This edition of the Shakespeare play, Merchant of Venice features the Bevington edition along with an extenstive array of primary documents to help illuminate the religious controversy triggered by the play, including early modern documents reflecting Christian attitudes toward Jews and Jewish reactions to these attitude, excerpts from the Bible on moneylending, contemporary discourses on usury and commerce, and anti-Catholic tracts.
ABOUT THE SERIES
ABOUT THIS VOLUME
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Introduction
PART ONE William Shakespeare, The Merchant of Venice (Edited by David Bevington)
PART TWO Cultural Contexts
1. Venice
English Ideas of Venice and ItaliansNation, Race, and Religion
William Thomas,From The History of Italy Thomas Coryate, From Coryates Crudities Dudley Carleton, The English Ambassador’s Notes William Bedell, Letter to Adam Newton A Discovery of the Great Subtlety and Wonderful Wisdom of the Italians Robert Wilson, From The Three Ladies of London Queen Elizabeth I, Proclamation Ordering Peace Kept in London Sir Edward Coke, From The Reports Fynes Moryson, From An Itinerary John Leo, From A Geographical History of Africa George Best, From A True Discourse of the Late Voyages of Discovery, for the Finding of a Passage to Cathaya John Leo, From A Geographical History of Africa Sebastian Munster, From The Messiah of the Christians and the Jews Andrew Willet, From Concerning the Universal and Final Vocation of the Jews
2. Finance
Usury Jews Merchants Biblical Laws Thomas Wilson,From A Discourse upon Usury by Way of Dialogue and Orations Debate on the Usury Bill Usury Bill Francis Bacon, Of Usury Sir Edward Coke, From The Institutes of the Laws of England Yehiel Nissim da Pisa, From The Eternal Life David de Pomis, From De Medico Hebraeo Leon Modena, From The History of Rites, Customs, and Manners of Life, of the Present Jews, throughout the World Sir Thomas Sherley, The Profit That May Be Raised to Your Majesty out of the Jews Nicolas de Nicolay, From The Navigations, Peregrinations, and Voyages made into Turkey The Levant Company’s Charter John Wheeler, From A Treatise of Commerce Daniel Price, The Merchant: A Sermon Preached at Paul’s Cross
3. Religion
Catholics versus Protestants Jews as Other Conversion Jews in EnglandJohn Foxe,From Acts and Monuments William Allen, From A True, Sincere, and Modest Defense of English Catholics Robert Parsons, From A Brief Discourse Containing Certain Reasons Why Catholics Refuse to go to Church Queen Elizabeth I, Proclamations on Priests St. Paul, On Law and Grace Andrew Willet, From Tetrastylon Papisticum Richard Bristow, From Demands to be Proponed of Catholics to the Heretics William Perkins, From A Faithful and Plain Exposition upon the To First Verses of the Second Chapter of Zephaniah Gregory Martin, From Roma Sancta Thomas Draxe, From The World’s Resurrection Samuel Usque, From Consolation for the Tribulations of Israel John Foxe, From Acts and Monuments Raphael Holinshed, From Chronicles of England, Scotland, and Ireland John Foxe, From Acts and Monuments From Fleta Examination of Roderigo Lopez William Camden, From The History of Elizabeth, Queen of England 4. Love and Gender Women and Marriage Friendship and Homosociality Juan Luis Vives, From The Instruction of a Christian Woman Thomas Becon, From The Catechism Cornelius Agrippa, From Of the Nobility and Excellency of Womankind Phillip Stubbes, From The Anatomy of Abuses Alexander Niccholes, From A Discourse of Marriage and Wiving Sir Thomas Smith, From De Republica Anglorum Sir Thomas Elyot, From The Book Named the Governor Philemon Holland, From Plutarch’s Morals BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX
