John Gower Lot n° 46

Gower (John) De Confessione amantis, second edition, black letter, mostly printed in double column, lacking title and 3 other leaves of text (H6, I1 and I2, all supplied in facsimile), also lacking final blank, aa2 with corners defective and some text supplied, G3 holed with loss to a couple of words, also supplied, some browning and staining, a few headlines shaved, 19th century calf, stamped in gilt and blind, rebacked preserving original spine, rubbed, [Pforzheimer 421; STC 12143], small folio (241 x 165mm.), [by Thomas Berthelette], [1532]. ⁂ The substantial part of the second edition of this rare Middle English poem, The Lover's Confession, first printed by Caxton in 1483. The Confessio Amantis was completed in 1390 and written at the command of King Richard II by John Gower (1325-1408). Gower wrote three major works: the Confessio Amantis in English, the Vox Clamantis in Latin and the Speculum Meditantis in French. All three books are shown on Gower's elaborate, decorated tomb in Southwark Cathedral. The Confessio Amantis was revised to include a dedication to Henry IV and other changes between 1390 and c.1393. Gower's literary reputation was only matched by that of Chaucer, with whom he is frequently linked by later writers. The two poets did know each other, though Gower, possibly a lawyer by profession, was given power of attorney by Chaucer when he went to Italy in 1378.