Ben Jonson's 'On the Union': An Epigram for King James I

Ben Jonson's Epigram: On the Union

Jacobean Wit and Occasional Poetry

This is an epigram written by the playwright Ben Jonson in the 17th century. Epigrams are short compositions that contain a moral idea; they are inspired by wit and therefore associated with witty poets. Ben Jonson is an example of Jacobean wit, since he had the ability to use words in a clever and humorous way. The term “Jacobean” refers to King James, also called Jacobus. This epigram is an example of occasional poetry, which is specifically written to celebrate or commemorate a certain event. It is titled “On the Union” and was written to gain the favor of King James, honoring his crowning in Scotland as well as in England.

Historical Context: The Stuart Succession

James I of England and VI of Scotland inaugurated the Stuart dynasty in England. He was the son of Mary, Queen of Scots, who was the cousin and enemy of the previous English queen, Elizabeth I. Elizabeth was a Protestant and Mary was a Catholic, so Mary had always represented a threat since Catholics supported her as queen of England. Moreover, Elizabeth was not recognized by many because she was the daughter of a controversial marriage between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn. After a very troublesome life, Mary was obliged to abdicate in favor of her son—who became James VI of Scotland—and was later executed. When Elizabeth I, “the Virgin Queen” and the last of the Tudor monarchs, died without heirs, James became James I of England as well. He ruled for 22 years (1603–1625), often using the title of King of Great Britain, until his death.

Analysis of the Epigram

The title of the epigram indicates it is dedicated to the union of the two crowns: the Scottish and the English. Jonson starts with a rhetorical question. With the first line, “When was there contract better driven by fate...?”, he suggests that no better agreement could have been reached had the people tried to find a solution to the succession problem. It was destiny (fate) that placed James, the son of two enemies, on both thrones, bringing about the union of the two countries under a good ruler. With the second line, “...Or celebrated with more truth of state?”, he is referring to the legitimacy of James's accession to the throne. He had royal blood and was bound to both crowns through familial relations, so no one in the state could object to the position he acquired.

In the last two lines, Ben Jonson writes a metaphor.