William Ponsonby (publisher) facts for kids
William Ponsonby (born around 1546, died 1604) was a very important book publisher in London during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. This period is often called the Elizabethan era. Ponsonby was active from about 1577 to 1603. He published the works of famous writers like Edmund Spenser and Sir Philip Sidney. Many people called him "the leading literary publisher of Elizabethan times" because he published so many important books.
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Starting His Publishing Journey
William Ponsonby learned his trade by working as an apprentice for another publisher named William Norton. An apprentice is someone who learns a skill or job by working for an expert. Ponsonby finished his training on January 11, 1571. Around 1576, he opened his own bookshop. It was located in St. Paul's Churchyard, a busy area in London, and was known by its sign, "the Bishop's Head."
Publishing Famous Authors
Ponsonby became well-known for publishing the works of some of England's greatest writers.
Edmund Spenser's Works
Ponsonby's connection with the poet Edmund Spenser began in 1590. That year, he published the first three books of Spenser's epic poem, The Faerie Queene. After that, Ponsonby published almost all of Spenser's future works. This included the complete edition of The Faerie Queene in 1596. The only major work by Spenser that Ponsonby did not publish was the poet's very first book, The Shepherd's Calendar, which came out in 1579.
Sir Philip Sidney and His Family
Ponsonby also published many works by Sir Philip Sidney. He released different editions of Sidney's famous story, Arcadia, in 1590 and 1593. He also published The Defence of Poesie in 1595. In 1598, Ponsonby put out a large collection of Sidney's works, which included his well-known love poems, Astrophil and Stella.
William Ponsonby also published books by Sidney's sister, Mary Sidney, who was the Countess of Pembroke. Her works included Antony, a translation of a French play, which Ponsonby published in 1592 and 1595.
A Publisher of Important Books
Ponsonby wanted to be known as a publisher of high-quality, important books. Because of this, he usually avoided publishing things that were considered less important at the time. For example, he did not print stage plays, which were very popular but seen as less serious.
He generally avoided plays from the English Renaissance theatre, even though these plays are very famous today. He also mostly avoided other works by playwrights. However, there were a few exceptions. In 1583, he published Mamilia, Part II by Robert Greene. In 1594, he published The Shadow of Night by George Chapman. Ponsonby also sometimes published "closet dramas." These were plays meant to be read, not performed on a stage, like the Countess of Pembroke's Antony.
Publishing Versus Printing
During Ponsonby's time, the jobs of publishing and printing were often separate. A publisher like Ponsonby would decide which books to produce and manage the project. Then, they would hire professional printers to actually print the books.
For example, the 1590 edition of The Faerie Queene was printed by a man named John Wolfe. Ponsonby's 1595 edition of Spenser's Amoretti and Epithalamion was printed by Peter Short. The 1583 book Mamilia was printed by Thomas Creede.
End of His Career
When William Ponsonby died in 1604, many of the rights to his books were passed on to his brother-in-law, Simon Waterson, who was also a publisher.
