Beinecke MS 105                                                     England, s. XVI^^2
Robert Heron, Argus

          Composed of three dialogues, in verse modeled on Vergil, between
     Argus, a good shepherd of the English Church, and Epicurus, a typical
     Papist as seen by an Anglican. In the third dialogue Epicurus has
     finally been converted and is called "Theodidactus".

     1. f. 1r-v    Honorabili viro Willielmo Cicilio Domino ac Baroni
     Burleio huius florentissimi Regni Angliae Thesaurario generali Domino
     suo obseruantissimo Robertus Heron humilis uerbi Dei Minister...Cetera
     tui iudicii candori refero...Londini quarto kalendarum Februarii. Tuus
     in omnibus Robertus heron.

          Dedicatory preface to William Cecil, Lord Burghley (1520-98) in
     which the author claims to be impoverished, a wanderer, and a man with
     many enemies.

     2. ff. 2r-30r    Argumentum in Dialogum Primum. Argus, erat pastor
     prudens, doctusque minister,/ Qui Domini verbo pascebat ouillia
     Christi/...Dialogus primus incipit. Dic Epicure mihi cuium pecus,
     Herculis est ne [?] /Epicurus. Non, pecus est Caci, Cacus mihi tradidit
     ipse/...Argus. I prius ecce sequar, domui huic pax esto perennis/
     Omnibus atque salus, intra qui haec culmina degunt./ Finis dialogi
     primi.

     3. ff. 30v-42r    Argumentum in Dialogum secundum. Vt dies aduenit,
     Epicuro prospera cuncta/ Argus poscendo, Patrem sub nomine
     Iesu/...Dialogus secundus incipit. Coloquitores idem. Argus. Sit dies
     ista tibi foelix Epicure peropto, /Dante deo, cui laus detur pro nocte
     quieta/...Ergo nunc maneo tecum. Deus cepta peropto/ Perficiat, uobis
     adiutor propitius sit./ Finis Secundi Dialogi.

     4. ff. 43r-49v    Argumentum in Dialogum tertium. Hunc Epicurum Argus,
     heu quo perduxit amice/ Tandem, diuinis studiis, ut nomina
     mutet,/...Dialogus tertius incipit. Coloquitores Argus et Theodidactus.
     Argus. Nunc Theodidacte, hic dies est quia gratus ouilli,/ Vmbrosoque
     pecus nitidum sub tegmine Fagi/...Theodidactus. Sit sic, quaeso Deus
     pergamus ergo precatum./ Finis.

          Paper (watermarks: unidentified pot, much worn), ff. viii (paper)
     + i (original paper flyleaf) + 49 (original pagination 1-96) + viii
     (paper), 292 x 194 (251 x 129) mm. Written in ca. 26 long lines or
     lines of verse; frame-ruled in ink with double upper and outer, and
     single lower and inner bounding lines; additional ruling in outer
     margin delineates narrow column for explanatory notes.
          Composed of a single gathering of 50 folios (includes original
     front flyleaf).
          Written in an elegant italic script.
          Binding: s. xix. Red goatskin, gold-tooled, by Birdsall and Son of
     Northampton, probably in the second half of the century.

          Written in England sometime between 1572 when William Cecil, Lord
     Burghley, was appointed Lord High Treasurer of England (see art. 1) and
     his death in 1598; perhaps in the hand of the author, Robert Heron.
     Signature of James Sotheby on f. 1r; bookplate of C. W. H. Sotheby.
     Sale of Col. H. G. Sotheby (24 July 1924) with note on cover of
     catalogue: "Many of these books have been in the possession of the
     family since they were purchased by James Sotheby towards the end of
     the XVIIth Century." Belonged to Prof. Thomas O. Mabbott (signature
     with "New York, 1946" on second flyleaf) who presented it to Yale in
     1946.

     Bibliography: Faye and Bond, p. 30, no. 105.

     Barbara A. Shailor