Add MS 78357

EVELYN PAPERS. Vol. CXC. Quarto notebook containing autograph fair copies of Evelyn's occasional verse, in three sections with some blank leaves between each; 17th cent. Many leaves discoloured by damp, with some fading of text. Beal EvJ 6. Formerly Evelyn MS 124.

ff. 69. Paginated `1-68' in ink by Evelyn, continued by him in pencil to p. 158. Binding of black calf, gilt ruled and stamped, [17th cent.?], with modern repairs. 118 x 114mm.

1. ff. 1-34. Section headed `Otium Evelyni', with the further heading, `Ludicra. Follies', containing separate items of occasional secular verse and epigrams, written between 1639 (f. 29) and 1688 (f. 34), but not entered in chronological order, and with some later crossing through in pencil, and marginal notes (ff. 27v-28) after 1690. With a few lines in Latin and Greek.

2. ff. 38-50. Section headed `Hymns and Sacred Poems', with the further heading, `Mea Seria Ludo.' Several are in Latin, some with parallel English translation or version. The hymns for each day of the week (those for Friday and Saturday headed but not entered) and other church festivals are also to be found in the corresponding meditations in the following section of devotional manuscripts; mid-late 17th cent.

3. ff. 63v-64v. Verses relating to Evelyn's friendship with Margaret (Blagge) Godolphin, who died in childbirth in 1678; circa 1673-[1680s]: `On the Gift of the dearest Friend I have in the World' (accompanied by a small pen and ink sketch of their `altar of friendship', for the earlier version of which, see Evelyn, Diary, III, opp. p. 628); - `In Margaritam (Eheu Charissimam!) Epitaphium'; - `Elegia Mrs: Godolphin my never enough to be deplored Friend'; - `Sent with the Common prayer Book to that deare Child litle Fr: Godolphin'. The second and third items were also included at the end of Evelyn's Life of Mrs Godolphin; see the edition by Harriet Sampson (Oxford University Press, 1939), pp. 112-114. For this friendship, see also Add. MSS 78307 and 78372-78392.

4. ff. 69-70. `The Table': a list by Evelyn of the contents of each section with page numbers.