Thomas Hudson (1567-1610 fl.) was an English poet and translator, who served at the court of James VI of Scotland, and was a member of the Castalian Band.
Thomas Hudson (1567-1610 fl.), The Historie of Judith (1584). Scottish Text Society, 1941. Courtesy National Library of Scotland.
Life[]
Hudson was probably a native of the north of England.[1]
His name stands at the top of a list of 'violaris' in the service of James VI in 1567: 'Mekill [i.e. probably, big] Thomas Hudsone, Robert Hudsone, James Hudsone, William Hudsone, and William Fullartoun their servand.' The Hudsons in all likelihood were brothers. All their names reappear in The Estait of the King's Hous for 1584 and 1590, with particulars as to salary and liveries.[1]
Career[]
Thomas Hudson was installed master of the Chapel Royal on 5 June 1586, his appointment being ratified by 2 acts of parliament dated respectively 1587 and 1592.[1]
Hudson was a contributor to England's Parnassus, 1600.[1] Ritson and Irving are agreed in identifying him with the "T.H." who contributed a sonnet to James VI's Essays of a Prentise, Edinburgh, 1585.[2]
In The Return from Parnassus (played at Cambridge in 1606), Hudson and Henry Lock, or Lok, are advised to let their 'books lie in some old nooks amongst old boots and shoes,' to avoid the satirist's censure. Hawkins hastily infers (Origin of the English Drama, ii. 214) that Hudson and Lok were the Bavius and Mævius of their age.[2]
Writing[]
Hudson's chief work is The Historie of Judith, in forme of a poeme: Penned in French by the noble poet, G. Salust, Lord of Bartas: Englished by Tho. Hudson, Edinburgh, 1584. The work was probably suggested by the king, to whom Hudson dedicates it, and who supplied a commendatory sonnet. It runs fluently, and the number of verses is limited to that of the original text. Hudson's version was reissued in London in 1608, with the later editions of Joshua Sylvester's 'Du Bartas,' and again in 1613, alone. Drummond of Hawthornden much preferred Sylvester's rendering to Hudson's.[1]
Hudson's efforts are never contemptible, and Sir John Harington (in his notes to Orlando Furioso, bk. xxxv.) characterises the Judith as written in "verie good and sweet English verse."[2]
Critical reputation[]
So slightly did he impress himself upon his contemporaries that none of them has a reference to the man himself, though some mention his Historie of Judith. Within 2 generations of Hudson's death, Edward Phillips could write in his sketch of English poetry, "of Tho. Hudson, my researches have furnished me with no further account (than his name)"[3]
Publications[]
Translated[]
- Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas, The Historie of Judith, in forme of a poeme. Edinburgh: Thomas Vautroullier, 1584; London: Humphrey Lownes, 1608;
- also published as Thomas Hudson's Historie of Judith (edited by James Craigie). Edinburgh & London: W. Blackwood, for the Scottish Text Society, 1941.
Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy WorldCat.[4]
See also[]
References[]
Bayne, Thomas Wilson (1891) "Hudson, Thomas (fl.1610)" in Lee, Sidney Dictionary of National Biography 28 London: Smith, Elder, pp. 153-154 . Wikisource, Web, Dec. 10, 2016.
Notes[]
External links[]
- About
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain, the Dictionary of National Biography (edited by Leslie Stephen & Sidney Lee). London: Smith, Elder, 1885-1900. Original article is at: Hudson, Thomas (fl.1610)
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