‘Extraordinary Good’
[COTTON, Charles.]
Scarronnides: or, Virgile Travestie. A Mock-Poem. In Imitation of the fourth Book of Virgils Aeneis in English, Burlesque … London, ‘printed by E. Cotes for Henry Brome’, 1665.
8vo, pp. [2], 156, [3]; title within frame of type ornaments, with a terminal leaf blank except for Brome’s device; marginal toning to title; a very good copy in contemporary sheep; spine and corners worn, paper spine label chipped.
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Scarronnides: or, Virgile Travestie. A Mock-Poem. In Imitation of the fourth Book of Virgils Aeneis in English, Burlesque …
First edition of the second part of Cotton’s famous burlesque, an imitation of Aeneid book IV, printed by Ellen Cotes.
Charles Cotton (1630–1687) is perhaps best known for his contribution to The Compleat Angler and for his translation of Montaigne’s Essays, but his Scarronnides was also much admired, Pepys rating it as ‘extraordinary good’.
Ellen Cotes (fl. 1652–1670) was the widow of the London printer Richard Cotes, who had served as official printer to the City of London. In 1668 she was operating three presses, with two apprentices and nine pressmen. She printed this work for the bookseller and publisher Henry Brome – a list of poems and plays published by him appears at the end here alongside his attractive device.
ESTC R2518; Wing C 6392.