Published online by Cambridge University Press: 04 January 2024
Confessio Amantis, also ‘Explicit iste liber’, ‘Epistola super huius’, ‘Quam cinxere’, Traitié, Carmen de variis in amore passionibus, Carmen super multiplici viciorum pestilencia.
s.xv, first quarter, perhaps about 1410–20.
Contents
1
(fols 1r–196r) Confessio Amantis, Book I.231–VIII.3172 (end)
And with his wordes debonaire < > Oure ioye may ben endelees
Wants Prologue and Book I.1–230; Book I (fol. 1ra) begins at I.231, also wants I.1361–2602 (a quire of eight leaves, identified here as the Pearson fragment: see Addendum below), after fol. 7; Book II (fol. 13r) wants II.1275–1438 after fol. 21 and II.3457–III.78 after fol. 34; Book III (fol. 35r) wants III.1–78; Book IV (fol. 52r); Book V (fol. 76r); Book VI (fol. 125r); Book VII (fol. 140r); Book VIII (fol. 175r).
The MS is not mentioned by Macaulay. The text of the Confessio has the characteristic features of the later recension of the poem (the third, III). The leaves containing the last book and the added poems are badly damaged.
For further information about the following Latin and French addenda that Gower caused to be added to MSS of the Confessio, see Appendix III.
2
(fol. 196r) ‘Explicit iste liber’
Explicit iste liber < > sub eo requiesce futurus
Longer six-line version with added dedication to Henry earl of Derby.
Macaulay (ed.), Works, III.478.
3
(fol. 196r) ‘Quam cinxere freta’
Quam cinxere freta < > stat sine meta
With rubric, ‘Epistola super huius’
Macaulay (ed.), Works, III.479.
4
(fols 196r–199r) Traitié pour essampler les amantz marietz
Puyce quil ad dit cy deuant < > saluement tenir (prose rubric) Le creatour de toute creature < > lamour parfit en dieu se iustifie Quis sit vel qualis < > ad omne latus (concluding rubric) Macaulay (ed.), Works, I.391–92.
5
(fol. 199r) Carmen de variis in amore passionibus
Est amor in glosa < > adhibo thorum
Macaulay (ed.), Works, IV.359.
6
(fol. 199r–v) Carmen super multiplici viciorum pestilencia, lines 1–97
Nota consequenter < > specialius inficiebantur (opening rubric)
Non excusatur < > perierunt preuaricati
Macaulay (ed.), Works, IV.346.
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