SC - Pynson book in Longleat collection

[Terry Nutter]

Hi, Katerine here.  Allegra writes:

> > manuscript, is in the collection of the Society of Antiquaries.  And the
>> third as set in print by Pynson and published in 1500.  The title page says 
>> "This is the boke of Cokery".  The text begins "Here beginneth a noble boke 
>> of festes royalle and Cokery a boke for a pryncis housholde."  It is the same
>> collection, but more complete than the manuscript that Napier worked from.
>> 
>> This is almost of a surety the book from which the original of the recipe 
>> Liliane posted here came.  There is no simple or straightforward way to check
>> what the original actually said and reproduce it.  (My source has access to
>> that information, but is bound by strict agreements on the terms of that
>> access not to distribute the contents.)
>
>Actually, I may be able to check on that.  According to my notes, I believe 
>that the printed edition is on the Early English Books in Print microfilm. 

This would be wonderful news if true, but I think that you must have
the Noble Boke confused with a book of a similar title (there are several).
According to the person currently working on a new edition of NBC (and
negotiating for several years now with the family of Lord Bath for permission 
to use the Pynson as a source), the Pynson volume has never been duplicated 
in any published form, including on microfilm.  

Also, for the trivial mite more it may be worth, I spent two years digging 
through the EEB microfilm series, and never saw any version of NBC on any 
tape or in any index.  And in those days, it was one of the titles I was
actively looking for.

But do check your notes -- if there's something I've missed, I'm more than
eager to know!

Cheers,

- -- Katerine/Terry