Cokayne, Sir Aston | "Come Reader draw thy purse"

Cokayne, Sir Aston

Small Poems of Divers Sorts. London: Wil[iam] Godbid, 1658

8vo (137 x 90 mm). Additional title pages for “The Obstinate Lady” and “Trappolin creduto Principe,” engraved headpieces, frontispiece portrait in facsimile; lacking initial blank, marginal repair to title page, several leaves mispaginated, minor hole to G4, small repair to blank T8, a few gatherings lightly toned. Red morocco boards with triple gilt rules by W. Pratt, spine gilt with raised bands in six compartments, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt, inner dentelles gilt; extremities lightly rubbed, spine scuffed and slightly cracked but holding, top edges of a few gatherings slightly scuffed. 

First edition, first issue—the Foote-Church-Chew copy.

Sir Aston Cokayne was educated at Trinity College and well-traveled as men of his class, and noted to be "very much addicted to Books, and the study of Poetry; spending most of his time in the Muses company" (Langbaine). Small Poems of Divers Sorts features eclogues, love and funeral elegies, poems addressed to various subjects and friends of Cokayne, and two plays "The Obstinate Lady" and "Trappolin creduto Principe."

Preceding his poems and two plays is "The Author's Apology to the Reader," where Cokayne outlines how the published work came to be after he had the original work had been dispersed: "These poor trifles (courteous Reader) had not now become so troublesome to the World...when I had found them out could not get them delivered without parting with some money, and promising my honest friend Mr. W. Godbid (after I had afforded them some small correction) I would bestow them on him, (with my consent) for the Press: For indeed with his (assistance) I should not have recovered them out of a Gentlemans hand whom I will forbear to name."

REFERENCES

ESTC R25310; Grolier, Wither to Prior, 185; Langbaine, An account of the English dramatick poets, 68; Wing C4898

PROVENANCE

Charles B. Foote (bookplate to front pastedown) — E.D. Church (bookplate to free endpaper) — Henry E. Huntington (Anderson Galleries, 4 February 1918, lot 126) — Beverly Chew (bookplate to free endpaper, Anderson Galleries, 8 December, 1924, lot 82)