James Roberts ( fl. 1564–1606), was an English printer who printed many important works of Elizabethan literature. F. G. Fleay says that "he seems to have been given to piracy and invasion of copyright".

Career

Roberts was made free of the Company of Stationers on 27 June 1564, and on 24 June 1567 began to take apprentices. The first entry to him is for ''An almanacke and pronostication of Master Roberte Moore, 1570''. He was one of several who petitioned the company for pardon on 27 January 1577–8, after having presented certain complaints. With R. Watkins he had a patent for almanacs and prognostications for twenty-one years from 12 May 1588. This patent lasted to the end of the reign of

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...

James I James I may refer to: People *James I of Aragon (1208–1276) *James I of Sicily or James II of Aragon (1267–1327) *James I, Count of La Marche (1319–1362), Count of Ponthieu *James I, Count of Urgell (1321–1347) *James I of Cyprus (1334–13 ...

granted for ever the right to the Stationers' Company from 29 October 1603. Roberts took over John Charlewood's books on 31 May 1594, including the right of printing playbills, which

William Jaggard William Jaggard ( – November 1623) was an Elizabethan and Jacobean printer and publisher, best known for his connection with the texts of William Shakespeare, most notably the First Folio of Shakespeare's plays. Jaggard's shop was "at t ...

unsuccessfully applied for. About 1595 Roberts probably married Charlewood's widow, Alice. He was presumably later widowered, as he is also said to have married a daughter of the stationer Thomas Heyes, to whom he sold the publishing rights of ''

The Merchant of Venice ''The Merchant of Venice'' is a play by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written between 1596 and 1598. A merchant in Venice named Antonio defaults on a large loan provided by a Jewish moneylender, Shylock. Although classified as ...

'' on 28 October 1600. The court of assistants ordered, on 1 September 1595, "that James Roberts shall clerely from hensforth surcease to deale with the printinge of the Brief Catechisme", recently printed by him, and that he should deliver up all sheets of the book. On 25 June 1596 he was admitted into the livery. Roberts continued to print Charlewood's catalogue of poetry for a variety of publishers including works by

Henry Constable Henry Constable (1562 – 9 October 1613) was an English poet, known particularly for ''Diana'', one of the first English sonnet sequences. In 1591 he converted to Catholicism, and lived in exile on the continent for some years. He returned to E ...

Samuel Daniel Samuel Daniel (1562–1619) was an English poet, playwright and historian in the late- Elizabethan and early- Jacobean eras. He was an innovator in a wide range of literary genres. His best-known works are the sonnet cycle ''Delia'', the epi ...

Michael Drayton Michael Drayton (1563 – 23 December 1631) was an English poet who came to prominence in the Elizabethan era. He died on 23 December 1631 in London. Early life Drayton was born at Hartshill, near Nuneaton, Warwickshire, England. Almost nothin ...

, and

Philip Sidney Philip, also Phillip, is a male given name, derived from the Greek (''Philippos'', lit. "horse-loving" or "fond of horses"), from a compound of (''philos'', "dear", "loved", "loving") and (''hippos'', "horse"). Prominent Philips who popularize ...

's ''

Apologie for Poetrie ''An Apology for Poetry'' (or ''The Defence of Poesy'') is a work of literary criticism by Elizabethan poet Philip Sidney. It was written in approximately 1580 and first published in 1595, after his death. It is generally believed that he was ...

'' (1595), as well as the collection

England's Helicon ''Englands Helicon'' is an anthology of Elizabethan pastoral poems compiled by John Flasket, and first published in 1600. There was an enlarged edition in 1614. The word Helicon refers to the Greek mountain on which, in Greek mythology, two s ...

(1600). He printed satires:

Thomas Nashe Thomas Nashe (baptised November 1567 – c. 1601; also Nash) was an Elizabethan playwright, poet, satirist and a significant pamphleteer. He is known for his novel ''The Unfortunate Traveller'', his pamphlets including ''Pierce Penniless,'' ...

's ''Christ's Tears over Jerusalem'' (1594), John Marston's ''Scourge of Villainy'' (1598), and Everard Guilpin's ''Skialatheia'' (1598). He also continued to print playbills for The Lord Chamberlain's Men (Shakespeare's company), he registered five plays belonging to the company but never published any of them himself: ''

'' (1598), '' A Larum for London'' (1600), and ''

Troilus and Cressida ''Troilus and Cressida'' ( or ) is a play by William Shakespeare, probably written in 1602. At Troy during the Trojan War, Troilus and Cressida begin a love affair. Cressida is forced to leave Troy to join her father in the Greek camp. Meanwh ...

'' (1603). He also entered a lost play ''Cloth Breeches and Velvet Hose'' and printed the second quarto of Shakespeare's ''

Titus Andronicus ''Titus Andronicus'' is a tragedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written between 1588 and 1593, probably in collaboration with George Peele. It is thought to be Shakespeare's first tragedy and is often seen as his attempt to emul ...

'' for Edward White.

Plays

"A booke of the '' Marchaunt of Venyce'', or otherwise called the Jewe of Venyce", was entered to him on 22 July 1598 (Arber, Transcript of the Registers, iii. 122), and he printed the first edition of the play in 1600. He also issued the first editions of '' A Midsummer Night's Dream'' and ''

'' in the same year. He paid a fine on 26 March 1602 for not serving the rentership. On 26 July 1602 he had entered to him '' The Revenge of Hamlett, Prince of Denmarke'', as yt was latelie acted by the Lord Chamberleyne his servantes’. The first edition was printed by N. Ling in 1603; the second and third impressions were printed by Roberts for Ling in 1604 and 1605. One other

Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's natio ...

an entry to him is for ''

'', "as yt is acted by my lord chamberlen's Men", 7 Feb. 1603,Arber, Transcript of the Registers, iii. 226 of which the first printed edition came from the press of G. Eld in 1609. The last entry is on 10 July 1606 (Arber, Transcript of the Registers, iii. 326). The playbills and some books were transferred to William Jaggard on 29 October 1615 (Arber, Transcript of the Registers, iii. 575).

Personal details

A long list of books belonging to Roberts towards the end of his life is reprinted in Joseph Ames, ''Typographical Antiquities'' (ed. William Herbert, ii. 1031–1032). Roberts first lived in St. Paul's Churchyard, London, at the sign of the Sun; he afterwards had a house in the Barbican.

Legacy

He printed down to 1606. James Roberts business was continued by his brother Robert Roberts. He married Mary Balwin who was the daughter of Abigail Baldwin who was a successful publisher. Abigail died in 17?? and although Mary had died the year before, Robert Roberts inherited the Baldwin's business. He combined the two businesses but continued to trade as "James Roberts".

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Roberts, James Year of birth missing 17th-century deaths 16th-century English businesspeople 17th-century English businesspeople English printers