The Courtier Poets: Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey
Poulter's Measure |
Henry created Poulter's measure which he used to write his Psalms while waiting for his execution. Rewriting the Psalms of the bible seemed to be in fashion when a courtier poet was waiting for his execution. Not all the Courtier poets wrote their Psalms in Poulter's measure since Poulter's measure made a poem sound rigid and lacking in passion.
Poulter's measure is a rhyming couplet where the first line is twelve syllables and the second line is fourteen syllables. An example of Poulter's measure follows from Henry's Psalms: "I found no wit could pierce so far, Thy holy dooms to know, And that no mysteries nor doubt could be distrust Till I come to the holy place, the mansion of the just, Where I shall see what end Thy justice shall prepare For such as build on worldly wealth, and dye their colors fair." |
Blank Verse
Henry's fame though comes from his creation of blank verse.
Blank verse is unrhymed iambic pentameter and has been used by Shakespeare and throughout English poetry.
He fell upon blank verse when he decided to translate Virgil's Aeneid. His complete translation is written in blank verse.
He was able to play his part in Courtier politics, marry and have a household, become a war hero after fighting in multiple battles, and change the art of poetry all before the age of thirty.
One wonders if he would have lived a longer life what other contributions this amazing man would have left for us.