Add. MS. 11743 (British Library)

Page detail. Add. MS. 11743 — Curatorial note: 'A large Collection of Poetical Pieces written by or relating to Members of the Fairfax Family, curious lampoons, &c. with some pieces of a later date, including two of Bp. Horne, MS. in handwriting of the Fairfaxes, Culpeppers, &c'. Add. MS. 11743 (British Library).

These pages make accessible for the first time a selection of Fairfax's poetry from Add. MS. 11743. More transcriptions will follow in due course.

Add. MS 11743 contains a handful of Fairfax's secular poems alongside poems in other hands, among them those of his cousin, Brian Fairfax, who appears to have collated the papers. The inclusion of Thomas Fairfax's poetry in this manuscript was likely no earlier than 1655, when Brian graduated, rejoined his family in Yorkshire, and began to develop a close friendship with his cousin

The links on the right (or below if using a phone or tablet) are being added slowly. They will take you to images from the manuscript, with accompanying transcriptions and modernised texts.

I am indebted to the British Library for permission to use images of this manuscript on these webpages. Please note that they must not be downloaded or used for any commercial use.

Epitaph on a yonge Gentlewoman, fol. 9r
Shortness of Life, fol. 9v
Life to Death compared, fol. 9v
Morall Men, fol. 10r
The Solitude, fols 10v–14r
Of a faire Wife: To Coregio, fols 14v–15r
Of Beauty, fol. 15v
[to follow]
To the Kings most Excellent M^ty (various poets), fols 27r–27v
[to follow]
To the Guardian Angel of this Place (Brian Fairfax, 1688), fol. 46r
The Battle of the Stags (Brian Fairfax?), fols 47r–48v
[to follow]
To the King (Brian Fairfax?), fol. 53r
Cease Rural Conquests (Brian Fairfax?), fol. 58r
[to follow]
To the King (Brian Fairfax?), fol. 53r
The Darncock (Brian Fairfax?), fols 62r–62v
[to follow]
Thomas Fairfax his Epitaph Made by the Duke of Buckingham (George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham), fols 68v–69r
From the Old Women of Burgley att the Elm Tree Assembld to the Hon^ble Borwick Fairfax Esqr Doctor of Physick & Cook (Brian Fairfax?), fol. 70r
For M^rs Pullann at Burgley near Otley (Brian Fairfax?) [envelope], fol. 70v
Epilogue Made by Master Carter, & spoke by Master Egerton In the Part of Phormio (Brian Fairfax?), fols 81r–81v
That w^ch her slender waist confin'd (Brian Fairfax?), fol. 82

Switch to MS. Fairfax 40

Switch to Add. MS. 11744

Add. MS. 11743 (British Library)

Contents