John of Ireland

Who is John of Ireland?

John of Ireland, or Johannis de Irlandia was a Scottish or Irish writer, resident for thirty years in Paris and later a professor of theology. John wrote a book of advice for James IV of Scotland in the Mirrors for princes genre.

John was confessor to James IV of Scotland and also to Louis XI of France, and was rector of Yarrow when he completed, at Edinburgh, the work on which rests his sole claim as a vernacular writer. This book, preserved in manuscript in the Advocates Library, Edinburgh, and labelled Johannis de Irlandia opera theologica, is a treatise in Scots on the wisdom and discipline necessary to a prince, especially intended for the use of the young James IV. Usually called the Meroure of Wysdome it is the earliest extant example of original Scots prose. In the text, and in the title of the manuscript, it is noted that John finished the work and gave it to the king in 1490.

In the Meroure John refers to two other vernacular writings, one of the "commandementis and uthir thingis pretenand to the salvacioune of man", the other, of the "tabill of confessioune". No traces of these have been discovered.