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Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, 1634 - shipwreck illustration , pl. XLI, p. 341

Shipwrecks and storms at sea were often in the news in Shakespeare's London. The storms of the Mediterranean sea were notorious. Shakespeare included them in his plays of The Comedy of Errors, Twelfth ...

Ludovico Ariosto, Orlando Furioso, 1634 - Sir John Harington, title page, detail.

A courtier: Sir John Harington, Shakespeare's contemporary. Sir John Harington, son of Henry VIII's treasurer, was godson to Queen Elizabeth I. He was educated at Eton College and Cambridge before ...

Michael Drayton, Polyolbion, 1613 - Musicmakers by the River Severn - plate between p.54 & p.55

Country music making in Shakespeare's time. Queen Elizabeth I was skilled on the virginals, (a keyboard instrument, popular for accompaniment of singers), and all classes of society were encouraged ...

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 - 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 - woodcut of King from page margin, p. 219.

A marginal woodcut that draws attention to an English king studied by Shakespeare. The first edition of Holinshed’s Chronicles woodcuts is illustrated throughout, and the kings are presented ...

Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577, 'History of Scotland', - a sermon, woodcut, p.144, detail.

Sermons: frequently heard by Shakespeare. Regular attendance at church made all Elizabethans familiar with sermons delivered by the local, or visiting clergy. In Shakespeare's comedies especially, ...

Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577, 'History of Scotland', - a siege, woodcut, p. 231, detail.

War in Europe in Shakespeare’s time. War between the states of Europe was common in the sixteenth century and Queen Elizabeth's armies, and navy fought against the Spanish, and in the Low Countries ...

Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1577, 'History of Scotland', - battle woodcut, , p.99, detail.

Contemporary battles inspired woodcuts in the first edition of Shakespeare’s source. The detailed woodcuts in Holished's first edition, inspired by contemporary Elizabethan campaigns in Ireland, ...

Raphael Holinshed, The... Chronicles, 1587, Vol.3, title page.

The account of English history that Shakespeare read. Holinshed embarked on revision of the Chronicles, but died in 1580, leaving his notes to be used by the men whose names appeared in the printer's ...

Richard Day, A Booke of Christian prayers..., 1581 - Baptism woodcut,, p.61v. detail

An Infant Baptism: Shakespeare was baptised 23 April 1564. William Shakespeare, the first boy, but third child of John and Mary Shakespeare, was baptised in the local parish church of Stratford-upon-Avon ...

Richard Day, A Booke of Christian prayers..., 1581 - Christian duty p.53v, detail.

Homilies : life-style advised for Shakespeare and his contemporaries. All children would accompany their parents to church each Sunday, where they would hear the readings from the Bible, and also the ...

Richard Day, A Booke of Christian prayers..., 1581 - Communion woodcut, p.62r, detail.

Holy Communion: a church service attended by all Elizabethans. This woodcut shows the distribution of wine and bread at Holy Communion to the congregation at the altar. It was the duty of all confirmed ...

Richard Day, A Booke of Christian prayers..., 1581 - Confessional prayer, p.56v.

The Christian life to be followed by Elizabethans. This prayer asks for forgiveness of sins and is flanked by flowers, a quotation and a woodcut on the sense of smell. Smells, both pleasant and unpleasant, ...

Richard Day, A Booke of Christian prayers..., 1581 - Feed the Hungry woodcut, p.72v.

Charity: feeding the poor in Shakespeare's time. All communities had their share of the poor and Elizabethans would regularly offer their unwanted ‘left-over’ food to those less fortunate ...