The Elizabethan Underworld

by Gamini Salgado

The complex network of beggars and thieves, vagabonds and rogues that inhabited the colourful underworld society of London's taverns, brothels and gambling dens is what the author investigates. The book contains 60 illustrations from manuscripts and pamphlets, bringing to life this sector of Elizabethan society.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Crime, Elizabethan Period, British Literature, Tudor Period, Renaissance

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Pete daPixie · Rating 3 out of 5]

'The Elizabethan Underworld', is a helter skelter read that mainly features life amongst London's 16th century criminal classes. Salgado takes the reader by the hand and leads you through the streets of London, to show something that will make you change your mind...four hundred years before Ralph McTell.
The author uses a large selection of primary sources that brings the Elizabethan street slang to life as well as extracts from the playwrights, Shakespeare, Jonson, Dekker and Middleton and divers other documentary sources. The descriptive guide through the capital cities streets, market places, main thoroughfares (The Strand and Cheapside), London Bridge and St.Pauls are just so realistic. When Highgate and St.Giles were still villages and Hampstead was a real Heath and the M25 of the day was the river. Aldersgate,Cripplegate,Moorgate,Bishopsgate,Aldgate,Ludgate and Newgate were real gates of the city defences, closed shut at nightfall. However, it's the people that are vividly brought to life here, not the usual Elizabethan personalities, but the underclass, criminals, con-men, whores, strolling players, minstrels, alchemists and astrologers. All on the look-out for some likely out of town 'gull' from whom to beg, borrow or steal the odd groat or two.
The slang is excellent. My favourite is 'stampers' for shoes. Others have travelled well, like 'beak' for magistrate and 'booze' for booze and 'duds' for clothes, some have changed, like 'punk' for prostitute. All in all, methinks, quite an interesting and enjoyable book.

[Bill38silver · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you think we are bedevilled with a surfeit of scammers and scumbags, you would have not enjoyed life in Elizabethan times in England. This interesting and enjoyable book shows how deeply embedded were petty and violent crime in sixteenth century society despite the harsh, often fatal punishments imposed for so many offences.

Salgado has thoroughly researched the smells, sleaze, specialities and variety amongst those involved in surviving through criminal activity on such a huge scale. It really was not a good idea to open your door, go down the alehouse, or be a stranger visiting unfamiliar locations. There can have been very little trust in most communities with pickpockets, fraudsters, conmen and con-women rife(and rifling through your pockets, telling tall tales, stealing your sheets hanging on the washing line, witches casting spells on you and beating you up as soon as look at you). Nor would you have liked to be accused of anything and carted off to a prison, be in debt, or be mad.

And we bewail our lot a lot....

[Matthew Welker · Rating 4 out of 5]

The edition I have of this book is the one published by Folio I believe as part of a “dark history” collection. I read their edition of Weir’s Princes in the Tower and the book on the Great Fire of London. Of the three this is the one I’d say I “enjoyed” the most. Not that the subject material is joyful though I found some of the ways criminals, tricksters, and so on carried out their acts in Elizabethan England to be quite humorous.

Anyway, I’d say this is a solid book. It’s certainly older and maybe dated in parts in certain areas, but you still learn a lot about what I suppose is one of England’s golden ages of crime & debauchery. The fairs sounded fun though!

[John Fredrickson · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book has some very interesting material in it, but is poorly organized and quite repetitive. Salgado clearly knew his material, but repeats his themes in a somewhat endless fashion.

One interesting benefit of reading this book is that it forces one to realize that human nature doesn't change from age to age. The Elizabethan deceivers, thieves, frauds, and prostitutes and their various scams match up to some of the issues we face today exceedingly well.

[Abel Guerrero · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was interesting and illuminating, with lots of amusing anecdotes as well as factual descriptions which gave real insight into the criminal classes in the EMP. The Folio Society version is handsomely illustrated, too

[A.M. Steiner · Rating 4 out of 5]

A history textbook written with a novelist's flair, The Elizabethan Underworld presents a compelling insight into the period's criminality through snippets taken from contemporary pamphlets, diaries, plays and anecdotes.

[Adam · Rating 3 out of 5]

A useful breakdown of the underworld characters to be found in history and art that lived in the Elizabethan period. Split by types such as Astrologers and Alchemists, Bedlam inmates and the wretched poor, the book is a useful resource.

[Dylan Craig · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accessible and comprehensive; can't fault it on any of those fronts. You're going to have to plug in supplementary knowledge of Elizabethan and Stuart society and politics, but that's hardly the book's fault: including those would have made it an absolute brick.

[George Foord · Rating 2 out of 5]

Some interesting reads but it is put together by throwing information on pages

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the chapters are more interesting than others. The most interesting were in my opinion those about witches, astrology, prisons and the mentally insane.

[Relstuart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I mainly own and read this because it's a part of a beautiful set of Folio Society history books.

One of the intriguing facts was the lack of social stigma during this time a jail sentence brought. So many people spent time in jail it was just a unfortunate event that had happened, like being sick, perhaps not your fault and these things happen. Not really the way society looks at jail time now even though (in America) many people complain that the percentage of people placed jail is bad because of the stigma attached to their service and the way that can limit folks opportunity. The social shaming is part of the deterrent effect of punishment in our justice system. Reducing stigma reduces deterrence under our current philosophy.

While the subject matter is handled well, with many citations to primary sources, it's probably not one I would have picked up absent it's inclusion into the set. Were I writing in this time period and needed to research the underworld and criminal class of society this would be a vital resource.

[Ned · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was just fine. Nice to read alongside any bit of English history c. 1300-1700 but specifically deals with roughly the times of Elizabeth, Shakespeare, and the Civil War. Fun in places as a book. Not at all the case for their reality. Dangerous times on the roads and in the cities. The fairs too were full of shysters aplenty. The way they could smile and lie and have your purse stolen while you stand there mouth agape without once suspecting them. How times have changed. And not.

[Matthew Retoske · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked reading this, although I think it could probably do with a better edition, as mine seemed to have a lot of errors. It's a good intro to the various subcultures of Elizabethan England. Some chapters I liked more than others (the three opening chapters might be the strongest), but it's a pretty fascinating slice of the (surprisingly "organized") underbelly of Elizabethan England.

[Richard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought this was a wonderfully detailed look at the "seamy underbelly", far from the lilting Elizabethan ballads and and courtly blah blah: theaters, fairs, prisons, brothels... Recommended for anyone interested in the flip side of history.

[Priscilla]

amazon.com

[Lindsey · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining read, but the edition I have is full of typos. The evidence the author presents isn't terribly solid, though he does provide notes.

[Redsteve · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light read and a bit speculative in places (I'll admit to having some issue with a few of his conclusions), but basically sound.

[Tracy Friend · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish this book had given more realistic detail for actual daily living, but it was worth reading. Not a deep read, but I like owning it.

[sologdin · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of the essential books for those taking seriously the writings of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Jonson, Dekker, Marston, Middleton, Nashe, &c.

[Dave · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting subject but poorly organized and rambly.