The Minerva Britanna Project at Middlebury College

Emblem 9

Emblem 9

While Psalmi Davidici, Emblem Nine of Henry Peacham's Minerva Britannica (ICONCLASS code: 71X1), which visualizes the Biblical psalms as a ring of keys, is one of several emblems in the book based on passages from King James the First's Basilicon Doron, a book of advice on being a good king, a good Christian, and a good man that James wrote for his son Prince Henry.

The actual emblem, which as Peacham briefly mentions in the opening lines was inspired by St. Hilary's comparison of the Psalms to "sundry keies" (Minerva Britannica, page 9, line 2), is quite simple, with one straightforward image in the foreground and a generic background. What few details of the emblem that could have been given significance, such as the alignment of each of the eight keys along a different point of the compass, are ignored in the following verses, as if Peacham has used Hilary's image as an excuse to include James' discussion of the Psalms in his book.

Instead of concentrating on the image, Peacham builds from James' writings connecting the Psalms to kingship, by referring to David as "that prophetique King" (Minerva Britannica, line 2) and explaining that the keys "by sundry dores…bring/ the soule of man, opprest with deadly sinne/ Unto the Throne, where he may mercy winne" (M.B. lines 4-6), although Peacham, creating a book for public consumption as well as the court, could not go so far as James had when he wrote in Basilicon Doron that "And so much the fitter are they for you, then for the common sort, and in respect the composer thereof was a King: and therefore best behoued to know King's wants, and what things were meetest to be required by a King at God's hand for remedie thereof" (p. 15)

James proclaims the versatility of the Psalms, writing "As for teaching you the forme of your prayers, the Psalmes of Dauid are the meetest schoole-master that ye can be acquainted with…whereout of, as of most rich and pure fountaines, ye may learne all forme of prayer necessarie for your comfort at all occasions," (B.D. p. 15) and Peacham elaborates on this statement by listing the situations in which they are applicable: "For wouldst thou in thy Saviour still reioyce/ Or for thy sinnes, with teares lament and pray/ Or sing his praises with they heart and voice/ Or for his mercies give him thankes always?" (M.B. lines 7-10). Once again, Peacham translates the kingly advice into a more generic mold, replacing the luxurious and passive tone of "rich and pure fountains" and "your comfort at all occasions" (B.D. p. 15) with activities such as to "rejoice…or lament and pray…or sing…or give…thankes," (M.B. lines 7-10) which would be more accessible to the common reader.

Peacham closes the emblem with the lines, "Set David's Psalmes, a mirror to thy mind/ But with his Zeale, and heavenly spirit join'd," (lines 11-12) which widens the scope of the emblem from appreciation of the Psalms to admiration of both the writings and the King who wrote them. Because throughout Minerva Britannica, and especially in this emblem, Peacham is using the writings of a King James, this conclusion creates a deft understated compliment to the monarch. This emblem is a prime example of Peacham's judicious use of flattery in his attempts to gain the patronage of Henry, as Peacham briefly dispenses with the actual emblem, choosing instead show off his knowledge of and respect for the Basilicon Doron.

--John Altum
The emblem.

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	Emblem 9
	Emblem 9 While Psalmi Davidici, Emblem Nine of Henry Peacham's Minerva Britannica (ICONCLASS code: 71X1), which visualizes the Biblical psalms as a ring of keys, is one of several emblems in the book based on passages from King James the First's Basilicon Doron, a book of advice on being a good king, a good Christian, and a good man that James wrote for his son Prince Henry. The actual emblem, which as Peacham briefly mentions in the opening lines was inspired by St. Hilary's comparison of the Psalms to "sundry keies" (Minerva Britannica, page 9, line 2), is quite simple, with one straightforward image in the foreground and a generic background. What few details of the emblem that could have been given significance, such as the alignment of each of the eight keys along a different point of the compass, are ignored in the following verses, as if Peacham has used Hilary's image as an excuse to include James' discussion of the Psalms in his book. Instead of concentrating on the image, Peacham builds from James' writings connecting the Psalms to kingship, by referring to David as "that prophetique King" (Minerva Britannica, line 2) and explaining that the keys "by sundry dores…bring/ the soule of man, opprest with deadly sinne/ Unto the Throne, where he may mercy winne" (M.B. lines 4-6), although Peacham, creating a book for public consumption as well as the court, could not go so far as James had when he wrote in Basilicon Doron that "And so much the fitter are they for you, then for the common sort, and in respect the composer thereof was a King: and therefore best behoued to know King's wants, and what things were meetest to be required by a King at God's hand for remedie thereof" (p. 15) James proclaims the versatility of the Psalms, writing "As for teaching you the forme of your prayers, the Psalmes of Dauid are the meetest schoole-master that ye can be acquainted with…whereout of, as of most rich and pure fountaines, ye may learne all forme of prayer necessarie for your comfort at all occasions," (B.D. p. 15) and Peacham elaborates on this statement by listing the situations in which they are applicable: "For wouldst thou in thy Saviour still reioyce/ Or for thy sinnes, with teares lament and pray/ Or sing his praises with they heart and voice/ Or for his mercies give him thankes always?" (M.B. lines 7-10). Once again, Peacham translates the kingly advice into a more generic mold, replacing the luxurious and passive tone of "rich and pure fountains" and "your comfort at all occasions" (B.D. p. 15) with activities such as to "rejoice…or lament and pray…or sing…or give…thankes," (M.B. lines 7-10) which would be more accessible to the common reader. Peacham closes the emblem with the lines, "Set David's Psalmes, a mirror to thy mind/ But with his Zeale, and heavenly spirit join'd," (lines 11-12) which widens the scope of the emblem from appreciation of the Psalms to admiration of both the writings and the King who wrote them. Because throughout Minerva Britannica, and especially in this emblem, Peacham is using the writings of a King James, this conclusion creates a deft understated compliment to the monarch. This emblem is a prime example of Peacham's judicious use of flattery in his attempts to gain the patronage of Henry, as Peacham briefly dispenses with the actual emblem, choosing instead show off his knowledge of and respect for the Basilicon Doron. --John Altum The emblem. Return to the Homepage.