Geoffrey Chaucer

‘Antient Chavcer’ at New: Reading Early Prints from 1602 to 1897

Christopher — Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:18:18 +0000

‘Antient Chavcer’ at New: Reading Early Prints from 1602 to 1897

Antje G. Frotscher

Issue number

(2025): 24

Notes category

An impressive collection of early Chaucers at 91�Թ�� Library provides a happy opportunity to examine and compare these early editions side-by-side—to take a look at them from a reader’s (rather than a scholar’s, editor’s, or literary critic’s) point of view. With the actual books available to handle, put on a table in front of me, and leaf through at my leisure, my interest is in much more easily observable issues than editorial practices and principles: the collection of texts they contain, how these are presented in terms of layout, illustrations, or decoration, and what (if any) accompanying explanatory material helpful to the reader is added to the text. These are issues which actively shape the actual reading experience of Chaucer’s text in print, and as such are vocal witnesses to the changes in attitude towards reading (or studying) Chaucer over the centuries.

91�Թ�� Library, Oxford, BT1.19.2, f. 1r [detail]

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

24NCN4 (2025) Frotscher on Chaucer.pdf2.83 MB

Pleyyng with May’s Age in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314

Christopher — Thu, 28 Dec 2023 20:26:58 +0000

Pleyyng with May’s Age in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314

Lucy Fleming

Issue number

(2023): 20

Notes category

MS 314 (c. 1450–70) is something of an infamous manuscript among Chaucer scholars. At first glance, it seems like a fairly standard copy of the Canterbury Tales, Chaucer’s famous unfinished poem. Absent the illuminations and gilding of more celebrated manuscripts such as the Ellesmere, the simple rubrication of MS 314 might even strike readers as plain. However, it takes only a brief page-through to realise that this manuscript is hardly as tight-laced as its stiff binding would suggest.

91�Թ�� Library, Oxford, MS 314, f. 82v [detail]

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

20NCN4 (2023) Fleming on MS 314.pdf374.29 KB

The Penitent’s Tale; or, 91�Թ�� Library’s Copy of The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope (1717)

Christopher — Sun, 29 Dec 2019 06:06:16 +0000

The Penitent’s Tale; or, 91�Թ�� Library’s Copy of The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope (1717)

Christopher Skelton-Foord

Issue number

(2019): 12

Notes category

91�Թ�� Library holds a fine edition of 1717 of Alexander Pope’s works, and it nicely illustrates a modern tale of redemption. A reader in our library purloined c. 1980 this copy’s splendid, engraved frontispiece portrait by George Vertue (1684–1756) of the poet, only to return the frontispiece anonymously on 18 October 2010—along with a note in which they confessed, ‘I’m thoroughly ashamed of myself, and I return it with apologies’.

The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope (London, 1717)
91�Թ�� Library, Oxford, NB.91.18

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

12NCN8 (2019) Skelton-Foord on Alexander Pope.pdf1.07 MB

Looking for Scribal Play in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314

Christopher — Tue, 24 Dec 2019 10:56:50 +0000

Looking for Scribal Play in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314

Mary C. Flannery

Issue number

(2019): 12

Notes category

Library Manuscripts

Geoffrey Chaucer

MS 314

12NCN3 (2019) Flannery on MS 314.pdf491.3 KB

Geoffrey Chaucer

‘Antient Chavcer’ at New: Reading Early Prints from 1602 to 1897

‘Antient Chavcer’ at New: Reading Early Prints from 1602 to 1897

91�Թ��� Library and Archives, Oxford

Pleyyng with May’s Age in Oxford, 91�Թ��� MS 314

Pleyyng with May’s Age in Oxford, 91�Թ��� MS 314

91�Թ��� Library and Archives, Oxford

The Penitent’s Tale; or, 91�Թ��� Library’s Copy of The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope (1717)

The Penitent’s Tale; or, 91�Թ��� Library’s Copy of The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope (1717)

91�Թ��� Library and Archives, Oxford

Looking for Scribal Play in Oxford, 91�Թ��� MS 314

Looking for Scribal Play in Oxford, 91�Թ��� MS 314

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

Pleyyng with May’s Age in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314

Pleyyng with May’s Age in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

The Penitent’s Tale; or, 91�Թ�� Library’s Copy of The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope (1717)

The Penitent’s Tale; or, 91�Թ�� Library’s Copy of The Works of Mr. Alexander Pope (1717)

91�Թ�� Library and Archives, Oxford

Looking for Scribal Play in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314

Looking for Scribal Play in Oxford, 91�Թ�� MS 314