Aemilia Lanyer (Bassano) is the first professional female writer to publish a substantial volume of poems in England. The poems and letters in <em>Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum</em> (1611) are all dedicated to women, including King James I’s wife, Queen Anne. Lanyer’s poems are mostly religious, but her best-known poem is ‘The Description of Cooke-ham' which describes the grand country estate belonging to her patron the Countess of Cumberland. Now referred to as the sub-genre of ‘country house’ poems, Lanyer’s description of the estate and how the plenty of the house and lands served its owner to create an earthly paradise was one of the first of its kind. Her book is considered by many as an early example of feminist literature, but significantly it shows that some middling women were able to make writing their occupation. <br /> <br /> Lanyer was the daughter of the Venetian Jewish musician, Baptista Bassano, who secured a position in the court of Edward VI. Lanyer is likely to have been educated at court and her work suggests that she was acquainted with a number of elite women and their households. She made writing her profession: <em>Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum</em> was the first volume of English poetry to have a female author’s full name on its title page. She continued her dedication to female education by setting up a school for girls in London in 1617. Sadly, the school closed just two years later due to financial troubles. <br /> <br /> Lanyer’s life follows a similar pattern to the experience of many male writers of the day. Her father’s position at court might have made him ‘lesser’ gentry, but his status and wealth came from his craft as a musician rather than land and property. Lanyer relied on a combination of marriage and, like all successful writers, patronage, to support her writing. Once published, and with some wealth to her name, she turned to charitable work, (opening a school for the poor), as did numerous upper middling men including theatre entrepreneur Edward Alleyn. Yet her work was also viewed by some with suspicion. Her gender, along with her Italian and Jewish heritage, were the parts of her identity critics chose to focus on, posing risks and limitations to her social standing. Lanyer’s poetry tells us that women could make a career as writers, but this occupation did not always have a positive impact on their reputation and status.
Aemilia Lanyer’s Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum (Salve Deus Rex Iudaeorum by Aemilia Lanyer), 1611

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Aemilia Lanyer’s Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum

Aemilia Lanyer’s Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum (Salve Deus Rex Iudaeorum by Aemilia Lanyer), 1611

Aemilia Lanyer (Bassano) is the first professional female writer to publish a substantial volume of poems in England. The poems and letters in Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum (1611) are all dedicated to women, including King James I’s wife, Queen Anne. Lanyer’s poems are mostly religious, but her best-known poem is ‘The Description of Cooke-ham' which describes the grand country estate belonging to her patron the Countess of Cumberland. Now referred to as the sub-genre of ‘country house’ poems, Lanyer’s description of the estate and how the plenty of the house and lands served its owner to create an earthly paradise was one of the first of its kind. Her book is considered by many as an early example of feminist literature, but significantly it shows that some middling women were able to make writing their occupation.

Lanyer was the daughter of the Venetian Jewish musician, Baptista Bassano, who secured a position in the court of Edward VI. Lanyer is likely to have been educated at court and her work suggests that she was acquainted with a number of elite women and their households. She made writing her profession: Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum was the first volume of English poetry to have a female author’s full name on its title page. She continued her dedication to female education by setting up a school for girls in London in 1617. Sadly, the school closed just two years later due to financial troubles.

Lanyer’s life follows a similar pattern to the experience of many male writers of the day. Her father’s position at court might have made him ‘lesser’ gentry, but his status and wealth came from his craft as a musician rather than land and property. Lanyer relied on a combination of marriage and, like all successful writers, patronage, to support her writing. Once published, and with some wealth to her name, she turned to charitable work, (opening a school for the poor), as did numerous upper middling men including theatre entrepreneur Edward Alleyn. Yet her work was also viewed by some with suspicion. Her gender, along with her Italian and Jewish heritage, were the parts of her identity critics chose to focus on, posing risks and limitations to her social standing. Lanyer’s poetry tells us that women could make a career as writers, but this occupation did not always have a positive impact on their reputation and status.

Object Type Salve Deus Rex Iudaeorum by Aemilia Lanyer
Year 1611
Material Print
Discovered London
Owned By Folger ST 15227 Copy 1
Keywords reading; writing; occupation; gender; reputation; literacy; education; London; print
Image Credit Salve Deus Rex Iudaeorum by Amelia Lanyer (1611), Folger ST 15227 copy 1. Used by permission of the Folger Shakespeare Library under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

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