Digital Index of Middle English Verse: No. 5663

DIMEV 5663

IMEV 3582

NIMEV see 4072

This book thus to have ended had I thought

Prologue to Hoccleve’s Tale of Jonathas (see 6529) — twelve stanzas rhyme royal

Author(s): Thomas Hoccleve

Title(s): Tale of Jonathas

Subjects: prologues

Versification: — seven-line — ababbcc

Manuscript Witnesses:

1.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Selden Supra 53 (SC 3441), ff. 134v-136

First Lines:

This book to han endid had I thouȝt
But my frende made me chaunge my cast…

Last Lines:

…The copie on þe morede sente he me
And þus I wroot as ȝe may here see

Attributed Title: Here bigynneþ þe prologe of the tale of Ionatas (f. 134v ), Here endith the Prolog and bygynneth the tale (at the end)

2.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Bodley 221 (SC 27627), ff. 44-45

First Lines:

This booke to haue endid had y thoght
But my frende made me chaunge my caste…

Last Lines:

…The copy on the morowe sent he me
And thus I wrote as þe may here see

Attributed Title: Here begynnyth þe prolog of of Jonathan (f. 44); Here endith þe prolog and begynnyth þe tale (at the end)

3.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Eng. poet. d.4 (SC 30126), ff. 21-22

First Lines:

That thing ys dere and euere dere bouht
That the soule sleeth and the body distroieth…

Last Lines:

…The copye on the morwe sent he me
And thus I wrote as ye may hope se

Note: 10 stanzas, first two stanzas missing (probably have never been copied).

4.Source: Oxford, Bodleian Library Laud misc. 735 (SC 1504), ff. 42v-43v

First Lines:

This book to have endid had I thoght
But my frende made me chaunge my cast…

Last Lines:

…The copye on þe morow sent he me
And þus I wrote As ȝe may here see

Attributed Title: Here begynnyth þe prologg of þe tale of Ionathas (f. 42)

5.Source: Coventry, Coventry Archives Acc. 325/1, ff. 64vb-65rb

First Lines:

THis boke to han eendid had I thouht
But my freende made me chaunge my cast…

Last Lines:

…The copie on þe morowe sent he me
And thus I wrote as ye man here se

Note: Twelve stanzas rhyme royal in this MS.

Attributed Title: Here beginnith þe prolog of þe tale of Jonathas (f. 64vb); Here endith þe prologe and biginneth þe tale (f. 65rb)

6.Source: Durham, Durham University Library Cosin V.iii.9, ff. 77-79

First Lines:

This book thus to han endid had y thoght
But my freend made me change my cast…

Last Lines:

…The copie on the morke sente he me
And thus y wroot as yee may heere see

Note: Scribe Thomas Hoccleve.

Attributed Title: Hic additur alia fabula ad instanciam amici mei predilecti assiduam (f. 77); Explicit prologus & incipit fabula de quadam muliere mala (f. 79)

Facsimiles:

Burrow, John, and A. I. Doyle, eds. Thomas Hoccleve: A Facsimile of the Autograph Verse Manuscripts. EETS s.s. 19 (2002).

Editions:

Furnivall, Frederick James, ed. Hoccleve’s Works: The Minor Poems. vol. 1. EETS e.s. 61 (1892); repr. with Gollancz (1925)

XGollancz, Israel. Hoccleve’s Works: The Minor Poems. vol. 2. EETS e.s. 73 (1925); repr. with 61, 1970

73; rev. J. Mitchell and A. Ian Doyle, 1970: 215-18.

7.Source: New Haven, Yale University, Beinecke Library 493 [olim Phillipps 8267; Robinson (July 1952); Bodmer], ff. 42-43

First Lines:

This book to have endid had I thoght
But my frende made me chaunge my cast…

Last Lines:

…The copie on þe morow sent he me
And thus I wrotte as ȝe may here see

Attributed Title: Here begynnyth þe prologg of þe tale of Ionathas (f. 42)