Part I.--Renaissance and Reformation (_1500-1579_).

Forces at Work.--The accession of the Tudors making for peace and social development. The introduction and spread of the new learning by Erasmus and others. The Reformation. Henry’s struggle with the Papacy, and the resulting reconstitution of the English church and dissolution of the monasteries. The religious persecutions under Mary and Elizabeth, and the beginnings of Puritanism.

Literary Features.--A period of transition and for the most part poor in material. Changes in the language, such as the dropping of the final e, are causing new metrical experiments and forms. Barclay introduces the ecologue, and Wyatt and Surrey the sonnet. A striking feature is the decay of Scottish poetry, which does not revive until the 18th century. The drama gradually supersedes the old metrical romance. The miracle and morality play give way to the interlude, and later to tragedy and comedy proper. Prose is chiefly concerned with religious and historical topics. There is a marked decay in the influence of Latin models, and some tentative attempts to develop native qualities. The bases of all our four prose styles are laid in this period.

1. POETRY.--(a) The Scottish Rearguard: Lyndsay. Maitland. Alex. Scott. Alex. Montgomerie. (b) The Spenserian Vanguard: Hawes. Barclay. Skelton. (c) Satirical and Social Literature: Mock testaments. Satires on women. Jest books. Vagabond literature, (d) The New English Poetry: Wyatt and Surrey. Gascoigne. Sackville. The poetical miscellanies. (e) Verse Translations from the Classics: Their influence as source books for dramatic plots, etc. Jasper Heywood. Turberville. Phaer and Golding.

2. THE DRAMA.--The Interlude: John Heywood and John Rastel. Bale and the “mystery play.” The new classical models at court and school. The first comedies: “Ralph Roister Doister,” “Gammer Gurton’s Needle,” etc. Dutch, Spanish, and Italian influences. Gascoigne. Edwards and the anonymous “Humanists,” and their tragi-comedy. Romantic comedy: “Promos and Cassandra,” Senecan Tragedy: “Gorboduc,” Gascoigne. Kyd. Daniel.

3. CRITICAL PROSE.--Elyot and Ascham. Cheke. Wilson.

4. THE RENAISSANCE SCHOLARS.--Erasmus. Linacre. Grocyn. Colet. Lyly. Fisher. More. Elyot.

5. REFORMATION LITERATURE.--Erasmus. “The Book of Common Prayer.” Tyndale, Coverdale, and other workers on the English Bible. Cranmer, Latimer, and the sermon writers. Sternhold and Hopkins and the Hymnal. Foxe’s “Book of Martyrs.” The Reformation in Scotland: P. Hamilton. J. Knox. R. Lindesay.

6. HISTORY AND TRAVEL.--Berners. Bale. Hall. Leland. Harrison. Hollinshed.