Comments on: Herbert’s Influence: Vaughan and Crashaw http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/cambridgeauthors/herbert-influence Welcome to Cambridge Authors Sun, 16 Dec 2012 18:40:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Christopher Tilmouth http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/cambridgeauthors/herbert-influence/comment-page-1#comment-27 Christopher Tilmouth Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:36:53 +0000 http://www.english.cam.ac.uk/cambridgeauthors/?p=404#comment-27 Crashaw's Pembroke College connection is certainly an important factor to think about in assessing his Laudianism, but I would argue that Crashaw's presence as a Fellow at Peterhouse (another Cambridge college) from 1635 to 1643 was an even more significant consideration. During the late 1630s and early 1640s, Peterhouse was notorious for leading the way in espousing Laud's ideas of religious worship, and Crashaw was a keen supporter of that trend. He is said to have composed much of his mature poetry during all-night vigils held in Peterhouse chapel or in the Church of St Mary-the-Less immediately next door. Two of his Latin poems celebrate the construction of the college chapel, the structure of which had been completed in 1632, and contemporary records also suggest that Crashaw was intimately involved in the work to decorate this new building. Imporatntly, John Cosin, when he became Master of Peterhouse in 1634, made choral music an essential part of religious services in the college, and Crashaw seems to have played an enthusiastic part in that musical culture. He is known to have set to music poems by another Peterhouse Fellow, Joseph Beaumont. Crashaw's interest in Herbert and the musicality of his verse could helpfully be seen in this light. It's also notable that whilst Crashaw was at Peterhouse, he acted as Tutor to Ferrar Collet. Collet was nephew to Nicholas Ferrar, the leader of the religious community at Little Gidding, just ouside Cambridge, whose members had taken a keen interest in Herbert's work. Crashaw was a frequent visitor to this community during his time at Peterhouse, a connection which must have further cemented his interest in Herbertian poetry. Christopher Tilmouth, Fellow in English, Peterhouse. Crashaw’s Pembroke College connection is certainly an important factor to think about in assessing his Laudianism, but I would argue that Crashaw’s presence as a Fellow at Peterhouse (another Cambridge college) from 1635 to 1643 was an even more significant consideration. During the late 1630s and early 1640s, Peterhouse was notorious for leading the way in espousing Laud’s ideas of religious worship, and Crashaw was a keen supporter of that trend. He is said to have composed much of his mature poetry during all-night vigils held in Peterhouse chapel or in the Church of St Mary-the-Less immediately next door. Two of his Latin poems celebrate the construction of the college chapel, the structure of which had been completed in 1632, and contemporary records also suggest that Crashaw was intimately involved in the work to decorate this new building. Imporatntly, John Cosin, when he became Master of Peterhouse in 1634, made choral music an essential part of religious services in the college, and Crashaw seems to have played an enthusiastic part in that musical culture. He is known to have set to music poems by another Peterhouse Fellow, Joseph Beaumont. Crashaw’s interest in Herbert and the musicality of his verse could helpfully be seen in this light. It’s also notable that whilst Crashaw was at Peterhouse, he acted as Tutor to Ferrar Collet. Collet was nephew to Nicholas Ferrar, the leader of the religious community at Little Gidding, just ouside Cambridge, whose members had taken a keen interest in Herbert’s work. Crashaw was a frequent visitor to this community during his time at Peterhouse, a connection which must have further cemented his interest in Herbertian poetry.

Christopher Tilmouth, Fellow in English, Peterhouse.

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