Imprinted at London by Will Stansby Ano D. 1616.
Fo. (103⁄8 × 71⁄8). G. 1.
Engraved titlepage signed Guliel. Hole. Collation: ¶6A-4P64Q4, paged. Wanting ¶ 1 (? blank) and all after P 4. Catalogue of contents. Commendatory verses from I. Selden, Ed. Heyward, Geor. Chapman, H. Holland, I. D. (Lat.), E. Bolton (Lat.), Franc. Beaumont (3 copies). Each play, the 'Epigrammes' etc., 'Part of the King's Entertainment', 'A Panegyre', 'A Particular Entertainment' and the 'Masques' have separate titlepages. Copies present various points of difference. In the present copy 'Every man out of his Humour' and 'Cynthias Revels' have woodcut borders to their respective titlepages. G 2 is not paged and has 'your true Honorer' in the subscription. The stage direction is omitted on G5v. The titlepage to 'Poetaster' bears the stationer's as well as printer's name. This is the first edition of the first volume of the collected works, and the only one published during the author's life. It was reprinted when the second volume was collected in 1640. The present copy has an elaborate heraldic bookplate of Thomas Cokayne.
BM 893.
The Workes of Benjamin Jonson. The second Volume. Containing these Playes, Viz. 1 Bartholomew Fayre. 2 The Staple of Newes. 3 The Divell is an Asse. London, Printed for Richard Meighen, 1640.
Fo. (111⁄4 × 71⁄8). F. 8.
Collation: A6B-Y42A-2H42I6; A-P4Q2R-V4; B-Q4R2S-X4Y2; Z-2O42P22Q4; A-K4L2M-R4; paged. Sigs. Z-2Q of third alphabet misplaced at end of second. The first three plays, those mentioned on the general titlepage, but in the order 1, 3, 2, each have a separate titlepage with imprint 'London, Printed by I. B. for Robert Allot, and are to be sold at the signe of the Beare, in Pauls Church-yard. 1631.' (2 also has fresh pagination.) These constitute the first alphabet of sigs., the first leaf of A (? originally blank) being replaced by the general titlepage. The second alphabet, with fresh pagination, contains three plays, 'The Magnetic Lady', 'A Tale of a Tub', 'The Sad Shepherd', each with a separate titlepage without printer's or stationer's name but dated, the first two 1640, the third 1641. The third alphabet, with fresh pagination, contains 'Masques' without separate titlepage, 'Underwoods' and the fragment of 'Mortimer' each with separate titlepage dated 1640. The last alphabet, again with fresh pagination, contains 'Horace his Art of Poetry', 'The English Grammar' and 'Timber or Discoveries', each with separate titlepage, the first two dated 1640, the last 1641. This is the first edition of the second volume and is for the most part composed of matter which had not previously appeared. It was later re-issued without the general titlepage and with the three 1631 plays replaced by a reprint dated 1641 of 'The Devil is an Ass' only.
BM 893.
Ben: Ionson's Execration against Vulcan. With divers Epigrams by the same Author to severall Noble Personages in this Kingdome. Never Published before. London: Printed by J. O. for John Benson, and are to be sold at his shop at St. Dunstans Church-yard in Fleet-streete. 1640.
4o. (7 × 51⁄4). S. 33. 5.
Collation: A-G4, unpaged. Engraved portrait signed Ro. Vaughan, with verses below. Epistle dedicatory to Thomas, Lord Windsor, signed by the publisher. Imprimatur, signed Matth. Clay, and dated Dec. 14, 1639. Verses at end to Jonson signed Zouch Tounley, followed by list of errata.
BM 894.