Christabella Rogers
Encyclopedia
Christabella Rogers was a 17th century English poet and author of an untitled song addressed to Cupid
.
Records indicate the christening of a “Christobel Rogers” in Shropshire
, England in the year 1618. That this Rogers is the poet Rogers is not certain, however. Other than this, very little is known about Rogers. As Alison Shell states in Early Modern Women’s Manuscript Writing: “Christobella Rogers and Alice Fennel [her cousin], remain for the moment as obscure as most early modern women.”
Shell identifies Rogers and her cousin Fennel as part of a scribal circle centering around the Feilding family, “one of the most prominent aristocratic
dynasties in seventeenth-century England.” In a letter addressed to “Lady” Christabella Rogers, a “Frances Feilding” (herself an ambiguous figure) praises Rogers’ skill, writing, “then talke not of ben jonson
skill / nor yet of homer
s soareing quill.” This letter not only tells us that Rogers was a member of the aristocracy (“Lady”) but also suggests a greater body of work than the meager writings we have today. Indeed, though very little of her work survives today, Rogers was apparently author of “substantial quantities of verse.” With what little knowledge we have, then, we can place Rogers in an aristocratic literary community in the mid-seventeenth century.
Cupid
In Roman mythology, Cupid is the god of desire, affection and erotic love. He is the son of the goddess Venus and the god Mars. His Greek counterpart is Eros...
.
Records indicate the christening of a “Christobel Rogers” in Shropshire
Shropshire
Shropshire is a county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes, the county is a NUTS 3 region and is one of four counties or unitary districts that comprise the "Shropshire and Staffordshire" NUTS 2 region. It borders Wales to the west...
, England in the year 1618. That this Rogers is the poet Rogers is not certain, however. Other than this, very little is known about Rogers. As Alison Shell states in Early Modern Women’s Manuscript Writing: “Christobella Rogers and Alice Fennel [her cousin], remain for the moment as obscure as most early modern women.”
Shell identifies Rogers and her cousin Fennel as part of a scribal circle centering around the Feilding family, “one of the most prominent aristocratic
Aristocracy (class)
The aristocracy are people considered to be in the highest social class in a society which has or once had a political system of Aristocracy. Aristocrats possess hereditary titles granted by a monarch, which once granted them feudal or legal privileges, or deriving, as in Ancient Greece and India,...
dynasties in seventeenth-century England.” In a letter addressed to “Lady” Christabella Rogers, a “Frances Feilding” (herself an ambiguous figure) praises Rogers’ skill, writing, “then talke not of ben jonson
Ben Jonson
Benjamin Jonson was an English Renaissance dramatist, poet and actor. A contemporary of William Shakespeare, he is best known for his satirical plays, particularly Volpone, The Alchemist, and Bartholomew Fair, which are considered his best, and his lyric poems...
skill / nor yet of homer
Homer
In the Western classical tradition Homer , is the author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, and is revered as the greatest ancient Greek epic poet. These epics lie at the beginning of the Western canon of literature, and have had an enormous influence on the history of literature.When he lived is...
s soareing quill.” This letter not only tells us that Rogers was a member of the aristocracy (“Lady”) but also suggests a greater body of work than the meager writings we have today. Indeed, though very little of her work survives today, Rogers was apparently author of “substantial quantities of verse.” With what little knowledge we have, then, we can place Rogers in an aristocratic literary community in the mid-seventeenth century.