Workes of Benjamin Jonson

London: Richard Bishop for Andrew Crooke & for Richard Meighen, 1640. Full Description:

JONSON, Ben. The Workes of Benjamin Jonson. London: Richard Bishop for Andrew Crooke & for Richard Meighen, 1640, 1631.

First edition of the second volume (containing the first appearance of the first three plays; Bartholomew Fayre, The Staple of Newes, The Divell is an Asse) and second edition of the first volume. Part I of the second volume was originally printed in 1631 as a continuation of the 1616 Workes. With Pforzheimer's issue "f" of the second volume in which all parts are without the general title, the first three plays are dated 1631 and Divell is an Asse with the 1641 imprint. The final page of Mortimer reads: "Left unfinished".

It is also of note that William Shakespeare is listed as an actor in two plays of Volume I, Everyman in his humor and Seianus His Fall.

Three folio volumes in two (10 7/8 x 7 1/8 inches; 277 x 181 mm. Second volume slightly larger). Volume I with engraved title-page by William Hole, and engraved portrait. Both volumes with woodcut initials and head- and tailpieces. First volume lacking A1 (a blank), and second volume is lacking A1 (general title).

Uniformly bound in contemporary dark brown acid-treated calf, rebacked with original spines laid down. Spines elaborately stamped in gilt in compartments. Red morocco spine labels, lettered in gilt. Some mild toning and occasional light spotting throughout both volumes. Volume II with a closed lateral tear to leaves Cc-Cc3 which has been neatly repaired with no loss. Overall a very good copy.

Pforzheimer credits the failure of The New Inn as the reason work on the second volume ceased until after Jonson's death. The first leaf in the first signature in this part was left blank in anticipation of a general title, but since the plans were cancelled, the plays were sold as printed, with only their individual titles, all dated 1631. A general title-page was created for the 1640 first edition of the Workes and the unsold 1631 printings were included as the first of four parts.

"The three plays of Volume Il were all that Jonson saw through the press of a projected continuation of his 1616 volume. His failure to complete the collection was probably due to the damning by the town of The New Inn which was published 1631, the same year as this volume. Because of Jonson's supervision of this part, the text here given may be considered authoritative. As first printed Sig [A] was a blank, there being no general-title. In 1640, a number of these 1631 plays still remaining unsold, sheet [AI and 6] was again passed the press, this time of Bernard Alsop and Thomas Fawcett, and the general-title... printed on recto (A). This title refers only to the three plays printed in 1631 and describes them as 'The fecond Volume'. However, bound with these three 1631 plays are normally found the three parts containing the masques, plays and miscellany dated 1640 (or 1641) which have no general-title nor any other preliminary matter. The fact that over a period of years the 1631 plays may have been sold as a supplementary volume to the 1616 Workes... would easily account for their being described as the second volume quite aside from the explicit statement of the 1640 general-title. (Pforzheimer 560)

Greg, III, p. 1073-1076. Pforzheimer 560 (the second volume). STC 14753 and 14754.

HBS 69113.

$15,000.