Reading and writing Frances Howard: “From Katherins dock there Lanch’t a Pinke” in context

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis article discusses the literary, political, and bibliographical context of “From Katherins dock there Lanch’t a Pinke,” one of the most popular libels of the early Stuart period. This satirical account of Frances Howard’s divorce from the Earl of Essex and remarriage to the Earl of Somerset made a distinctive contribution to English literary and political culture throughout the seventeenth century. The poem distils information, tropes, and themes into a succinct form, presenting an opinionated narrative that could have attracted attention. Surviving copies of the text show readers taking an active interest in the poem, making their own additions and copying it out in many disparate contexts. The poem opens a window into the politicization of early modern culture, showing how authors and readers alike engaged with ideas that implicitly challenged the supremacy of court and monarch, through a text that appealed to those with an active interest in court politics, and those who read the poem for other reasons.