Add to these notes! If you can tell me anything about the metre used in the text, or what category of literature this kind of exhortatory pamphlet belongs to, or add anything useful at all, please email me, R. Lamb 1: Reproducing the text |
I copied the pamphlet out by hand, then transferred it into html and uploaded it, without much proofreading or cross-checking. It goes without saying anyone wishing to make a real study of this text should try to see an original, or pay to have a photographic copy made. (See note 4 below) Not knowing much about early printing, I can't identify the different founts used in this pamphlet. But there are at least two, one a kind of Roman fount and one a blackletter fount. On the title page, except for the words "necessity, by Iohn Davies", everything is in a Roman type: the rest of the pamphlet, except for very occasional words (usually names) in the text, is in blackletter. To identify these Roman-fount words in the body of the text, I've italicised them; but they are not italicised in the pamphlet. Regarding the image on the title page, I assume it's a woodcut. My representation of it is necessarily poor, but suggests its unusual feature - that it's evidently meant to illustrate a soothsayer or prognosticator. |
2.(From: v. 1 of Pollard and Redgrave's Short Title Catalogue) |
"6363: | Davies, John, Versifier. Sir Martin Mar-people, his coller of esses. Workmanly wrought by maister Simon Sooth-saier, coldsmith (sic) of London. And offered to sale upon great necessitie, by J. Davies. [In verse.] 4o. R. Jhones, 1590 Ent. 28 oc. L2. M.; HD (A2, 3 in facs) John Davies, whether the author of this or not, is not identical w. Sir John Davies." |
3:(From v. 3 of Pollard and Redgrave's Short Title Catalogue)
"Jones (Jhones, Johnes), Richard. Then follows a list of the catalogue numbers of publications published or printed by Richard Jones. |
4. Other copies: |
As the Short Title Catalogue says, as well as at the John Rylands University Library of Manchester, copies of the pamphlet are held at Lambeth Palace Library, London and Harvard Library |