Anthony Munday: The First Book of Primaleon of Greece

This edition of Anthony Mundays The first book of Primaleon of Greece (1595) includes an introduction, notes, glossary, and critical apparatus that will enable modern readers to enjoy and better appreciate Mundays translation of the Iberian romance already turned into Italian and French before reaching English readers. Munday translated Franois de Vernassals LHistoire de Primaleon de Grece continuant celle de Palmerin DOlive (1550), out of which he produced two different titles devoted to Emperor Palmerins sons, Palmendos and Primaleon. The present volume is especially devoted to the coming of age and tournament activity in Constantinople of the main protagonist, prince Primaleon, as well as to Prince Edward of Englands adventures throughout European lands, and to their final encounter. These twenty-four chapters follow the previous thirty-two in Vernassals edition, published by Munday in 1589 and already edited by Leticia lvarez-Recio (The Honourable, Pleasant and rare Conceited Historie of Palmendos, 2022). It aims to allow those readers interested in romance or Renaissance culture to gain access to texts that have remained so far ignored, in spite of the popularity they once enjoyed.