On the strength of this, or of anything we have quoted from James's poems, it would be supremely unreasonable to claim for him a place on the same level as that of the authors either of "The King's Quhair" or of "The Gaberlunzie Man". But it may be less unjustifiable to suggest that he is not absolutely undeserving of a corner in anthologies of the Scottish poems of the sixteenth and of the early seventeenth century. That he is altogether contemptible is an opinion that might be maintained if we had nothing better of his than the string of punning rhymes quoted in the notes to Walpole's _Royal and Noble Authors_, for the purpose of making him appear ridiculous.[263] FOOTNOTES: for JAMES VI AS STATESMAN AND POET [244] _Essay on John Hampden._ [245] _Register of the Privy Council of Scotland_, vol. vii, p. xxvii. [246] Tytler, _History of Scotland_, p. 238. [247] Tytler, _History of Scotland_, p. 238. [248] _Register of the Privy Council of Scotland_, vol. vi, pp. 581-2. [249] _Register of the Privy Council of Scotland_, vol. vi, p. 594. [250] _Register of the Privy Council of Scotland_, vol. vii, p. xxv. [251] Westcott, _New Poems by James I of England_. [252] Westcott, _New Poems by James I of England_. [253] _Ibid._ [254] _Ibid._ [255] Op. cit., p. lxxx. [256] Op. cit., p. lxxxi. [257] Edited by R. P. Gillies, Edin., 1814; _The Authour to the Reader_. [258] Westcott, op. cit., p. xlv. [259] Calderwood, _Historie of the Kirk of Scotland_, vol. iii, Appendix, p. 784. [260] Op. cit., p. lxix. [261] _Ibid._, p. 15-16. [262] Op. cit., p. 39. [263] "In the _Muses' Welcome to King James_, printed at Edinburgh in 1618, folio, the royal visitor greeted his Scottish subjects with a string of punning rhymes on the names of certain learned professors, which some of them were sagacious enough to turn into Latin. As a sample of the literary taste which prevailed at this academic visitation, these quibbling verses on the name of the college disputants are here subjoined:-- As _Adam_ was the first of men, whence all beginning tak So _Adam-son_ was president, and first man in this act. The theses _Fair-lie_ did defend, which though they lies contain, Yet were _fair-lies_ and he the same right fairlie did maintain. The field first entred master _Sands_, and there he made me see That not all _Sands_ are barren sands, but that some fertile bee. Then master _Young_ most subtilie the theses did impugne, And kythed _old_ in Aristotle, although his name bee Young. To him succeeded master Reid, who though _reid_ be his name Neids neither for his disput blush, nor of his speach think shame. Last entred master _King_ the lists, and dispute like a _King_ How reason reigning as a _queene_ should anger underbring. To their deserved praise have I thus played upon their names; And wills their colledge hence be called the Colledge of KING JAMES." --Horace Walpole, _Catalogue of Royal and Noble Authors_, Edit. 1806, vol. i, p. 125.