'An Answere to the Coppye' of a raileing Invective against the Regiment of woemen …’ by the Earl of Northampton

MSS/0095

'An Answere to the Coppye' of a raileing Invective against the Regiment of woemen …’ by the Earl of Northampton

early 17th century

item

Paper; ff. 55.
Folio.
Paper cover. Bound with MSS/0085.

'An Answere to the Coppye' of a raileing Invective against the Regiment of woemen..' (fol. 1). An answer by Henry Howard, Earl of Northampton (1540-1614) to John Knox's The First Blast of the Trumpet against the Monstrous Regiment of Women (1558). The answer was not completed until 1589 (see DNB s.v. Howard) although a copy of Knox's pamphlet is said (fol. 2) to have been given to Northampton by a Privy Councillor (Lord Burghley) nearly thirteen years previously with a request that he should answer it. The work is addressed in flattering terms to Queen Elizabeth. It includes autobiographical reminiscences (his desks and coffers broken into, search of his house at St Albans), many classical and biblical references, and allusions to political events. Northampton had been suspected of treasonable correspondence with Mary Queen of Scots. A number of other copies are known including BL Harley MS 7021; Bodl. Lib., MS Bodl. 903.

Howard, Henry (1540-1614), Earl of Northampton, courtier and author

SAL/MS/95

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