Delectus Poematum et Epigrammatum

Prologues and epilogues in Latin and English to Latin plays by Terence and Plautus and English plays by Otway ([The Cheats of] Scapin), Addison (Cato) and Shakespeare (Henry IV) (ff. 1-12 verso, 26 verso-27 verso, 32-33 verso, 47-47 verso). These prologues and epilogues appear to have been composed for performances of these plays by the pupils of Westminster school (where the scribe of this manuscript, Thomas Mostyn was a pupil, see A. H. Stenning and G. F. Russell Barker, The Record of Old Westminsters, London, 1928, p. 671), as a number of them are to be found in the volume Lusus Westmonasterienses, Westminster, 1734. One prologue (to the Eunuchus of Terence), bears the date 1709 (f. 5). The manuscript also contains Latin odes, apparently by Anthony Alsop (see ODNB, his poetical works, ed. Sir Francis Bernard, Antonii Alsopi Odarum libri duo (Londini, 1752) not at present available in NLW) (ff. 17-18, 43-46). Also included are English poems by Edward Littleton (see ODNB) - '[On] A Spider' and 'A Letter to Mr H. Archer at Eaton School from Cambridge 1717 by E. Littleton' (ff. 33 verso-34, 38 verso-41). These poems are printed in R. Dodsley (ed.), A Collection of Poems in six volumes ... (London, 1770) pp. 290-4, 295-9.
The remainder of the poems in this manuscript between f. 12 verso and f. 47 verso (the leaves are blank from f. 48 to f. 169) are almost exclusively in Latin, largely comprising short exercises on various themes, with some longer poems on subjects such as 'Atrium Peckwateriensel' (ff. 13 verso-15 verso) and 'In Inclytam Scholam Regiam Westmonasteriensem Authore Roberto South. AD. 1652.' (ff. 13-13 verso). There are also some shorter Latin pieces on contemporary subjects, such as a 'Copy of Verses upon Curl's being tost in a Blanket' (f. 42) and 'Mr Urry's Epitaph made by Himself' (ff. 46-46 verso), as well as two English poems: 'An Epitaph written upon Atterbury in Imitation of an Old one upon a Litigious Abbot of Rochester' (ff. 41 verso-42) and '... upon Bagshaw a Student's marrying Bicknall's Daughter, Who was Porter of Ch. Ch. back Gate, ... by J. Bramston' (f. 42 verso). An 'Index Thematum', arranged alphabetically, with incomplete list of prologues and epilogues, is on the back paste down (ff. 169 verso-178).

Access to the original manuscript by authorised permission only. Readers are directed to use surrogate copies.

Formerly Mostyn MS 10.

'E Libris T. Mostyn' and date 1720 (f. ii); dates 1718 and 1719 (f. i). Eighteenth-century hand, almost certainly that of [Sir] Thomas Mostyn, 4th bart (1704-1758).

Preferred citation: NLW MS 21238B [RESTRICTED ACCESS].

Available on microfilm at the Library.

Mostyn shelf mark and catalogue number (10) on front paste down, catalogue number also on spine. Listed as MS 10 in HMC Cat. Lot 1516 in the Christie's (Mostyn Sale), 24 October 1974.

Published