
The Thomas Chatterton Manuscript Project
Apostate Will
Age 11-12, Colston's School

First Printing: Herbert Croft's Transcript 1780
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Original Manuscript is missing / presumed lost
Transcript Handwritten: George Catcott his Letter Book : 1777
Transcript Printed : Herbert Croft from Love and Madness : 1780
Transcript Printed : Herbert Croft from Love and Madness : 1786
Apostate Will is, in all probability, Chatterton's first poem.
It was written in 1764 but not published until 1780 when Herbert Croft included it in his book Love and Madness. According to Croft, the original Chatterton manuscript, which is lost, was in the possession of Sarah Chatterton, the poet's mother.
George Symes Catcott transcribed the copy shown here in 1777, it is from the same manuscript original as Croft; which Catcott also says was in the possession of Sarah Chatterton. In the last page of the transcript he states that the poem is 'supposed to be the first effort of her unfortunate son's poetical abilities' a statement he could only have got from Sarah or Mary.
The Croft transcript of Apostate Will is preferred by Taylor.