DO NOT PANIC! This list is not nearly as formidable as it may look at first glance. Many of the primary texts, e.g., are very short; and you will be doing secondary reading only as needed for your reports and paper, and as interests you. Graduate students before you have happily survived the course.
Where library call numbers are provided without any indication of library locations, the books are in Robarts but other library locations have not been checked. For abbreviations used, see end of list. An asterisk (*) indicates emphasized or otherwise very significant readings.
A. REQUIRED READING (Texts)
B=in David Bevington's Medieval Drama (1975), on reading-room-only loan TBA either at the Laidlaw Library, UC [PR 1260 M4], or at Robarts; also available at PIMS, Tr, Vic, UTM, and UTSC. RF=in N. Rabkin and R.A. Fraser, eds., Drama of the English Renaissance: 1: The Tudor Period (1976), ditto re: TBA Laidlaw or Robarts; also available at Vic, SMC, UTM, and UTSC. L=on photocopy loan at the Laidlaw Library, UC. Plays originally in Latin or in Anglo-Norman are all read in texts translated into English. Dates below are supplied from the 1964 edition of the Harbage/Schoenbaum Annals of English Drama (see below, Section B) as updated in two Supplements (1966 and 1970). (The 1989 third edition of the Annals is untrustworthy.) Some of these dates have now been altered by later scholarship, but I have not altered them here. Items are plays/pageants/etc. unless otherwise indicated.
12th Century
--*William fitz-Stephen, "Description of London" (L) (prose: includes references to theatre)
--*Anon., The Service Representing Adam (B)
--Anon., Daniel (B)
--*Walter Map(?), Babio (L)
12th/13th century
--*Anon., The Holy Resurrection (B)
13th/14th/15th century
--*1298 Fishmongers' pageant (L--from Stow, Survey of London, I.95-96) (description)
--Anon., Dame Sirith (L) (dialogue)
--Anon., Interludium de Clerico et Puella (L)
--*1392 royal entry of Richard II (L) (description)
--*Anon., The Creation and the Fall of the Angels (York cycle) (B)
--*Anon., The Killing of Abel (Towneley cycle) (B)
--*Anon., The Second Shepherds Play (Towneley cycle) (B)
--*Anon., The Death of Herod (N-Town cycle) (B)
--Anon., The Crucifixion of Christ (York cycle) (B)
15th century
--Anon., Brome Abraham and Isaac (B)
--*Anon., Mankind (B)
--*Anon., Robin Hood and the Sheriff of Nottingham (L)
--*Lydgate, The Mumming at Bishopswood (L), A Mumming at London (L), A Mumming for the Goldsmiths of London (L), A Mumming for the Mercers of London (L), Bycorne and Chychevache (L) (poem)
--*1432 royal entry of Henry VI (L) (descriptive poem by Lydgate)
--1465 royal entry of Elizabeth Woodville (L) (manuscript records, transcribed)
--*Medwall, Fulgens and Lucrece (1497) (L)
16th century to 1570
--1501 royal entry of Katherine of Aragon (L)
--Anon., Hickscorner (1513) (L)
--*Skelton, Magnificence (1515) (L)
--*Heywood, Johan Johan (B), The Four PP (RF)
--*Midsummer Watch (L--description in Stow, Survey of London, I.99-104; also records of one specific Watch, 1521)
--*Redford, Wit and Science (1539) (B)
--*Wever, Lusty Juventus (L)
--Anon., Jack Juggler (1555) (L)
--1559 royal entry of Elizabeth I (L)
--*Preston, Cambises (1561) (RF)
--Sackville and Norton, Gorboduc (1562) (RF)
--Gascoigne, Supposes (1566) (RF)
--Anon., Sir Clyomon and Clamydes (1570) (L)
1580s
--*Wilson, Three Ladies of London (1581) (L)
--*Peele, The Pageant before Woolstone Dixie (1585) (L)
--*Lyly, Gallathea (1585) (RF)
--Peele, David and Bethsabe (1587) (RF)
--Anon., The Famous Victories of Henry V (1586) (L)
--*Kyd, The Spanish Tragedy (1587) (RF)
--*Marlowe, Tamburlaine 1 and 2 (1587-8) (RF)
--*Greene and Lodge, A Looking Glass for London and England (1519) (RF)
--Anon., Mucedorus (1590)
There are, of course, other places to find many of these texts. Marlowe's plays, e.g., are everywhere, in a variety of editions. Kyd's Spanish Tragedy is in most anthologies of early modern drama. Anthologies since c. 1965 are not generally held in Robarts, which has for some time refused to include textbooks in its collections, but they may often be found in college libraries (especially at Victoria, Trinity, and SMC). The lesser-known plays are also often available in a Malone Society Reprint text or Tudor Facsimile Text (shelved under the author's name where not anonymous; where anonymous, in the PR 2411 range), or in (textually unreliable but adequate for content) 18th, 19th, or early 20th century collections such as W. C. Hazlitt's multi-volume edition of Robert Dodsley's Old English Plays (also multi-volume), and a series of volumes by John Farmer (editor). Most play collections are located in campus libraries in the PR 1263 range. Good texts of some individual plays from the 1580s may be found in the Revels Plays series, Regents Renaissance Drama series, and New Mermaid series; and there are excellent standard editions of the works of both Peele (ed. Prouty) and Lyly (ed. Bond). All early printed texts are also available online, in page-by-page images, in EEBO (Early English Books Online)--select "E-Resources" from the electronic catalogue's main search box headers.
In general, old and textually unreliable editions are adequate, for purposes of general reading and discussion, for the plays not otherwise easily to be found (and some of the L photocopies are from such editions, because of the necessity to use only out-of-copyright texts except where specific copying permission has been given). When you are writing your course paper, however, you must use the best available editions of the texts with which you are dealing; and in doing reports you should also try to use good editions.
REQUIRED BACKGROUND READING:
John Stow, A Survey of London. 1598/1603. (See Section D.) (Dip in and out.)
Mary Lobel, gen. ed., The British Atlas of Historic Towns. Vol. 3: The City of London. 1989. (See Section B.) (Dip in and out.)
B. REFERENCE WORKS (for use as needed)
--Creaton, H. Bibliography of Printed Works on London History to 1939. 1994. Z 2024 L8B52 1994 (ROB Ref). For work on specific authors, plays, genres, etc., the best bibliography is the MLA annual bibliography. Useful background on individual plays can usually be found in introductions to good modern editions of them, in series such as Revels, New Mermaids, and Regents (avoid Garland, Salzburg), and also in introductions to good modern editions of their authors' Works (for Lyly, Peele, Marlowe, and Medwall). Malone Society Reprint editions have textual introductions only (though this usually also involves dating). Tudor Facsimile Texts have very little in the way of introductions. C. HISTORIES OF THEATRE AND DRAMA (for use as needed) --*Beadle, R. The Cambridge Companion to Medieval English Theatre. 1994. PN 2587 C36 1994 (ROB, UC, Tr, Vic, SMC, PIMS, UTM, UTSC), PN 2587 C36 2008 (2nd edn.)(ROB, UC, UTM). Chapters on each type of theatre; sectioned bibliography; chronological table. D. SOME MODERN PRINTED SOURCES OF MEDIEVAL AND TUDOR MATERIALS (for use as needed) --*fitz-Stephen, W. "Description of London." (See Section A for availability. The L copy comes from F.M. Stenton, Norman London. 1934; rpt. 1990. DA 680 S74 PIMS; DA 680 F5813 1990 PIMS; DA 680 F58 UTM.) E. SECONDARY WORKS RECOMMENDED (according to your interests and topics) --Andrews, R. Scripts and Scenarios: The Performance of Comedy in Renaissance Italy. 1993. PN 4149 A48 1993. Background on the kind(s) of Italian comedy Gascoigne is translating in Supposes (1566). Especially useful journals: F. RECOMMENDED HISTORICAL WORKS (depending on your interests and topics) --Barron, C. London in the Later Middle Ages. 2004. DA 680 B37 2004 (ROB; also electronic). G. MEDIA COMMONS (3rd floor, Robarts)--recommended VHS tape Abbreviations:
--Creaton, H. London. 1996. Z 2024 L8 C74 1996X (ROB Ref). Shorter bibliography.
--*Harbage, A., ed. Annals of English Drama 975-1700, rev. S. Schoenbaum. 1964. Z 2014 D7H25 1964. Non-circulating reference at UC, and also available at ROB and in a number of college libraries. [Avoid third edition by Wagonheim; it is unreliable, and for the early period provides nothing new in any case.] Updated by 2 Supplements (1966 and 1970), same call number with "Suppl" at end, ROB. Year-by-year listings of extant and non-extant plays, masques, and other theatrical entertainments, with scholarly consensus (as of 1964, 1966, and 1970) on authors, date ranges, auspices, genres, etc. Now somewhat out of date on details but still indispensable as providing a century-by-century, decade-by-decade, and year-by-year picture of known English drama.
--Lancashire, A. Mayors and Sheriffs of London 1190-1558 (MASL).
--*Lancashire, I. Dramatic Texts and Records of Great Britain: A Chronological Topography. 1984. Z 2014 D7L12 1984 (ROB, UC, Vic). Non-circulating reference at UC. Year-by-year chronological listings of theatre texts and records for all towns in Britain, including London, to 1558; includes information on playing places, acting companies, etc. In many cases updates the Annals. Lists sources for all records, texts.
--*Lobel, M.D., gen. ed. The British Atlas of Historic Towns. Vol. 3: The City of London. 1989. G 1819 L7 C57 1989 (Map Library, ROB). Non-circulating. Concise histories of London in the various periods from prehistory to c. 1520; includes excellent maps of the city, with key locations marked, for c. 1270 and c. 1520 (a 4-part map).
--London Journal 20.2 (1995). DA 675 L58 (ROB). Non-circulating. Anniversary Issue 1975-95. Includes summaries of London scholarship, and detailed bibliographies (on London history, economics, architecture, society, etc.) for 600-1300 (Derek Keene), 1300-1550 (Caroline Barron), 1550-1700 (Vanessa Harding). Please do NOT put this into your carrel; it must be left on the shelf, available to everyone.
--Weinreb, B., and C. Hibbert. The London Encyclopedia. 1993. DA 677 L66 1993 (ROB Ref).
--Cox, J., and D. Kastan, eds. A New History of Early English Drama. 1997. PR 641 N49 1997 (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTM, UTSC). By topic rather than by date or historical period. Includes a chapter on royal entries 1377-1559, and other material indirectly useful for London, such as chapters on household drama.
--Braunmuller, A.R., and M. Hattaway, eds. The Cambridge Companion to English Renaissance Drama. 1990. PR 651 C36 1990 (ROB, Tr, Vic, SMC, UTM, UTSC), PN 651 C36 2003 (2nd edn.) (ROB, Vic, Tr, SMC, UTM, UTSC). Includes useful bibliographies.
--*Wickham, G. Early English Stages, 1300-1660. Vols. 1-3 (2 is in 2 pts.). 1959-1981. PN 2587 W53 (ROB, PIMS, UC, Tr, SMC). Much detail on staging, visual iconography; includes extensive materials on mummings, royal entries.
--Bevington, D., ed. Medieval Drama. 1975. PR 1260 M4. (For availability, see Section A.) Detailed introductions, still fairly accurate after so many years, on general periods and dramatic types as well as on individual plays.
--Streitberger, W. Court Revels, 1485-1559. 1994. PR 646 S77 1994 (ROB, PIMS, Tr, Vic, UTM). A calendar, with explanations, of court entertainments; useful for a look at what Londoners knew was happening at court.
--Gurr, A. The Shakespearean Stage, 1574-1642. 4th edn., 2009. PN 3095 G87 2009. General theatre and play history.
--Dutton, Richard, ed. Handbook of Early Modern Theatre. 2009. PN 2589 )84 2009 (ROB, Vic, Tr).
--Robertson, J., and D.J. Gordon. "A Calendar of Dramatic Records in the Books of the Livery Companies of London," Collections III (Malone Society Reprints). 1954. PR 621 M44 (ROB, Vic). Records of London Midsummer Watch pageants, early to mid 16th- century, and of late 16th-century London Lord Mayor's Shows. All calendared, some transcribed.
--Lydgate, J. Minor Poems. 2 vols, ed. H.N. MacCracken. 1911 and 1934. PR 1119 E5, #107 (1911) and PR 1119 A2, #192 (1934). Early English Text Society (ROB, PIMS, Vic).
--Machyn, H. The Diary of Henry Machyn, ed. J.G. Nichols. 1848. Camden Society, #42. DA 20 C17 (ROB, Vic, SMC). Mid 16th-century diary of a Londoner.
--Manley, L., ed. London in the Age of Shakespeare: An Anthology. 1986. DA 688 L64 1986 (Tr only). A collection of writings on London, from the period.
--*Stow, J. A Survey of London, ed. C.L. Kingsford. 1908; rpt. 1971. DA 680 S87 (L--excerpts; also ROB, Tr, Vic, SMC; also 1603 (2nd) edn. in Fisher: STC 1108). There have been other editions as well, both older and more recent; but Kingsford's is the authoritative standard: accurate, complete, and with extensive notes.
--Wickham, G. (See Section C.)
--Withington, R. English Pageantry. 2 vols. 1918-1920. PN 3251 W5 [or W58] (ROB, Vic, SMC). Descriptive; contains pageant materials (and references) hard to find elsewhere.
--Anglo, S. Spectacle, Pageantry and Early Tudor Policy. 1969; 2nd edn. 1997. DA 325 A6 (with 1997X added for 2nd edn.) (ROB, Tr, Vic). Major entries of the Tudor period.
--Axton, R. European Drama of the Early Middle Ages. 1974. PN 1751 A9 (ROB, PIMS, Tr, Vic, SMC). Includes examination of such plays as Adam and Holy Resurrection.
--Axton, R., and J. Stevens, eds. Medieval French Plays. 1971. PQ 1342 E5 A9 (Vic, SMC). Can be used for educated guesses about non-extant English/London material.
--Bergeron, D., ed. Pageantry in the Shakespearean Theatre. 1985. Includes essay by Gordon Kipling on 1392 royal entry. PR 658 P27P33 1985 (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTM, YTSC).
--*Bevington, D. From 'Mankind' to Marlowe. 1962. PR 646 B4 (ROB, UC, Tr, Vic). Seminal; dramatic structure as an indicator of auspices and as a continuing theatrical tradition. Late 15th to late 16th century drama, esp. morality plays.
--Bevington, D. Tudor Drama and Politics. 1968. PR 649 P6B4 (ROB, Tr, Vic, SMC). Topical meaning in Tudor drama.
--Braden, G. Renaissance Tragedy and the Senecan Tradition. 1985. PN 1896 B7 1985.
--Brockett, O., and F. Hildy History of the Theatre. 1995 (10th edn.). PN 2101 B68 2008. For background to English plays based on (1) classical Roman comedy (2) Italian Renaissance comedy.
--Burns, E. Character: Acting and Being on the Pre-Modern Stage. 1990. PN 2122 B87 1990 (UTSC only); XX(666451.1) (ROB only). Nature of character in early versus later drama.
--Cauthen, I.B., Jr. Introduction to the Regents Renaissance Drama series edition of Gorboduc. PN 2729 N7 A7 1970.
--Clemen, W. English Tragedy Before Shakespeare: The Development of Dramatic Speech. 1961. T7 C513 1961.
--Collins, F., Jr. The Production Of Medieval Church Music-Drama. 1972. ML 178 C64. On Daniel (and other plays).
--Craik, T. The Tudor Interlude: Stage, Costume, and Acting. 1967. PN 2589 C7.
--Fox, A. Politics and Literature in the Reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. 1989. PR 418 P65F6 1989 (ROB, Vic).
--Hickscorner--edn. by Ian Lancashire, under title Two Tudor Interludes. 1980. PR 2411 E6 1980 (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTM).
--Hutton, R. The Rise and Fall of Merry England. The Ritual Year 1400-1700. 1994. DA 320 H87 1994 (ROB, Tr, Vic, SMC, UTM).
--Johnson, R.C. John Heywood. 1970. PR 2567 J6. (Good on the author but not on the plays.)
--*Kipling, G. Enter the King: Theatre, Liturgy and Ritual in the Medieval Civic Triumph. 1998. GT 3980 K56 1998 (ROB, PIMS; L--excerpts). Royal entries.
--Kipling, G. The Receyt of the Ladie Kateryne. Early English Text Society, OS #296 (1990). PR 1119 A2 (ROB, PIMS, Vic, UTM). Edition of the 1501 royal entry of Katherine of Aragon and all its surrounding events, with a long introduction and many explanatory notes.
--*Lancashire, A. London Civic Theatre: City Drama and Pageantry from Roman Times to 1558. 2002. PN 2596 L6 L354 2002 (ROB, Vic[CRRS in-library], Tr, UC). History of London civic-sponsored drama and pageantry to the accession of Elizabeth I.
--*Manley, L. Literature and Culture in Early Modern London. 1995. PR 421 M27 1995X (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTSC; L--excerpts). London's self-identity expressed through literature and performance.
--Mehl, D. The Elizabethan Dumb Show. 1966. PR 658 P28 M4213.
--Nelson, A. The Medieval English Stage: Corpus Christi Pageants and Plays. 1974. PR 643 C7N4 (ROB, PIMS, UC, Tr, Vic, SMC, UTM, UTSC). 8-page section on London.
--Nicoll, A. Masks Mimes and Miracles: Studies in the Popular Theatre. 1931; rpt. 1963. PN 2071 G4N5 1963 (ROB, UC). Performance entertainments of various types, from early times.
--Potter, R.A. The English Morality Play. 1975. PR 643 M7P6 1975.
--Skelton, J. Magnificence--edn. by Paula Neuss. 1980. PR 2347 M34 1980 (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTM).
--Smith, D.L., R. Strier, and D. Bevington, eds. The Theatrical City: Culture, Theatre and Politics in London 1576-1649. 1995. PR 421 T44 1995X (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTSC). A collection of essays on various aspects of London drama.
--Southern, R. The Staging of Plays before Shakespeare. 1973. PN 2589 S6 1973 (ROB, Vic, UTM, UTSC). Performance conditions and techniques.
--Walker, G. The Politics of Performance in Early Renaissance Drama. 1998. PR 649 P6W36 1998X (ROB, UC, Tr, Vic, SMC, UTSC).
--Westfall, S. Patrons and Performance: Early Tudor Household Revels. 1990. PN 2590 C66W48 1990 (ROB, Vic, UTC).
--White, P.W. Theatre and Reformation: Protestantism, Patronage, and Playing in Tudor England. 1993. PN 2590 R35W45 1993 (ROB, Tr, Vic, Knox).
--Early Theatre. PR 621 R42 (ROB), PR 621 E37 (Vic, UTM); also online.
--London Journal. DA 675 L58 (ROB only). Online not checked.
--Medieval and Renaissance Drama in England. Hardcover annual. PR 621 M54.
--Beier, A.L., and R. Finlay. London 1500-1700: The Making of the Metropolis. 1986. HN 398 L7L75 1986.
--Bird, R. The Turbulent London of Richard II. 1949. DA 680 B56 (ROB, UTM).
--Brigden, S. London and the Reformation. DA 680 B86 1991 (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTM).
--Brooke, C., with G. Keir. London 800-1216: The Shaping of a City. 1975. HC 258 L6B76 1975b (ROB, SMC), HC 258 L6B76 (UTM, UTSC).
--Hall, E. Hall's Chronicle[, ed. H. Ellis]. 1809. DA 332 H23 (ROB, Vic). Facsimile of 1550 edition at DA 332 H23 1550a.
--Holinshed, R. Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland[, ed. H. Ellis]. Vols. 2-4. 1807--08. DA 130 H65 1807.
--Nightingale, P. A Medieval Mercantile Community: The Grocers' Company & the Politics & Trade of London 1000-1485. 1995. HF 302.5 L66N54 1995X. Much historical detail.
--Rappaport, S. Worlds Within Worlds: Structures of Life in Sixteenth-Century London. 1989. HN 398 L7R37 1989 (ROB, Tr, Vic, UTSC). Social classes, regulation, etc.
--Reynolds, S. An Introduction to the History of English Medieval Towns. 1977. HT 133 R49 (ROB, PIMS, Vic, UTM).
--Saul, N. Richard II. 1997. DA 235 S26 1997X.
--Schofield, J. The Building of London from the Conquest to the Great Fire. 1984. DA 677 S34 1984. (3rd edn., 1999, not in library.)
--Schofield, J., and A. Vince. Medieval Towns. 1994. DA 90 S36 1994.
--Smuts, M. "Public Ceremony and Royal Charisma: The English Royal Entry in London, 1485-1642," in A.L. Beier, D. Cannadine, amd J.M. Rosenheim, eds., The First Modern Society. 1989. DA 300 F57 1989 (ROB, Tr).
--*Sheppard, F. London: A History. 1998. DA 677 S54 1998X (ROB, Tr, UTM, UTSC).
--Thrupp, S. The Merchant Class of Medieval London [1300-1500]. 1948. HF 3510 L8T4 (OB). 1962 edition at ROB, PIMS, Tr, Vic, SMC, UTM, UTSC.
--Unwin, G. The Gilds and Companies of London. 1908. HD 6462 L7U6 (ROB, Vic). 1963 edition at ROB, Tr, Vic.
--Williams, G. Medieval London: From Commune to Capital. 1963. DA 680 W59 (ROB, PIMS, Tr[storage], Vic, SMC, UTM, UTSC). Early medieval period.
--Wriothesley, C. A Chronicle of England during the Reigns of the Tudors, ed. W.D. Hamilton. 2 vols. Camden Society, NS 11, 1875, and NS 20, 1877. DA 20 C17 (ROB, SMC).
--The Castle of Perseverance: A Perspective. An abridged 55-minute version of a 5-tape filming of a PLS 5-6 hour production. Shows arena-style staging, using multiple stages around the circumference of the acting area and a castle stage in the centre. One possible way in which the London Skinners' Well/Clerkenwell play might have been staged.
Knox = Knox College Library
PIMS = Pontifical Institute of Medieval Studies (top floor of SMC library; books non-circulating)
ROB = Robarts Library
ROB Ref = Robarts Library, 4th-floor reference
SMC = St. Michael's College Library
Tr = Trinity College Library
UC = University College Library
UTM = University of Toronto: Mississauga, Library
UTSC = University of Toronto: Scarborough, Library
Vic = Victoria College Library: one or both of Pratt and the Centre for Reformation and Renaissance Studies \par
}