The Campbells: lordship, literature and liminality

MacGregor, M. (2012) The Campbells: lordship, literature and liminality. Textual Cultures: Texts, Contexts, Interpretation, 7(1), pp. 121-157.

Abstract

The Campbells have the potential to offer much to the theme of literature and borders, given that the kindred’s astonishing political success in the late medieval and early modern period depended heavily upon the ability to negotiate multiple frontiers: between Highlands and Lowlands; between Gaelic Scotland and Ireland, and, especially after the Reformation, with England and the matter of Britain. This paper will explore the literary dimension to Campbell expansionism, from the Book of the Dean of Lismore in the earlier sixteenth century, to poetry addressed to dukes of Argyll in the earlier eighteenth century. Particular attention will be paid to the literary proclivities of the household of the Campbells of Glenorchy on either side of what appears to be a major watershed in 1550; and to the agenda of the Campbell protégé John Carswell, first post-Reformation bishop of the Isles, and author of the first printed book in Gaelic in either Scotland or Ireland, Foirm na n-Urrnuidheadh (‘The Form of Prayers’), published at Edinburgh in 1567.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: This article was published as MacGregor, M. (2012) The Campbells: lordship, literature and liminality. Textual Cultures: Texts, Contexts, Interpretation, 7(1):121-157. ISSN 1559-2936. No part of this article may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or distributed, in any form, by any means, electronic, mechanical, photographic, or otherwise, without the prior permission of Indiana University Press. For educational re-use, please contact the Copyright Clearance Center (508-744-3350). For all other permissions, please visit Indiana University Press' permissions page.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: MacGregor, Dr Martin
• Authors: MacGregor, M.
• College/School: College of Arts > School of Humanities > History
• Journal Name: Textual Cultures: Texts, Contexts, Interpretation
• Publisher: Indiana University Press
• ISSN: 1559-2936
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2012 Society for Textual Scholarship
• First Published: First published in Textual Cultures: Texts, Contexts, Interpretation 7(1):121-157
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher