Thus translated into English:
One hand dame nature’s mimic does express
Her larger figures, to the life, in less.
In the rich border of her work do stand,
Afresh created by her curious hand,
The various signs and planets of the sky,
Which seem to move and twinkle in our eye.
Much we the work, much more the hand admire,
Her fancy guiding this does raise our wonder higher.
Another of Esther’s transcripts was entitled _Historiæ Memorabiles
Genesis_, 1600. A copy of the French Psalms, written by her, and
presented to Queen Elizabeth, is in the library of Christ Church,
Oxford. There is also in the Bodleian a manuscript of hers, entitled
_Les Vingts et Six Quatrains de Guy de Faur, Sieur de Pybrac, escrits
par Esther Inglis, pour son dernier Adieu, ce 21 Jour de Juin 1617_.
It seems to have been a gift to the celebrated Dr Hall--subsequently
Bishop of Norwich--on parting from him at the time of the king’s visit
to Scotland. The latest known of Esther’s works is a volume preserved
in the Royal Library, _Esther Inglis’s Fifty Emblems_, dated at
Edinburgh 1624.
[Sidenote: 1624.]
When the king was at Stirling, Esther’s son presented to him a little
book entitled _Sidus Celeste_, and he experienced some of James’s
good-natured patronage in consequence. In June 1620, Esther is found
addressing the king in behalf of this son, who, having completed a
school-course, ‘would gladly follow theology.’ But ‘as Dædalus was
not able to free himself of his imprisonment in the isle Creta but by
the help of wings made of pens and wax, even so my son is not able to
free himself of inability to effectuate this his affection, but by the
wings of your majesty’s letter, composed by pen and wax, through which
he may wing his flight happily to some fellowship, either in Cambridge
or Oxford, as occasion sall fall out.’ If so far favoured by his
majesty, ‘I may have my tossed mind relieved of the great care I have
perpetually for this said youth.’--_An. Scot._
Ballard states, on the authority of a memorandum of Hearne, the
antiquary, that Esther Inglis was married to a Scotsman, named
Bartholomew Kello, and had a son, named Samuel Kello, who was educated
at Christ Church College, Oxford, and was afterwards minister at
Speckshall, in Suffolk.
* * * * *
[Sidenote: 1625.