21884 GOWER (John) CONFESSIO AMANTIS, IN ENGLYSSHE VERSE, folio. Manuscript on Vellum, in double columns on 179 leaves (14 by 8 inches), ORNAMENTED WITH A Miniature and several Initials, IN FLOREATED BORDERS, illuminated in gold and colours, calf, gilt edges, from the libraries successively of John Earl of Loudon, with his bookplate, and the Marquis of Hastings, £250. about A.D. 1400 A SPLENDID OLD ENGLISH MANUSCRIPT, ON VELLUM, OF THE END OF THE XIVTH CENTURY, presenting an extremely valuable text of the Poet who ranks next in importance to Chaucer in early English Literature. Chaucer, although he died before Gower, was younger than the latter, and is sometimes called his disciple. The present MS. contains the earlier recension of the work, dedicated to Richard the Second, and comprises the complimentary verses concerning Chaucer, which for some reason were omitted in the second issue, dedicated to Henry of Lancaster, when Gower cancelled his verses on King Richard. 21885 TOWNELEY MYSTERIES. A famous unique volume of early English Mysteries or Miracle-Plays, supposed to have been written at Woodkirk, in Yorkshire, in the Cell of Augustinian or Black Canons, for the amusement and edification of persons attending those Pageants at Wakefield, or at Woodkirk Fair, folio, MANUSCRIPT ON VELLUM, written in a bold hand with about 1430 The Mysteries (or Miracle Plays) contained in this remarkable Volume are: Creatio, Mactatio Abel, Processus Noe cum Filiis, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Processus Prophetarum, Pharao, Cæsar Augustus, Annunciatio, Salutacio Elizabeth, Prima Pagina Pastorum, Secunda Pagina Pastorum, Oblacio Magorum, Fugacio Joseph et Maria in Ægyptum, Magnus Herodes, Purificacio Mariæ, Pagina Doctorum, Johannes Baptista, Conspiracio et Capcio, Coliphizatio Flagellacio, Processus Crucis, Crucifixio, Processus Talentorum, Extractio Animarum ab Inferno, Resurrectio Domini, Peregrini, Thomas India, Ascencio Domini, Juditium, Lazarus, and Suspentio Judæ (this last is in a later handwriting and was probably added towards the end of the XVth century). The language of these Pageants betrays a northern origin and the Secunda Pastorum, described by Mr. Collier as "the most singular Piece in the whole collection," offers local allusions tending strongly to corroborate the claim of Woodkirk to the production of these Mysteries. The word Wakefield, written by the original scribe in the heading of the first and of the third piece, seems to indicate beyond a doubt that the mysteries were played in that town. The editor of the volume published for the Surtees Society did not observe this fact. He was evidently under the impression that "Wakefield" was in the same somewhat later hand in which are written in one place the word "barkers," in the other the word "glovers," and in a third and fourth "lytsters" and "fysshers" the names of the guilds or trades which performed the pieces in question. But whether Woodkirk or Wakefield be the spot in which this volume was produced-and the two places are not far apart— the MS. remains a wonderful and priceless monument of old English dramatic literature, and one of the chief glories of the literary history and language of Yorkshire. It is not known when this volume first came into the possession of the Towneley family. Their early connection with Yorkshire, as well as Lancashire, enables us to surmise that it may have formed part of the Towneley collection at a remote period, or that at least it was in the fine library formed by John Towneley who died in 1607, whose great love for his books was evinced by the bindings in which he had them covered, all bearing his arms and motto. 21886 [CARLIELL (Lodowick)] Arviragus and Philicia (a romantic Tragedy), 2 parts in 1 vol. sm. 4to. neatly written MS. on paper, old calf binding, £2. 2s 1639. about 1638 This is probably the author's autograph MS. The play was printed in 21887 MRS. MOXON'S (Emma Isola) ALBUM OF AUTOGRAPH POEMS and Letters by famous men, comprising 32 original compositions by the undermentioned writers, in their own hand, bound in 1 vol. sm. 4to. with portraits of Charles Lamb, and Charles and Mary Lamb inserted, green morocco extra, with clasps, £125. Cir. 1826-73 No ordinary assemblage of autographs of doubtful interest, but a collection of choice thoughts in exquisite words, fine flowers of English literature, by men whose names are immortal. Charles Lamb. "What is an Album ?" a poem addressed to Miss Emma Isola, 26 lines. "To Emma on her twenty-first Birthday," a poem, 25 May, 1830. "By Enfield Lanes," a sonnet on Emma and Maria, without date. John Keats. "To my Brother," a sonnet on the birthday of his brother Tom, dated Nov. 18 (? 1814 or 1815). William Wordsworth. "She dwelt among the untrodden ways," three verses of his poem on Lucy, copied in his own hand on 18 March, 1837. "Blessings be with them, and enduring praise," five lines of a sonnet dated Rydal, 1838. Alfred Tennyson. "When Lazarus left his charnelcave," four stanzas, undated. Thomas Moore. "Woman gleans but Sorrow," two stanzas, and note to Moxon, June, 1844. 66 Leigh Hunt. Apollo's Autograph," from an unpublished poem called the Feast of the Violets. Undated, circ. 1838. 2. Printed Books. 21888 Æsop's Fables with his Life, in English, French, and Latin, newly translated, folio, 112 plates to the Fables, and 31 to the Life, all engraved by Francis Barlow, old calf, £6. 10s 21889 21890 1703 The English translation is in verse by Mrs. Behn; the Latin and French are derived from older books. The set of plates is complete, and includes the one which is usually torn out. [ALLOT (Robert), Poet and Publisher; or ARMIN (Robert), Dramatist and Shakspearian Actor] ENGLANDS PARNASSUS: or the choysest Flowers of our Moderne Poets, with their Poeticall comparisons, Descriptions of Bewties, Personages, Castles, Pallaces, Mountaines, Groves, Seas, Springs, Rivers, etc. Whereunto are annexed other various discourses, both pleasaunt and profitable, sm. 8vo. (12mo.), title and first leaves mended and slightly cropped, olive morocco extra, gilt edges, £10. 1600 the same, 12mo. large copy in old blue morocco, gilt edges, from the library of Sir M. M. Sykes, £15. 1600 Priced, Bibl. Anglo-Poetica, £20. The Roxburghe copy sold for £21. "This, tho' I have been many years seeking after, yet I cannot get a sight of it."-Wood, in the Athena Oxon. It is the first Poetical Anthology of English Literature, and is also the most valuable. This extremely rare Selection from Shakespeare and other Poets has enabled Editors to assign to their true authors various pieces not otherwise known. It has also preserved numerous verses of the Elizabethan and anteElizabethan period, nowhere else to be met with, and the names of poets who are not otherwise known in literary history than by their mention in England's Parnassus. It has hitherto been the custom to consider that the initials R. A. at foot of the dedication to Sir Thomas Mounson concealed the name of Robert Allot, but Mr. Collier has adduced very plausible reasons for identifying them with Robert Armin, actor and author, who was a member of Shakspeare's company in 1603. 21891 ANNALIA DUBRENSIA. Upon the Yeerely celebration of Mr. Robert Dovers Olimpick Games upon the Cotswold-Hills, written by Michael Drayton, Ben Jonson, T. Heywood, and others, ORIGINAL EDITION, smallest 4to. with the facsimile of the original frontispiece, red morocco, £2. 12s 6d R. Raworth, 1636 21892 ANNALIA DUBRENSIA. The reprint, smallest 4to. frontispiece, old calf gilt, 258 ca. 1720 The original edition sold at Bindley's sale for £12. 12s. Captain Dover was for many years the patron and president of the yearly festival of athletic sports which was celebrated on the Cotswold Hills. His relative, John Dover (one of the contributors to the "Annalia ") and Drayton were perhaps the "begetters" of the various poems furnished by Ben Jonson and the rest. 21893 ANTIDOTE AGAINST MELANCHOLY made up in Pills compounded of WITTY BALLADS, JOVIAL SONGS AND MERRY CATCHES, a very curious Drollery, engraving on title, very rare, 1661-Philipot (T.) Elegies on W. Glover, 1641-Denham (Sir J.) Cooper's Hill, 1655-Thucydides, the Plague of Athens by T. Spratt, 1665-Jonsonus Virbius, or the Memorie of BEN JOHNSON revived by the Friends of the Muses, including pieces by FORD, DONNE, MARMION, etc. but wants Epitaphium, 1638-Preparative to Study, or the VERTUE of SACK, 1641-Examples for Kings (in Prose), 1642-Satyre against Separatists, by A. C[owley], 1642-together in I vol. sm. 4to. original calf, 1638-66 £40. Jolley's copy of the Antidote sold for £6. 6s. The other Pieces are likewise both rare and valuable, and of a kind which finds favour with collectors, from their scarcity and entertaining character, in increasing ratio every year. 21894 ARCHAICA, containing a Reprint of scarce old English Prose Tracts, with Prefaces, critical and biographical, by Sir S. E. BRYDGES, Bart. 2 vols. 1815-HELICONIA, comprising a Selection of English Poetry of the Elizabethan Age, edited by T. PARK, 3 vols. 1815-together 5 vols. 4to. calf extra, gilt edges, by F. Bedford, £12. 1815 A beautiful set; these works are becoming rare, especially fine copies. 21895 ARIOSTO, Orlando Furioso, translated into English Verse by W. S. Rose, 8 vols. 1823-29-BERNI, Orlando Inamorato, translated by W. S. Rose, 1823; together 9 vols. sm. 8vo. calf extra, gilt edges, by Bedford, £4. 4s see HARRINGTON (Sir John). ARNALT and Lucinda-see LAWRENCE (Leonard). 1823-29 21896 ASHMOLE (Elias) Theatrum Chemicum Britannicum, containing severall poeticall pieces of our famous English Philosophers, who have written the Hermetique Mysteries in their owne ancient language with annotations, sm. 4to. many engravings, without the frontispiece by T. Cross, but having the rare plate by Goddard at p. 117, and the equally rare leaf of mistakes. committed by the printer, beginning, "Courteous reader," fine copy in russia, gilt edges, £8. 8s 1652 A rare and curious book containing the Ordinall of Alchimy by Thos. Norton of Bristoll (A.D. 1477), the Compound of Alchymie by Geo. Ripley (1471); Pater Sapientiæ; Hermes Bird; the Worke of John Dastin; Pearce the Black Monke upon the Elixir; Rich. Carpenter's Worke; Hunting of the Greene Lyon; Thomas Charnock's Breviary of Philosophy; Bloomefield's Blossoms; Sir Edward Kelle's Work; Experience and Philosophy; Ripley's Misterie of Alchymists, and other works. On p. 7 (of Norton's poem) the phrase "Free Masons" is found; this is curious as showing that Freemasonry, in some sense, existed in England in the fifteenth century. A "Free-Mason" cannot have been merely a mason. 1836 21897 BAILLIE's (Joanna) Dramas, 3 vols. 8vo. hf. calf, 18s 21898 BALLAD SOCIETY: Publications of the Ballad Society, Vols. I-XVI, and 1 vol. privately printed-together 17 vols. or parts, 8vo. (subscription price £10. 10s), sd. £5. 5s 21899 1868-77 another set, Vols. I-IX, with the privately printed vol.together 10 vols. 8vo. (subscription price £6. 6s), sd. £2. 12s 6d 1868-73 The volume privately printed is: Jyl of Breyntford's Testament, by R. Copland, and other pieces edited by Furnivall. 21900 PUBLICATIONS of the Ballad Society, Vols. I-XIV, LARGE PAPER, thick roy. 8vo. printed on Whatman's eighty-shilling ribbed paper, tinted expressly for the Society, with numerous facsimiles of woodcuts (subscription price £28. 7s), sd. £12. 12s Ballads : 21902 1868-76 CONTENTS: Nos. or Vols. 1, 2, 3 and 10: Ballads from MSS. edited by F. J. Furnivall and W. R. Morfill-Nos. 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 12 and 13; The Roxburghe Ballads, edited by W. Chappell-No. 7: Capt. Cox his Ballads and Books, ed. Furnivall-No. 11: Love Poems and humourous ones, ed. Furnivall-No. 14: The Bagford Ballads, pt. I, ed. by the Rev. J. W. Ebsworth. 21901 A COLLECTION OF OLD BALLADS, corrected from the best and most ancient copies extant, with Introductions, 3 vols. 12mo. 45 plates (including that of the Swimming Lady), russia gilt, £8. 88 1727-26-25 the same, 3 vols. 12mo. 45 plates, fine TALL copy, almost uncut, calf, £10. 1727-8 21903 EVANS (T.) Old Ballads, collected and reprinted from rare copies, with notes, 4 vols. 12mo. FIRST EDITION, 36s 1777 21904 NEW BOOK of OLD BALLADS (collected and edited by J. M(aidment), 12mo. woodcut on title, roxburghe, 328 Edinburgh, 1844 Only sixty copies printed. This collection contains early versions of some popular Scottish Ballads, which have hitherto been published in a mutilated form. 21905 GARLANDS, a collection of 27, printed at Ludlow, Tewkesbury, Worcester, and Gloucester, in 1 vol. sm. 8vo. some with a woodcut on the title-pages, russia, £4. Sec. XVIII 21906 STREET BALLADS and Sensational Broadsides, a collection of about 1000 sheets mounted on thick paper, bound in 4 vols. folio, many of the songs adorned with cuts, hf. calf, £5. Sec. XIX Some of the ephemeral pieces of literature in this collection are of a "facetious" character. Others record the latest wonders in doggrel rhyme. As to date, the majority refer to events of the last thirty years. They were printed in London and at various other towns of England, and some in Dublin. 21907 TURNAMENT of Totenham and the Feest, two early Ballads, from a MS. at Cambridge-The Nutbrowne Maid-Tale of the Basyn and the Frere and the Boy-Songs and Carols4 pieces, all edited with Prefaces by T. Wright, black letter, in 1 vol. sq. 18mo. cloth, Sir F. Madden's copy, with MS. notes by him, 30s see ANTIDOTE. 1836 |