Thanks for the URLs, Dustin -- useful.

Looks as if I was partly right on Jonson. (To quote from the last):

"In 1616 King James I of England granted playwright and poet Ben Jonson a
pension, thereby establishing the informal position of Poet Laureate. Jonson
died in 1637 and a like pension was bestowed to William Davenant."

Earlier, Skelton used to end his poems, "Quod Skelton, laureate", even
though he wasn't officially so (his +official+ title was Henry VIII's Vicar
of Hell [Diss]).

But having just received a New Toy (the OED on CD rom) I'll append the
appropriate material from _laureate_ NOUN Sense 2b.

(Incidentally, if anyone is interested, this can be got from America for
$220, while in Britain it sells for £250. However, if you are here, get it
delivered to a friend in the Nation and have them forward it to you as a
present, otherwise you'll be stung [as I found to my cost] for £40 in
customs charges, etc.)

OED material follows:

  2 b. spec. Distinguished for excellence as a poet, worthy of the Muses'
crown. poet laureate: in early use, a title given generally to eminent
poets, and sometimes conferred by certain universities; in mod. use, the
title given to a poet who receives a stipend as an officer of the Royal
Household, his duty being to write court-odes, etc.

The first poet laureate in the modern sense was Ben Jonson, but the title
seems to have been first officially given to his successor, Davenant
(appointed 1638).

c1386 Chaucer Clerk's Prol. 31 Fraunceys Petrak the lauriat poete. ?c1400
Lydg. Æsop's Fab. Prol. 8 This poyet laureate Callyd Ysopos. 1423 Jas. I.
Kingis Q. cxcvii, Gowere and chaucere+Superlatiue as poetis laureate.
1432-50 tr. Higden (Rolls) I. 13 That nowble and laureate poete callede
Homerus. [1486 in Rymer Fodera XII. 317 Cum Nos+concesserimus Bernardo
Andreæ Poetæ Laureato quandam Annuitatem Decem Marcarum.] 1490 (title) The
Dylectable Newesse+of the Gloryous Victorye of the Rhodyans agaynst the
Turkes. Translated from the Latin of G. Caoursin by Johan Kaye (Poete
Lawreate). 1508 Dunbar Gold. Targe 262 O morall Gower, and Ludgate
laureate. a1529 Skelton Agst. Garnesche iv. 84 At Oxforth, the vniversyte,
Auaunsid I was to that degre; By hole consent of theyr senate, I was made
poete lawreate. 1586 W. Webbe Eng. Poetrie (Arb.) 19 The famous and learned
Lawreat Masters of Englande. 1642 Milton Apol. Smect. Wks. 1851 III. 272
The laureat fraternity of Poets. 1686 Plot Staffordsh. 275 Robert
Whittington+was a great Grammarian, Poet laureat of Oxford, and Protovates
Angliae. 1691 Wood Ath. Oxon. II. 255 Sir Will. D'avenant, sometimes
Laureat Poet to the said King. 1697 Verdicts Virg. & Homer vi. 26 Our
Laureat Poet tells us, that [etc.]. 1738 Johnson London 198 The laureat
tribe in venal verse relate, How virtue wars with persecuting fate. 1843
Dyce Skelton's Wks. I. p. xv, There would+be no doubt that Skelton was+poet
laureat or court poet to Henry the Eighth, if [etc.].