1577      HOLINSHED, Raphael

Very little is known about Raphael Holinshed's (c.1525 –1582) life but the one work he is known for left its mark, contributing much material for later writers including Shakespeare. Possibly of Cophurst in Sutton Downes, Cheshire, he was probably born c.1525 and student records from Christ's College in Cambridge, suggest he was a student there from 1544 to 1545. In his later years, he lived in London where he worked as a translator for the printer, Reginald Wolfe. He was one of several writers engaged to compile a world history from the Flood to the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Although others were involved in its production, including George Bishop, John Hunne and Lucus Harrison, The Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande, commonly known as Holinshed's Chronicles. It was the "first complete printed history of England composed as a continuous narrative". The Holinshed Chronicles influenced other Renaissance writers such as Spenser and Marlowe.

 

The Chronicles were licensed for publication in 1580 and shortly after Holinshed retired to the Warwick countryside where he died. His will was proven on 24 April 1582, leaving his belongings and estate to a Mr. Burdet, whom he referred to as his master. Holinshed's Chronicles was first published soon after his death.[1]

This contains a list of The principall Faires kept in England and How a man may journey from any notable towne in England to the Citie of London or from London to any notable towne in the Realme (pages 125-6).

The table follows that of Stow adding three more roads and includes seven roads in Scotland. The twelve roads in England & Wales include St Burien in Cornwall to London. One route was that St Burien in Cornwall to London, by way of (as written) to the Mount, Thury, Bodman, Launstone, Dcomton, Crokehornewell, Excester and Honiton, with mileages between stations in Latin small script.

 

 

The Firste volume of the Chronicles of England, Scotlande & lrelande, conteyning the description & Chronicles of England from the first inhabiting unto the conquest. … Faithfully gathered and set forth, by Raphaell Holinshed.
At London : Imprinted [by Henry Bynneman] for Iohn Harrison, [1577]. (BL, B, FLS).[2]
London : For G. Bishop 1577. (B, C).
At London : Imprinted for Iohn Hunne 1577. (Birm.).

A second edition appeared with 3 volumes bound together and new combined title page for volumes 1 and 2.[3]

The First and Second Volumes of the Chronicles. / The Third volume …
London. John Harrison, George Bishop, Rafe Newberie, Henrie Denham and Thomas Woodcocke. 1587.

Third volume … Now newlie recognized, augmented, and continued (with occurrences and accidents of fresh memorie) to the yeare 1586.[4]

In 1807-08 a new edition was published which included excerpts which had been expurgated from the earlier issues.
Holinshed´s Chronicles … edited by Henry Ellis.

 RETURN to Book II Introduction - Almanacks and Itineraries 

[1] See the article at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raphael_Holinshed.

[2] Cover illustration taken from Wikimedia but is originally from the Folger Shakespeare Library – Digital Image Collection. Page of roads from ProQuest but taen from BL copy.

[3] See https://english.nsms.ox.ac.uk/holinshed/ for a discussion of differences between the 1577 and 1587 editions in The Holinshed Project. Unfortunately this is only available for university researchers. For an example of an annotated version see https://library.chethams.com/blog/strange-knowledge-of-a-crow-a-yeoman-farmer-annotates-holinsheds-chronicle/. Chetham Library have a copy with notations by a local yeoman farmer.

[4] Illustration taken from the blogspot run by the University Library, Cork.