THE COMPLETE POEMS OF SIR JOHN DAVIES: I. NOSCE TEIPSUM.
Reading edition
NOTE.
'Nosce Teipsum' was originally published in 1599 (4to). The following is its title-page and collation:
Nosce teipsum This Oracle expounded in two Elegies 1. Of Humane knowledge. 2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie thereof. [Wood-engraving of an anchor within a border and the motto Anchora Spei.] London, Printed by Richard Field for Iohn Standish, 1599. [4to.]
Title-page—Dedication pp. 2—Of humane Knowledge pp. 1-8—Of the soule of man and the immortalitie thereof pp. 9-101. A second edition appeared in 1602, whereof the following are title-page and collation:—
Nosce teipsum, This Oracle expounded in two Elegies. 1. Of Humane knowledge. 2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie thereof. Newly corrected and amended. London, Printed by Richard Field for Iohn Standish. 1602. [4to.] Title-page—Dedication pp. 2, signed 'Dauys': poem pp. 101.
A third edition was issued in 1608. I give its title-page also:
Nosce teipsum This Oracle expounded in two Elegies. 1. Of Humane Knowledge. 2. Of the Soule of Man and the immortalitie thereof. Written by Sir Iohn Davis, his Maiesties Atturney generall in Ireland. London, Printed by Henry Ballard for Iohn Standish. 1608. [4to.] Collation same with the others, supra.
The next edition known to me, bears the date of 1618, along with Orchestra and Hymnes to Astræa: and the last during the life-time of the Author, was in the sm. 8vo of 1622, which volume contained the same Poems with that of 1618.
Our text is a faithful reproduction, including the significant and suggestive italics, of the last edition published by Sir John Davies, viz., that of 1622, with the few various readings from the first and subsequent editions. The following is the title-page and collation of 1622 edn.
Nosce Teipsum This Oracle expounded in two Elegies. 1. Of Humane Knowledge. 2. Of the Soule of Man, and the immortalitie thereof. Hymnes of Astræa in Acrosticke Verse. Orchestra, OR, A Poeme of Dauncing. In a Dialogue betweene Penelope and one of her Wooers. Not finished.
London, Printed by Augustine Mathewes for Richard Hawkins, and are to be sold at his Shop in Chancery Lane, neere Serieants Inne. 1622. [8vo.]
Title-page—Dedicn pp 2—Of Humane Knowledge pp 1-8—Of the Soule of Man and the Immortalitie thereof pp 9-81. Hymnes pp 20 [unpaged]—Orchestra pp 47 [unpaged].
In my first edition of Sir John Davies' Poems in the Fuller Worthies' Library, I printed, perhaps with too hasty decision, at the bottom of each page, certain slight MS. notes written by the famous Bp. Hacket, in his copy of Nosce Teipsum (1599). When it was too late to stop progress, the mere curiosity of the jottings was perceived. I do not deem it expedient to reproduce them here; but a specimen may be acceptable, and here and there in the places, a few. I limit myself to the Dedication:
Heading, 'soveraigne': Emmanuel [but Elizabeth was meant].
L. 1, 'maiestie': Elizabetha: and near it [meaningless] Richar[d] Yeorck.
L. 1, 'North': Scotland [but erased], and so against 'sunne' (l. 2) James, but erased.
L. 3, 'heauenly worth': Shewes for thy glory.
L. 5, 'alone': Supported by none but God.
L. 6, 'great States': Great affaires.
L. 8, 'the Almightie's hand': Per me reges regnant et dixi dii estis.
L. 10, 'Nature's dowre': Arte's excellence the gift of nature.
L. 13, 'Great Spirit': Deus.
L. 16, 'Cynthia': Luna.
L. 30, 'angell': Angellus Pommi.
L. 32, 'angell': [Αγ]γελλος Φὡτος.
L. 33, 'Heauen': Superior: to the higher heauen.
L. 34, 'heauen': Inferior.
These suffice to show how carefully, if not always accurately, the good Bishop read the poem, but also how unimportant his notes are. On the title-page opposite the words "This Oracle," &c., is written "written in the temple of Apollo, letters commendatory." On verso of the title-page, is this memorandum by a former owner: "This Edition is extremely scarce. Vide Smith's Catgue. Iron Bridge, 1822. Pr. O. 16. O. This Book came out of Mr. Hacket's Library, a Descendant of Bp. Hacket, whose Book it was, and the MS. notes are by him." The book is now in the library of my excellent fellow-collector, G. W. Napier, Esq., of Merchiston House, Alderley Edge, Manchester, to whom I owe its re-use, as well as of other early editions of Davies. G.