The First English Novel a Study of George Gascoigne's Adventures of Master F. J.

Extract

Early in the year 1573 there appeared from the press of Richard Smith an anonymous quarto bearing the title: A Hundreth sundrie Flowres bound up in one small Poesie . . . . Yelding sundrie sweet savours of Tragical, Comicall, and Morall Discourses, both pleasaunt and profitable to the well smellyng noses of learned Readers. The third “flower” of this delectable bouquet was called A pleasant discourse of the adventures of master F. J. The reader whose well-smelling nose sampled this offering soon found that its fragrance was highly spiced. The story relates the intrigue between Master F. J. and the daughter-in-law of his host at a summer house-party in the north of England. After a passionate love affair of some weeks, during which the reader is left in no doubt as to the adulterous nature of their relations, his lady is unfaithful to him as well as to her husband, and the disappointed lover departs. This story attracted considerable attention and was thought to shadow forth an actual contemporary scandal, although the only names used were those of Elinor, Fraunces, the Secretary, etc. Outside of the fact that the printer tells us we may expand “F. J.” into Freeman Jones, “for the better understanding of the same,” there are no surnames used in the whole story.