Two woodcut illustrations of battles between the forces of
King Canute of Denmark and King Malcolm of Scotland.
Verso: Text in English printed in two columns in a blackletter font on laid & watermarked paper. Heading “The Historie of Scotlande” and marginal notes printed in a Roman font. Paginated [2]56and a "catchword", in, in the bottom margin. A woodcut illustration of King Canute's army battling King Malcolm's.
Recto: As Verso, with another woodcut of the Danes versus the Scots.
Printer: Henry Bynneman, London.
Date: 1577.
Content: A section of the text describes the conflict between the Danish King Canute and King Malcolm of Scotland:
“…It is sayd that this Canute according to order prescribed him by his brother Sueno, landed first in Buchquhane, and destroyed a great parte of that country by fire and sworde, in revenge of the slaughter of his country men the Danes, whiche had bene there made lately before. Malcolme fore kindled in wrath by these injuries, though through continuance of the warres his power was greatly decayed, yet did hee assemble an army with all speede he could devise, & marched with the same towardes the Danes, in purpose to slay them with often skirmishes and light encounters, but in nowise to jeoparde with them ... in generall battle..."
Condition: This leaf is in fair antiquarian condition. The margins have been trimmed with the loss of a few letters of the marginal notes and the pagination. There is age-related surface marking, edge tears, and browning . Nevertheless, the main body of text is complete and legible and the woodcuts are sharply printed. The leaf is unconditionally guaranteed genuine.
Notes: Holinshed was Shakespeare's favourite and most trusted source and he used it for more than a third of his plays, including Macbeth, King Lear, Cymbeline and the English history plays such as Richard III. At times Shakespeare followed the text of the Chronicles closely, even echoing its words and phrases, at other times using it as an inspiration for plot details or deviating entirely from its account, preferring other sources or his own imagination.
In 1603, James VI of Scotland ascended the English throne, becoming James I of England. The king became a patron of the playwright's acting company. London was alive with an interest in all things Scottish, and Shakespeare turned to Scottish history for material. Holinshed’s narrative of witches, prophesy, treason, execution and murder were topics that fascinated King James to the point of obsession.
A second revised edition of The Chronicles was published in 1587 without the woodcut illustrations.
Size: Size of leaf: approx. 275x185 mm. Please note that shipping is inoviced seperately.
Item No: PSE144
