Blind Hary

J. Derrick McClure (University of Aberdeen)

The Literary Encyclopedia. Volume 1.2.3: Scottish Writing and Culture, 400-present.
Vol. editors: Kate Ash-Irisarri (University of Edinburgh), Daniel Cook (University of Dundee), Gina Lyle (University of York), J. Derrick McClure (University of Aberdeen), Andrew Radford (University of Glasgow)

Dates

Born c. 1440
Died c. 1492
Activity c. 1470-1492

Places

Born in Scotland
Active in Scotland

Activities

Primary

Poet

Resources

Hary's Works

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The epic poem

Wallace

is one of the most celebrated and popular works in the range of Scottish literature; yet its author is as obscure as the poem is renowned. The Treasurer's Accounts for the years 1490-92 record five payments made to “Blind Hary”: these entries constitute the only recorded allusions to him, of any kind, during his lifetime. William Dunbar mentions him in his

Lament for the Makaris

, proving that he was dead by the date of the poem (most probably 1505) and perhaps somewhat earlier, since the dramatist Patrick Johnston, whose name appears in the same stanza, died in 1495. John Mair in his

History of Greater Britain

(1518) refers to a book of William Wallace written by

Henricus

, who according to Mair was blind from birth and earned his living by telling stories for…

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2537 words

Citation: McClure, J. Derrick. "Blind Hary". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 13 June 2007 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/speople.php?rec=true&UID=11799, accessed 25 November 2024.]