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works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer
as they have lately been compar'd with the best manuscripts; and several things added, never before in print
Works of our ancient, learned, and excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer
VVorks of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Jeffrey Chaucer
Works of our ancient, learned, and excellent English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer
Works of our ancient, learned, & excellent English poet, Geoffrey Chaucer
writer of supplementary textual content.
36 unnumbered pages (the 1st page blank), 660 pages, 24 unnumbered pages : coats of arms, genealogical tables, portrait ; 34 cm (folio in 4s)
The Cushing Library/Laughlin Collection copy contains the bookseller's ticket for T. Fenteman & Sons.
Title continues: To which is adjoyn'd, The story of the siege of Thebes, by John Lidgate, Monk of Bury. Together with the life of Chaucer, shewing his countrey, parentage, education, marriage, children, revenues, service, reward, friends, books, death. Also a table, wherein the old and obscure words in Chaucer are explained, and such words (which are many) that either are, by nature or derivation, Arabick, Greek, Latine, Italian, French, Dutch, or Saxon, mark'd with particular notes for the better understanding their original.
Half-title on unnumbered page 29 at front (leaf c1 recto): The works of Jeffrey Chaucer. With additions. Also The siege and destruction of the worthy City of Thebes; compiled by John Lidgate, Monk of Bury.
"This is the last black-letter edition and is, except for the then recently discovered conclusions of the Cook's and Squire's Tales, verso (4S2), a reprint of the 1602 edition ... without any additions"--Carl H. Pforzheimer Library, entry 179.
Editor's dedication to Sir Robert Cecil (first group, unnumbered pages 5-6, leaf A1) signed: Tho. Speght.
In some copies a printed cancel slip with seven lines of text and the correct catchword are mounted at the foot of the right-hand column on page 42.
HRC has copies with and without the cancel slip.
"Advertisement to the reader" (first group, unnumbered page 27, leaf b4 recto) signed: J.H. The identity of J.H. is uncertain, perhaps the printer John Harefinch (according to Pearsall, Derek, "Thomas Speght (1550?- )," in Editing Chaucer, 1984, page 91; Alderson, William L. Chaucer and Augustan scholarship, 1970, page 47) or, possibly, John Harding, a bookseller active 1678-1719 (suggested in Carl H. Pforzheimer Library, entry 179). In Chaucer and Augustan scholarship, a copy is cited that has a state of the title page with imprint: "Printed and are to be sold by John Harefinch in Montague Court in Little Britain."
Signatures: [pi]² A⁴ a-c⁴ B-4R⁴ 4S² [$1-2 signed (-4S2); leaf c1 signed d1].
Engraved frontispiece has portrait of Chaucer and a heraldic border, with title: The progenie of Geffrey Chaucer.
Section title following Chaucer's life with woodcut of Chaucer arms.
Texts, table of contents, and William Thynne's preface and dedication to Henry VIII (from the 1532 and 1542 editions) in Gothic typefont; initial dedication, preface, and biography in Roman and italic fonts. On the title page, the "W" in "Works" is formed by two letters "V" with one of the pieces of type filed to form the first part of the "W."
Contains spurious works, including The isle of ladies, The flower and the leaf, and Jack Upland.
Letter to Thomas Speght by Francis Beaumont, "from Leicester, the last of June, Anno 1597" (first group, unnumbered pages 9-12, leaves A3 recto-A4 verso).
Includes prefatory poem by Francis Thynne (first group, unnumbered pages 13-14, leaf a1 recto and verso).
The life of our learned English poet, Geffrey Chaucer: first group, unnumbered pages 15-26 (leaves a2 recto-b3 verso).
Includes John Lydgate's Siege of Thebes (The story of Thebes, pages 622-660), reissuing Thomas Speght's edition of 1602.
The final unnumbered section contains: a glossary, with running title "The hard words of Chaucer explained" (unnumbered pages 1-20, leaves 4P3 recto-4R4 verso); translations of Latin and French words and phrases (unnumbered pages 20-21, leaves 4R4 verso-4S1 recto); a list of authors cited (unnumbered pages 21-23, leaves 4S1 recto-4S2 recto); and addenda with conclusions to the Cook's tale and Squire's tale (unnumbered page 24, leaf 4S2 verso).
Wing, D.G. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, Ireland, Wales, and British America, and of English books printed in other countries, 1641-1700 (2nd ed.), C3736
Arber, E. Term catalogues, 1668-1709 A.D., v. II, page 195
Texts in Middle English; biographical and critical matter in English (Tudor period). Some texts freely translated from Old French and Latin.
Siege and destruction of the worthy City of Thebes