Eusden, Laurence (1688–1730)

English poet. In 1717 he wrote a poem to celebrate the marriage of the duke of Newcastle, who in gratitude used his powers as Lord Chamberlain to appoint Eusden to the post of poet laureate 1718. This caused resentment among contemporary poets. Eusden also translated from the Latin of the poets Claudian and Statius and contributed to the Spectator.

He was born in Spofforth, Yorkshire, and educated at Cambridge. He was ordained a cleric about 1725, and became rector of Coningsby in Lincolnshire.