Early English Alliterative Poems,
in the West-Midland dialect of the fourteenth century. Copied and edited from a unique manuscript in the library of the British Museum. With an introduction, notes, and glossarial index.
London: Published for the Early English Text Society, 1864 Stock Code: 123389
First edition. The book marked the first complete publication of the poems Cleanness, Patience and Pearl, commonly believed to be by the same anonymous author who wrote Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. The poems were taken from the late-14th century manuscript known as Cotton Nero A.x, and were almost entirely unknown until a few portions were published in the second edition of Thomas Warton's History of English Poetry in 1824. The book is especially scarce in the original wrappers.
Description
Octavo. Original blue paper wrappers, printed in black.
Condition
Pencil markings on cover, the poem Pearl heavily annotated in pencil. Spine repaired and creased, paper wrapper chipped at spine ends, very slightly soiled, markings to rear cover with top corner slightly chipped, short closed tear to fore edge of front cover. Overall a very good copy of this fragile book.
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