Shakespeare Electronic Conference, Vol. 4, No. 611.  Thursday, 30 Sept. 1993.
 
From:           Nancy W Miller <
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Date:           Wednesday, 29 Sep 93 10:23:06 EDT
Subject: 4.0605  Re: Whores, etc.
Comment:        Re: SHK 4.0605  Re: Whores, etc.
 
Michael Sharpston certainly has a valid point that whores may very well have
been voluble, scolding, etc. as their only line of defense.  Margaret Cavendish
(yes, noble, but not blind to women's conditions at various social levels)
writes in her _CCXI Sociable Letters_ (1664) something to the effect of,
"women, having no swords to uphold, use the only weapon available--their
tongues."
 
I wonder if the scold's bridle was used among the lowest classes (including
whores) in London as readily (it seems) as in other parts of the country.  (I'm
terribly sorry I'm drawing a blank as to the author of that informative essay
on _Shrew_ in a recent issue of _SQ_, "Bridling Scolds and Scolding Brides . .
. ."  Forgive my faulty memory.)