Amoryus and Cleopes

Little is known about John Metham, save his noble lineage and the identity of his patrons. Written in an East Anglian dialect, Amoryus and Cleopes is one of only two of Metham’s surviving works. Composed in 1449, it portrays the titular star-crossed lovers as they face challenges of chivalry, aristocratic responsibility, and quests for fame. A Middle English adaptation of Ovid’s tale of Pyramus and Thisbe, the romance ends not with couple’s tragic suicide but their resuscitation through the prayers of a holy hermit. Metham blends standard romance elements with Chaucerian influence and features of hagiography, mirror for princes, and encomium. Stephen Page’s introduction pieces together Metham’s biography, contextualizes the poem in its social and literary milieu, and makes a case for Metham as the originator of the English sonnet. This edition, the first since 1916, is unique for including Amoryus and Cleopes’ last ten lines, which were recently discovered through multispectral imaging of the base manuscript.