Date
Location
England
Great Britain
Media format
Extent
Language
Reference IDs
ESTC number: R200977
Wing number: L969aA
Folger call number: L968.8
Folger holdings ID: 140944
Notes
Bibliographic format
octavo
General notes
"Leicester's commonwealth" is a political tract against Elizabeth I's government. It went through many stages and forms, both in manuscript and in print, and is most well known by the title "Leicester's commonwealth". It was first printed on the continent in 1584 with title "The copie of a leter, wryten by a master of arte of Cambridge, to his friend in London". It was formerly attributed to Robert Parsons and is sometimes attributed to Thomas Morgan. Cf. DNB s.v. Dudley, Robert, Earl of Leicester. 1532?-1588 Frontis. portrait (plate) signed: W. Marshall sculpsit Does not fully correspond with the first issue described in the Grolier club Catalogue of English writers, or with the two issues described in Burgoyne's edition of 1904 (p. xiv-xv) "Leicester's commonwealth" was republished in 1641 and was versified as "Leicester's ghost" about the same time
Exhibited
Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2003. Elizabeth I (catalog p. 73)
Item information about Folger L968.8
cs60. Manuscript markings. Provenance: inscription on front inside cover: "Chandos (?) [?] Mar: 1678"
Also known as
Extended title: Leycesters common-wealth : conceived, spoken, and published with most earnest protestation of all dutifull good will and affection towards this realme; for whose good onely it is made common to many
Alternate titles: Leicesters commonwealth, Copie of a leter, wryten by a master of arte of Cambridge, to his friend in London
Related names
subject: Catholic Church
attributed name: Parsons, Robert, 1546-1610
attributed name: Morgan, Thomas, 1543-1606
printmaker: Marshall, William, active 1617-1650