Manuscript codex. Title from printed catalog. Collation: Parchment, fol. 111 ; 1-2 lacking 38 4-108 (remainder of the codex disturbed in rebinding, collation impracticable) ; foliated 1-92, 92b, 93-110 (water damage, especially on fol. 1-4 and 109-110); 17 folios lacking at beginning since 18th century; 4 folios [Book VI, lines 264-1306] missing after fol. 73; fol. 71-72 should follow fol. 66, fol. 103 should follow fol. 106. Layout: Written in 2 columns of 64-74 lines; frame-ruled; Latin prose sections underlines in red. Script: Written in secretary cursiva formata. Decoration: Alternating red and blue minor initials; red paragraph marks. Origin: Written in England in the middle of the 15th century. Effaced notes and inscriptions, 15th century, on fol. 110r "Item of Thomas Flynn," "Per me Thomas Goldsmyth the Young," followed by a brief epigram and the signature of Thomas Goldsmyth, below. Pen trials in Latin, French, and English on fol. 110v. Signature, fol. 109v, of John Willing, 18th century. Inscription, 18th century, "Johannes Gower De confessione amantis obiit 1404 ... This book is imperfect till the latter end of the first book. It begins at 'In midel erth et cetera' at the bottom of fol. xxxvi, printed by Thomas Bertholette MDLIIII." Formerly in the library of the Earl of Carlisle at Castle Howard with labels: "From the Castle Howard January 1898," "From Castle Howard September 1899," and "Sent to [illegible] office". The Castle Howard copy, described in some detail in G.C. Macaulay's edition of Gower's complete works (Oxford, 1899-1902), v. 2, p. cli. In Macaulay's classification, this version is the first recension... Bookplate: Louis H. Silver.
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