Sederi Yearbook 27

 

Valerie Schutte, “Perceptions of sister queens: A comparison of printed book dedications to Mary and Elizabeth Tudor.” SEDERI 27 (2017): 149–166.

 

DOI: https://doi.org/10.34136/sederi.2017.7                                                     Download PDF

 

Abstract

Comparisons of Mary and Elizabeth Tudor, sister queens of England, have become popular in the last decade as scholars have realized the impact of Mary on Elizabeth’s queenship. To further that comparison, this essay likens printed book dedications to Mary and Elizabeth before each woman became queen and during their first five (or only five) years as queens. This essay argues that dedications to the Tudor sister queens show that these two women were perceived more commonly than has previously been recognized. By exploring these book dedications, it becomes evident that dedications were central to contemporary perceptions of what authors and translators thought Mary and Elizabeth would be interested in reading and passing along to their subjects along with what dedications thought the sister queens should be reading so as to be persuaded in different directions.

Keywords: Queen Mary I; Queen Elizabeth I; Tudor; book dedications; John Proctor; John Foxe; Laurence Humphrey.

 

 

References

Manuscripts

London, British Library (BL), Royal MS 5 E XVII

London, BL, Royal MS 2 D II

London, BL, Royal MS 12 A XXX

London, Wellcome Library, MS 136

Printed primary sources

Angell, John. 1555. The agrement of the holye fathers, and Doctors of the churche, vpon the cheifest articles of Christian religioun as appeareth on the nexte syde folowinge, very necessary for all curates. London: William Harford. STC 634.

Bible and Holy Scriptures conteyned in the Olde and Newe Testament, The. Translated by William Whittingham. Geneva: Rouland Hall, 1560. STC 2093.

Boke of Psalmes where in are conteined praiers, meditations, praises & thankesgiuing to God for his benefites toward his church, The. Geneva: Rouland Hall, 1559. STC 2384.

Cancellar, James. 1553. The Pathe of Obedience, righte necessarye for all the king and Quenes maiesties louing Subiectes, to reade, learne, and use their due obediences, to the hyghe powers accordynge to thys godly treatise compiled by James Cancellar, one of the Quenes Maiesties moste honourable Chapell. London: John Wayland. STC 4564.

Ferrarius, Johannes, Touchynge the good orderynge of a common weale wherein aswell magistrates, as priuate persones, bee put in remembraunce of their dueties, not as the philosophers in their vaine tradicions haue deuised, but according to the godlie institutions and sounde doctrine of christianitie. Englished by william Bauande. London: John Kingston, 1559. STC 10831.

Foxe, John. 1563. Actes and monuments of these latter and perillous dayes touching matters of the Church, wherein ar comprehended and decribed the great persecutions [and] horrible troubles, that haue been wrought and practiced by the Romishe prelates, speciallye in this realme of England and Scotlande, from the yeare of our Lorde a thousand, vnto the tyme now present. London: John Day. STC 11222.

Hannapes, Nicholas de. 1561. The ensamples of vertue and vice, gathered oute of holye scripture. Translated by Thomas Paynell. London: J. Tisdale. STC 12742.

Humphrey, Laurence. 1563. The nobles or of nobilitye. London: Thomas Marsh. STC 13964.

Machiavelli, Niccolo. 1562. The arte of warre, written first in Italia[n] by Nicholas Machiauell, and set forthe in Englishe by Peter Whitehorne. Translated by Peter Whitehorne. London: John Kingston. STC 17164.

Plutarch. 1561. Three morall treatises no lesse pleasaunt than necessary for all men to reade, wherof the one is called the learned prince, the other the fruites of foes, the thyrde the port of rest. London: William Seres. STC 20063.5.

Proctor, John. 1554–1555. The historie of wyates rebellion, with the order and maner of resisting the same, wherunto in the ende is added an earnest conference with the degenerate and sedicious rebelles for the serche of the cause of their daily disorder. London: John Caly. STC 20407.

Recorde, Robert. 1556. The castle of knowledge. London: Reginald Wolfe. STC 20796.

Smith, Richard. 1554. A bouclier of the catholike fayth of Christes church, conteynyng diuers matters now of late called into controuersy, by the newe gospellers. London: Richard Tottell. STC 22816.

Veron, John. 1561. A fruteful treatise of predestination, and of the deuyne prouidence of god as far forth as the holy scriptures and word of god shal lead vs. London: John Tisdale. STC 24680.

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