Ben Jonson (1573?-1637)

St John's holds three volumes (including a 17th-century edition of Aristotle, and the works of Juan Luis Vives, printed 1555) which bear the autograph of the dramatist and contemporary of Shakespeare, Ben Jonson, on their title-pages. This is latinized and reads "su[m] Ben Jonsonij" ("I am Ben Jonson's"). One of these also bears Jonson's motto at the top of the page, "Tanquam explorator". Another has been defaced by a subsequent owner.