The Staff and Scrip (fragmentary fair copy, corrected: Humanities Research Center, U. of Texas) Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1 © Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin. The Staff and Scrip Dante Gabriel Rossetti 1856 partial manuscript copy, corrected 3 leaves leaves numbered 7-9 at upper left DGR DGR Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, U. of Texas 7 3/4 x 4 1/2 in. lined notebook paper Commentary
Introduction

This is a fair copy of the first portion of the original draft manuscript, which is also housed in the Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center.

The whole tenor of this manuscript fragment testifies to the radical process of revision that DGR was carrying out in 1856. Especially notable is the stanza on the final page, which shows DGR altering the original details of the recorded dream in order to write out the presence of the brother. The stanza also proves that this manuscript must originally have contained more material.

Textual History: Composition

Textual History: Revision

Production History

Reception History

Iconographic

Printing History

Pictorial

Historical

Literary

Translation

Autobiographical

Bibliographic

7 leaf number at upper left The Staff and Scrip <lb/> <del>(derived from the “Gesta Romanorum”)</del> “How should I your true love know From another one? By his cockle-hat & staff And his sandal-shoon.” ------ “Who owns these lands?” the Pilgrim said. “Stranger, Queen Blanchelys.” “And who has thus harried them?” he said. “It was Duke Luke did this: God's ban be his!” The Pilgrim said: “Where is your house? I'll rest there, with your will.” “Ye've but to climb these blackened boughs, And ye'll see it over the hill, For it burns still.” He stood and prayed within himself. “Friend, bring me to your queen.” “Nay, ye shall seek her out yourself: Duke Luke may there have been, Knocked, and gone in.” 3 leaf number at upper left Point me at least the path “Which way road to seek your queen?” said he. “Not so, lest Nay, nay, but with some wound Thou come 'lt fly back hither, it may be, And by thy blood i'the ground My place be found.” So be it“Friend, stay in peace. God keep thy head, And mine, where I will go; For he is here and there;” he said. He passed the hillside, slow, And stood below. ------ By smouldering meadows he walked on The corpses, black and charr'd, Lay in their blood; and where the sun Had dried it afterward, The soil was hard. None met him. From these plains the foe Had passed. With heel and hoof, His strength had touched the land, & now About the palace-roof Hovered aloof. 9 leaf number at upper left The stairs before the palace-gate Shone in the sun like glass; But in the hall there was no state. They saw him, what he was: And let him pass. No vassal sued for slips of palm: No woman there, of one Far distant, asked with boding qualm. An aged priest alone Spoke benison O Father, lead me to your queen: But take my shrift from me First, lest my soul depart unclean. “Son, in hoc nomine Absolvo te —” Right so, he knew that he saw weep Each night throughout some dream The queen's own face, confused in sleep With visages supreme Not known to him:—