London Against the Three Ladies: Difference between revisions

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In this pointe the ''Poet'' makes so much hast to his iorneyes end, that he throwes him selfe headlong downe the hill. For neither ''Loue'' disliked them, before he had maried her to Dissimulation, whose prope[r]tie is to say one thing and thinke another: nor ''Conscience'' allowed them, before he had spotted her with all abhomination, whose nature is to allowe that which is like her selfe, filthie, corrupt, spotted, and defiled. The writer of the plaie called ''London against the three Ladies'' confesseth in his prologe that he made it partly for enuie, partly for a vaine glorious minde. For enuie: because his stomack would not beare the commendations, that other men gaue to ''the three Ladies'' in his hearing. For vaine glorie: because he straue to do better himselfe, and [...]sd the cushion; somewhat I graunt he bettered it in shewe, touching the substance he doth but cauill as I woulde declare, if it were not from the matter I take in hand. By these fewe you may gather of all the rest, and perswade your selues that as stages and Theaters are not allowed by the lawes of God, or man, to medle with disorders. (sigs.D1<sup>v</sup>-D2<sup>v</sup>)</blockquote>
In this pointe the ''Poet'' makes so much hast to his iorneyes end, that he throwes him selfe headlong downe the hill. For neither ''Loue'' disliked them, before he had maried her to Dissimulation, whose prope[r]tie is to say one thing and thinke another: nor ''Conscience'' allowed them, before he had spotted her with all abhomination, whose nature is to allowe that which is like her selfe, filthie, corrupt, spotted, and defiled. The writer of the plaie called ''London against the three Ladies'' confesseth in his prologe that he made it partly for enuie, partly for a vaine glorious minde. For enuie: because his stomack would not beare the commendations, that other men gaue to ''the three Ladies'' in his hearing. For vaine glorie: because he straue to do better himselfe, and misd [?] the cushion; somewhat I graunt he bettered it in shewe, touching the substance he doth but cauill as I woulde declare, if it were not from the matter I take in hand. By these fewe you may gather of all the rest, and perswade your selues that as stages and Theaters are not allowed by the lawes of God, or man, to medle with disorders. (sigs.D1<sup>v</sup>-D2<sup>v</sup>)</blockquote>
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==Probable Genre(s)==
==Probable Genre(s)==


<List possible genres of the play: if noted by a critic, cite them, e.g. "Comedy (Harbage)". If an original speculation, simply list the genre.>
Moral (Harbage).
 
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==Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues==
==Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues==


<Enter any information about possible or known sources. Summarise these sources where practical/possible, or provide an excerpt from another scholar's discussion of the subject if available.>
Inasmuch as the play's prologue identifies it as a response to Wilson's ''Three Ladies of London'', it is possible that "London Against the Three Ladies" was in some way related to the plot or reprised characters from Wilson's play.
 
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==References to the Play==
==References to the Play==


<List any known or conjectured references to the lost play here.>
(None other than Gosson's; further information welcome)
 
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==Critical Commentary==
==Critical Commentary==


<Summarise any critical commentary that may have been published by scholars. Please maintain an objective tone!>
Lloyd Edward Kermode cites this lost play as evidence of the impact of Wilson's play and its "constant presence in the literary imagination of the rest of the sixteenth century" (72).
 
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Wiggins #703.
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==For What It's Worth==
==For What It's Worth==


<Enter any miscellaneous points that may be relevant, but don't fit into the above categories. This is the best place for highly conjectural thoughts.>
(Information welcome)
 
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==Works Cited==
==Works Cited==


Gosson, Stephen. ''Playes confuted in fiue actions prouing that they are not to be suffred in a Christian common weale, by the waye both the cauils of Thomas Lodge, and the play of playes, written in their defence, and other obiections of players frendes, are truely set downe and directlye aunsweared.'' 1582.
<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Gosson, Stephen. ''Playes confuted in fiue actions prouing that they are not to be suffred in a Christian common weale, by the waye both the cauils of Thomas Lodge, and the play of playes, written in their defence, and other obiections of players frendes, are truely set downe and directlye aunsweared.'' 1582.</div>
 
 
<If you haven't done so already, also add here any key words that will help categorise this play. Use the following format, repeating as necessary: [[category:example]]>


<div style="padding-left: 2em; text-indent: -2em">Kermode, Lloyd Edward. ''Aliens and Englishness in Elizabethan Drama.'' Cambridge: CUP, 2009.</div>


[[category:unknown]][[category:Gosson]][[category:London]][[category:prologues]]
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Site created and maintained by [[David McInnis]], University of Melbourne; 03 Oct 2014.
Site created and maintained by [[David McInnis]], University of Melbourne; 03 Oct 2014.
[[category:all]][[category:David McInnis]]
[[category:all]][[category:David McInnis]]

Latest revision as of 00:14, 17 March 2015

Anon. (1581?)


Historical Records

Gosson, Playes confuted in fiue actions (1582)

Stephen Gosson describes an alternative ending to Robert Wilson's Three Ladies of London which does not survive in either quarto of that play, then proceeds to comment on a play apparently written in direct response to the success of Wilson's Three Ladies:

Whether this be the practise of Poets in these dayes you may perceiue by the drift of him that wrote the play termed the three Ladies of London, which in the Catastrophe maketh Loue and Conscience to be examined how thrie good ladishippes like of playes? Loue answeres that she detesteth them, because her guttes are tourned outward, and all her secret conueighaunce, is blazed with colours to the peoples eye. Conscience like a kindharted gentlewoman doth alow them.



In this pointe the Poet makes so much hast to his iorneyes end, that he throwes him selfe headlong downe the hill. For neither Loue disliked them, before he had maried her to Dissimulation, whose prope[r]tie is to say one thing and thinke another: nor Conscience allowed them, before he had spotted her with all abhomination, whose nature is to allowe that which is like her selfe, filthie, corrupt, spotted, and defiled. The writer of the plaie called London against the three Ladies confesseth in his prologe that he made it partly for enuie, partly for a vaine glorious minde. For enuie: because his stomack would not beare the commendations, that other men gaue to the three Ladies in his hearing. For vaine glorie: because he straue to do better himselfe, and misd [?] the cushion; somewhat I graunt he bettered it in shewe, touching the substance he doth but cauill as I woulde declare, if it were not from the matter I take in hand. By these fewe you may gather of all the rest, and perswade your selues that as stages and Theaters are not allowed by the lawes of God, or man, to medle with disorders. (sigs.D1v-D2v)




Theatrical Provenance

Unknown.


Probable Genre(s)

Moral (Harbage).


Possible Narrative and Dramatic Sources or Analogues

Inasmuch as the play's prologue identifies it as a response to Wilson's Three Ladies of London, it is possible that "London Against the Three Ladies" was in some way related to the plot or reprised characters from Wilson's play.


References to the Play

(None other than Gosson's; further information welcome)


Critical Commentary

Lloyd Edward Kermode cites this lost play as evidence of the impact of Wilson's play and its "constant presence in the literary imagination of the rest of the sixteenth century" (72).

Wiggins #703.


For What It's Worth

(Information welcome)


Works Cited

Gosson, Stephen. Playes confuted in fiue actions prouing that they are not to be suffred in a Christian common weale, by the waye both the cauils of Thomas Lodge, and the play of playes, written in their defence, and other obiections of players frendes, are truely set downe and directlye aunsweared. 1582.
Kermode, Lloyd Edward. Aliens and Englishness in Elizabethan Drama. Cambridge: CUP, 2009.




Site created and maintained by David McInnis, University of Melbourne; 03 Oct 2014.