Egerton MS 3884

Known as the ‘Melford Hall Manuscript’ this volume contains 145 poems by John Donne, poet and Church of England clergyman (1572 – 1631), with others by Francis Beaumont, Thomas Carew, Richard Corbet, Thomas Overbury, John Roe, Henry Killigrew, Thomas Weelkes and several unattributed works copied c. 1625 – 1635. The manuscript also includes notes on the sermons of Robert Meldrum, Dec. 1686 – May 1689; and 11 popular poems and songs dated 1757 – 1759. The volume is compiled in several unknown hands.

ff. 1r.-2v. John Donne, ‘Satire I’. Copy titled ‘Satire’, beginning ‘Away thou fondling Motley Humerist’.

ff. 2v.-4r. John Donne, ‘Satire III’. Copy titled ‘Satire’, beginning ‘Kind pittie choaks my splene; brave scorn forbidds’.

ff. 4r.-7v. John Donne, ‘Satire IV’. Copy titled ‘Satire’, beginning ‘Well, I may now receyve, and dye; my sin’.

ff. 8r.-9v. John Donne, ‘Satire V’. Copy titled ‘Satir’, beginning ‘Thou shallt not laugh in this leafe, muse, nor they’.

ff. 9v.-11v. John Roe, ‘Satir’. Beginning ‘Sleepe next societie and true frendshippe’.

ff. 12r.-13v. John Donne, ‘Satire II’. Copy titled ‘Satir’, beginning ‘Sr, though (I thank god for it) I doe hate’.

ff. 14r.-16r. John Donne, ‘Elegy XI: The Bracelet’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Not that in Couller it was like thy hayre’.

ff. 16r.-17v. John Donne, ‘The Storm. To Mr. Christopher Brooke’. Copy titled ‘The Storme to Mr CrB’, beginning ‘Thou which art I, (tis nothinge to bee soe)’.

ff. 17v.-18v. John Donne, ‘The Calm’. Copy titled ‘The Calme’, beginning ‘Our storme is past; And that stormes tirannous rage’.

ff. 19r.-20r. John Donne, ‘Elegy II: The Anagram’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Marry, and love thy Flavia, for shee’.

ff. 20r.-20v. John Donne, ‘To Mr. Rowland Woodward’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘One who in her third widdowhood doth professe’.

ff. 21r.-21v. John Donne, 'To Sir Henry Wotton'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Here is no more newes the vertue: I may as well'.

ff. 21v.-22v. John Donne, ‘Elegy VIII: The Comparison’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘As the sweete sweate of Roses in a still’.

ff. 22v.-24r. John Donne, ‘Elegy IV: The Perfume’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Once, and but once, found in thie companie’.

ff. 24r.-24v. John Donne, ‘Elegy III: Change’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Although thy hand, and fayth, and good workes too’.

ff. 24v.-25r. John Donne, ‘Elegy VII’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Natures Lay ideott, I taught thee to love’.

ff. 25v.-26r. John Donne, ‘Elegy IX: The Autumnal’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘No springe, nor summer beautie hath such grace’.

ff. 26v.-27r. John Donne, ‘Elegy X: The Dream’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Image of her, whom I love, more than shee’.

f. 27r. John Donne, ‘Breake of Daye’.

ff. 27v.-28r. John Donne, ‘Sunn Risinge’.

ff. 28r.-28v. John Donne, ‘Lecture uppon the shaddow’.

ff. 28v.-29r. John Donne, ‘Valediction - forbiddinge mourninge’.

ff. 29r.-30r. John Donne, ‘Elegy VI’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Oh, Lett mee not serve soe, as those men serve’.

ff. 30r-30v. John Donne, ‘The Legacy’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘When I died last, (and deare I dye)’.

ff. 30v.-31r. John Donne, ‘The triple ffoole’.

ff. 31r.-32r. John Donne, ‘Elegy on the Lady Markham’. Copy titled ‘An Elegie uppon the Death of the Lady Marckham’.

ff. 32v.-33v. John Donne, ‘Elegy on Mistress Boulstred’. Copy titled ‘An Elegie uppon the death of Mrs Bulstrod’.

f. 34r. John Donne, ‘The Good Morrow’.

ff. 34v.-35r. John Donne, ‘The Broken Heart’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Hee is starke madd, whever sayes’.

ff. 35r.-35v. John Donne, ‘Twickenham Garden’. Copy titled ‘Twittnam Garden’, beginning ‘Blasted with sighes, and surrounded with tears’.

ff. 35v.-36v. John Donne, ‘Elegy XX: Love’s War’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Till I have peace with thee warr other man’.

ff. 36v.-37v. John Donne, ‘Elegie uppon the Death of Mrs Boulstred’.

ff. 37v.-38v. John Donne, ‘Elegie to the La. Bedford’.

ff. 38v.-40r. Francis Beaumont, ‘Ad Comitissam Rutlandiae’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Madam’.

ff. 40r.-40v. John Donne, ‘The Curse’.

ff. 40v.-41r. John Donne, ‘Love’s Alchemy’. Copy titled ‘Mummy’, beginning ‘Some that have deeper digg’d Love’s myne then I’.

ff. 41r.-42r. John Donne, ‘The Canonization’.

ff. 42v.-43r. John Donne, ‘Loves Diett’.

ff. 43r.-44r. John Donne, ‘The Will’. Copy titled ‘Loves Legacies’, beginning ‘Before I sigh my last gaspe, let mee breath’.

ff. 44v.-45v. John Donne, ‘Elegy XV: The Expostulation’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘To make the doubts cleere, that no woman’s true’.

f. 46r. John Donne, ‘The Paradox’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Noe Lover saith I love, nor any other’.

ff. 46r.-46v. Unattributed poem. Copy titled ‘A Paradox’, beginning ‘Who so tearmes Love a fiere, may like a poet’.

ff. 46v.-47r. John Donne, ‘Songe’.

ff. 47r.-47v. John Donne, ‘Woman’s Constancy’.

ff. 47v.-48r. John Donne, ‘Community’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Good wee must Love, and must hate Ill’.

ff. 48r.-48v. John Donne, ‘The Flea’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Marke but this flea, and marke in this’.

ff. 48v.-50r. John Donne, ‘Ecstasy’. Copy titled ‘Extazie’, beginning ‘Where like a pillow on a bedd’.

ff. 50r.-50v. John Donne, ‘Loves Deitie’.

f. 51r. John Donne, ‘The Funerall’.

ff. 51v.-53r. John Donne, ‘An Epithalamion, or Marriage Song on the Lady Elizabeth and Count Palatine being Married on St Valentine’s Day’. Copy titled ‘Epithalamium’, beginning ‘Haile Bishop Valentine, whose day this is’.

ff. 53v.-54v. John Donne, ‘Elegy XVIII: Loves Progress’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Who ever loves, if hee doe not propose’.

ff. 55r-55v. John Donne, ‘The Blossome’.

ff. 55v.-56r. John Donne, ‘Elegy XIX: To his Mistress Going to Bed’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Come Maddam come, All rest my powers defie’.

f. 56v. John Donne, ‘An Aparition’.

ff.56v.-57v. John Donne, ‘To Sr Henrie Wotton’.

ff. 57v.-59r. Richard Corbet, ‘An Elegie on the late Lord William Howard, Baron of Effingham’. Copy titled ‘An Elegie uppon the Death of the Lord Effingham’, beginning 'I did not know thee Lord, nor doe I strive'.

ff. 59r.-59v. John Donne, ‘The Primrose’.

ff. 59v.-60r. John Donne, ‘To Mr T.W.’, beginning ‘All haile sweet Poet, more full of more strong fire’.

f. 60v. John Donne, ‘To Mr T.W.’, beginning ‘Hast thee harsh verse as fast as thy Lame measure’.

f. 60v. John Donne, ‘To Mr T.W.’, beginning ‘Pregnant againe with th’ old twins Hope and feare’.

ff. 60v.-61r. John Donne, ‘To Mr T.W.’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘At once from hence my lines and I depart’.

ff. 61r.-61v. John Donne, ‘To Mr C.B.’.

f. 61v. John Donne, ‘To Mr S.B.’.

f. 61v. John Donne, ‘To Mr T.W.’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘At once from hence my lines and I depart’.

ff. 62r.-66v. Thomas Overbury, ‘A Wife’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Each woman is a breife of woman kind’.

f. 66v. Thomas Overbury, ‘Epitaph on Himself’. Copy titled ‘Epitaph’, beginning ‘The span of my dayes mesur’d, here I rest’.

ff. 67r.-67v. John Roe, ‘An Elegy to Mrs Boulstred’. Copy untitled, beginning, ‘Shall I goe force an Elegie? Abuse’.

ff. 67v.-68r. John Roe, copy untitled, beginning, ‘Deare love continue nice and chaste’.

ff. 68r.-69r. Francis Beaumont, ‘Mr. Francis Beaumont’s Letter to Ben Jonson’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘The sun which doth the greatest comfort bringe’.

f. 69v. John Donne, ‘To Mr B.B.’.

ff. 70r-70v. John Donne, ‘To Mr R.W.’, beginning ‘If, as mine is, thy life a slumber bee’.

f. 70v. John Donne, ‘To Mr I.L.’, beginning ‘Of that short role of frends writ in my hart’.

f. 71r. John Donne, ‘To Mr I.L.’, beginning ‘Blest are your North parts, for all this long time’.

ff. 71v.-72r. John Donne, ‘To Sr Henrie Wotton at his goeinge Embassador to Venice’.

ff. 72r.-73r. John Donne, ‘To Sir Henry Goodyer’. Copy titled ‘To Sr H.G. moveinge him to travaile’, beginning ‘Who makes thee past a patterne for next yeare’.

ff. 73v.-74r. John Donne, ‘To Sir Edward Herbet, at Juliers’. Copy titled ‘To Sir E.H.’, beginning ‘Man is a Lumpe, where all beasts kneaded bee’.

ff. 74r.-75v. John Donne, ‘To Mrs M.H.’

ff. 75v.-76v. John Donne, ‘To the Countess of Bedford’, beginning ‘Madam / Reason is our soules lefte hand, ffaith her right’.

ff. 76v.-77v. John Donne, ‘To the Countess of Bedford’, beginning ‘Honour is soe sublime perfection’.

ff. 77v.-79r. John Donne, ‘To the Countess of Bedford’, beginning ‘You have refinde mee; And to worthiest things’.

ff. 79r.-80v. John Donne, ‘‘To the Countess of Bedford’, beginning ‘To have written then when you writ, seem’d to mee’.

ff. 81r.-82r. John Donne, ‘To the Countess of Bedford at New Yeares-tide’.

ff. 82r.-83v. John Donne, ‘To the Countess of Huntingdon’. Copy titled ‘To the C of H’ beginning ‘Madam / Man, to Gods Image, Eve to mans was made’.

ff. 83v.-85r. John Donne, ‘To the Countess of Salisbury’. Copy title ‘To the Countess of S’.

ff. 85r.-86v. John Donne, ‘A Letter to the Lady Carey, and Mistress Essex Rich, from Amiens’. Copy titled ‘To the La. Ca. of C. From France’ beginning ‘Maddam / Heare, where by all Saints invoked are’.

ff. 86v.-88r. John Donne, ‘Sappho to Philanis’.

ff. 88r.-88v. John Donne, ‘Elegy I: Jealousy’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Fond woman which wouldst have thy Husband dye’.

ff. 88v.-89v. John Donne, ‘Elegy XVI: On his Mistress’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘By our first strange and fatall interview’.

f. 90r. John Donne, ‘Elegy V: His Picture’. Copy titled ‘Elegie’, beginning ‘Heare take my picture, though I bidd farewell’.

ff. 90v.-91r. John Donne, ‘A Nocturnll upon St Lucies Day, being the shortiest day’.

f. 91r. John Donne, ‘The Computation’.

f. 91v. John Donne, ‘The Dissolution’.

f. 92r. John Donne, ‘Witchcrafte by a Picture’.

ff. 92r.-92v. John Donne, ‘A Jet Ring Sent’. Copy titled ‘A jeat ring sent’, beginning ‘Thou arte not so black as my hart’.

ff. 92v.-93r. John Donne, ‘Loves Exchange’.

ff. 93r.-93v. John Donne, ‘[A] Fever’.

f. 94r. John Donne, ‘The Indifferent’.

ff. 94v.-95v. John Donne, ‘[A] Valediction of my Name in the Window’.

ff. 95v.-96r. John Donne, ‘Ayre and Angells’.

ff. 96r.-96v. John Donne, ‘Loves Growthe’.

ff. 96v.-97r. John Donne, ‘The Dreame’. Beginning ‘Deare Love for nothinge less than thee’.

f. 97v. John Donne, ‘The Prohibition’.

ff. 97v.-98r. John Donne, ‘The Anniversarie’.

ff. 98r.-98v. John Donne, ‘The Dampe’.

ff. 98v.-99r. John Donne, ‘The Relique’.

f. 99v. John Donne, ‘Negative Love’.

ff. 99v.-100r. John Donne, ‘[A] Valediction of Weepinge’.

ff. 100r.-101v. John Donne, ‘[A] Valediction of the Booke’.

f. 101v. John Donne, ‘The Expiration’.

ff. 101v.-102r. John Donne, ‘The Undertaking’. Copy titled ‘Platonique Love’, beginning ‘I have done one braver thinge’.

ff. 102r.-102v. John Donne, ‘Confined Love’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Some man unworthy to bee possessor’.

ff. 102v.-103r. John Donne, ‘The Message’. Copy titled ‘Songs which were made to certayne aires which were made before’, beginning ‘Send home my long straide eyes to mee’.

ff. 103r.-103v. John Donne, ‘Song’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Sweetest love I doe not goe for wearines of thee’.

ff. 103v.-104r. John Donne, ‘The Bait’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Come live with mee, and bee my love’.

f. 104r. John Donne, ‘Hero and Leander’.

f. 104r. John Donne, ‘Piramis and Thisbe’.

f. 104v. John Donne, ‘Niobe’

f. 104v. John Donne, ‘A Burnt Shippe’

f. 104v. John Donne, ‘Fall of a wall’.

f. 104v. John Donne, ‘A Lame Beggar’.

f. 104v. John Donne, ‘A Licentious Person’.

f. 104v. John Donne, ‘Antiquarie’

f. 105r. John Donne, ‘Mercurius Gallo-Belgicus’

f. 105r. John Donne, ‘Phrine’.

f. 105r. John Donne, ‘An Obscure Writer’

f. 105r. John Donne, ‘Klockius’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Klockius so deeply hath sworne ne’re more to come’.

f. 105r. John Donne, ‘Raderus’

ff. 105v.-107r. John Donne, ‘Epithalamion made at Lincoln’s Inn’.

ff. 107r.-111r. John Donne, ‘Eclogue’.

ff. 111v.-112v. John Donne, ‘Elegy upon the untimely death of the incomparable Prince Henry’. Copy titled ‘Elegie. Prince Henry’, beginning ‘Looke to mee ffaith, and looke to my ffaithe, God’.

ff. 113r.-116v. John Donne, ‘Obsequies to the Lord Harrington, brother to the Lady Lucy, Countess Bedford’. Copy titled ‘Elegie. Lo. Harrington’, beginning ‘Ffaire soule, which wast not only as all soules bee’.

ff. 118r.-127v. John Donne, ‘Infinitati Sacrum 16 Augusti 1601. Metempsychosis Poema Satyricon’.

f. 128r. John Donne, ‘La Corona’. Copy titled 'Devine poems, La Corona'.

f. 128r. John Donne, ‘Annunciation’.

f. 128v. John Donne, ‘Nativitie’.

f. 128v. John Donne, ‘Temple’.

f. 129r. John Donne, ‘Crucifyeinge’.

f. 129r. John Donne, ‘Resurrection’.

f. 129v. John Donne, ‘Assension’.

f. 129v. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'As due by many titles I resigne'.

f. 130r. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Oh my black soule, now thou art summoned'.

f. 130r. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'This is my playes last scene, Here heavens apoint'.

f. 130v. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'At the round Earths imagin'd corners blow'.

f. 130v. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'If poysonous mineralls, and if that tree'.

f. 131r. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Death be not proud, though some hath called thee'.

f. 131r. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Spitt in my face yee Jewes and pierce my side'.

f. 131v. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Why are wee by all creatures wayted on?'.

f. 131v. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'What if this present were the worlds last night?'.

f. 132r. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Batter my hart, three persond God; for you'.

f. 132r. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Wilt thou love God, as hee thee, then digest'.

f. 132v. John Donne, 'Holy Sonnets'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Father, part of his double interest'.

f.133r. John Donne, ‘Resurrection, imperfect’.

f. 133v. John Donne, ‘A Himme to Christ’.

f. 134r. John Donne, ‘To Christ’.

f. 134v. Walter Montagu, 'Verses on the Cou[ntess] of Car[lisle] by Wal[ter] Mon[tagu] then coming from greenewigh [?] by water’, beginning ‘Sure it is the Angels doe contest’.

f. 135r.-136r. Unattributed poem. ‘In his play’, beginning ‘Part a triangle with a down right line’.

ff. 136r.-136v. Unattributed poem. Copy untitled, beginning ‘Eyes doe not perswade me to beleeve’.

f. 137r. Thomas Carew, ‘The first chorus of jealousie’.

f. 138r. Thomas Weelkes, copy untitled. Beginning ‘Though my carriage be but careless’.

f. 139r-139v. Francis Beaumont, copy untitled. Beginning, ‘Stand still my happiness, and swell my harte’.

ff. 140r-141r. Henry Killigrew, copy untitled. Beginning, ‘Here, here, my pale Lycoris’.

ff. 142r.-142v. Unattributed poem. Copy titled ‘Upon the advantages of nature and a solitary life’, beginning ‘I wish to have some little it of ground’.

ff. 143r.-143v. Unattributed poem. Copy titled ‘Upon ye vanity of Love’, beginning ‘Strange it may seem’.

f. 143v. Unattributed poem. Copy titled ‘A song of his mistress’, beginning ‘The powers above have me refus’d’.

ff. 144r.-188r. Series of sermon notes mostly on the sermons given by Robert Meldrum (c.1653–1699), c. 1686–1689.

f. 189v. Unattributed song, copy untitled. Beginning ‘Young Damon Long Study’d my heart to Obtain’, 1759.

f. 190v. Unattributed song, copy untitled. Beginning ‘No more my Song shall be ye swains’, c. 1759.

f. 192v. Unattributed song, copy untitled. Beginning ‘Teach me Chloe how to Prove’, c. 1759.

f. 193v. Song attributed to Thomas Cooke, copy untitled. Beginning ‘Cast my Love thine Eyes around’, c. 1759.

f. 194v. Unattributed song, ‘The Rover’. Copy untitled, beginning ‘In all the sex some charms I find’, c. 1759.

f. 195v. Unattributed song, copy untitled. Beginning ‘Ye gentle Winds that Fan the Sea’, c. 1759.

f. 196v. Unattributed song, copy untitled. Beginning ‘The mornings Fresh, the Sun in East’, c. 1759.

f. 197v. Unattributed song, copy untitled. Beginning ‘Now the Snow Drop lifts her head’, c. 1759.

f. 198v. Unattributed song, 'Lazy Johnny'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Where's my Swain so Blyth and Clever', 1759.

f. 199v. Unattributed song, 'The Perplex'd Lovers'. Copy untitled, beginning 'Thom Loves Mary Passing well', 8 Aug. 1759.

ff. 200r.-201v. Unattributed song. Copy titled 'Ode to Wisdom By A Lady', beginning 'The Solitary Bird of Night'., 1757.

f. 202v. Title only of Alexander Pope's 'An Ode on Solitude'. Copy title 'An Ode on Solitude by A Pope esqr'. undated.