BARCLAY, JOHN Scottish satirist and Latin poet, was born at Pont-a-Mousson, where his father William Barclay held the chair of civil law. His mother was a French woman of good family. His early education was obtained at the Jesuit college. While there, at the age of 19, he wrote a com mentary on the Thebaid of Statius. In 1603 he crossed with his father to London, but in i6o5 he was again in Paris, where he married a French wife, Louise Debonaire. His Sylvae, however, was printed in London in 1606, and he remained in London until 1616. He then went to live in Rome, where he died.
His Satyricon (1603-14), a severe satire on the Jesuits, is mod elled on Petronius. His best-known work is the Argenis, a long ro mance, with a monitory purpose, on the dangers of political in trigue. Most of the innumerable editions are supplied with a key to the characters and names of the story. It is of historical im portance in the development of 17th century romance. Barclay's shorter poems, in two books, were printed in the Delitiae Poetarum Scotorum (Amsterdam, 1637, i. pp. 76-136). In the dedication to Prince Charles of England, he refers to his earlier publication, the Sylvae.