Manuscript poetry.- [Crashaw (Richard)] Epigrammatum

Manuscript poetry.- [Crashaw (Richard)] Epigrammatum sacrorum liber, first edition of the author's first book, with contemporary manuscript poetry at end, title and woodcut printer's device within woodcut typographic border, woodcut typographic head- and tail-pieces, crayon scribbled to blank A1r, [STC 6009], Cambridge, [Printed by Thomas Buck and Roger Daniel], Printers to the University, 1634 bound after Greek printing.- Hē tēs anthologias anthologia. Florilegium epigrammatum Græcorum, title with large woodcut printer's device, woodcut head-pieces and decorative initial, lacking plate, occasional contemporary ink marginalia and inter-linear notes, [STC 10701], Felix Kingston, 1629 and Ross (Alexander) Virgilius evangelisans. Sive Historia Domini & Salvatoris nostri Iesu Christi, issue with 'læthi' in last line of E4r, woodcut device to title, with final blank, [STC 24826], John Legate for Richard Thrale, 1634, together 3 works in 1 vol., some spotting and staining, contemporary calf, gilt, worn, but holding, 8vo

⁂ First edition of the first book by Richard Crashaw (c.1613-1649), English poet, fellow of Peterhouse, Cambridge University, and cleric, who later converted to Catholicism. The single page of manuscript poetry includes the couplets 'on Samson's jaw-bone', and 'On the Philistines'; a quatrain 'A Riddle'; and a sestain 'On Popish interpretation of Scripture'.

Provenance: 'J. Willughby, ?B: 9:11' (ink inscription to head of title of second mentioned); Edward Macfarlan, Cambridge, 1808 (ink inscription to final blank of final mentioned); Metcalfe (inscription to front pastedown).