Willobie his Avisa
Subtitle: With an essay towards its interpretation
By: by Charles Hughes
Contributors: Dorrell, Hadrian; Willoughby, Thomas, pseud; Colse, Peter
Publisher: Sherratt and Hughes
Published: 1904
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 164
Subjects: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616.
Work titles: Willobie his Avisa
Notes: With reproductions of original titlepage: [1] Willobie his Avisa. Or the true picture of a modest maid, and of a chast and constant wife. In hexamiter verse. The like argument where of, was neuer heretofore published. Read the preface to the reader before you enter farther ... Imprinted at London by Iohn Windet, 1594. [2] Penelope's complaint or a mirrour for wanton minions, taken out of Homer's Odissea, and written in English verse by Peter Colse ... London, Printed by H. Jackson dwelling in Fleet-street, and are to be sold at his shop under Temple-barre gate, 1596.

Ostensibly edited by Hadrian Dorrell from the papers left by his friend Henry Willoughby; thought to be the work of Dorrell himself, though the name is probably ficticious. Has been ascribed to the Earl of Southampton and others.

"The cumulative evidence makes it almost certain that the W.S. of the poem stands for William Shakespeare."
Table of contents: title: Introduction. Willobie his Avisa. Appendices: A. The apologie, shewing the true meaning of Willobie his Avisa [signed Hadrian Dorrell] B. The victorie of English Chastitie, under the fained name of Avisa [signed Thomas Willoby frater, Henrici Willoby nuper defuncti] C. Dedication and introductory verses to poem [Penelope's complaint] by Peter Colse. The text of the Avisa has been prepared by collating Dr. Grosart's edition (1880) with the 1594 edition in the British museum. Appendixes A. and B. are "from 1596 edition of 'Avisa' as reprinted in 1635 edition." Appendix C. is "printed from the unique copy in the possession of A.H. Huth, esq."