22 - Oxford, Bodleian Library, MS Arch. Selden B.11

Summary

Confessio Amantis, with ‘Explicit iste liber’, ‘Quam cinxere’ and ‘Quia unus quisque’

London, s.xv, mid to third quarter (confirmed by watermarks)

Contents

1

(fols 1ra–169ra) Confessio Amantis, Prol. 1–VIII.3114*

Torpor hebes sensus scola parua minimusque … (6 lines of Latin verse)

To [sic] hem that written vs be fore < > Our Ioye may been endeles. AMEN.

Prologue (fol. 1ra); Book I (fol. 7va); Book II (fol. 26vb); Book III (fol. 46vb); Book IV (fol. 60rb, though explicit/incipit is on fol. 60ra); Book V (fol. 77vb); Book VI (fol. 114ra); Book VII (fol. 125vb, though the Latin verses begin on 125va); Book VIII (fol. 152vb). The text is complete; two leaves are missing, one each in quires x and xi, but without loss of text.

Text (sigil Sn): Ic, according to Macaulay (ed., Works, II.cl), who considers the text poor and corrupt. For the omission of I.161, where ‘Iohn Gowere’ is named, see the description of Bodleian, MS Bodley 693.

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. 169ra) ‘Explicit iste liber’

Explicit iste liber < > pagina grata Britannis

Earlier four-line version, without dedication to earl of Derby.

Macaulay (ed.), Works, III.478.

3

(fol. 169ra) ‘Quam cinxere freta’

Quam cinxere freta < > stat sine meta

With rubric, ‘Epistola super huius’

Macaulay (ed.), Works, III.479.

4

(fol. 169ra–rb) ‘Quia unusquisque’

Quia unusquisque < > specialiter intitulatur

Earlier version, favourable to Richard II.

Macaulay (ed.), Works, III.479–80.

Illustration

No illustration. See Drimmer, The Art of Allusion, 91.

Decoration

Simple decoration. Beginning of Prologue and of Books II, III, V, VI, VII and VIII are marked by five- or six-line blue Lombard initials with red flourishing including sprays extending up and down left margins.