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Selfish Gifts: The Politics of Exchange and English Courtly Literature, 1580–1628 Alison V. Scott Fairleigh Dickinson University Press Selfish Gifts This page intentionally left blank Selfish Gifts The Politics of Exchange and English Courtly Literature, 1580–1628 Alison V. Scott Madison • Teaneck Fairleigh Dickinson University Press ©2006 by Rosemont Publishing & Printing Corp. All rights reserved. Authorization to photocopy items for internal or personal use, or the internal or personal use of specific clients, is granted by the copyright owner, provided that a base fee of $10.00, plus eight cents per page, per copy is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, Massachusetts 01923. [0-8386-4082-6/06 $10.00 + 8¢ pp, pc.] Associated University Presses 2010 Eastpark Boulevard Cranbury, NJ 08512 The paper used in this publication meets the requirements of the American National Standard for Permanence of Paper for Printed Library Materials Z39.48–1984. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Scott, Alison V., 1974Selfish gifts : the politics of exchange and English courtly literature, 1580–1628/ Alison V. Scott p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 0-8386-4082-6 (alk. paper) 1. English literature—Early modern, 1500–1700—History and criticism. 2. Gifts in literature. 3. Great Britain—Court and courtiers—History—17th century. 4. Great Britain—Court and courtiers—History—16th century. 5. Gifts—Great Britain— History—17th century. 6. Gifts—Great Britain—History—16th century. 7. Gifts— Political aspects—Great Britain. 8. Courts and courtiers in literature. I. Title. PR428.G54S37 2006 820.9'3559—dc22 2005011037 printed in the united states of america For Simon and Murphy This page intentionally left blank Contents Acknowledgments 9 Introduction 13 Part I: Sexual Gifts 1. Nonreciprocation and Female Rule: The Elizabethan Context 2. “[A] mutual render, only me for thee”: “True” Gifts in Shakespeare’s Sonnets 47 Part II: Political Gifts 3. Competitive Gifts and Strategic Exchange at the Jacobean Court 4. Gifts for the Somerset Wedding 5. “Fortune’s darling, king’s content”: The Duke of Buckingham as Gift Problem Epilogue Notes Bibliography Index 83 125 159 188 230 235 279 299 This page intentionally left blank Acknowledgments In writing this book I have accumulated many debts. Perhaps it is impossible to weigh the gifts that I have received one against another; yet, without the patience and unquestioning support of my husband, Simon, and the scholarly guidance and astute criticism of my colleague and mentor, Professor A. D. Cousins, this book would not have been completed. During the early stages of my work on early modern gift exchange, Professor Harold Love and Dr. Geoffrey Hiller were significant and welcome critics. Professor Linda Woodbridge, Professor Jean Howard, and Professor Katharine Maus each gave up time to read this book during its later stages; without their generous and perceptive feedback it would have been far less significant and readable than it is, and I am very grateful to have had the benefit of their recommendations. Any errors or oversights that remain are, needless to say, entirely my own. Research funding received from Macquarie University (2001–3) assisted in the completion of this book, as did the support of colleagues and friends in the Department of English. On a more personal level, I would like to thank my parents and my extended family for their continued support of my work in various ways, Petrina Ng for her friendship, and Stephen Sim, whose assistance with formatting was both unexpected and unconditional. Articles based on earlier versions of s