William Ponsonby (1546? – 1604) was a prominent London publisher of the Elizabethan era. Active in the 1577–1603 period, Ponsonby published the works of Edmund Spenser, Sir Philip Sidney, and other members of the Sidney circle;[1] he has been called "the leading literary publisher of Elizabethan times."[2]
Title page, Fowre Hymnes, by Edmund Spenser, published by Richard Field (as indicated by the use of his distinctive printer's mark) for William Ponsonby, London, 1596
Ponsonby completed his apprenticeship under stationer William Norton on 11 January 1571. Around 1576 he established his own bookshop at the sign of the Bishop's Head in St. Paul's Churchyard.[3]
Ponsonby's relationship with the works of Spenser began when he issued the 1590 volume of The Faerie Queene, Books 1–3. Ponsonby published all of Spenser's future works, including the complete edition of The Faerie Queene in 1596; he issued the entire Spenserian canon except for the poet's earliest volume, The Shepherd's Calendar (1579).
Ponsonby nourished a reputation as an elite publisher, and so avoided what the Elizabethans considered lower-prestige product – like stage plays. Ponsonby printed none of the plays of English Renaissance drama that are such a strong focus of modern interest in his era, and he generally avoided the non-dramatic works of dramatists as well – though his 1583 edition of Robert Greene'sMamilia, Part II, and his 1594 publication of George Chapman's The Shadow of Night, are exceptions to this general trend. In 1595 Ponsonby tried to register ownership of Lewes Lewkenor's The Estate of English fugitives under the King of Spain and his ministers but the edition was printed, possibly piratically, by John Drawater, assistant to Thomas BlagraveMaster of the Revels (Ponsonby's apprentice Edward Blount largely followed his master's example of avoiding plays during his own independent career – though Blount made a few exceptions, most notably the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays in 1623.) Ponsonby made occasional exceptions for closet drama, as with the Countess of Pembroke's Antony noted above.
In an age when the disciplines of publishing and printing were largely (though not entirely) separate, Ponsonby concentrated on publishing and commissioned professional printers to print his texts. The 1590 Faerie Queene volume, for example, was printed by John Wolfe, while Ponsonby's 1595 edition of Spenser's Amoretti and Epithalamion was printed by Peter Short. The 1583 Mamilia was printed by Thomas Creede.
On Ponsonby's death in 1604, many of his copyrights passed to his brother-in-law, stationer Simon Waterson.[4]
^Michael Brennan, "William Ponsonby: Elizabethan Stationer," Analytical and Enumerative Bibliography Vol. 7 No. 3 (1983), p. 91.
^Harry Gidney Aldis, The Printed Book, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1951; p. 38.
^Michael G. Brennan, and Noel J. Kinnamon, A Sidney Chronology 1554–1654, London, Palgrave Macmillan, 2003; pp. 28-9.
^Adolphus William Ward and Alfred Rayney Waller, eds. The Cambridge History of English Literature. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 1910; Vol. IV, p. 454.
January 16, 2023
william, ponsonby, publisher, william, ponsonby, 1546, 1604, prominent, london, publisher, elizabethan, active, 1577, 1603, period, ponsonby, published, works, edmund, spenser, philip, sidney, other, members, sidney, circle, been, called, leading, literary, pu. William Ponsonby 1546 1604 was a prominent London publisher of the Elizabethan era Active in the 1577 1603 period Ponsonby published the works of Edmund Spenser Sir Philip Sidney and other members of the Sidney circle 1 he has been called the leading literary publisher of Elizabethan times 2 Title page Fowre Hymnes by Edmund Spenser published by Richard Field as indicated by the use of his distinctive printer s mark for William Ponsonby London 1596 Ponsonby completed his apprenticeship under stationer William Norton on 11 January 1571 Around 1576 he established his own bookshop at the sign of the Bishop s Head in St Paul s Churchyard 3 Ponsonby s relationship with the works of Spenser began when he issued the 1590 volume of The Faerie Queene Books 1 3 Ponsonby published all of Spenser s future works including the complete edition of The Faerie Queene in 1596 he issued the entire Spenserian canon except for the poet s earliest volume The Shepherd s Calendar 1579 In regard to Sidney Ponsonby issued both the 1590 and 1593 editions of the Arcadia the 1595 edition of The Defence of Poesie and the large 1598 folio collection that included Astrophil and Stella The works of Sidney s sister Mary Countess of Pembroke including Antony 1592 1595 her translation of Garnier s tragedy were also published by Ponsonby Ponsonby nourished a reputation as an elite publisher and so avoided what the Elizabethans considered lower prestige product like stage plays Ponsonby printed none of the plays of English Renaissance drama that are such a strong focus of modern interest in his era and he generally avoided the non dramatic works of dramatists as well though his 1583 edition of Robert Greene s Mamilia Part II and his 1594 publication of George Chapman s The Shadow of Night are exceptions to this general trend In 1595 Ponsonby tried to register ownership of Lewes Lewkenor s The Estate of English fugitives under the King of Spain and his ministers but the edition was printed possibly piratically by John Drawater assistant to Thomas Blagrave Master of the Revels Ponsonby s apprentice Edward Blount largely followed his master s example of avoiding plays during his own independent career though Blount made a few exceptions most notably the First Folio of Shakespeare s plays in 1623 Ponsonby made occasional exceptions for closet drama as with the Countess of Pembroke s Antony noted above In an age when the disciplines of publishing and printing were largely though not entirely separate Ponsonby concentrated on publishing and commissioned professional printers to print his texts The 1590 Faerie Queene volume for example was printed by John Wolfe while Ponsonby s 1595 edition of Spenser s Amoretti and Epithalamion was printed by Peter Short The 1583 Mamilia was printed by Thomas Creede On Ponsonby s death in 1604 many of his copyrights passed to his brother in law stationer Simon Waterson 4 See also EditRobert Allot William Aspley Cuthbert Burby Walter Burre Philip Chetwinde Francis Constable Thomas Cotes Crooke and Cooke Richard Field Richard Hawkins Henry Herringman William Jaggard William Leake John and Richard Marriot John Martyn Richard Meighen Humphrey Moseley Humphrey Robinson John Smethwick Thomas Thorpe Thomas WalkleyReferences Edit Michael Brennan William Ponsonby Elizabethan Stationer Analytical and Enumerative Bibliography Vol 7 No 3 1983 p 91 Harry Gidney Aldis The Printed Book Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1951 p 38 Michael G Brennan and Noel J Kinnamon A Sidney Chronology 1554 1654 London Palgrave Macmillan 2003 pp 28 9 Adolphus William Ward and Alfred Rayney Waller eds The Cambridge History of English Literature Cambridge Cambridge University Press 1910 Vol IV p 454 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title William Ponsonby publisher amp oldid 1052841365, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
