The complete works of John Gower, volume 4 : $b The Latin worksGower, John
General
The complete works of John Gower, volume 4 : $b The Latin works
Gower, John
Poetry
After f. 2 one leaf containing chapter-headings of _Vox Clamantis_ Lib.
ii. cap. ii-Lib. iii. cap. xxii. After f. 5 two leaves, containing
chapter-headings Lib. vii. cap. xix to the end, the lines ‘Ad mundum
mitto,’ probably with a picture of the author, and _Vox Clamantis_
Lib. i. Prologus, ll. 1-18. After f. 13 one leaf (_Vox Clamantis_ i.
766-856). After f. 131 one leaf (_De Lucis Scrutinio_ 93-103; probably
some other short piece, and the French _Traitié_, to iii. 3).
This MS. was certainly written and corrected under the direction
of the author, and remained for some time in his hands, receiving
addition from time to time. From the _Epistola_ at the beginning, which
occurs here only and seems to relate to this volume in particular, we
may gather that it was eventually presented to Abp. Arundel. It is
possible that it passed from him to his successor Chichele, and so to
the College of All Souls, where it now is, but there seems to be no
definite evidence to confirm this suggestion.
The text of S in the _Vox Clamantis_ agrees in the main as
regards revised passages with that of the other original
manuscripts C, H and G, but in some respects it is peculiar. In
Lib. iii. cap. i. S has a rewritten version which differs from
that of the other revised copies, and the same is the case with
regard to the lines ‘Quicquid homo scribat’ (p. 365). There are
also some places, as iv. 1072, 1197-1232, v. 450, where S retains
the original text in company with TH₂ or even with H₂ alone.
A few possibly right readings are peculiar to S, as in i. 1788,
2073, ii. 300, iii. 380 (margin), 1642, v. 325, vi. 555, while
some others are common to S with G alone, some few small mistakes
remain uncorrected, as in i. 106, 953, 1212, 1591, 1662, iii.
176, 989, 1214, 1541, 1695, iv. 273, 336 &c., and in some cases,
where the headings of chapters have been rewritten, as vi. cap.
xviii, xix, the original headings are left standing in the Table
of Chapters at the beginning.
At least five hands are distinguishable, as follows:
(1) the original text of the _Vox Clamantis_.
(2) the original text of the succeeding poems, French and Latin,
and the rewritten text or corrections on ff. 15 v^o (i. 1019), 90
v^o (vi. 545), 97 (vi. 1159), 115 v^o (vii. 1454 f., 1469 f.),
116 (last lines of _Vox Clamantis_).
(3) the original text and (probably) the corrections of the
_Epistola_, f. i, and the corrections or rewritten text on ff. 36
v^o (iii. 2 ff.), 39 (iii. cap. iv. heading), 97 v^o (vi. 1189),
98 (vi. 1219 ff.), 115 r^o (vii. 1409 ff.), 116 (first lines of
_Cron. Trip._), 126 v^o, 127 v^o, and the text of ‘Quicquid homo
scribat.’
(4) marginal note on f. 40 v^o, ‘Nota de bello Cleri’ &c. (iii.
375).
(5) marginal note on f. 66, ‘Nota quod Genius’ &c. (iv. 587).
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account