A Handful of Pleasant Delights/Bibliography
BIBLIOGRAPHY.
The three following works will afford help in respect to this Text—
The Ballad Literature and Popular Music of the Olden Time &c. By W. Chappell, F.S.A. 2 Vols. [1855–59] 8vo. [For the tunes especially.]
Philobiblon Society. Ancient Ballads and Broadsides published in England in the Sixteenth Century, chiefly in the earlier years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Reprinted from the unique original copies, mostly in Black Letter, preserved in the Library of Henry Huth, Esq. London, 1867.
A Transcript of the Registers of the Company of Stationers of London, 1554–1640 A.D. Ed. by E. Arber, F.S.A. 4 Vols. 1875–1877.
Richard Jones was made free of the Stationers' Company, or, as it is entered in the Register, admitted "brother of this howse," 7th August 1564. Transcript, i. 278.
In the summer of 1566, occurs the following entry—
| 1. | R. Jonnes | Recevyd of Rychard Jones for his lycense for prynting of a boke of very pleasaunte Sonettes and storyes in myter, by Clament Robynson. [No sum as fee stated.] Trans. i. 313. |
Not any portion of this First edition has, as yet, been verified. The fragment at pp. 15–16 may or may not belong to it.
The following ballads were not in this First Edition—
(a) Because the ballads themselves are registered at a later date.
| In the years | |
| 22 July 1566–1567. | A fayne wolde I have a go[o]dly thynge to shewe vnto my ladye. [see p. 50.] Trans. i. 340. |
| 22 July 1567–1568. | A farewell to, Alas I lover you ouer well &c. [See pp. 53 and 62.] Trans. i. 362. (This however may not have been the first appearance of this burden.) |
| 22 July 1568–1569. | The Story of ij faythful Lovers &c. [See pp. 30 and 46.] Trans. i. 386. |
| 7 Nov. 1576. | G. Mannington's Woefull ballade. [See p. 57.] Trans. ii. 324. |
| 3 Sept. 1580 18 Sept. 1580. 14 Dec. 1580. 13 Feb. 1581. 24 Aug. 1581. |
Greensleeves and poems occasioned by it. [See p. 17.] Trans. ii. 376, 378, 384, 388, 400. |
| 10 March 1582. | Callin o Custure me. [See p. 33.] Trans. i. 407. |
(b) Because the ballad from which the following tune is named was registered also at a later date.
| 22 July 1567–22 July 1568. | The godes of Loue &c. [See p. 36.] Trans. i. 355. |
Possibly a more detailed search would still farther demonstrate the gradual growth of the Text up to the condition here reprinted.
| 2. | 1584. London. 8vo. See title at p. i. |
This unique imperfect copy was for many years in the possession of the Rev. T. Corser of Stand Rectory, near Manchester: who refused to let the present Editor see it, not being in favour of making English Literature "as cheap as sixpenny chap-books." On the sale of this gentleman's magnificent Collection, it passed for some ₤9 or ₤lO into the British Museum Library.
| 3. | J. W. Ebsworth, M.A., while editing The Bagford Ballads in the British Museum for The Ballad Society, and reprinted by him in those Ballads, Part I, Ed. 1876. Mr. Ebsworth thinks that the fragment is earlier than the present 1584 text. |
Though unfortunately this leaf does not replace the missing one of No. 2: it is still useful in settling some of the readings on p. 49., which had been matters of dispute in consequence of the tender condition of the paper of the corresponding page in that volume.
| 4. | 1815. London. 4to. Heliconia, comprising A selection of English poetry of the Elizabethan Age: &c. 3 Vols. Ed. by T. Park. The Handful, &c., is in Vol. ii. |
| 5. | 1871. Manchester. 4to. Spenser Society's Issues, No. 8. The Handful, &c. Sumptuously printed in facsimile, page for page, line for line, type for type, with facsimile ornaments &c.; under the editorship of J[ames] C[rossley, Esq., F.S.A.] |
| 6. | 15 Aug. 1878. Southgate, London, N. 8vo. The present impression. |
∵ Yarrath James had licensed to him on 13 Jan. 1581, The parlour of Pleasaunte Delightes. Trans., ii. 387.
