Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 1.djvu/411

 n s. i. MAY 21, 1910. NOTES AND QUERIES.

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court of his fader Kynge | of fryse | Capitulo prhno. | [Westminster : W. Caxton, 1489 ?] Fol.

%* The only known copy of this production of Cax ton's press, wanting the conclusion."

2. " Hall (John). [Vision.] 1563.

" A Poesie In Forme | of a Vision, briefly inueying against the moste | hatefull, and pro- digious Artes of Necromancie, | Witchcraft, Sorcerie, Incantations, and diuvers | other detest- able and deuilishe practises, day- | ly vsed vnder colour of ludiciall Astrolo- | gie. Compiled in Metre by | I. H. | [4 lines.] | [Printer's device beneath title.] Printed At London By i Rouland Hall, dvvellyng in Gutter Lane | at the signe of the halfe Egle and | the Keye | 1563. | 8vo.

I elieved to be known."
 * First edition, of which no other copy is

Apparently these are not the only speci- mens of sole-remaining copies in the Library, for Mr. Guppy further remarks :

" It is impossible, within the limits of a short prefatory note, to convey anything like an ade- quate idea of the extent of the collection from which the exhibits are selected. This, however, should be said, that its range must not be esti- mated by the comparatively limited number of works which can be accommodated hi the exhi- bition cases of the Library."

It may be added that the exhibits include specimens of Middle English writers (MS., from the pre-Wicliffite Apocalypse (1375) to Lydgate's ' Boccaccio l (1450)," and (printed editions) from Caxton's ' Recuyell of the
 * - Historyes of Troye l (1474) to 'The Vision

j of Piers the Plowman * (1550); of the i English Bible from Tindale's New Testament (1525) to the Authorized Version (1611); of early sixteenth-century literature from the first English edition of the * Imitatio Christi ' (1515) to Latimer's Sermons (1578) ; from Shakespeare's Sonnets (first edition, 1609) to his Fourth Folio (1685) ; of Eliza- bethan poetry and prose from Phaer's trans- lation of Virgil (first edition, 1558) to the first edition of Ben Jonson's Works (1616), and from Knox's ' Answer to Blasphemous Cavillations z (first edition, 1560) to Hak- luyt's 'Principal Navigations* (second i edition, 1600) ; of early seventeenth -century literature from James I.'s ' Essayes of a Prentise ' (first edition, 1584) to Howell's 'Familiar Letters 2 (1645); of later seven- teenth -cent ury literature from Baxter's 'Saints'- Everlasting Rest' (first edition, IISJO) to Dryden's ' Hind and Panther * (first edition, 1687) ; and of Milton from * Comus 2 (1637) to ; Paradise Regained l (1671). Those who are not the fortunate possessors this Catalogue, nor of the quarterly Bulletin of the Library, will now know where the above treasures are housed.

J. B. McGovERN. Nt. Stephen's Rectory, C.-on-M., Manchester.

JOHN RYLANDS LIBRARY : ' THE SIEGE OF TROY.' I have recently discovered some interesting particulars with regard to the history of a copy of ' The Siege of Troy,' a MS. now in the John Rylands Library at Manchester (No. 60).

It appears that the MS. in question was originally made for William Carent of Carent's Court, Isle of Purbeck (who died in 1422),. as it contains an illumination of his arms. A subsequent owner was "Hugh Morgan of Monmouth in the marches of Wales," whose name appears on the blank pages of the book.

Sir Humphrey Talbot, Marshal of Calais,, a younger son of the first Earl of Shrewsbury, evidently acquired the MS. in the fifteenth century, for in his will (dated 18 Feb., 1492, and proved P.C.C. 11 Nov., 1494) is the following bequest :

" Also I woll that the Englisshe booke which. 1 have of the Seege of Troy be gevin to the doughter of Maister Roger Marshall, phisicion,, late of London."

One of Sir Humphrey's executors was a certain Thomas Booth ; and in his will (dated 31 Dec., 1503, and proved P.C.C. in 1504) I find further mention of the MS. He makes John Mundy his executor, and, in addition to a bequest of money, leaves to him

' a cloth bandkyn and a booke of the sege of Troye that shuld be geven to Maister Marshall's daughter as it appeareth in my Master's will if he cannot fynde her to take hit and dispose it for her soule by myn executours to be disposed."

Presumably the lady was not to be found ; for John Mundy kept the book, and, it is to be hoped, duly expended its value in masses. John Mundy, who was Mayor of London in in 1522, was knighted in 1529 (see my notes on his history, 10 S. i. 31). In 1516 he had acquired the estates of Markeaton, Mack- worth, and Allestrey, co. Derby ; and for more than three centuries ' The Siege of Troy ' remained in the library at Markeaton Hall. A few years before his death Sir John gave it to his eldest son Vincent Mundy, who valued it in his inventory at 13s. 4rf. In 1615 Francis Mundy (great- grandson of Sir John) owned it, and may have written the note stating that " this booke is valued at 5QL not long since.* 1 It appears to have descended to his younger son Adrian Mundy of Quorndon, co. Derby (1606-77), who left an only daughter and heir, Millicent, who married first John Musters of Colwick Hall, Notts ; and secondly the Rev. Dr. Thomas Fuller of Hatfield.