The Illustrious History of Women (1686) by John Shirley : a critical edition with an introduction and notes

Abstract

Published in 1686, John Shirley's The Illustrious History of Women is one of the numerous works about women by men, so popular in the seventeenth century. More properly a catalogue than actual history, this text is a compilation of stories collected from various sources extolling such virtues as chastity, piety, humility, steadfastness, and courage, and praising the women who embody these qualities in their lives (and deaths). Dozens of misogynist works surfaced in England during the seventeenth century, and, by mid-century, this publication activity festered into some rather strident exchanges. As the century neared its closing decades, the debate took on a familiar shape: the querelle des femmes. While specific issues and distinctive terminology are unique to each incarnation of this ancient argument, two characteristics remain constant: the debate is public, and the view of women alternates between woman as a curse and woman as a blessing. Within this context, we find Shirley's text. Shirley, an early hack writer, collects and arranges individual "histories" so that his society's emphasis on female chastity surfaces. His appended tracts on the character of a virtuous wife and widow evidence the same emphasis. Yet, a review of the text's publication history reveals that the work was not "popular." Nonetheless, a study of this work offers promise for students of social and political history as well as literary historians. Further, continued research in women's studies relies on accessibility of past records. Seven known copies of Shirley's History exist; thus, most research with the text occurs in front of a microfilm screen. An accessible edition of this 1686 text will facilitate its availability to a wide group of scholars, enabling them to draw new connections between current theory and past artefact and, thus, construct new knowledge.