A Note on the Text
The first edition of Nature’s Cruel Step-Dames was published as a pamphlet in London for Francis Coules in April 1637. The present edition is the first re-publication of the work since the seventeenth century. As such, this edition is based on the only extant version of the pamphlet, which is housed at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C.
As was common for printed works in the seventeenth century, the original document contains inconsistent spelling, capitalization, and typesetting, as well as outdated punctuation. Since the aim of this edition is to introduce Goodcole’s work to a wider audience of scholars, students, and British history enthusiasts in general, I have silently modernized and standardized to facilitate reading and avoid confusion for readers. For instance, I have deleted superfluous letters from words such as the “e” in “moneth”; I have added omitted letters in words so as to make “divers” the less ambiguous “diverse”; and I have replaced the “f” with an “s” in words such as “fhee” and “foule,” which have thus become “she” and “soul.” I have also amended the punctuation to add apostrophes to possessive nouns. I have retained the capitalization throughout; however, I have ignored typographical styling expect in the case of preserving the original italics for scripture verses and Latin phrases so as to set them off from the rest of the text.
As was common for printed works in the seventeenth century, the original document contains inconsistent spelling, capitalization, and typesetting, as well as outdated punctuation. Since the aim of this edition is to introduce Goodcole’s work to a wider audience of scholars, students, and British history enthusiasts in general, I have silently modernized and standardized to facilitate reading and avoid confusion for readers. For instance, I have deleted superfluous letters from words such as the “e” in “moneth”; I have added omitted letters in words so as to make “divers” the less ambiguous “diverse”; and I have replaced the “f” with an “s” in words such as “fhee” and “foule,” which have thus become “she” and “soul.” I have also amended the punctuation to add apostrophes to possessive nouns. I have retained the capitalization throughout; however, I have ignored typographical styling expect in the case of preserving the original italics for scripture verses and Latin phrases so as to set them off from the rest of the text.