Plutarch, The lives of the noble Grecians and Romaines, London, Richard Field, 1612 - dedication, p. A3r.
Shakespeare’s queen has books of history dedicated to her.
Sir Thomas North, a lawyer, whose father had been an MP and privy councillor to Henry VIII and to Mary Tudor, dedicated his translation ...
Poetry Book
A paper-back book containing poetry and pictures. It has a grey cover and red printing and was given to Edith Westray in 1895.
Poor Relief Register, Leamington Priors
This is a hard backed register book listing assessments for poor relief in the parish of Leamington Priors. It has a faded marbled cover with leather spine and corners, and an inscription written in ink ...
Poor Relief Register, Leamington Priors
This is a hard backed register listing assessments for poor relief in the parish of Leamington Priors. It has a faded marbled cover with leather spine and corners and an inscription written in ink on ...
Poor Relief Register, Leamington Priors
This is a hard backed register listing assessments for poor relief in the parish of Leamington Priors. It has a faded marbled cover with leather spine and corners, and an inscription written in ink on ...
Poor Relief Register, Leamington Priors and Newbold Comyn
This is a hard backed register listing assessments for poor relief in the parishes of Leamington Priors and Newbold Comyn. It has a faded marbled yellow cover with leather spine and corners and a label ...
Practical Dissertation on the Waters of Leamington Spa
This is a third edition paper back book from 1831 contained within a box. The book includes a history of the springs at Leamington Spa.
Publius Ovidius Naso [Ovid], The XV bookes Metamorphosis, translated... by Arthur Golding..., 1603, title-page.
A School text studied by Shakespeare.
William Shakespeare knew this series of stories about miraculous transformations, written by the Roman poet Ovid well as they formed an important part of regular ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles , London for George Bishop, 1577, - Elizabethan men at a meeting, woodcut, page 119, detail.
John Shakespeare, an alderman of Stratford.
When William Shakespeare's father, John, a glove-maker by trade, attended aldermen's meetings in Stratford-upon-Avon in the 1560s and 1570s, the council ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - 'History of England', p.46.
Shakespeare's source for England's mythical history.
The woodcut illustrations of the first edition of Holinshed’s work depicting scenes of battle and warfare are in contemporary dress, with ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - 'History of Scotland', title page.
Shakespeare’s ‘Scottish’ play is founded in history.
Holinshed’s first edition of The Chronicles, in 1577 included 'The Historie of Scotland' in which Shakespeare found the ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - harvest woodcut, 'History of Scotland', p. 232.
A harvest scene, from a book known to Shakespeare.
Shakespeare’s parents both came from farming families so he knew well that everyone in country districts would help with cutting and sheaving ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Kings Cymbeline and Guiderius, 'History of England' p.47.
Shakespeare's source for Cymbeline.
Besides the story of Guiderius, which was based on myth and legend, Shakespeare found, in the 'Chronicles of Scotland', a tale of a nobleman and his two sons fighting ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Macbeth and Banquo, woodcut, 'History of Scotland', p.243, detail.
Shakespeare's source for Macbeth's meeting with the weird sisters.
This woodcut, from Holinshed's first edition of 'The Chronicles of Scotland' shows the meeting of Macbeth and Banquo with the three ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Macbeth and the weird sisters, 'History of Scotland', p.244, detail.
Shakespeare's source for the killing of King Duncan.
Macbeth kills Duncan, and has himself crowned at Scone, as Ross and Macduff discuss: ‘the sovereignty will fall upon Macbeth. He is already ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Macbeth, 'History of Scotland', p.244, detail.
Shakespeare's source for a prophecy: Macbeth becomes Thane of Cawdor
Here the Chronicles describe Macbeth being created Thane of Cawdor, and Duncan proclaiming Malcolm as his heir to the throne, two ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - The thane of Cawdor is condemned, 'History of Scotland', p.244, detail.
The source for Shakespeare's Macbeth.
Shakespeare always amended and used his sources to suit the needs of drama. An example of this is Holinshed's tale that Banquo and others, as well as Lady Macbeth, ...
Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577 - Volume 1 title page
Shakespeare’s major sourcebook for the history plays.
Raphael (or Ralph) Holinshed began his career in London as a translator and worked on a history of the world of which the sections on England ...