Lansdowne MS 793

small folio.

The History of King Boccus and Sydracke the philosopher. Translated from the French into English rhyme by Hugh of Caumpeden. This is a MS. of the fifteenth century fairly written on vellum; but the last five leaves have been much injured by damp. For some account of this work consult Mr. Warton's Hist. of English Poetry, vol. i. 143, vol. ii. 101, and the Athenæum, vol. i. 493. The MSS. of it are not very uncommon in French, but the Harl. 4294 and the Sloane 2232 are the only English copies in the Brit. Museum. Mr. Warton mentions one in the Bodleian library, with a different beginning according with the very rare printed copy. This begins "Fadir and sone and holy goost As thou art Lord of mightes moost." It has not the concluding lines in the printed copy which points out the translator' s name, of whom nothing seems recorded; for Bale only knew him in the bookeepers' shops. Robert Wakefelde, whose name occurs at the end of the Sloane copy, was only the transcriber of the MS. and probably the learned chaplain of King Henry VIII.