Male Friendship and Testimonies of Love in Shakespeare's England reveals the complex and unfamiliar forms of friendship that existed between men in the late sixteenth century. Using the unpublished letter archive of the Elizabethan spy Anthony Bacon (1558-1601), it shows how Bacon negotiated a path through life that relied on the support of his friends, rather than the advantages and status that came with marriage. Through a set of case-studies focusing on the Inns of Court, the prison, the aristocratic great house and the spiritual connection between young and ardent Protestants, this book argues that the 'friendship spaces' of early modern England permitted the expression of male same-sex intimacy to a greater extent than has previously been acknowledged.
"Through a reading of [Anthony] Bacon's archive at Lambeth Palace, Tosh identifies the myriad aspects that constituted a Renaissance friendship: Ciceronian (and almost Petrarchan) ideals, 'affectional transactions', 'chivalric brotherhood'. ? It is at once spry and judicious, humane and knowledgeable; it has, in another of Francis Bacon's remarks about friendship, 'peace in the affections and support of the judgment'." (Robert Stagg, Times Literary Supplement, Issue 5947, March, 2017)
"This book, part of the Palgrave series Early Modern Literature in History, is a valuable addition to the long-standing examination of major figures in Elizabethan England as well as to more recent areas of study such as queer theory and affect studies. As a whole, the book nicely reminds us that affectionate terms shared by men in letters were not only used to support political and economic alliances, but could also indicate heartfelt intimate connection as well." (John S. Garrison, Renaissance Quarterly, Vol. 70 (4), 2017)
"Will Tosh's lucidly written new study of the topic adds to our understanding of this phenomenon, and may inform further work on the subject. ? Tosh is very good on the ways in which sites of friendship might be exploited for political purposes ? . This balanced, judicious, well-documented account is a pleasure to read, and will inform our future understanding of affective cultures in general, as well as offering valuable insight into the lives of the individuals concerned." (Tom Macfaul, The Review of English Studies, December, 2016)
