol.
The Life of Gilbert Hay
Gilbert Hay was born around the year 1403. We know this because he might have studied at the University of St Andrews in 1418. He spent some time in France. In 1430, a "Gilbert de la Haye" was at the crowning of King Charles VII. Gilbert Hay later wrote that he was once the "chamberlain" (a high-ranking official) for King Charles of France. By 1456, Gilbert Hay was back in Scotland. He worked for William, the Earl of Orkney and Caithness. He lived in Roslin Castle, which is near Edinburgh. We don't know exactly when he died.
Gilbert Hay's Writings
Gilbert Hay was mentioned by other famous Scottish poets. These include William Dunbar and David Lyndsay. His only known poem is called The Buik of King Alexander the Conquerour. Parts of this poem can be found in the National Records of Scotland and the British Library.
His Translations
Gilbert Hay also translated three important books. These translations are kept together in one old book at Abbotsford. They are:
- The Buke of the Law of Armys or the Buke of Bataillis: This was a translation of a French book called Arbre des batailles by Honoré Bonet. It was about the rules of war and battles.
- The Buke of the Order of Knichthood: This book was translated from a work by Ramon Llull about what it meant to be a knight. Hay's translation came out at least ten years before another famous English translator, William Caxton, made his own version.
- The Buke of the Governaunce of Princes: This was a translation of a French version of a book thought to be by Aristotle, called Secreta secretorum, which gave advice on how to rule.
Studying His Work
People have studied Gilbert Hay's writings for a long time. For example, a group called the Scottish Text Society has published his complete works. This helps us understand old Scottish language and history better.
