The complete works of John Gower, volume 2 : $b The English worksGower, John
General
The complete works of John Gower, volume 2 : $b The English works
Gower, John
Poetry
Given to the College in 1740 by Wm. Bohun of Beccles (Suffolk), to
whose great-grandfather, Baxter Bohun, it was given in 1652 by his
‘grandmother Lany.’
The text is of a rather irregular type, but often agrees with
the XGO group. It has many mistakes and the spelling is poor.
Q. Belonged to the late Mr. B. Quaritch, who kindly allowed me to
examine it slightly. Parchment, leaves measuring about 14 × 8¾ in.,
in double column of 49 lines, well written, early fifteenth cent. Ends
with the account of the author’s books, ‘Quia vnusquisque.’ Floreated
pages at the beginning of books and a good miniature of the Confession
on f. 3, of a rather unusual type--the priest seated to the left of the
picture and the penitent at a little distance. Latin summaries in text
(red). Begins with Prol. 342, having lost two leaves here, and has lost
also Prol. 529-688, Prol. 842-i. 85, and perhaps more.
The book formerly belonged to a Marquess of Hastings.
This is a good manuscript, and the spelling is fairly correct.
I place it provisionally here, because its readings seem to
show a tendency towards the XG group.
(_c_) _Unrevised._
E. EGERTON 1991, Brit. Museum. _Confessio Amantis_ with ‘Explicit’
(six lines), ‘Quam cinxere,’ and ‘Quia vnusquisque,’ after which ‘Deo
Gracias. And þanne ho no more.’ Parchment, ff. 214, 15¼ × 10 in.,
in quires of 8 with catchwords: regularly written in a very good
large hand in double column of 42 lines, early fifteenth cent. Latin
summaries in text (red). Floreated pages at beginning of books, and a
finely painted miniature of the Confession on f. 7 v^o.
Two leaves lost, originally ff. 1 and 3, containing Prol. 1-134 and
454-594. The book has also suffered from damp, and parts of the first
and last leaves are so discoloured as to be illegible.
A seventeenth cent. note on f. 1 v^o tells us that the book was given
on April 5, 1609, ‘at Skarborough Castle’ to the lady Eliz. Dymoke by
her aunt the lady Catherine Burghe, daughter of Lord Clynton, who was
afterwards earl of Lincoln and Lord High Admiral, to whom it came by
her mother, the lady Eliz. Talboys. On f. 2 we find the register of
the birth of Master Harry Clinton, son and heir of Lord Clinton, born
at Canbery, June 6, 1542. The name Willoughby occurs also in the book
(sixteenth cent.), and on a flyleaf inserted at the beginning we find
‘John Brograve, 1682,’ with Latin lines in the form of an acrostic
about his family, signed ‘Thomas Tragiscus, Bohemus.’ Bought by the
Brit. Mus. August 6, 1865, at Lord Charlemont’s sale.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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