A web-based edition of early seventeenth-century political poetry from manuscript sources. It brings into the public domain over 350 poems, many of which have never before been published.

H13 From Car a Carter surely tooke his name

Notes. The poem’s puns on “Carr” and “car” or “cart” can be found in a number of other libels on Robert Carr composed in 1613-14 and 1615-16. The pun functions in all these poems to mock the favourite’s supposed lowly social origins. Here, however, the pun is also used as a vehicle to imagine the much hoped-for execution of Robert Carr for Overbury’s murder.


From Car a Carter surely tooke his name

Or from a Carter surely Car first came

Sith Car & Carter then soe well agree

Let none them part till they at Tyburne1 bee

Where Car with Carter when you there doe find

5

Take ter from Carter, but leave Car behind.2



Source. Rosenbach MS 1083/16, p. 13

Other known sources. Sanderson 60

H13






1   Tyburne: London’s main venue of public execution, to which the condemned would ride in a cart. <back>

2   leave Car behind: i.e. leave him hanging. <back>