SC - Pynson book in Longleat collection

[Jamey R. Lathrop]

Hello, it's Allegra again.

> > > 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.  

This WOULD appear to be the book you described, although of course
anything's possible (and Pynson probably printed a lot of stuff in 1500 or
it could be that both the reference in the catalogue and on the film are
incorrect).  The text of the book begins exactly as you described, although 
it's quite difficult to make out. 

The University Microfilms International card which appears on the film 
before the book begins reads as follows:

	3297	Book.  [Book of Cookery.]  Ia  This is the
		boke of Cokery.  4o.  R. Pynson, 1500.

					Marquis of Bath

The description in the Short Title Catalogue reads as follows:

	3297	[Book of Cookery.]  Ia  This is the boke of cokery.
		4o.  R. Pyson, 1500.  Marquis of Bath, Duff 52.

NOTE:  The "a" after the "I" is superscripted, and the "o" after the "4" 
is more of a degree symbol.

Now whether or not, as Katerine suspects, this book is the likely 
source of the recipe Lillian Clare posted, remains to be seen.  While 
readability isn't quite as bad as I remembered, there are good portions 
which are impossible to make out on the photographed copy which is on 
microfilm.  I suspect that the only people who may be able to make out 
these difficult parts are those who are privileged enough to view the 
actual book.  I didn't see a recipe close to that which Lillian posted, 
but I only made a quick glance through the book, it's a large 
collection of recipes, and as I mentioned before, portions are very 
difficult to decipher.  I'm very happy to look for it, but it will have 
to wait until at least Friday, when finals are over (the suspense is 
going to drive me nuts!  ;-)

Allegra

P.S.  My husband just suggested that this really is the book, but the
Marquis of Bath was out hunting the day the cooking spies came in with
their hidden cameras, which is why the photographs are so unclear!  ;-)

Ah yes, the lengths cooks will do to obtain those special recipes!