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Goe Thou Forth My Booke': Authorial Self-Assertion and Self-Representation in Printings of Renaissance Poetry

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Goe Thou Forth My Booke': Authorial Self-Assertion and Self-Representation in Printings of Renaissance Poetry •GOE THOU FORTH MY BOOKE': AUTHORIAL SELF-ASSERTION AND SELF-REPRESENTATION IN PRINTINGS OF RENAISSANCE POETRY by RONALD SCOTT RENCHLER A DISSERTATION Presented to the Department of English and the Graduate School of the University of Oregon In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy June 1987 11 APPROVED: ^ ' • u^ - (<^L<. > • Will 1am Rockett 111 Copyright 1987 Ronald Scott Renchler 1v An Abstract of the Dissertation of Ronald Scott Renchler for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of English to be taken June 1987 Title: 'GOE THOU FORTH MY BOOKE': AUTHORIAL SELF-ASSERTION AND SELF-REPRESENTATION IN PRINTINGS OF RENAISSANCE POETRY Approved: < Dr. Wil11am Rockett The introduction of printing into England created new opportunities for the Renaissance poet to represent himself more forcefully as a literary artist concerned with the well-being or improvement of his culture and to make public his desire for recognition as a contributor to England's literary heritage. One of the primary ways he could do so was to create a distinctive image of himself in his printed works. He could communicate his chosen image 1n two ways: In a traditional way* by using the language and content of his poetry> and in a new way--primari1y visual rather than 1inguist1c--by conveying an image through textual features made possible with the advent of printing. For example* a poet could guarantee that he would receive perpetual credit for his work and he could link authorship and book directly in the consciousness of his readers by seeing to 1t that his name was placed prominently on the title page. He could Include an address to his readers* advertize his previously published works, or give Information about forthcoming books. He could define himself by using mottoes or Insignia or symbolic devices. Perhaps most significantly, he could include a physical Image of himself 1n the form of a woodcut or engraved portrait. This study attempts to enlarge our understanding of the Individual author's role 1n shaping the Renaissance literary system by analyzing both the linguistic and nonlinguistic features of the printed texts of four Renaissance poets: John Skelton, John Heywood, Thomas Churchyard, and John Taylor. It Investigates the way these poets integrated their poetry with the physical features of their printed books in order to gain widespread recognition and to persuade their readers of the value of their contributions to Renaissance literary culture. v1 VITA NAME OF AUTHOR: Ronald Scott Renchler PLACE OF BIRTH: Emporia, Kansas DATE OF BIRTH: January 4, 1951 GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE SCHOOLS ATTENDED: University of Oregon New Mexico State University DEGREES AWARDED: Doctor of Philosophy* 1987, University of Oregon Master of Arts, 1978, University of Oregon Bachelor of Arts, 1974, New Mexico State University AREAS OF SPECIAL INTEREST: Renaissance Poetry PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Graduate Teaching Fellow, Department of English, University of Oregon, 1976-78, 1982-84, 1986-87 Graduate Teaching Fellow, College of Education, University of Oregon, 1985-86 AWARDS AND HONORS: University of Oregon Dissertation Award, 1986 Huntington Library Short-Term Research Award, 1985 Newberry Library Short-Term Research Award, 1985 University of Oregon Graduate Award for Poetry, 1984 Pass with Distinction, Field Exam, 20th-century British and American Poetry, 1983 V 1 1 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would not have been able to undertake and complete this project without the support of a number of Individuals and Institutions. I am grateful for research awards from The Newberry Library and The Huntington Library* where I carried out much of my dissertation research. I wish to thank the staffs of both libraries for their valuable assistance 1n helping me to make use of their collections. I would also like to thank the University of Oregon Graduate School for a Doctoral Research Grant. Professor William Rockett* who directed the disser- tation* provided encouragement* support* and advice from the formative stages of my dissertation through Its completion. Professors Robert Grudin* George Rowe* and Raymond B1rn served as committee members and Invested their time and expertise 1n my work. Professor Thelma Greenfield read the manuscript 1n Its early stages and provided timely encouragement and advice. I thank them all for the guidance they provided and the faith they displayed. Other people helped 1n special ways. Barbara Land gave me valuable advice 1n the preparation of my manuscript. Scott Bentley offered his advice and friendship over a long v1 11 period of time. My parents gave me the freedom to pursue my Interests* even though 1t meant that I would spend con- siderable time away from them. Finally* Christy McMannis displayed her faith and love 1n more ways than I can begin to name. My debt to her 1s deep and ongoing. 1x TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter Page I. INTRODUCTION 1 Notes 26 II. CAXTON AND THE STATUS OF POETRY, 1475-1520 . 28 Notes 83 III. JOHN SKELTON 88 Notes 178 IV. JOHN HEYWOOD 183 Notes 216 V. THOMAS CHURCHYARD 217 Notes 267 VI. JOHN TAYLOR, THE WATER POET 269 Notes 310 VII. CONCLUSION 312 BIBLIOGRAPHY 328 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Title Page of Skelton's A Gariande of Laurel 1 . 119 2. Woodcut of Skelton on Verso of Title Page to A Gar! ande of Laurel 1 122 3. Title Page to Agaynste a Comely Coystrowne . 140 4. Title Page to Diuers Baiettys and Dyties Sol acyous 141 5. Woodcut Representing Skelton from Why Come Ye Nat to Courte? 157 6. Title Page to Pithy Pieasaunt and Profitable Works 163 7. Excerpt from "Skelton's Ghost" 176 8. Title Page to A D1 ai ogue 187 9. Title Page to Two Hundred Epigrammes 191 10. Title Page to A Fourth Hundred of Epygrams . 192 11. Title Page to John Heywood's Workes 194 12. Title Page to The Spi der and the Fl 1e 203 13. Woodcut Portrait from The Spider and the Fl 1e 204 14. Woodcut Illustrations (Reduced) from The Spider and the File 209 15. Two-Page Woodcut (Reduced) from The Spider and the Fl 1e 210 16. Title Page to The F1rste Parte of Churchyardes Chippes 230 x1 17. Cancelled Title Page to A General 1 Rehearsal! of Warres (Churchy ardes Choise) . 243 18. Reissued Title Page to A General 1 Rehearsal! of Warres 244 19. Title Page to A Light Bondel1 of L1ulv Discourses Called Churchyardes Charge .... 247 20. Title Page to A Pleasaunte Lahorint.h Called Churchyardes Chance 249 21. Churchyard's Coat of Arms from Churchy a rdes Chance 251 22. Title Page to Churchyardes Challenge 254 23. Advertisement from Churchyardes Challenge . 255 24. Title Page to A Mvsicall Consort of Heauenly Harmonie Compounded Out of Manie Parts of Musicke Called Chvrchyards Char1t1e 259 25. Title Page to A Pleasant Discourse of Court and Wars: With a Replication to Them Both* and a Commendation of All Those That Truly Serue Prince and Countrie. Written by Thomas Churchyard and Called H1 s Cherrishing .... 260 26. Title Page to Churchyards Good W11 1 261 27. Title Page to Great Br1ta1ne, All 1n Biacke. For the Incomparable Losse of Henry* Our Late and Worthy Prince 274 28. Facing Pages from The Muses Mourning; or Funeral! Sonnets on the Death of John Moray Esqui re 275 29. Title Page to The Scul ler 278 30. Title Page to A Cast Over the Water 290 31. Title Page to A Shilling or. The Trauailes of Twelue-pence 293 32. "The Meaning of the Picture" from A Sh1!1 1ng or* The Trauailes of Twelue-pence 294 x1 1 33. Title Page to Taylor's Motto. Et Habeo. et Careo. Et Curn 296 34. Title Page to The Scourge of Basenessei or. The Old Lerry» with a New K1cksey# and a New-Cum Twang, with the Old Winsey 306 35. Engraved Title Page to A1 1 the Workes of John Taylor the Water-Poet. Beeing Sixty and Three In Number. With Sundry New Additions. Corrected* Revised and Newly Imprinted 307 36. Printed Title Page to Taylor's Workes 308 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION I Writing 1n 1505* Stephen Hawes, who later became a groom and poet 1n the court of Henry VIII* gives an Intriguing critical comment on the kind of poetry being written 1n the opening decades of the sixteenth century. His assessment of poets and poetry 1n his time Is not a very favorable one. Since the death of Lydgate, Hawes says* English poets have failed to write respectable verse. It 1s not that they are unable to write good poetry* Hawes goes on to say* but rather that they choose to write frivolous poetry* a poetry Intended for an audience seeking pleasure rather than Instruction. He complains that English poets since Lydgate have not written poetry enduring enough to win them literary fame: None syth his time / art wolde succede After theyr deth / to haue fame for theyr mede But many a one / 1s ryght well experte In this connynge / but vpon auctoryte They fayne no fables / pleasaunt and couerte But spend theyr tyme / 1n vaynfull vanyte Makynge balades / of feruent amyte As gestes and tryfles / without fruytfulness Thus all 1n vayne / they spende theyr besynes. (1385-93)1 The literary characteristics of the early ballads about which Hawes complains are difficult to define precisely;2 but regardless of the exact meaning of the term In the early Renaissance* 1t 1s clear that Hawes considers "balades" to be a poetic form that early sixteenth-century poets should refrain from writing and that readers should refrain from reading. In addition to the moral censure his comments contain* they also belle Hawes's envy at the popularity of this type of poetry: he had strictly medieval conceptions of what poetry was supposed to be and do.
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