CHAUCER, GEOFFREY. 1343-1400.
The Workes of our Ancient and lerned English Poet.... London: George Bishop, 1602.
Folio (325 x 216 mm). Title within architectural woodcut border (McKerrow and Ferguson 132), copperplate portrait of author by John Speed after Hoccleve, division title with woodcut arms of Chaucer, woodcut of Knight, woodcut initials, head- and tail-piece. Lacking blank a1 and 3 glossary leaves Uuu1,7 and 8, at the end, final 5 leaves badly torn at margins with loss of a few letters. Contemporary calf, arms of Elizabeth I on upper and lower covers, rebacked and edges repaired, modern endpapers, some light staining.
Provenance: E.H. (added gilt initials around the royal arms); Jon[athan] Poley de Bogled 1711 (signed and dated on upper margin of title).
Seventh edition of Chaucer's Workes, with the rarer Bishop imprint and a different title compartment. The binding with the coat-of-arms of Queen Elizabeth, but probably a trade binding. "This edition was considerably revised mainly with the aid of Francis Thynne. It is the earliest in which thorough punctuation was attempted, and in many other ways it is a distinct improvement upon Speght's first edition. Two hitherto unprinted pieces are inserted, one non-Chaucerian" (Pforzheimer 178). STC 5081. ESTC S107214.
