Shakespeare's Books, Shakespeare's Age

Geneva Bible The Bible and Holy Scriptures Geneva: Printed by Rouland Hald, 1560 The translators of the Geneva Bible were Protestants in exile from Mary Tudor’s counter-reformationist government. They first produced a New Testament in English in 1557 that was essentially a revision of William Tyndale’s revised and corrected edition of 1543. Their translation of the complete Bible appeared in this edition of 1560. It was immediately popular, and by 1644 at least 144 editions had appeared. Shakespeare used this translation of the Bible. Gift of George A. Plimpton

Baldassare Castiglione De Curiali sive Aulico libri quatuor ex Italico ... Bartholomaeo Clerke London: John Day, 1571 Castiglione wrote Il cortegiano, a discussion of the qualities of the ideal courtier in dialogue form, between 1513 and 1518. It is one of the works that most inform that of Shakespeare, and presents a world view in opposition to that of Machiavelli. His main themes include the ideals of graceful behavior, humor, honorable love, and the relationship of the courtier and his prince, stressing truth over flattery. This was the first Latin edition to be printed in England.

Raphael Holinshed The First volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande London: Imprinted for John Hunne, 1577 Shakespeare used the second, unillustrated, edition of Holinshed’s Chronicles (1587) extensively in writing Macbeth, King Lear, and Cymbeline, as well as in writing a third of the history plays (including Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2, Henry V, Henry VIII, and Richard II) two tragedies (King Lear and Macbeth) and a romance (Cymbeline). Macbeth is shown here receiving “The prophesie of three women supposing to be the wierd sisters or feiries.” This copy was owned by Robert Hoe. Bequest of Mollie Harris Samuels

Ovid The XV. Bookes of P. Ouidius Naso: Entituled, Metamorphosis … Translated out of Latin into English meeter by Arthvr Golding. London: Printed by John Danter, 1593 The translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses published under Arthur Golding’s name has been described as “Shakespeare’s Ovid.” The Metamorphoses has also been suggested as Shakespeare’s favorite book, and he read it in Latin as well as in English. Golding’s translation was made at the same time that he served as tutor to his nephew, Edward deVere. It was first printed in 1567 and was reprinted five times by 1603. This edition was printed by John Danter, publisher of the first editions of Titus Andronicus (1594) and Romeo and Juliet (1597).

Edmund Spenser Colin Clovts Come home againe London: Printed for William Ponsonbie, 1595 R. B. McKerrow has called William Ponsonby “the most important publisher of the Elizabethan period.” Not only did he publish this edition of Colin Clouts Come home againe, but also Spenser’s Faerie Queene and Sydney’s Arcadia. During this time, Edward Blount, one of the printer-publishers of the Shakespeare first folio, served his apprenticeship under Ponsonby. This copy was owned by the collector Frederick Locker-Lampson. Bequest of Mollie Harris Samuels

Sir Philip Sydney The Covntess of Pembrokes Arcadia ... Now the third time published London: Imprinted for William Ponsonbie, 1598 Sir Philip Sydney’s long pastoral romance was first published by Ponsonby in 1590, four years after the author’s death. Shakespeare drew from it both directly and indirectly, especially for the late romances such as The Winter’s Tale. Sydney dedicated the work to his sister, Mary Sydney Herbert, Countess of Pembroke, mother of the “Incomparable Paire of Brethren,” William Herbert, Earl of Pembroke, and Philip Herbert, Earl of Montgomery, to whom the Shakespeare first folio is dedicated. Bequest of Mollie Harris Samuels