Empire and Nation in Early English Renaissance Literature (Studies in Renaissance Literature) (Volume 25)

Sensitive readings of Renaissance texts offer new insights into the perception of imperialism in the sixteenth century. The complex topics of colonialism, empire and nation run throughout English Renaissance literature. Here, the author moves beyond recent work on England's "British" colonial interests, arguing for England's self-image in the sixteenth century as an "empire of itself", part of a culture which deliberately set itself apart from Britain and Europe. In the first section of the book he explores England's self-image as empire in the Arthurian and classical pageants of two Tudor royal entries into the City of London: Charles V's in 1522 and Anne Boleyn's in 1533. Part Two focuses on the culture of English Bible-reading and its influence on England's imperial self-image in the Tudor period. He offers fresh new readings of texts by Richard Morison, William Tyndale, John Bale, Nicholas Udall, and William Lightfoot, among other authors represented. Dr STEWART MOTTRAM is Research Lecturer, Institute for Medieval and Early Modern Studies, Aberystwyth University. "The complex topics of colonialism, empire and nation run throughout English Renaissance literature. Here, the author moves beyond recent work on England's 'British' colonial interests, arguing for England's self-image in the sixteenth century as an 'empire of itself', part of a culture which deliberately set itself apart from Britain and Europe. In the first section of the book he explores England's self-image as empire in the Arthurian and classical pageants of two Tudor royal entries into the City of London: Charles V's in 1522 and Anne Boleyn's in 1533. Part Two focuses on the culture of English Bible-reading and its influence on England's imperial self-image in the Tudor period. He offers fresh new readings of texts by Richard Morison, William Tyndale, John Bale, Nicholas Udall, and William Lightfoot, among other authors represented."--Jacket CONTENTS 6 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 8 ABBREVIATIONS AND CONVENTIONS 10 INTRODUCTION: Empire and this ‘Englyshe or Bryttyshe nacyon’ 14 The ‘impery of Englande’ and the ancient British emperor-kings 24 Britain’s books, England’s Bible, and Bale’s ‘Englyshe or Bryttyshe nacyon’ 34 Part I EMPIRE 48 1 England’s empire apart: The entry of Charles V and Henry VIII (1522) 50 2 Royal Supremacy and the rhetoric of empire: Anne Boleyn’s 1533 entry 80 Part II NATION 116 3 Richard Morison: Rebellion and the rhetoric of nationhood 118 4 Enter England: John Bale’s King Johan 149 5 Commonwealth in crisis: Nicholas Udall’s Respublica 183 CONCLUSION: William Lightfoot and the legacy of England’s empire apart 222 BIBLIOGRAPHY 236 INDEX 252 Stewart Mottram. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 223-238) And Index.