[Footnote 2:  One of these fragments, by Mr. Barrett’s permission, has been copied in the manner of a Fac simile, by that ingenious artist Mr. Strutt, and an engraving of it is inserted at p. 288.  Two other small fragments of Poetry are printed in p. 277, 8, 9.  See the Introductory Account.  The fragments in prose, which are considerably larger, Mr. Barrett intends to publish in his History of Bristol, which, the Editor has the satisfaction to inform the Publick, is very far advanced.  In the same work will be inserted A Discorse on Bristowe, and the other historical pieces in prose, which Chatterton at different times delivered out, as copied from Rowley’s MSS.; with such remarks by Mr. Barrett, as he of all men living is best qualified to make, from his accurate researches into the Antiquities of Bristol.]

INTRODUCTORY ACCOUNT

OF THE

SEVERAL PIECES

CONTAINED IN THIS VOLUME.

ECLOGUE THE FIRST.                    p. 1
ECLOGUE THE SECOND.                      6
ECLOGUE THE THIRD.                      12

These three Eclogues are printed from a MS. furnished by Mr. Catcott, in the hand-writing of Thomas Chatterton.  It is a thin copy-book in 4to. with the following title in the first page. “Eclogues and other Poems by Thomas Rowley, with a Glossary and Annotations by Thomas Chatterton.”

There is only one other Poem in this book, viz. the fragment of “Goddwyn, a Tragedie,” which see below, p. 173.

ELINOURE AND JUGA.

This Poem is reprinted from the Town and Country Magazine for May 1769, p. 273.  It is there entitled, “Elinoure and Juga.  Written three hundred years ago by T. Rowley, a secular priest.”  And it has the following subscription; “D.B.  Bristol, May, 1769.”  Chatterton soon after told Mr. Catcott, that he (Chatterton) inserted it in the Magazine.

The present Editor has taken the liberty to supply [between books][1] the names of the speakers, at ver. 22 and 29, which had probably been omitted by some accident in the first publication; as the nature of the composition seems to require, that the dialogue should proceed by alternate stanzas.

VERSES TO LYDGATE.                   p. 23
SONGE TO AELLA.                        Ibid. 
LYDGATE’S ANSWER.                       26

These three small Poems are printed from a copy in Mr. Catcott’s hand-writing.  Since they were printed off, the Editor has had an opportunity of comparing them with a copy made by Mr. Barrett from the piece of vellum, which Chatterton formerly gave to him as the original MS. The variations of importance (exclusive of many in the spelling) are set down below [2].

[Footnote 1:  Misspelled as hooks in the original.—­PG editor]