Stephen Gosson (1554–1624)

Pleasant Quippes for upstart newfangled gentlewomen or A glasse to view the pride of vainglorious women containing a pleasant invective against the fantastical Foreign Toyes used in womens apparell

A poem of 294 lines in six line stanzas with a regular rhyming scheme published in 1595, which has been attributed to Stephen Gosson by J Payne Collier. It is easy to see why this should attribution should be made because Gosson had authored The Schoole of Abuse in 1579 which was an invective against actors and other performers on stage. I read an edited version by Edwin Johnston Howard who claims that Collier had forged Stephen Gosson's signature on the copy that he studied and so the poem must be seen as anonymous.

The poem is generally humorous and light hearted, and avoids the worse kind of misogyny that was all too apparent at this time:

But when as men, of lore and wit
and guiders of the weaker kind:
Do judge them for their mate so fit
that nothing more, can please their mind.
I know not what to say to this,
But sure I know, it is amiss.

The poem gently chides women of various ages for wearing the apparel which the poet claims has largely been imported from abroad. He then runs through the various items of clothing, which are obviously difficult to wear and which only serve a purpose of hiding a true women's worth. He says that Holland smocks are like nets to trap the unwary and the hoops and rings imported from France served to hide unwanted pregnancies, he goes further:

When whoores in stews had gotten poxe
This French device kept coats from smocks.

I think thats enough from this poem, but Howard's notes at the end contain an explanation of the items of clothing referred to in the text and also some colloquial phrases for example:

Light Heeles Trash is worthless clothing and such frippery as is usually associated with whores and drabs.

The Trumpets of Fame or Sir F Drake's and Sir J Hawkins farewell, with an encouragement to all sailors and soldiers in this worthy enterprise, by Henry Roberts

With this poem Henry Roberts launched a career of Patriotic pamphlets that was to keep him occupied for the next thirty years.

The poem has stanzas of varying length on its 14 pages and is mostly rhyming couplets. There are short sections on all the famous sailors that were involved in the enterprise which is thought to be the English attack on the Spanish island of Puerto Rico and the ships that took part. It is fairly awful stuff and probably only interesting for the people named. Roberts is quite clear that England had God on its side and the treasure plundered would enrich all of England.

These two poems interested me because of the variety of their subjects, probably an example of other poems printed at the time and now lost. I cannot claim any worth as to the poetic content, but it was amusing to read them 2.5 stars.… (altro)

[The Schoole of Abuse] by Stephen Gosson
This pamphlet was published in 1579 and dedicated to Master Philip Sidney and its full title was:

"The Schoole of Abuse, Conteining a plesaunt invective against Poets, Pipers, Plaiers, Iesters and such like Caterpillers of a commonwealth; Setting vp the Flagge of Defiance to their mischieuous exercise, and ouerthroing their Bulwarkes, by Prophane Writers, Naturall reason, and common experience”

Gosson has been described as a satirist, a playwright and a pastoralist, but only incomplete versions of his plays survive and none of his pastorals and so we are left with his [The Schoole of Abuse] into which Philip Sidney is asked to enter. I expected to read a rant against the evils and corrupting influence of poetry and plays from the standpoint of an advocate of the new protestant religion bordering on Puritanism. However while there are plenty of arguments as to how 16th century culture in respect of poetry and plays was undermines the moral fabric of society there is very little evidence taken from/or reference to the bible.

Two things struck me immediately. First was the style of writing which draws heavily on John Lyly’s euphuistic approach, with its extended sentences containing any number of example, some of which appear almost contradictory and certainly hint at dualism. It does not have the intricate word play that is so striking in Lyly’s work but its ornate style makes it sound quite similar. The second thing that stands out is the overwhelming number of references to classical authors; if Gosson was intent on showing his humanist education and background then he certainly does this in this pamphlet. The references keep coming; sentence after sentence.
Here is an example of Gosson’s style and also contains his underlying theme that men of his own time are losing their manly and martial qualities through the influences of poetry and theatre going:

“Oh what a woonderfull chaunge is this? Our wreastling at armes, is turned to wallowyng in Ladies laps, our courage to cowardice, our running to ryot, our Bowes into Bolles, and our Dartes to Dishes. We haue robbed Greece of Gluttonie, Italy of wantonnesse, Spaine of pride, Fraunce of deceite, and Dutchland of quaffing.”

Gosson himself wrote plays for the theatre and he is keen to stress that he is not condemming all theatrical productions and he is also concerned that by highlighting the abuses he is teaching them rather than forbidding them. He is a man not without a sense of humour who can see the possible falseness of his own position. After the publication of this pamphlet he retired from London to the country and eventually took holy orders.

He has provided an interesting footnote to Sixteenth century culture and one which at the time sparked a response from Sir Philip Sidney. It may today appear rather ambiguous, but I don’t think it is satirical. I found it interesting and enjoyed reading it. 3 stars… (altro)