Guillaume Cretin

He is sometimes mistakenly referred to as Guillaume Dubois, but this is a wordplay found in an epistle addressed to Jean Martin. Cretin wrote in a wide variety of literary genres, including fixed-form lyrics (chants royaux, ballades, and rondeaux) as well as narrative verse. Cretin's poetic oeuvre was edited by Kathleen Chesney in 1932.

The recorded working language is Middle French and medieval Latin. Places of work recorded in the authority are Paris. Works named in the authority record are Le debat de deux dames sur le passetemps de la chasse des chiens et oyseaulx, La deploration sur le trepas de Jean Okeghem, Chroniques, Huitain adressé à Jean Molinet, Epistre de Fauste Andrelin de Forly and Plainte sur le trespas de messire Guillaume de Byssipat.

Crétin was treasurer of the Sainte-Chapelle de Vincennes, then cantor of the Sainte-Chapelle de Paris and ordinary almoner to Francis I of France. Throughout his life, he composed numerous works for circulation at the royal court.

Crétin's works include many chants royaux which were composed for the puys, Northern French poetry competitions in honour of the Virgin Mary. These were praised by his contemporaries and often won awards. He was recognised as a master, notably by Jean Lemaire de Belges and Clément Marot. He is one of the great virtuosos of 'rime équivoquée' (for example, the Epistre à Honorat de la Jaille of circa 1510). From 1515, Crétin started work on a verse chronicle of French history, the Grandes Chroniques de France, which remained unfinished at the time of his death. It was commissioned in 1515 by Francis I and is preserved today in six manuscripts. Crétin's corpus also includes occasional verse. His last work, composed sometime between February and November 1525, is the Apparition du Mareschal sans reproche, feu Messire Jacques de Chabannes, en son vivant Mareschal de France, a lengthy dream vision commemorating Jacques II de Chabannes de La Palice who was killed at the Battle of Pavia in 1525.

Works recorded as notable number 8: Le debat de deux dames sur le passetemps de la chasse des chiens et oyseaulx, La deploration sur le trepas de Jean Okeghem, Chroniques, Huitain adressé à Jean Molinet, Epistre de Fauste Andrelin de Forly, Plainte sur le trespas de messire Guillaume de Byssipat, Epistre lamantable faicte sur la mort du tres crestien roy de France Loys douziesme and Chants royaux, oraisons et autres petits traités.