John Chalkhill (c.1595–1642)

Verse and Prose

The Batchelers Apologie (‘To satisfie the nice & curious eare’)

A humorous verse satire on women, 106 lines. Unpublished.

*ChJ 1

Autograph, three lines deleted, on three pages of two conjugate long ledger-size leaves (40 x 15 cm.).

In: A collection of autograph poems and letters by John Chalkhill, on separate sheets, unbound in folders. c.1638.

Once owned by the Gell family, of Hopton Hall, Derbyshire (John Gell marrying Chalkhill's cousin Katherine Packer in 1644). Owned after 1958 by Arthur A. Houghton, Jr (1906-90), American businessman and collector. Christie's, 13-14 June 1979 (Houghton sale Part I), lot 109 (with a facsimile of No. 3 in the sale catalogue, p. 109, Plate 15).

These MSS discussed, and occasionally quoted, in P.J. Croft, ‘Izaak Walton's John Chalkhill’, TLS, 27 June 1958, p. 365.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 5.

‘Goe happy verse for thou art free’

A mock love-letter in verse, 22 lines. Unpublished.

*ChJ 2

Autograph, with a revision, subscribed Penelope Truelove, on one side of a single folio leaf, accompanying ChJ 5.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 8.

[Letter to Katherine Packer]

A letter, partly in prose, beginning ‘Louinge Cousen / To say I am sorrie for thy sicknes, is so tryuiall a complement...’, addressed ‘To his louinge and kinde Coussen Mris Katherine Packerre at Mr John Packers house neere the Deanes yard in Westminster’, incorporating a 41-line verse mock-lament on lacking female company (beginning ‘Now all my hopes are dasht; the Virgins bowre’), subscribed ‘Thy truly louinge freind and Coussen John Chalkhill or Sr Hobson...1638...’. Unpublished.

*ChJ 3

Autograph, on three pages of two conjugate folio leaves, the address, with remains of a wax seal, on the fourth page.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 2.

A Melancholy Fitt (‘Wellcome wellcome pretty little lasses’)

A lyric, 32 lines. Unpublished.

*ChJ 4

Autograph, partly in double columns, on one side of a single folio leaf.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 4.

[A mock love-letter in prose]

Purporting to be by a ‘handmayd’ in love with the recipient, beginning ‘Kind Sir after a longe enquiry I haue at length atteyned the happynes to be honored with the knowledge...’, and addressed ‘To Mr Josias Clarke at Mr John Brownes house at Twicknam’.

*ChJ 5

Autograph, subscribed ‘Youres Penelope Truloue’ before a postscript, on two pages of a pair of conjugate folio leaves, the address on the fourth page, accompanying ChJ 2.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 1.

A propper newe [?]ballet calld The Coy Virgin or the Curious Impertinent to any tune it will goe to (‘Ile tell you a wonder will make you admire’)

A ballad, 44 lines, with a two-line refrain,. Unpublished.

*ChJ 6

Autograph draft, with three lines deleted, subscribed ‘printed at Shrewsbury by Inyge Idlesby for Danyell doalittle and are to be sold at the signe of the Cupid in Mayden lane’, on three pages of two conjugate folio leaves.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 6.

The Sheephearts Elegie (‘In a morninge When Flora was adorninge’)

A pastoral lyric, 34 lines. Unpublished.

*ChJ 7

Autograph, with revisions in one line, on both sides of a single folio leaf.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Facsimile of the first page in Christie's Houghton sale catalogue, p. 109, Plate 15. Facsimile of the whole poem in P. J. Croft, Autograph Poetry in the English Language, 2 vols (London, 1973), I, Nos. 38-9.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 3.

‘Theare is a seruant which I knowe’

A verse riddle, ten lines. Unpublished.

*ChJ 8

Autograph, first item on one side of a single folio leaf.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 7.

‘There is a vseful little creature’

A verse riddle, eight lines.

*ChJ 9

Autograph, second item on one side of a single folio leaf.

In: the MS described under ChJ 1. c.1638.

Pierpont Morgan Library, MA 3342, No. 7.