“To Write of Him and Pardon Crave”: Negotiating Biblical Authority in Lanyer's Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum

Abstract

Aemilia Lanyer refers extensively to the Gospels in writing her poem on the Passion, Salve Deus Rex Judaeorum. Alluding to the events of Christ's final day, she incorporates details from each of the Gospel accounts of the Crucifixion. Focusing on specific echoes of the translations available to her, it is possible to trace which bible Lanyer preferred. Surprisingly, despite Lanyer's preference for the Geneva translation, she also made use of the Bishops' Bible, suggesting that the poet carefully sifted through different English translations as she sought to generate biblical authority for her account of the Passion.