The Printers of the ‘Ajax’ Pamphlets of 1596–97

In the most recent issue of The Library, Nancy Peters Maude has suggested that four of the thirteen ‘Ajax’ pamphlets of 1596 extend the duration of the ‘known collaboration’ of 1597 between the printers John Danter and Edward Allde. Unfortunately, she seems unaware that ‘her’ identification of Allde as the printer of STC 12783 was anticipated in 1991 by the STC Addenda and Corrigenda. From there she goes on to credit Allde with Robert Robinson’s share of STC 12782, and wrongly ‘identifies’ Danter as the printer of not only Allde’s real share of that book (and, for good measure, the unnoticed contribution by Valentine Simmes) but also the whole of STC 12780–1 (both actually shared by Allde and John Windet).

To resolve this confusion, this paper first explains and corrects Maude’s misattributions, and then more carefully identifies the printer or printers of each of the nine remaining pamphlets, concluding with a list that presents the essential facts about all thirteen.