Philipott's Villare Cantiaum

( 149 ) PHILIPOTT'S VILLARE CANTIANTJM. A BIBLIOGRAPHICAL NOTE. BY THE HON. HENBY HANNEN. IT would appear that only two editions of this work have ever been noticed, dated 1659 and 1776 respectively, the latter being issued as the second edition. Smith, however, in his Biblioiheca Cantiana, says that some copies are dated 1664. Dr. Cock possesses a copy with that date and he tells me that the title page is entirely reset. Smith, in his collation of the 1st edition, describes it thus : " Title. ' To the NobUity and Gentry of Kent.' Preface. Table of Addenda. Lines by John Bois, of Hode, Esq., and Second Addenda 8 leaves." As a matter of fact many copies do not contain this second addenda. In a copy in my possession WUliam Twopeny, who formerly owned it, has made the foUowing note : " This copy must have been one of those first issued, as it has no ' second table ' of addenda. In some copies there is a second table of two pages only, in others one of four pages." His copy contains the first table of two pages and eleven lines. In another copy of the book, also in my possession, the above table appears and another of four pages headed, " A second table to be inserted in this Book." It has not been noticed, so far as I know, that the text of the first edition and that of what I will call the second impression of it, differ very considerably both in regard to corrections and additions, the latter being often of considerable length. It wiU be found, however, that notwithstanding these differences the pagination is not altered. Curiously enough in this second impression by no means 150 PHILEPOTT'S VILLARE CANTIANUM. aU the errata in the first table are corrected, though most of the more important ones are. Perhaps the simplest way of ascertaining which impression one is reading is to look up page 150, lines 36-37. In the first impression we read, " Grandfather to Sir Anthony Roper and Mr. Henry Roper from whom upon Pretence of a WiU made by his Brother Sir Anthony Roper, etc." We read in the second impression, " and Mr. Henry Roper, from whom upon a WiU made by his Brother Sir Anthony Roper," etc. When the word " Pretence" appears in the first impression it is generaUy struck out in ink. Another noticeable difference is found on page 67 of the second impression, where a long marginal note referring to " St. Helens in East Farleigh " has been incorporated in the text. On page 65 there is a good instance of the clever way in which a considerable addition to the text is made without disturbing the pagination by remodelling pages 65 and 66. By printing the lines of print closer and doing away with blank spaces a new paragraph of eleven lines is found space for. The paragraph in question gives the descent of a family named Lamienby alias Sparrow. From these differences and others which I refer to later it would seem to be clear that a corrected impression was commenced but never carried out and it seems probable that it was intended to publish it in 1664. I wiU draw attention to only the more important differences between the two impressions because they are all corrected in the edition of 1776. On page 65, as has been mentioned before, a fresh paragraph of eleven fines is inserted immediately after an account of HaU Place. Page 67 a marginal note extending almost from the top to the bottom of the page is incorporated in the text. On Page 68 a short note is added in the margin. On pages 68-69 the description of the Manor of Stonehouse is slightly changed and there is a brief marginal note added. PHILIPOTT'S VTLLARE OANTIANTJM. 151 On page 69 also the account of the descent of the Manor of Brabourne is largely rewritten, and on page 70 an account of the Manor of Hampton is inserted in the margin. On page 79 a short note is added in the margin. On pages 82-83 the descent of Singleton Manor is somewhat changed. On pages 84-85 the descent of the Manor of Boughton Montchensey is largely rewritten. The account of Frogpool on page 114 is shghtly extended and in the margin a very long note is added giving the descent of the Manor of Rokesley in Chiddingstone. On page 120 a marginal note in the first impression is incorporated in the text. On page 151, as I have already mentioned, the word " Pretence " is omitted and the paragraph partly recast. On page 199 the first paragraph is considerably altered and extended. On page 323 the descent of the Manor of Cotton is entirely rewritten at considerably greater length, and in consequence pages 323, 324 and 325 have their type reset. A few lines are also added concerning the Manor of Stone. At the end of the second Table of Errata there is a note by Philipott addressed to the " Courteous Reader," in which he says that he had prepared the Table in order that " if ever this survey should receive a second impression, they might neither disorder this Book, nor injure my Memory." From that it is clear that he had a second edition in mind, and I suggest that he began to work on it to the extent of correcting the more important errors as set out in his first table. When doing so he no doubt came across the far more numerous errors contained in the second table, and so contented himself with publishing them separately so that they should be available, if and when a second edition was caUed for. That, however, did not take place until 1776.