ABSTRACT
The Gentle Craft is a prose narrative in two parts, thought to have been written about 1596 and published in 1597 (Part I) and 1598 (Part II) although there is much speculation over the accuracy of these dates. Part I of The Gentle Craft shows the origins of the shoemaking trade and Part II how it flourished in London. It is thought that Part III would have shown how shoemaking developed across England. Editorial interventions have been made to assist the modern reader. The Gdansk text is of great scholarly importance despite uncertainties about the authenticity of its date. Variations in spelling have been retained except where meaning is unclear and the author has followed many of the corrections made by earlier editors. The sequence and narrative are from the authenticated and corrected editions that followed Deloney's death.
