Beschreibung:

Sidney (Philip, 1554-1586). English poet, courtier, scholar and soldier. 'The Coppye of a Letter wrytten by Sr: Phillipp Sidnye to Queene Elizabeth, Touchinge hir Marryage wth Mounsieur’, [c. 1580], manuscript copy, c. 1620, [28] pages including final blank leaf, written in a very neat secretarial hand, some light soiling throughout, extracted from a larger work with evidence of original spine stitching, disbound, folio (265 x 190 mm), preserved in an early 20th-century gilt-titled red quarter morocco over cloth chemise, burgundy morocco gilt bookplate of W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey to front pastedown (Quantity: 1) Provenance: W. A. Foyle, Beeleigh Abbey (bookplate). This letter was written by Sir Philip Sidney to Queen Elizabeth just before or just after the beginning of the year 1580. In it he states his reasons for opposing her proposed marriage with the Duke of Anjou. This manuscript, (written in the same hand as the following two lots), differs from the partial transcript given by H. R. Fox Bourne, A Memoir of Sir Philip Sidney, 1862, pp. 253-9. The following is a transcript of the first paragraph of this manuscript, indicating where it differs from Fox Bourne's text:- ‘Most ffeared and Beloved, most sweete and gratious Soveraigne; to seeke out excuses of this my bouldnesse, and to arme the acknoweledginge of a ffaulte, wth Reasons ffor it, might better shewe I knowe I did amysse then any whitt (F.B.'way') dminishe the attempte, especiallye in yor Judgmte whoe is (F.B. 'being') able lyvelie to discerne (F.B. 'to discern lively) into the nature of the thinge done, Itt were ffollye to hope with (F.B.'by') layenge on better Coullors to make it more acceptable Thereffore, carryenge none (F.B.‘no') other Olyve Braunche of Intercession, then the layenge my selfe att yor ffeete, nor, noe other insinu- acon, eyther ffor attencon, or Pardon, Butt the true vowed sacriffyce of unffaigned Love I will in simple and (F.B. omits 'and') dyrecte tearmes (as hopeinge they shall come (F.B.'they shall only come') to your mercyffull eyes) sett downe the over-ffloweinge of my mynde in this most (F.B. omits 'most') important matter, importinge (as I thinck) the Contynuance of your saffetye and as I knowe, the Joyes of my lyfe.' See Arthur Collins, Letters and Memorials of State ('Sydney Papers'), 1746, volume I, pp. 287-92.