Given our familiarity with Latin and nonstandardized English spelling, we are looking to work more generally on English Renaissance source materials. We are planning to create a large WWW database of sources that will include Holinshed, North's Plutarch and other texts, such as those that appear in Geoffrey Bullough's eight volume collection of Shakespeare's sources. This database will include classical and Renaissance contemporary sources, as well as Renaissance resources, such as critical books or essays (i.e. George Puttenham's The Arte of English Poesie). A number of key sources for this period have been entered. Our goal will be to extend what has been done and to begin systematic entry of a wide range of texts.
Please help us to develop the following wish-list of texts. We have broken down the list into subsets, but feel free to offer suggestions that do not appear to fit under any one of our headings. We would not, for instance, be limited to Shakespeare's sources alone. What textual resources would you like to see made available on-line that we have not included here? If the source is particularly obscure, let us know in a word why it is significant. Please write us with your suggestions.
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Preliminary List of Texts to be Entered for an
on-line Library of Early Modern Sources/Resources/Analogues
(Please note that where a text functions as a source for more than one of Shakespeare's plays, we have not repeated the source name in the separate lists.)
Narrative and Dramatic Sources of Shakespeare:
Comedy of Errors
Menaechmi of Plautus, trans. W. Warner, 1595
Amphitruo of Plautus
Confessio Amantis, John Gower
Taming of the Shrew
The Taming of a Shrew, 1594
Thresor d'histoires admirables et memorables, 1607
Supposes, George Gascoigne, 1566
Venus and Adonis
Metamorphoses, Ovid, trans. Golding, 1575
The Rape of Lucrece
The Legend of Good Women, Chaucer
Fasti, Ovid, trans. Gower, 1640
Fasti, Ovid, Latin, 1520
The Palace of Pleasure, William Painter, 1566
The Two Gentlemen of Verona
The Governour, Sir Thomas Elyot, 1531
Diana Enamorada, J. de Montemayor, trans. B. Yonge, 1598
The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, Sir Philip Sidney, 1590
Flavio Traditio, F. Scala, 1611
Tragedia von Julio und Hyppolita, trans. Georgina Archer
Romeo and Juliet
The Tragicall Historye of Romeus and Juliet, Arthur Brooke, 1562
A Midsummer Night's Dream
Canterbury Tales, Chaucer
Plutarch's Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romans, trans. Sir Thomas North, 1579
Huon de Bordeaux, trans. Lord Berners, c. 1545
The Discoverie of Witchcraft, Reginald Scot, 1584
Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae, T. Cooper, 1573
The XI Books of the Golden Asse conteigninge the Metamorphoses of Lucius Apuleius, trans. W. Adlington
A Handefull of Pleasant Delites, Clement Robinson and divers others, 1584
The Tragedy of Pyramus and Thisbe
Love's Labor's Lost
The French Academie, trans. T. B[owes], 1586
The Chronicles of Enguerrand de Monstrelet, trans. T. Johnes, 1810
The History of the Civil Wars of France, H. C. Davila, 1678
Gesta Grayorum, 1688 (W. W. Greg Malone Society Reprints, 1915)
Travels of Sir Jerome Horsey in Russia at the Close of the Sixteenth Century, E. A. Bond (Hakluyt Society, 1856)
The Merchant of Venice
Il Pecorone, Ser Giovanni Firoentino, 1558
The Three Ladies of London, R. W., 1584
The Orator, A. Silvayn, trans. L.P., 1596
Zelauto or The Fountaine of Fame, Anthony Munday, 1580
The Jew of Malta, Christopher Marlowe
Il Novellino, Masuccio, trans. W. G. Waters, 1895
Gesta Romanorum, Sir F. Madden, 1838
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Tarltons Newes out of Purgatorie, 1590
Riche his Farewell to Militarie Profession, Barnaby Riche, 1581
J. Rathgeb's Journal, (trans. in England as Seen by Foreigners, W. B. Rye, 1865
) Letter from Sir John Levenson: The Governor of Dieppe in Trouble
Endimion, John Lyly, 1591
Much Ado About Nothing
Orlando Furioso, Ludovico Arosto, trans. Sir John Harrington, 1591
The Faerie Queene, Edmund Spencer
La Prima Parte de le Nouvelle del Bandello, Lucca, 1554
Fedele and Fortunio, M. A. Anthony, 1585
As You Like It
Rosalynde, Thomas Lodge, 1590
Syr Clyomon and Clamydes, Anon, 1599
Twelfth Night
Gl'Ingannati (The Deceived), Nicolo Secchi, 1547
L'Interesse, Nicolo Scchi, 1581
The Famous History of Parismus, Emanuel Firde, 1598
The Sidney Papers - Letter by Roland White
Merry Passages and Jests, Nicholas L'Estrange
All's Well That Ends Well
(all repeats)
Measure for Measure
De Sermone Domini in Monte Secundum Matthaeum, Saint Augustine of Hippo
Hecatommithi, G. B. Giraldi Cinthio, 1583
Epitia, G. B. Giraldi Cinthio, 1583
Promos and Cassandra, George Whetstone, 1578
The Second part ... of the Boke entituled Too Good to be true, T. Lupton, 1581
The Adventures of Brusanus, Prince of Hungaria, Barnaby Riche, 1592
Henry VI, Part 1
The Union of the Two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lnacastre and Yorke, Edward Hall, 1548
Holinshed, Chronicles
Historia Regum Britanniae, Geoffrey of Monmouth
Journal of the Siege of Rouen, Sir Thomas Coningsby, 1591
Henry VI, Part 2
A Chronicle at Large, R. Grafton, 1569
Device for Lord Mayor's Pageant, T. Nelson, 1590 The Life and Death of Jack Straw, Anon, 1593/4
A Myrroure for Magistrates, The Duke of Suffolk, 1599
Henry VI, Part 3
(all repeats)
Richard III
Richardus Tertius, Thomas Legge, 1579
Seneca's Hercules Furens, trans. Jasper Heywood, 1561
The True Tragedy of Richard III, Anon., 1594
The Rose of England, Anon.
Richard II
The Chronicles of Froissart, trans. Lord Berners, 1523-5
Chronicque de la Traison et mort de Richart Deux Roy Denleterre, trans. Benjamin Williams
The First Fowre Bookes of the Civile Wars, Samuel Daniel, 1595
Thomas of Woodstock, Anon
King John
The English Chronicle of Radulph of Coggeshall
King Johan, John Bale
The Troublesome Raigne of King John, Anon., 1591
Henry IV, Part 1
The Chronicles of England, John Stow
Sir John Fastolf of Nacton
A New Enterlude called Thersytes, Anon.
The Nature of the Four Elements, John Rastell(?), 1522
The World and the Child, Anon.
Henry IV, Part 2
Tarlton's Jests, 1638
Hickscorner, Anon., 1510
The Famous Victories of Henry the Fifth, Anon., 1598
Henry V
The Annals of C. Tacitus, trans. R. Greneway, 1598
The Battle of Agincourt, Anon.
Instructions, Observations and Orders Militarie, John Smithe, 1595
Henry VIII
When You See Me, You Know Me, Samule Rowley, 1605
Julius Caesar
The Histories of Sallust, trans. Thomas Heywood, 1608
The Roman History of Velleius Paterculus, trans. Sir R. LeGrys, 1632
The Historie of Twelve Caesars, Suetonius, trans. Philemon Holland, 1606
The Civil Wars, Appian of Alexandria, trans. W. B., 1578
The Roman Histories of Florus, trans. E. M. B[olton], [1619]
Il Cesare, Orlando Pescetti, 1594
Caesar Interfectus, Richard Eedes
Ceasar's Revenge, Anon., 1607
Antony and Cleopatra
Lucan's Pharsalia, trans. Thomas May, 1627
The Antiquities of the Jews by Flavius Josephus, trans. T. Lodge, 1602
The Roman Histories of Florus, Trans. E. M. B[olton[, [1619]
The Deeds of Caesar, Anon., 13th century
Cleopatra, G. B. Giraldi Cinthio, 1583
The Tragedy of Antonie, Robert Garnier, trans. Mary Herbert (sidney), 1595
The Tragey of Cleopatra, Samuel Daniel, 1599
Coriolanus
The Romane Historie of T. Livy, trans. Philemon Holland, 1600
Versions of Menenius's Fable
The Great Frost, T. Dekker(?), 1608
Titus Andronicus
The History of Titus Andronicus, Anon.
The Lamentable and Tragical History of Titus Andronicus (ballad)
A Lamentable Ballad, Anon.
Plutarch's Parallel Lives, trans. North, 1597
Troilus and Cressida
The Seaven Bookes of Homers Iliads, trans. George Chapman, 1598
The Iliads of Homer, trans. G. Chapman, 1611
The Hystorye Sege and Dystruccyon of Troye, John Lydgate, 1513
The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye, Raoul Lefevre, trans. William Caxton, 1474
The Testament of Cressida
Timon of Athens
Lucian's The Dialogue of Timon, trans. N. da Lonigo, 1536
Timone, M. M. Boiardo, c. 1487
Theatrum Mundi, P. Boaistuau, trans. John Alday, after 1601
Campaspe, John Lyly, 1584
Pericles, Prince of Tyre
The Patterne of Painefull Adventures, Lawrence Twine, 1594(?)
The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia, P. Sidney, 1590
The Painfull Adventures of Pericles, Prince of Tyre, George Wilkins, 1608
The Orator, Alexander Silvayn, trans. Lazarus Piot, 1596
Hamlet
Historiae Danicae, Saxo Grammaticus, trans. O. Elton, (1894)
The Romane Historie, Titus Livius, trans. Philemon Holland, 1600
The Hystorie of Hamblet , Anon., 1608
Henrici Scotorum Regis Manes..., I. G. (John Gordon), 1587
Fratricide Punished, Anon., trans., H. Howard Furness
Seneca, His Tenne Tragedies, Thomas Newton, 1581
Agamemnon, trans. John Studley, 1566
Troas, trans. Jasper Heywood, 1581
The St. Alban's Chronicle
Tarltons Newes of Purgatorie, Anon., 1590
The murder of Francesco Maria I, Duke of Urbino
Eulogies of Men Famous for Warlike Virtue, Paolo Giovio, 1575
The Tragedie of Dido Queene of Carthage, Christopher Marlowe
A Warning of Faire Women, Anon., 1599
The Conflict of Conscience, Nathaniel Woods, 1581
Othello
Gli Hecatommithi, G. B. Giiraldi Cinthip, 1566 edn.
Certaine Tragicall Discourses of Bandello, trans. Geoffrey Fenton, 1567
The Generall Historie of the Turkes, Richard Knolles, 1603
King Lear
On the Annesley Case: Sir John Wildegos to Lord Cecil, Sir Thomas Walsingham to Lord Cecil, Cordell Annesley to Lord Cecil, Epitaph on Brian Annelsley
Historia Anglicana, trans. Geoffrey of Monmouth (Aaron Thompson 1718)
"An Historical Description of Iland of Britaine," William Harrison
Remaines Concerning Britaine, William Camden, 1606
Albion's England, William Warner, 1589 edn.
The True Chronicle Historie of King Leir..., Anon., 1605
A Declaration of egregious Popish Impostures, Samuel Harsnett, 1603
Macbeth
Vertumnus Sive Annus Recurrens, Matthew Gwinn, 1607
The Chronicle of Andrew Wyntoun
"The Description of Scotland," (Ancient Scottish customs)
The Chronicles of England, Young Siward
The Chronicles of England, Edward the Confessor
Rerum Scoticarum Historia, George Buchanan, trans. T. Page, 1690
De Origine, Moribus, et Rebus Gestis Scotorum, John Leslie, 1578
A Defensative against the Poyson of Supposed Prophecies, Henry Howard, 1583
Seneca's Medea, trans. John Studley, 1566
Gesta Romanorum, Anon
Thomas of Reading, Thomas Deloney, 1600
An Alphabet of Tales, Estienne de Besancon
Cymbeline
The Decameron, Giovanni Boccaccio, trans. Anon. 1620
Frederyke of Jennen, Anon, 1560
Euphemia: A Comedy, Lope de Rueda, 1567
The Rare Triumphes of Love and Fortune, Anon., 1589
Jerusalem Delivered, Torquato Tasso, trans. Edward Fairfax, 1600
The Winter's Tale
Pandosto. The Triumph of Time, Robert Greene, 1588
Parismenos, [Emmanuel Forde], 1609
Mucedorus, Anon. 1610
The Fisherman's Tale, Francis Sabie, 1595
Flora's Fortune, Francis Sabie, 1595
The Second Part of Conny-catching, and The Third Part of Conny-catching, Robert Greene, 1592
Humour Out of Breath, John Day, 1608
The Ninth Book of Amadis de Gaule, F. de Silva, C. Colet, 1577
The History of the Tryall of Chevalry, Anon., 1605
The Tempest
A True Reportory of the Wrake and Redemption of Sir Thomas gates, Knight, William Strachey, 1610
A true Declaration of the estate of the Colonie of Virginia..., 1610
A True and Sincere declaration of the purpose and ends of the Plantation begun in Virginia, 1610
The Mirrour of Knighthood, trans. M. Tyler, 1578
The Fair Sidea, Jacob Ayrer, 1618, trans. H. H. Furness
John a Kent and John a Cumber, Anthony Munday, 1594
The Three Satyrs, A Pastoral Tale, Anon., early 17th c.
Hymenaei,A Masque, Ben Jonson, 1606
Colloquia: The Shipwreck, a Dialogue, Desiderius Erasmus, trans. W. B[urton], 1606
Religious:
Bibles: Geneva, Bishop's, Tindale's, King James's
The state of Melford church as I, Roger Martyn, did know it
Hugh Latimer, Convocation sermon, 1536
The Ten Articles, 1536
Robert Parkyn's narrative of the reformation, 1532-54
Rose Hickman's memoir of Protestant life under Mary
John Foxe's Acts and Monuments
Accounts and inventories of St. Edmund's parish
The Book of Common Prayer, 1559
An Act for the Uniformity of Common Prayer and Divine Service, 1559
The Thirty-Nine Articles, 1563
The homily against contention and brawling
Thomas Becon's New Catechism, 1559
A view of popish abuses yet remaining in the English church, 1572
Archbishop Grindal's Injunctions for the laity in the Province of York, 1571
Archbishop Grindal's letter to the queen, 1576
George Gifford's Country Divinity, 1582
Philip Stubbes, The manner of sanctifying the Sabbath, 1583
Oxfordshire archdeaconry court, 1584
William Allen's Defence of English Catholics
William perkins, A Golden Chain, or the Description of Theology, 1590
Samuel Ward's diary, 1595
Bishop Matthew's reprot on the Hampton Court Conference, 1604
Constitutions and Canons Ecclesiastical , 1604
Archbishop Bancroft's Letter regarding Catholic recusants, 1605
William Bradshaw's English Puritanism, 1605
Archbishop Abbot's letter regarding preaching, 1622
Samuel Gardiner, The Foundation of the Faithful, 1611
John Buckeridge, A Sermon Touching Prostration and Kneeling, 1618
Lancelot Andrewes, "A Sermon Before the King," 1621
Richard Sheldon, A Sermon Laying Open the Beast and his Marks, 1622
The King's Declaration of Sports, 1633
Bishop Piere's report on Somerset parish feasts, 1633
Henry Burton, A Divine Tragedy Lately Acted, 1636
Archbishop Laud's visitation of Leicestershire, 1634
Richard Montague's articles of enquiry for the diocese of Norwich, 1638
Christopher Dow's narrative of the rise and progress of the "Disciplinarians", 1637
Robert Skinner, A Sermon Preached before the King at Whitehall, 1634
The Roots and Branches Petition, 1640
The Protestation Oath, 1641
The Solemn League and Covenant, 1643
William Dowsing's destructions in East Anglia, 1643-4
Directory for Public Worship, 1645
Nicholas Proffet, Englands Impenitence under Smiting, 1645
Thomas Edwards on the practices and errors of the secretaries, 1646
Richard Baxter's ministry at Kidderminster, 1647-60
Elizabethan Critical Essays:
Roger Ascham, The Scholemaster, 1570
Richard Willes, Poematum Liber., 1573
George Gascoigne, Certayne Notes of Instruction, 1575
George Whetstone, Dedication to Promos and Cassandra, 1578
Thomas Lodge, A Defense of Poetry, 1579
Spencer-Harvey correspondence 1579-80
'E. K.', Epistle Dedicatory to The Shepheards Calender, 1579
Richard Stanyhurst, Dedication and Preface to Aeneid, 1582
Sir Philip Sidney, An Apologie for Poetrie, 1583/95
King James VI, Ane Schort Treatise conteining some Reulis and
autelis to be obseruit and eschewit in Scottis Poesie, 1584
William Webbe, A Discourse of English Poetrie, 1586
Abraham Fraunce, The Arcadian Rhetorike, 1588
Thomas Nashe, Preface to Greene's Menaphon, 1589
Anatomie of Absurdity, 1589
Puttenham, The Arte of English Poesie, 1589
Sir John Harington, A Preface, or rather a Briefe Apologie of Poetrie (prefixed to Orlando Furioso)
Thomas Nashe, Preface to Astrophel and Stella, 1591
Gabriel Harvey, Pierce's Supererogation (1593) and A New Letter of Notable Contents, 1593
Richard Carew, The Excellency of the English Tongue, ?1595-6
George Chapman, Preface to Seuen Bookes of the Iliades of Homere, 1598, and dedication of Achilles Shield, 1598
Francis Meres, Palladis Tamia, 1598
Seventeenth Century Critical Essays:
William Vaughan, The Golden Grove, 1600
Thomas Campion, Observations in the Art of English Poesie, 1602
Samuel Daniel, A Defence of Rhyme, ?1603
Thomas Wilson, The Arte of Rhetoric
Edmund Bolton, Hypercritica, ?1618
Henry Peacham, The Complete Gentleman, 1622
Francis Bacon, collected essays
Henry Reynolds, Mythomystes, 1633?
Sir William Alexander, Anacrisis, 1634
Sir John Suckling, A Session of the Poets, 1637?
John Milton, collected essays
Thomas Sprat, The History of the Royal Society, 1667
Government documents:
State papers (ie. Venetian) from Elizabeth and James's reigns - or at least an index of these
Elizabeth's foreign and domestic correspondencees
James's foreign and domestic correspondencees
Private Journals of the Long Parliament
Additional:
Pamphlets, like Hic Mulier and Haec Vir
John Stubbs, The Discovery of a Gaping Gulf, 1579
George Puttenham, The Arte of English Poesie, 1589
Thomas Wilson, The Arte of Rhetoric
Burton's Anatomy of Melancholy
Queen Elizabeth's collected writings
King James's collected writings
Joseph Swetnam's pamphlet, The Arraignment of Lewd, Idle, Froward and Unconstant Woman, 1615
Reynolds, The Triumph of God's Revenge, 1621, 1640
Thomas Scot's pamphlet Vox Populi
John Smith, Mystery of Rhetoric Unveiled, 1657 (Menston:Eng., 1657)
Abraham Fraunce, The Lawyer's Logic, 1588
Letters from George Lord Carew to Sir Thomas Roe, 1615-17
Sir Edward Cokes, Institutes of the Laws of England