In this chapter, I argue that mid-century Lydgatean poets are not opportunistic, mindless imitators, but rather discover in Lydgate's laureate poetics a powerful strategy with which (or against which) to position themselves in respect to their particular historical circumstances. Moreover, in reproducing (or critiquing) this poetics, they necessarily reproduce its dynamic of self-laureation vis-à-vis a laureate original. In other words, Lydgate's canonicity arises as reflex of his own canonization of Chaucer. To imitate Lydgate praising Chaucer means to praise Lydgate, and therefore the mid-century Lydgateans not only serve as the conduit through which Lydgate becomes part of the English poetic tradition, but they also do so in such a manner as to make Lydgate's role in that tradition reflect rather closely his own poetic ideology. From this perspective, Lydgate becomes the inevitable third member of the founding triumvirate because he, more than any other fifteenth-century poet, establishes as part of the native tradition the poetics that a celebration of this triumvirate both signifies and puts into operation.

In the pages that follow, I first examine a short poem each for two poets who address Lydgate directly during his lifetime: Benedict Burgh and William de la Pole, duke of Suffolk (or someone possessing a similar social status). These rather remarkable little poems illustrate how Lydgateanism may be constituted either positively or negatively – that is, either by obsequious emulation (Burgh) or by condescending critique (Suffolk).