Adrianus (Adriaen) Valerius, also known as Adriaen Valerius, was a Dutch poet and composer, known mostly for his poems dealing with peasant and burgher life and those dealing with the Dutch War of Independence, assembled in his great work Nederlandtsche gedenck-clanck. Valerius was born about 1575 in Middelburg to an ethnic French notary, François Valéry. His father had a somewhat prosperous career as a notary and customs official and in 1592 obtained a position as Court Scribe to Pieter van Reigersbergh, the Burgemeester (mayor) of the city of Veere in the province of Zeeland.