Nicholas Okes facts for kids

Nicholas Okes (who died in 1645) was an English printer in London. He lived during the time of King James I and King Charles I. He is famous for printing many plays from the English Renaissance. He printed early versions of works by famous writers like William Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, John Webster, and Thomas Middleton.

A Printer's Journey: Nicholas Okes's Life and Work

Nicholas Okes learned his trade from a printer named Richard Field. He started his training around Christmas in 1595. By December 1603, he became a full member of the Stationers Company. This company was like a guild for people who made and sold books.

In 1606, Nicholas Okes joined George Snowden's printing business. He later bought out Snowden in 1607. At first, Okes had only one printing press and a small amount of type. But over time, he built a very successful business. He even used some of Snowden's old printing symbols, like a winged horse.

In 1624, Nicholas Okes married Mary Pursett in London. Her father was also a stationer.

During his career, which lasted over 30 years, Okes printed all sorts of things. He printed books about history, literature, and religion. He also printed books on science, math, travel, and even cookbooks! But he is best known for printing plays.

Printing Shakespeare's Plays

Nicholas Okes printed important plays by William Shakespeare. In 1608, he printed the first edition of Shakespeare's famous play, King Lear. This was for a bookseller named Nathaniel Butter. Some people think that because Okes and his workers were new to printing plays, the Lear book had some unique features.

In 1622, Okes printed the first edition of Shakespeare's play Othello. He printed this for Thomas Walkley. Okes and Walkley worked together on several projects. They even had a small money disagreement, which was not uncommon back then.

Okes also printed a book called The Merry Conceited Jests of George Peele in 1607. This book was an important source for another play called The Puritan, which is sometimes linked to Shakespeare's works.

Other Famous Plays Printed by Okes

Beyond Shakespeare, Nicholas Okes printed many other plays from his time. Here are some examples:

• Gervase Markham's The Dumb Knight (1608)
• Ben Jonson's The Masque of Queens (1609)
• Thomas Dekker and Thomas Middleton's The Roaring Girl (1611)
• John Webster's The White Devil (1612)
• Thomas Heywood's The Brazen Age (1613)
• Thomas Tomkis's Albumazar (1615)
• The first two editions of Beaumont and Fletcher's Philaster (1620, 1622)
• John Webster's The Duchess of Malfi (1623)
• James Shirley's The Wedding (1629)

Okes also printed later editions of plays. For example, he printed the second and third editions of Tomkis's Lingua (1617, 1622). He also printed the second and third editions of Francis Beaumont's The Knight of the Burning Pestle (both 1635).

Besides plays, Okes printed many other kinds of books. He printed religious works, including some by John Donne. He also printed The Mystery of Witchcraft (1617) and A Muzzle for Melastomus (1617) by Rachel Speght. This was one of the few books written by a woman printed during that time.

Okes as a Publisher

Most printers like Okes focused on printing books that booksellers asked them to make. However, Okes also published some books himself. Publishers are the ones who decide which books to print and sell. Printers are the ones who actually do the printing. Both printers and booksellers were part of the Stationers Company.

Okes published several plays by Thomas Heywood. These included The Golden Age (1611) and The Silver Age (1613). He also published Heywood's important book An Apology for Actors (1612). In this book, Heywood praised Okes for his "care and workmanship."

Okes also published texts about city events and celebrations. These were often written by Thomas Middleton and Anthony Munday.

Just like with his printing, Okes published non-play books too. He published Samuel Daniel's The Collection of the History of England (1618). He also published A Short Treatise on Magnetical Bodies and Motions (1613) by Mark Ridley. Another important book he published was John Napier's A Description of the Admirable Table of Logarithms (1616).

When Okes published books, he usually had booksellers help him sell them. For example, his edition of The Silver Age was sold by Benjamin Lightfoote.

The Family Business: Nicholas and John Okes

Nicholas Okes's son, John Okes, also became a printer. He learned the trade from his father. John became a full member of the Stationers Company in 1627. For some years, he worked with his father. Together, they printed plays like Heywood's The Royal King and the Loyal Subject (1637).

After his father retired, John Okes continued the business on his own. He printed plays like James Shirley's The Grateful Servant (1637). He also printed Richard Brome's The Sparagus Garden and The Antipodes (both 1640). Like his father, John Okes also published books. He published William Rowley's play A Shoemaker a Gentleman (1638).

John Okes died in 1644. His wife, Mary, tried to continue the business. However, she did not stay in business for long.