The English Renaissance: An Anthology of Sources and Documents

623 Pages·1998·2.7 MB·English

by  K. Aughterson

THE ENGLISH RENAISSANCE
This comprehensive anthology collects together primary texts and documents relevant to
the literature, culture, and intellectual life in England between 1550 and 1660. Providing a
combination of both well-known texts and forgotten texts that were influential at the time,
The English Renaissance gives the reader an intimate first-hand knowledge of controversies,
ideas, and views on all areas of cultural interest in early modern England.
The English Renaissance includes sections on:
• religion
• politics
• society and social life
• education
• literary and cultural theories
• science and magic
• gender and sexuality
• exploration and trade
This volume provides historical breadth within each section, demonstrating change and
continuity and easy accessibility to rarely available texts in a single volume. The English
Renaissance enables students to compare the ideology, content and rhetorical strategies of
‘literary’ and ‘aesthetic’ texts with ‘historical’ or ‘political’ events and texts.
Kate Aughterson is Senior Lecturer in English Literature at the University of Central
England, and the editor of Renaissance Woman: A Sourcebook (Routledge, 1995).

THE ENGLISH
RENAISSANCE
An anthology of sources and documents
Edited by
Kate Aughterson
London and New York
First published 1998
by Routledge
11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE
Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada
by Routledge
29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001
This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2001.
©1998 Kate Aughterson, editorial material and selection
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any
form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without permission in writing from the publishers.
British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data
A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library
Library of Congress Cataloguing in Publication Data
The English Renaissance: an anthology of sources and documents/edited by Kate Aughterson
Includes bibliographical references and index.
1. Great Britain – History –Tudors, 1485–1603 – sources. 2. Great Britain – History – Early
Stuarts, 1603–1649 – sources. 3. Great Britain – History – Commonwealth and
Protectorate, 1649–1660 – sources. 4. Renaissance – England – sources. I. Aughterson,
Kate.
DA310. R46 1998
97–49601
942.05–dc 21
CIP
ISBN 0–415–18554–8 (Print Edition)
ISBN 0-203-02797-3 Master e-book ISBN
ISBN 0-203-17382-1 (Glassbook Format)
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements xiii
INTRODUCTION 1
Injunctions Given by the Queen’s Majesty 2
Textual and editorial policy 7
Part 1 Religion
Introduction 9
1 RELIGION
1.1 The Bible 13
1.2 William Tyndale, A Prologue, Showing the Use of Scripture 17
1.3 The Book of Common Prayer 19
1.4 Certain Sermons or Homilies 23
1.5 An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and Service in
the Church, and the Administration of the Sacraments 25
1.6 John Jewel, An Apology or Answer in Defence of the Church of England 27
1.7 John Foxe, Acts and Monuments 29
1.8 The Thirty-Nine Articles 30
1.9 Archbishop Parker, The Advertisements 34
1.10 Papal Bull 36
1.11 An Admonition to Parliament 37
1.12 Richard Fitz, The Separatist Covenant 39
1.13 John Rogers, The Displaying of an Horrible Sect 41
1.14 Robert Southwell, An Humble Supplication to her Majesty 43
1.15 Lady Margaret Hoby, Diary 45
1.16 The Millenary Petition 48
1.17 Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical 49
1.18 Arthur Dent, The Plain Man’s Pathway to Heaven 52
1.19 William Laud, Speech Delivered in the Star Chamber at the Censure of
John Bastwick, Henry Burton and William Prynne 56
1.20 Joseph Hall, Episcopacy by Divine Right 58
1.21 The Root and Branch Petition 60
1.22 Thomas Edwards, Gangraena 63
v
CONTENTS
1.23 The Sussex Clubmen’s Petition to Parliament 66
1.24 Abiezer Coppe, A Fiery Flying Roll 67
1.25 Mary Cary, A New and More Exact Map or Description of
New Jerusalem’s Glory 69
1.26 Anna Trapnel’s Report and Plea 71
1.27 James Naylor, A Caution to All 72
1.28 Instrument of Government 75
1.29 Margaret Fell Fox, A Declaration and an Information from us
People of God Called Quakers 76
1.30 The Clarendon Code 78
Part 2 Politics
Introduction 81
2 POLITICS
2.1 Thomas Elyot, The Governor 84
2.2 The Act of Supremacy 87
2.3 John Knox, The First Blast of the Trumpet Against the
Monstrous Regiment of Women 89
2.4 John Aylmer, An Harborow for Faithful and True Subjects 91
2.5 An Exhortation Concerning Good Order and Obedience 92
2.6 George Buchanan, De Jure Regni 95
2.7 Thomas Smith, De Republica Anglorum 98
2.8 Elizabeth Tudor: Speeches to Parliament 100
2.9 Richard Hooker, The Laws of Ecclesiastical Polity 102
2.10 Nicholas Machiavelli, The Prince 104
2.11 Edmund Spenser, A View of the Present State of Ireland 107
2.12 Francis Bacon, A Declaration of the Practices and Treasons Attempted
and Committed by Robert Late Earl of Essex 114
2.13 Francis Bacon, A Brief Discourse Touching the Happy Union 116
2.14 James Stuart, The True Law of Free Monarchies 118
2.15 James Stuart, Speech to Parliament 121
2.16 John Chamberlain, Letters on the Overbury Affair 122
2.17 The Petition of Right 125
2.18 The Grand Remonstrance 127
2.19 Richard Overton, An Agreement of the People 131
2.20 Charles Stuart, His Majesty’s Reasons Against the Pretended
Jurisdiction of the High Court 133
2.21 An Act for the Abolishing of the Kingly Office 135
2.22 An Act for Subscribing the Engagement 136
2.23 Gerrard Winstanley, The Law of Freedom in a Platform 137
2.24 The Instrument of Government 140
2.25 Thomas Hobbes, Leviathan 141
2.26 James Harrington, Oceana 144
vi
CONTENTS
2.27 The Humble Petition and Advice, 1657 147
2.28 The Declaration of Breda 149
Part 3 Society and social life
Introduction 151
3 SOCIETY AND SOCIAL LIFE
3.1 Robert Crowley, An Information and Petition Against the
Oppressors of the Poor Commons of this Realm 154
3.2 John Awdeley, The Fraternity of Vagabonds 158
3.3 Castiglione, The Courtier 159
3.4 Elizabethan Sumptuary Laws 163
3.5 The Statute of Artificers 167
3.6 Thomas Tusser, A Hundred Good Points of Husbandry 175
3.7 John Stowe, A Survey of the Cities of London and Westminster 177
3.8 Philip Stubbes, Anatomy of Abuses 180
3.9 Thomas Smith, De Republica Anglorum 185
3.10 The Lord Mayor and the Aldermen of the City of
London’s Letter to the Privy Council 190
3.11 Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum 191
3.12 An Act for the Relief of the Poor 194
3.13 Proclamation Prohibiting Access to Court Because of Plague 196
3.14 Pricing Proclamation 197
3.15 Vagrancy Proclamation 199
3.16 London Wages 201
3.17 Extravagance at Court 203
3.18 William Gouge, Of Domestical Duties 205
3.19 Francis Bacon, Essays or Counsels Civil and Moral 207
3.20 Declaration Concerning Sports 208
3.21 Henry Peacham, The Art of Living in London 210
Part 4 Education
Introduction 215
4 EDUCATION
4.1 Thomas Elyot, The Governor 219
4.2 Thomas Hoby ‘Preface’ to The Courtier 225
4.3 Thomas Becon, The Catechism 226
4.4 Roger Ascham, The Schoolmaster 232
4.5 Richard Mulcaster, Positions 235
4.6 Francis Bacon, The Advancement of Learning 242
4.7 Henry Peacham, The Complete Gentleman 245
4.8 Thomas Powell, Tom of all Trades 250
4.9 Johann Comenius, A Reformation of Schools 251
vii
CONTENTS
4.10 John Milton, Of Education 254
4.11 William Dell, A Trial of Spirits 258
4.12 John Webster, Academiarum Examen: or the
Examination of the Academies 260
4.13 Charles Hoole, A New Discovery of the Old Art of Teaching School 263
4.14 Anna Maria van Schurman, The Learned Maid 269
Part 5 Literary and cultural theories
Introduction 271
5 LITERARY AND CULTURAL THEORIES
5.1 Tottel’s Songs and Sonnets 276
5.2 John Cheke ‘Preface’ to Hoby’s The Courtier 277
5.3 Castiglione, The Courtier 277
5.4 Injunctions given by the Queen’s Majesty 279
5.5 Roger Ascham, The Schoolmaster 280
5.6 Margaret Tyler, The Mirror of Princely Deeds and Knighthood 282
5.7 Stephen Gosson, The School of Abuse 285
5.8 William Webbe, A Discourse of English Poetry 287
5.9 Philip Sidney, An Apology for Poetry 289
5.10 George Puttenham, The Art of English Poesy 295
5.11 Thomas Nashe, The Anatomy of Absurdity 303
5.12 George Pettie, Guazzo’s Civil Conversation 305
5.13 Edmund Spenser, ‘Letter of the Author’, prefaced to
The Faerie Queene 307
5.14 John Harrington, ‘Preface’ to Orlando Furioso 308
5.15 Philemon Holland, ‘Preface’ to Pliny’s Natural History 309
5.16 Thomas Campion, Observations in the Art of English Poesy 311
5.17 Samuel Daniel, A Defence of Rhyme 314
5.18 William Camden, Remains of Britain 317
5.19 Aemilia Lanyer, Salve Deus Rex Judeaorum 319
5.20 Ben Jonson, Discoveries 320
5.21 Francis Bacon, The Advancement of Learning 324
5.22 Henry Wotton, The Elements of Architecture 326
5.23 John Milton, Areopagitica 332
5.24 John Milton The Reason of Church Government 337
5.25 William Davenant, ‘Preface’ to Gondibert 338
5.26 Inigo Jones, Stonehenge Restored 341
Part 6 Science and magic
Introduction 345
6 SCIENCE AND MAGIC
6.1 Pseud. Albertus Magnus, The Book of Secrets 349
viii
CONTENTS
6.2 Cornelius Henry Agrippa, Of the Uncertainty and Vanity of Sciences 351
6.3 John Dee, ‘Preface’ to Euclid’s Elements 353
6.4 Thomas Digges, Perfect Description of the Celestial Orbs 355
6.5 Reginald Scott, The Discovery of Witchcraft 357
6.6 Galen and Culpeper, Art of Physic 363
6.7 Roger Bacon, The Mirror of Alchemy 367
6.8 John Gerard, Herbal 371
6.9 William Gilbert, Of Magnetism 376
6.10 Francis Bacon, The Advancement of Learning 377
6.11 Galileo Galilei, The Starry Messenger 380
6.12 Helkiah Crooke, Microcosmographia 383
6.13 Robert Burton, The Anatomy of Melancholy 387
6.14 Francis Bacon, The Great Instauration 390
6.15 William Harvey, On the Motion of the Heart and Blood 396
6.16 René Descartes, Discourse of Method 397
6.17 John Wilkins, The Discovery of a World in the Moon 402
6.18 Kenelm Digby, Two Treatises 403
6.19 William Harvey, Anatomical Exercitations 406
6.20 John Webster, The Examination of Academies 408
6.21 William Coles, Adam in Eden 410
6.22 Thomas Mouffet, The Theatre of Insects 413
6.23 Robert Boyle, The Sceptical Chemist 415
Part 7 Gender and sexuality
Introduction 417
7 GENDER AND SEXUALITY
7.1 Erasmus, In Laud and Praise of Matrimony 421
7.2 Roesslin, The Birth of Mankind 423
7.3 A Dialogue Between the Common Secretary and Jealousy, Touching the
Unstableness of Harlots 425
7.4 C. Pyrrye, The Praise and Dispraise of Women 429
7.5 Vives, The Office and Duty of an Husband 430
7.6 Castiglione, The Courtier 434
7.7 An Homily of the State of Matrimony 435
7.8 John Calvin, A Commentary upon St. Paul’s Epistles to the Corinthians 440
7.9 Stephen Gosson, The School of Abuse 442
7.10 Edmund Tilney, The Flower of Friendship 443
7.11 Stephen Guazzo, The Civil Conversation 446
7.12 Francis Meres, God’s Arithemetic 447
7.13 Dod and Cleaver, A Godly Form of Household Government 448
7.14 Torquato Tasso and Hercule Tasso, Of Marriage and Wiving 451
7.15 Joseph Hall, Virgidemiarum 453
7.16 Guillemeau, Childbirth, or the Happy Delivery of Women 456
ix