Raphael Holinshed (/ˈhɒlɪnʃɛd/;[1]c. 1525 – before 24 April 1582) was an Englishchronicler, who was most famous for his work onThe Chronicles of England, Scotlande, and Irelande, commonly known asHolinshed's Chronicles. It was the "first complete printed history of England composed as a continuous narrative".[2] TheHolinshed Chronicles was a major influence on many Renaissance writers, such asShakespeare,Spenser,Daniel andMarlowe.[3]
Little is known about Holinshed's life and for the most part his early years are primarily a matter of speculation. Holinshed was most likely born to Ralph Holinshed of Cophurst in Sutton Downes,Cheshire. The date of his birth is unknown.[4] Holinshed is assumed to have received an education from student records fromChrist's College inCambridge, which show a student under the name Holinshed attending the college from 1544 to 1545.[5] In his later years, he lived in London where he worked as a translator for the printerReginald Wolfe. Wolfe gave him the project of compiling a world history fromthe Flood to the reign ofQueen Elizabeth. Holinshed was only one contributor to this work; others involved in its production included George Bishop, John Hunne and Lucus Harrison.[2]
Vernon Snow, an author who writes an introduction toHolinshed's Chronicles in the later edition, remarks that Holinshed was an experienced Cambridge-educated translator. As far as anyone knows, no other known works by Holinshed are available. A few months after theChronicles had been licensed, Holinshed retired to the countryside in north east Warwickshire where he died around 1580 at Bramcote Hall near Warton.[6] His will was proven on 24 April 1582, leaving his belongings and estate to a Mr. Burdet, whom he referred to as his master.[7]Holinshed's Chronicles was published soon after his death.
The idea forHolinshed's Chronicles was born fromReginald Wolfe. A London printer, Wolfe was one of the original members of the Royal Stationers' Company. In 1548, Wolfe conceived the idea of creating a "Universal Cosmography of the whole world, and there with also certain particular histories of every known nation". He wanted the work to be printed in English and he wanted maps and illustrations in the book as well. Wolfe acquired many ofJohn Leland's works and with these he constructed chronologies and drew maps that were up to date. This took over 24 years of his life; however, when Wolfe realised he could not complete this project on his own, he hired Raphael Holinshed and William Harrison to assist him.[2]
Wolfe died with the work still uncompleted in 1573, and the project, changed to a work about Britain (England and Scotland) and Ireland, was run by a consortium of three members of theLondon stationers. They kept Raphael Holinshed, who employedWilliam Harrison,Richard Stanyhurst,Edmund Campion andJohn Hooker. In 1577, the work was published in two volumes after some censorship by thePrivy Council of some of Stanyhurst's contribution on Ireland.[4]
A second edition was issued in 1587 (which also included manywoodcut illustrations to go along with the chronicles), but it contained some passages that were considered offensive to the Queen and her ministers. The pages in question were removed by order of the Privy Council. The missing passages were separately published in 1723, and a complete reprint appeared in 1807.[4]Holinshed's Chronicles was an "extremely popular work when it was first published," but "by the seventeenth century it was already considered outdated and inaccurate", losing its popularity and credibility.[2]
William Shakespeare used the revised second edition of theChronicles (published in 1587) as the source for most of his historical plays, such asRichard III, the plot ofMacbeth, and portions ofKing Lear andCymbeline. According to Alison Taufer, "We care about theHolinshed Chronicles because Shakespeare read them".[2] It is because of Shakespeare's writing that the public was educated on many important points in history. While dramatised, the innate messages behind the history are portrayed through the history plays.
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