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Ӕlla [Aella] :

A Tragycal Enterlude,

or Discoorseynge Tragedie,

Wrotenn Bie Thomas Rowleie;

Plaiedd Before Mastre Canynge,

Atte Hys Howse Nempte The Rodde Lodge;

[Alsoe Before The Duke Of Norfolck, Johan Howard.]

Written 1768/9 - First Published 1777

Age: 16, Apprentice Scrivener at Lambert's

Dr Fry's Transcript of Chatterton's Aella p.27 - Dr Fry

Dr. Fry's Transcript. BPL: B6493

The image above is of a couple of verses from the famous Mynstrelle's Songe, sung by Birtha, Egwina, and the Mynstrelles. It is part of a transcript by Dr. Fry, of a transcript by Catcott, of Chatterton's original manuscript of Ӕlla : A Tragycal Enterlude, or Discoorseynge Tragedie.

It is likely that Dr Fry sometimes used a 'copyist,' to transcribe works for him; so, is this a copy in Dr. Fry's handwriting, or not? What would certainly help is a book once owned by Dr. Fry complete with his own annotations - that would be definitive.

In the meantime, the control panel following this little introduction defines our current knowledge.

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for

Ӕlla, A Tragycal Enterlude.

Original Chatterton Manuscript :

Ӕlla..., is a work of 1,365 lines, but all that remains of the original manuscript are two fragments, with a total of just 17 lines.

Fragment only : - the ten lines starting 'Ye Chrystyans, doe as wordhie of the name' from Chatterton's Letter to Dodsley, 15 February 1769. (Historical Society of Pennsylvania) : View

Fragment only : - the seven lines starting 'O ! speake ne moe ; mie harte flames yn yttes keste ;' (British Library f.36v) : View

You might wonder what happened to Chatterton's original manuscript? Well, according to George Catcott in a letter to Dean Milles, he bought it from Chatterton a week or so before Chatterton headed off to London, which makes complete sense. Chatterton needed to ensure he had sufficient funds to tide him over while he worked to establish himself as a writer/commentator in the capital city.

Where is the Ms. now? No one knows, but it seems that it was part of the deal Catcott made with Tyrwhitt and Payne, which resulted in the 1777 edition of 'Rowley's' works.

It is also worth noting that Catcott states quite clearly that Chatterton's original manuscript was the copy used for the 1777 edition. As a special treat you can now compare the two fragments with the 1777 edition,

they are shown together below. Do the fragments add veracity to the 1777, or do they show that Catcott had a hand in 'antiquating' the poems further.

According to Catcott, in his letter, No. 33, page 337, to Dean Milles dated 24 November 1778, the manuscript, at that time, was either with Tyrwhitt or the printer/publisher, Thomas Payne.

It must be out there somewhere and, as the Holy Grail of Chatterton Manuscripts, the value of it will run well beyond £100,000.

Transcript Handwritten 1772 :

The Lord Charlemont Copy : Charlemont paid Catcott a fee of 15 guineas, to prepare a transcript to his own specifications. It was probably written by an amanuensis. Now a part of the Cambridge University Library collection: Add. 6295. f.55 : No View Yet, waiting on Cambridge University

Transcript Handwritten 1771/2 :

The Dr. Thomas Fry Copy : A Transcript by Dr Fry (or by an amanuensis) of a Catcott Transcript. It includes just 221 lines of Ӕlla's 1,365 lines : Now at Bristol Public Library, B6493 : View

Transcript Handwritten 1772? :

The William Barrett Copy : Partially in Barrett's hand, and also in an unknown hand. Now at The British Library, f.87a : No View Yet, waiting on The British Library.

First Printed Edition, 1777 :

Ӕlla : A Tragycal Enterlude, or Discoorseynge Tragedie, in Poems, supposed to have been written at Bristol, By Thomas Rowley, and Others, in the fifteenth Century.

I would be happier if I could compare the Charlemont copy with the 1777, because Catcott was the energy behind both, and he did like to further antiquate Chatterton's works. The 1777 edition, in all likelihood, is the closest to Chatterton's original meaning : View

Additional Links & Notes :

Ӕlla : A Tragycal Enterlude, or Discoorseynge Tragedie, also appears in later editions, however, they all derive from the above First Printed Edition.

‘Poems, supposed to have been written at Bristol, by Thomas Rowley, and others, in the fifteenth century ; … Thomas Tyrwhitt's 1777 edition : View online

Chatterton's Original Manuscript Fragment
Ten Lines Only
From Chatterton's Letter to Dodsley, (15/02/1769).
In the Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection.
Line Numbers :
(in Tyrwhitt's 1777, 613-622) (in Taylor, 730-739)

Verbatim Transcript of

Chatterton's Original Manuscript :

Ye Chrestyans, doe as wordie of the Name,

Those roigners of owre holie Houses slee ;

Braste lyke a Clowde dessolvinge ynto flame,

Lyke Courrentes gosheynge downe the Mountaynes bee :

And whan alonge the Greene theyre Champyones flee,

Swefte as the rudde forweltrynge Levyn-bronde ;

That hauntes the flyeynge Morthrer oer the Lee,

So flie uponne the Roygners of the Londe :

Lette those that are unto the Battayls fledde,

Take Sleepe aeterne upon a fierie flaminge bedde---

Verbatim transcript by (QE!) of the ten lines from Taylor's transcript of Chatterton's original handwritten manuscript.

Temporary copy while waiting for a photographic copy of the original held by the The Historical Society of Pennsylvania.

Verbatim Transcript from

Tyrwhitt's 1777 edition :

Ye Chrstyans, doe as wordhie of the name;

These roynerres of oure hallie houses slea;

Braste, lyke a cloude, from whence doth come the flame,

Lyche torrentes, gushynge downe the mountaines, bee.

And whanne alonge the grene yer champyons flee,

Swefte as the rodde for-weltrynge 89 levyn-bronde,

Yatte hauntes the flyinge mortherer oere the lea,

Soe flie oponne thefe royners of the londe,

Lette those yatte are unto yer battayles fledde,

Take slepe eterne uponne a feerie lowynge bedde.

89 blasting.

Verbatim transcript by (QE!) of the ten lines from Tyrwhitt's 1777 edition of 'Rowley's' Works.

Chatterton's Original Manuscript Fragment
Seven Lines Only
Lines : (Tyrwhitt 1777, 1182-1188) (Taylor 1301-7)
Held by The British Library, ref: f.36v

Verbatim transcript of

Chatterton's Original Manuscript :

O! speack ne moe: mie hearte flames yn its keste
I once was Ælle nowe bee notte hys Shade
Han all the Fhuyri of Mysfortunes wylle
Felle onne mie benned Head I han beene Ælle stylle
Thys alleyn was unburld of all mie Spryghte
Mie Honoure Hounoure frownd at the dulce Wynd
That stealed onne ytte.

Verbatim transcript by (QE!) of the seven lines from Chatterton's original holograph Ms. (Taylor holograph extract volume 1, p.224)

Temporary copy while waiting for a photographic copy of the original held by The British Library f.36v.

Verbatim Transcript from

Tyrwhitt's 1777 edition :

O! speake ne moe ; mie harte flames yn yttes hefte ;

I once was Ælla ; nowe bee notte yttes shade.

Hanne alle the fuirie of mysfortunes wylle

Fallen onne mie benned 124 headde I hanne been Ælla stylle.

Thys alleyn was unburled 125 of alle mie spryte ;

Mie honnoure, honnoure, frownd on the dolce 126 wynde,

Thatte steeked on ytte ; nowe wyth rage Im pyghte ;

124 Cursed, tormented. 125 unarmed. 126 soft, gentle. 127 renown

Verbatim transcript by (QE!) of the seven lines from Tyrwhitt's 1777 edition of 'Rowley's' Works.

The Dr. Thomas Fry Transcript
(Bristol Public Library, B6493) .

Mynstrelles Songe bie Manne and Woman Dr Fry Transcript B6493

Page 5. Mynstrelles Songe, Dr Fry transcript

Dr Fry's selection is random and incomplete. His handwritten book of Transcripts has a total of 175 pages, however, he often writes only on the recto pages. So only 101 pages were actually used, and only fourteen of the pages contain a Selection of verses from Ӕlla.

The line numbers quoted below are those used by Taylor in his The Complete Works of Thomas Chatterton.

Mynstrelles Songe, bie a Manne and Womanne : View pp.5-11, Lines 205-2681

Mynstrelles Songe, The Boddynge Flourettes : View pp.13-17, Lines 278-349

Verse : 'As Elinoure by the grene lessele was sitting...' : View pp.19-21, Lines 326-349

Mynstrelles Songe : 'O ! synge untoe mie roundelaie... : View pp.23-27, Lines 961-1020

Verse : 'Before yonne roddie sonne has droove hys wayne...' : View p.29, Lines 119-138

Verse : 'Lett Celmonde yn thie armour brace be dyghte ; ' : View p.31, Lines 456-459

Back to The Complete Works

Chatterton's Original Manuscript Fragment Ten Lines Only From Chatterton's Letter to Dodsley, (15/02/1769). In the Historical Society of Pennsylvania collection. Line Numbers : (in Tyrwhitt's 1777, 613-622) (in Taylor, 730-739)

Chatterton's Original Manuscript Fragment Seven Lines Only Lines : (Tyrwhitt 1777, 1182-1188) (Taylor 1301-7) Held by The British Library, ref: f.36v