Certaine worthye manuscript poems of great antiquitie reserued long in the studie of a Northfolke gentleman. And now first published by I.S. 1 The statly tragedy of Guistard and Sismond. 2 The northren mothers blessing. 3 The way to thrifte

Abstract

I.S. is probably John Stow. "The statly tragedy of Guistard and Sismond" is a translation of the "Decamerone" by Giovanni Boccaccio, first tale of the fourth day. All three pieces sometimes misattributed to Joseph Hall and regarded as part 3 of his "Virgidemiarum". Signatures: [A]¹ B-F (-F8). "The northren mothers blessing. The way of thrift" has separate dated title page with "printed by Robert Robinson for Robert Dexter" in imprint. The last leaf is blank. Versions of the texts are listed in Brown, Carleton and Rossell Hope Robbins. The index of Middle English verse (1943), 3258, 671 and 1982. Reproduction of the original in the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art Gallery.