Manuscript, on paper, in several mid-seventeenth-century cursive hands, containing a collection of poems mainly by sixteenth- and seventeeth-century English and Scottish authors, divided into six "Books of Verse." Thomas Carew is represented by 17 poems; John Donne by 5 poems; Ben Jonson by 3 poems; and John Cleveland by 2 poems. The volume also contains poems by other authors, including Francis Beaumont, Sir Edward Dyer, George Etherege, Thomas Lodge, Walter Raleigh, Philip Sidney, William Strode, Aurelian Townshend, and Edmund Waller. There are also many anonymous and unattributed poems, including epitaphs, lyrics, epigrams, and satires; ballads such as "Chevy Chase" and "Fair Rosamund"; the comic poem "Speech of a Fife Laird"; and an early version of "Auld Lang Syne."
Description:
Annotated in ink on front flyleaf in an eighteenth-century? hand: 12. shill., Annotated in pencil on front flyleaf in a modern hand with auction information and a note: This volume contains what appears to be the earliest appearance of "Auld Lang Syne" on p. 247., Annotated on front pastedown in contemporary hand: With some original new poesie., Binding: contemporary calf, paneled in blind; compartmented spine., Ownership inscription under title on title page: Frendraught legi., and Previously owned by James Crichton, 2nd Viscount Frendraught. Ex libris Thomas Fraser Duff. Ex libris Robert S. Pirie. Purchased from Richard Linenthal (Sotheby's New York sale, 2015 December 3-4, lot 816) on the James Marshall and Marie-Louise Osborn Fund, 2015.
Subject (Geographic):
Scotland--Poetry, Songs, English--Early works to 1800, and Songs, Scots--Early works to 1800
Ballads, English--Early works to 1800, Ballads, Scots--Early works to 1800, English literature--Early modern, 1500-1700, English poetry--Early modern, 1500-1700, Epigrams, English--Early works to 1800, Epitaphs--Early works to 1800, Satire, English--Early works to 1800, Scottish literature--To 1700, and Scottish poetry--To 1700
