Book I ends on sig. ~b~ 8 verso; Book II on ~f j~ recto; Book III on · The biography and typography of William Caxton, England's first printer

~h~ 10 recto; Book IV on ~m j~ recto; Book V on ~p~ 4 recto. On sig. ~p~ 4 recto is also Chaucer’s dedicatory stanza to the “Moral Gower.”

The Text ends on the same page,

~So make vs Jhesu for thy mercy dygne For loue of mayden / & moder thyn benygne Here endeth Troylus / as touchyng Cresede Explicit per Caxton~

REMARKS.--A good account of the source of this poem, and a comparison between it and Shakspere’s “Troilus and Creside,” with which, however, it appears to have had little connection, will be found in Bell’s edition of Chaucer’s works.

Two copies are in the British Museum, one at St. John’s, Oxford, and one at Althorp.

NO. 64.--THE LIFE OF OUR LADY.--_Folio. “Empryntyd by Wyllyam Caxton.” Without Place or Date. (1484?)_

COLLATION.--Two unsigned leaves; ~a b c d e f g h i k l~ are 4ns; ~m~ a 3n, the last leaf being blank. In all 96 leaves, of which one is blank.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is entirely No. 4*. A page has five stanzas of seven lines each, the space of one line being left between each stanza. The lines in the prose part measure almost 5 inches. Without catchwords or folios. Space left for the insertion of initials of one to three lines deep, with directors.

The Text begins, with a space for a 3-line initial, on the recto of the first leaf,

~t~ ~His book was compyled by dan John lydgate monke of burye / at the excitacion and styryng of the nohle and victoryous prynce / Kyng harry the fyfthe / in thonoure glorye & reuerence of the byrthe of our moste blessyd lady / mayde ‖ wyf / and moder of our lord Jhesu cryst / chapytred as foloweth ‖ by this table~

The table follows immediately, finishing with nine lines on the verso of the second leaf.

The poem commences on sig. ~a j~ recto, with space for a 2-line initial,

~o~ ~Thougtful herte plungyd in distresse With slo’bre of slouth this long wynters nyght~

On the lower-half of the fourth verso of sig. ~m~,

~Here endeth the book of the lyf of our lady made by dan John lydgate monke of bury / at thynstaunce of the moste crysten kynge / kyng harry the fyfth~

~Goo lityl book and submytte the Unto al them / that the shal rede Or here / prayeng hem for charite To pardon me of the rudehede Of myn enpryntyng / not takyng hede And yf ought be doon to theyr plesyng Say they thyse balades folowyng~

The Text ends on the fifth recto of sig. ~m~,

~Blessid be the swettest name of our lord Jhesu crist / and most glorious marie His blessyd moder / with eternal accord More than euer / tendure in glorye And with hir meke sone for memorye Blesse vs marie / the most holy virgyne That we regne in heuen with the ordres nyne~

~Enpryntyd by Wyllyam Caxton~

A blank leaf completes the volume.

REMARKS.--This poem appears to have enjoyed, for a long period, a considerable popularity. It was composed, as the manuscripts and printed edition both tell us, by John Lydgate, at the excitation of King Henry V. The envoy commencing “Goo lytyl booke,” is doubtless a specimen of Caxton’s own powers of versification, as perhaps are also the two ballads which follow it. Although the division of the poem into chapters by Caxton does not agree with any of the known manuscripts, yet he probably had a copy so divided, for, as we have seen, the original poem was not chaptered at all, and later scribes would divide it after their own judgment.

It would have surprised our worthy printer could he have foreseen the grave charges of carelessness to be brought against him in future ages, with reference to this production. Ames gives a very slight account of “The Lyf of oure Ladye,” but so far as it goes, it is correct. Herbert enlarged Ames’s article, but unfortunately wrote his description from a copy deficient eight leaves in the middle of the poem, an imperfection which, notwithstanding the consequent irregularity of signature, he ascribes to carelessness on the part of Caxton; and, worse still, makes Caxton himself confess that he was aware of the blunder he had made before the conclusion of the printing, but thought that to ask the reader’s pardon was sufficient reparation; a conclusion drawn from the deprecatory stanzas quoted above, beginning, “Goo lityl book”--a style of “envoy” very common to all writers of that age. Then follows Dr. Dibdin, who, as usual, did not make an independent examination, but was content with reprinting his predecessor’s remarks. The paragraph reads thus:--“This [the omission of several chapters] must be attributed to carelessness, which Mr. Caxton himself ingenuously acknowledges in one of the concluding stanzas.”--_Typ. Ant._ vol. i, page 340, and _Bib. Spenc._ vol. iv. page 333.

Both Herbert and Dibdin give the heads of all the chapters in this poem, excepting, of course, those contained in the eight missing leaves of their copy. These are, therefore, supplied here from the table, which differs slightly from the heads in the body of the work.

How the chyef temple of rome fyl the nyght of crystes byrthe / and other wonderful tokenes capitulo L

How the nyght of cristes byrthe a welle in rome ranne oyle capitulo Lj

How the senatours of rome wolden haue holden Octauyan theyr emperour as for her god capitulo Lij Liij

How the romayns whan they had domynacion ouer alle the world made an ymage & callyd hit theyr god capitulo Liiij

How wyse sybyle tolde to the senate of rome the byrthe of cryst capitulo Lv

How the prophetes prophecyed the byrthe of cryst capitulo Lvi

A questyon assoyled whiche is worthyest of kyng wyne or woman capitulo Lvij

EXISTING COPIES:--British Museum, Bodleian, Exeter College, Oxford, Glasgow, and four in private hands.

NO. 65.--THE LIFE OF THE HOLY AND BLESSED VIRGIN SAINT WINIFRED. _Folio. Without Printer’s Name, Date, or Place. “Reduced in to Englysshe by me William Caxton.” (1485?)_

COLLATION.--~a~ and ~b~ are 4ns = 16 leaves, of which the first is blank.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is entirely No. 4*. There are 38 or 39 lines to a full page, and they are spaced to an even length. Without folios or catchwords.

Commencing with a blank leaf, the Text follows on sig. ~a ij~,

~C Here begynneth the lyf of the holy & blessid vyrgyn saynt ‖ Wenefryde /~

On sig. ~b~ 6 recto,

~C Thus endeth the decollacion / the lyf after / and the transla- ‖ cion of saynte Wenefrede virgyn and martir / whiche was rey ‖ sed after that her hede had be smyton of the space of xv yere ‖ reduced in to Englysshe by me William Caxton /~

The Text ends, with ten lines on the recto of sig. ~b~ 8, the verso being blank,

~celebramus translacionem / cunctorum adipisci mereamur pec- ‖ catorum remissionem / Per dominum nostrum ⸝ et cetera /~

REMARKS.--Caxton’s translation gives all the particulars of the birth, parentage, dedication to God, decollation by Prince Caradoc, restoration to life “after her head had been smyton off the space of xv year,” and subsequent canonisation of St. Winifred; followed by the service in Latin for her “commemoration.”

The earliest existing notice of this saint is found in Cotton MS. Claud. A. v, which begins “Incipit Vita sancte Wenefrede virginis et martyris.” The character of the writing is of the twelfth century, but the Holy Well in Flintshire, dedicated to her, as well as the existence of chapels and other places in Wales bearing her name, prove her fame to have been spread for some centuries earlier. The Cotton MS. itself was probably copied from a much older original. Historians have therefore agreed to consider her as having lived in the seventh century. Being a Welsh saint, her name does not at first seem to have been received with any great veneration outside her own country, and this may account for the entire absence of all notice of her in the early historians. The Cotton MS. has a memorandum in a more modern hand, stating it to be the composition of St. Elerius. For this, however, there appears to be no other reason than the mention of this saint as St. Winifred’s confessor. It has, however, been adopted by Leland, Bale, Pits, and other writers. A second life of St. Winifred was undertaken in the year 1140 by Robert, a Welsh monk of Shrewsbury, who compiled his account from MSS. then extant, with the addition of all the floating details which, in the course of centuries, the legend had developed. The fame of the saint at that time was rapidly increasing, partly owing to the grand ceremonial with which her relics had been, in 1138, translated to the Benedictine Abbey in Shrewsbury. The variations in these two accounts, especially as to the length of time she lived after her decollation, has induced a belief that they are independent productions. Had the second history been shorter and less miraculous than the first, there might be some reason for the opinion.

In “Liber Festivalis,” and in the “Golden Legend,” both printed by Caxton, are short notices of St. Winifred; but in 1484 Caxton himself set about “reducing into English” her Life. It is unfortunate that he makes no mention of the language in which his original was written. There is no reason to suppose that Caxton understood Welsh, or else doubtless he could have obtained several MSS.[20] Again, it is very improbable that Caxton translated from his usual source, the French, as the saint was unknown across the Channel. It is therefore most probable that the Latin account of Robert, already noticed, was Caxton’s original, a probability we are not able to verify by collation, as no manuscript appears to be known.

Caxton’s edition has the Latin commemoration of the saint at the end, which was ordained with great ceremony by Arundel, Archbishop of Canterbury, in 1391, who, at the same time, removed the day from June 24th to November 3rd. This shows how the fame of St. Winifred had increased. All the old legends state that on the spot where Prince Caradoc decapitated the Virgin, there immediately sprung up an impetuous stream of healing water. The famous Holy Well is on this spot, and thence flows “St. Wenefrede’s Stream,” which empties itself at the mouth of the Dee. The fame of wonderful cures effected by these waters spread all over England, and greatly enhanced the shrine of St. Winifred, until Holywell became the most favoured goal of pilgrims to the north. Caxton could not perhaps have chosen a more popular life when he undertook his translation. Henry VII built an octagonal well over the source of the stream, with conveniences for using the waters, and over this a beautiful chapel.

The shrine was plundered at the dissolution of the monasteries, and a portion of the ruins was, in 1811, and is probably, still used as a free grammar school.

In Caxton’s “Polycronicon,” in the metrical account of Wales, there are twenty-two lines of curious matter concerning the Holy Well, and the awful fate which befell the descendants of Prince Caradoc.

Only three copies of this edition are known. There is a fair specimen in the King’s Library, British Museum, a poor one at Lambeth, and a good one at Ham House, Surrey.

NO. 66.--THE NOBLE HISTORIES OF KING ARTHUR AND OF CERTAIN OF HIS KNIGHTS. _Folio. “Emprynted in thabbey westmestre, the last day of Juyl the yere of our Lord M CCCC lxxxv.”_

COLLATION.--The prologue and table take up a 4n and 5n; the first leaf in the 4n is blank, the next 3 are signed ~ij~, ~iij~, ~iiij~; the first four leaves only of the 5n are signed ~v~, ~vj~, ~vij~, ~viij~; ~a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t u x y z & A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P Q R S T U X Y Z aa bb cc dd~ are 4ns; ~ee~ is a 3n. In all 432 leaves, of which one is blank.

Note.--Sig. ~S iij~ is printed ~R iij~ and ~T ij~ is printed ~S ij~.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type throughout is No. 4*. The lines are spaced out to an even length of 45⁄8 inches, and 38 make a full page. Without folios, head-lines, or catchwords. Initials in wood of three to five lines in depth.

Commencing with a blank leaf, Caxton’s prologue follows on sig. ~ij~, with a 3-line initial in wood. The Text begins thus:--

~Fter that J had accomplysshed and fynysshed dyuers ~A~ hystoryes as wel of contemplacyon as of other hysto ryal and worldly actes of grete conquerours & pryn ces / and also certeyn bookes of ensaumples and doctryne /~

The Text ends on the recto of the sixth leaf of sig. ~ee~, the verso being blank.

~C Thus endeth thys noble and Joyous book entytled le morte ‖ Darthur / Notwythstondyng it treateth of the byrth / lyf / and ‖ actes of the sayd kyng Arthur / of his noble knyghtes of the ‖ rounde table / theyr meruayllous enquestes and aduentures / ‖ thachyeuyng of the sangreal / & in thende the dolorous deth & ‖ departyng out of thys world of them al / whiche book was re ‖ duced in to englysshe by syr Thomas Malory knyght as afore ‖ is sayd / and by me deuyded in to xxj bookes chapytred and ‖ enprynted / and fynysshed in thabbey westmestre the last day ‖ of Juyl the yere of our lord / M / CCCC / lxxxv /~

~C Caxton me fieri fecit~

REMARKS.--There does not appear to be any trace in the collections of the British Museum, or elsewhere, of a manuscript of Sir Thomas Malory’s text. Of Sir Thomas himself, all we know is contained in the last sentence of his own book: “This book was ended the ninth year of the reign of King Edward the fourth by Sir Thomas Malory, Knight;” that is about 1470. Caxton tells us in his prologue, that Sir Thomas had “reduced it from certain books in French.” These books, judging from the conduct of the story, were the celebrated romances of Merlin, Launcelot, Tristram, the Quest du S. Graal, and Mort Artus, on the origin of which romances very little appears to be known, though much has been written. Manuscript copies of all of them are in the British Museum. Caxton’s edition was reprinted several times, the last being the well-known 4to. volume, edited by Robert Southey, who has prefixed a learned dissertation on the rise and development of the story. A very interesting essay upon the character, epoch, and authors of the various romances of the Round Table is contained in _Les Msc. Franç._, par M. Paris, vol. i. page 160. See also the introduction of Thomas Wright to his reprint of the 1634 edition, entitled _The History of King Arthur_, 3 vols. London, 1858. Also _Les Romans de la Table Ronde et les Contes des anciens Bretons_, par M. le Vicomte Hersart de la Villemarqué. 8vo. Paris, 1860.

The only perfect copy known is in the library of Earl Jersey; Earl Spencer has an imperfect copy, and a fragment is in the British Museum. There is not a copy at Lichfield, as stated by Mr. Botfield.

NO. 67.--THE LIFE OF THE NOBLE AND CHRISTIAN PRINCE, CHARLES THE GREAT. _Folio. “Explicit per William Caxton.” Without Place. “Enprynted the fyrst day of decembre / M CCCC lxxxv.”_

COLLATION.--~a b c d e f g h i k l m~ are 4ns. In all 96 leaves, of which ~a j~ and ~m~ 8 appear to have been blank. The last leaf, however, may have had the device.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is all No. 4*. The pages have two columns, with 39 lines to a column. The lines, which are spaced to one length, measure 23⁄8 inches. Without folios or catchwords. Woodcut initials three lines deep.

Commencing with a blank leaf, the prologue of the French translator follows, on sig ~a ij~, with a 3-line printed initial. The Text begins thus:--

~Aynt Poul doctour of somme werkes haultayne ~S~ veryte sayth to vs that doon ‖ & comysed by their al thynges that ben re- grete strength ‖ & ryght ar- duced by wrytyng / ben daunt courage / to the ‖ ex- wryton ‖ altacyon of the crysten fayth~ * * * * * * * * * *

This preface finishes with five lines down the first column of the verso, and is followed by Caxton’s prologue, in the same column, which is finished on the 26th line of the opposite column.

~T~ ~Henne / for as moche J late had fynysshed in enpryntye the book of the noble & ‖ vyctoryous kyng Arthur fyrst ‖~

The Text ends with the following colophon,

~Whyche werke was fy- nysshed ‖ in the reducyng of hit in to en-‖glysshe the xviij day of Juyn the ‖ second yere of kyng Rychard ‖ the thyrd / And the yere of our ‖ lord M CCCC lxxxv / And ‖ enprynted the fyrst day of de- ‖ cembre the same yere of our lord ‖ & the fyrst yere of kyng Harry ‖ the seuenth /‖~

~C Explicit p william Caxton~

REMARKS.--Histories and romances of “Karlemaine,” in French and in Latin, in prose and in verse, existed so early as the twelfth and thirteenth centuries. These became incorporated later in the general histories, such as the “Speculum Historiale,” the “Fleur des Histoires,” &c. The compilation of the romance under notice is recounted by the anonymous Author himself in his preface and envoye. From these we learn that Henry Bolomyer, Canon of Lausaune, regretting the existence of several “disjoined” accounts of Charles the Great, “excited” our anonymous Author to compile a continuous history of the first Christian King of France. This he did, and the sources of his narration, as well as the contents, cannot be described better than in his own words, thus translated by Caxton (sig. ~m~, 7 recto), “it is so that at the requeste of the sayd venerable man to fore named Maister henry bolonnyer chanonne of lausaune J haue been Incyted to translate & reduce into Frensshe the mater tofore reduced. As moche as toucheth the fyrst & the thyrd book/ J haue taken & drawen oute of a book named myrrour hystoryal for the moost parte / & the second book J haue onely reduced it out of an olde romaūce in frensshe.”

On comparing the first and last books of the text under notice with the chapters devoted to Charlemagne, in Verard’s edition of the _Speculum Historiale_ (vol. iv, book 25), it is evident that the compiler did not confine himself to the account of Vincent de Beauvais. The Second Book, he tells us, was taken from an old romance in French; perhaps the same as is still extant in _Royal MS._ 4 C. XI. 10, or the manuscript in the Imperial Library, Paris, No. 6795.

It is the French compilation made for Henry Bolomyer which Caxton was requested by “some persons of noble estate and degree”--“my good singular lords and special masters” as he calls them--to reduce into English. Among these his good friend Master William Daubeny, treasurer of the king’s jewels, who is the only one mentioned by name, seems to have most influenced him.

The only EXISTING COPY at present known is in the British Museum, King’s Library (C. 10. b. 9). It is _perfect_, wanting only the two blank leaves, and is in excellent preservation.

NO. 68.--THE KNIGHT PARIS AND THE FAIR VIENNE. _Folio. “Explicit per Caxton. Westminster. December 19th, 1485.”_

COLLATION.--~a b c~ are 4ns, ~d~ and ~e~ 3ns = 36 leaves, of which the last only is blank.

Note.--~d j~ is misprinted ~c i~.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is all No. 4*; in double columns, the lines being spaced to an even length, and measuring 23⁄8 inches; 39 lines to a column. Without folios or catchwords. Woodcut initials.

The Text begins on sig. ~a j~ recto,

~C Here begynneth thystorye may or ought to haue / The of ‖ the noble ryght valyaunt sayd ‖ daulphyn thenne and & wor- ‖ thy knyght Parys / this noble ‖ lady dyane were and of the ‖ fayr Uyene / vij yere to gy- ‖ dre wythoute the daulphyns dou- ‖ ghter of yssue that moche ‖ they de- vyennoys / the whyche ‖ syred to haue / and prayed ‖ suffred many aduersytees our lord bothe nyght & day by- ‖ cause of theyr true that ‖ they myght haue chyl loue or ‖ they coude enioye dren play ‖ saunt and redy the effect therof of ‖ eche to hys deuyne ‖ seruyce / other / and our lord thorugh ‖~

The Text ends thus, on sig. ~e~ 5 recto, with sixteen lines in the first column,

~may accompanye them in the per ‖ durable glorye of heuen Amen /~

~C Thus endeth thystorye of the ‖ noble and valyaunt knyght pa-‖rys / and the fayr vyenne dough ‖ ter of the doulphyn of Uyen- ‖ noys / translated out of frensshe ‖ in to englysshe by wylliam Cax- ‖ ton at westmestre fynysshed the ‖ last day of August the yere of ‖ our lord M CCCC lxxxv / and ‖ enprynted the xix day of decem- ‖ bre the same yere / and the fyrst ‖ yere of the regne of kyng Harry ‖ the seuenth /~

~C Explicit p Caxton~

REMARKS.--Although frequently copied in manuscript, and often printed in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, there are few romances so rare as “Paris and Vienne.” Translated into the “langage provençal,” from the original composition, which was in “Catalane,” it was turned into Latin, French, Italian, Flemish, and English. The French, which was the translation Caxton used, was accomplished about the beginning of the fifteenth century, by Pierre de la Sippade, of Marseilles. The first printed edition was in Italian, at Trévise, 1482; the second, Caxton’s, 1485. G. Leeu, at Antwerp, 1487, brought out two impressions, one in German and one in French. Wynken de Worde made an early reprint of Caxton’s edition. The admiration which Jean de Pins, Bishop of Rieux, one of the most elegant scholars of his age, conceived for this romance, induced him to turn it into Latin, for the instruction of the children of his friend the Chancellor Duprat. It was printed in 1516. The Jesuit Charron, in his Memoirs of Jean de Pins (_Avignon_, 8vo, 1748), speaks thus of this romance: “As for children, it would be impossible to find a work more fitted to imbue the mind with correct taste and elegance of style, to influence their characters by the wisdom of its reflections, or to forearm their hearts against those assaults of passion which blindly precipitate the young into the abysses of misery. The work is truly admirable. The situations are so interesting and the _dénoûment_ so happy, that their conception would reflect honour on the best writers of the most renowned ages.” (See _Histoire du Chevalier Paris, et de la belle Vienne_, 8vo, Paris, 1835.)

In the Utterson Library was an extremely rare printed edition of the French version, from which Caxton translated, entitled “l’Hystoire du vaillant and noble cheualier paris: and de la belle Viene fille du dauphin de Vienoys.” 4to. Paris. Jehan Bonfons. c. 1500.

The only EXISTING COPY is in the British Museum. It was formerly in Ames’s possession, but after the issue of “The Typographical Antiquities,” passed into the library of Sir Hans Sloane, and thence into the King’s Library, St. James’s.

A reprint of this copy has been edited, with a Preface, Glossary, and Notes, by W. C. Hazlitt, for the subscribers to the Roxburghe Library. London, 4to. 1868.

NO. 69.--THE GOLDEN LEGEND. _Largest Folio. Second Edition. Small Head-lines. (1487?)_

COLLATION.--The same exactly as the first edition, with the exception of sigs. ~X~ and ~Y~, in which appears the following variation:--

FIRST EDITION. | SECOND EDITION. | sig. ~X~, 6 leaves } | sig. ~X~ = 8 leaves. sig. ~Y~, 2 ” } = 9 leaves | signed to ~X iiij~, and followed unsigned 1 ” } | by sig. ~aa~.

In order to get the matter of the two signatures into one, the sixteen pages of ~X~ in the second edition are all made a line longer than in the first. This arrangement was evidently considered as an improvement, and therefore was later in point of time than the edition in which it does not occur.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--These in the main are identical with the edition already described, the chief peculiarity being that the head-lines of the pages and the head-lines of the various lives, which in the first edition are all in type No. 3, are in the second edition all in type No. 5. We must also notice that in places (_e.g._ sig. ~X j~ recto) the large capital letters, used in type No. 6, make an accidental appearance in the head-lines, where they were occasionally used instead of quadrats. This evinces a much later period for the impression than the first edition.

REMARKS.--The absence of any complete copy, or indeed of any copy having prologues or colophon, suggests the idea that certain sheets only may, for some reason, have been reprinted to supply deficiencies; if so, the reprint is so extensive, that, for the sake of accuracy, it is better to look upon it as a separate edition.

EXISTING COPIES.--In the British Museum is a copy, of which by far the larger portion belongs to the second edition, sigs. ~x~ to 9 and sigs. ~G~ to ~aa~ being of the first edition. In the Douce Library at Oxford is a copy, of which by far the larger portion belongs to the first edition, the part belonging to the second edition being just that which is wanting in the British Museum copy; so that if an exchange could be made, the British Museum might have a perfect second edition and the Bodleian a perfect first edition.

Portions of the second edition are in the University Library, Cambridge, and the library of the Duke of Devonshire at Chatsworth.

FOOTNOTES:

[18] Reg. 12 A xxix, the particulars of which were kindly communicated by Mr. Bond, keeper of the MSS.

[19] “Even” = “fellow.” The gravedigger in _Hamlet_, act V, sc. 1, uses the same phrase, “even Christian.”

[20] Llwyd, in his Catalogue of Welsh MSS., mentions two.

A DESCRIPTION OF BOOKS PRINTED IN

TYPE No. 5.

_BOOKS PRINTED IN TYPE No. 5._

70. Good Manners May 11th, 1487

71. Speculum. First Edition 1487?

72. Directorium. First Edition 1487?

73. Horæ. Third Edition 1488?

74. Royal 1488?

75. Image of Pity 1489?

76. Doctrinal. May 7th, 1489?

77. Speculum. Second Edition 1490?

78. Commemoratio 1491?

79. De Transfiguratione 1491?

80. Horæ 1491?

_Caxton’s Type, No. 5._]

BOOKS PRINTED IN TYPE No. 5.

NO. 70.--THE BOOK OF GOOD MANNERS. _Folio. “Explicit et hic est finis per Caxton.” Without Place. “Enprynted the xj day of Maye” the year of our Lord 1487._

COLLATION.--~a b c d e f g~ are 4ns, ~h~ a 5n = 66 leaves (no blanks).

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type throughout is No. 5. The lines are spaced to an even length, and measure 45⁄8 inches. A page has 33 lines. Without catchwords or folios. Woodcut initials of two to three lines in depth.

The Text begins on sig. ~a j~ recto,

~W~ ~Han J consydere the condycions & maners of the comyn ‖ people whiche without enformacion & lernyng ben rude ‖ and not manerd lyke vnto beestis brute acordyng to an olde ‖~

making a full page. On the verso, with 2-line wood initial,

~H~ ~Ere begynneth the table of a book named & Jntytuled the ‖ book of good maners the which was made & com posed ‖ by the venerable & dyscrete persone Frere Jaques le graunt ly ‖ cecyat in Theologye religyous of the ordre of saynt augustyn ‖ of the conuent of parys.~

The end is on the tenth recto of sig. ~h~, the verso blank,

~C Explicit / et hic est finis / per Caxton &c~

~C Fynysshed and translated out of frenshe in to englysshe the ‖ viij day of Juyn the yere of our lord M iiij C lxxxvj / and ‖ the first yere of the regne of kyng harry the vij / And enpryn- ‖ ted the xj day of Maye after / &c~

~Laus deo~

REMARKS.--Jacques Legrand was an Augustin friar, and is stated (though upon what authority does not appear) to have been a native of Toledo, in Spain, confessor to Charles VII, and to have refused a bishopric. He is known to have been the author of the “Sophologium,” originally written in Latin, and translated by himself into French for the Duke of Orleans, son of Charles V. He also was the author of “Le livre des bonnes meurs,” which he dedicated to the Duke de Berri.

In an interesting prologue appended by Caxton to this work we are informed that he undertook the task at the desire of William Praat, a fellow-mercer. The terms in which Caxton speaks of Praat as “an honest man” and “a singular friend of old knowledge,” whose death-bed request it was that the book which had pleased and instructed his own mind should have greater currency among the people by means of his friend’s new Art of Printing, prove the close amity which must have existed between the two Mercers. Caxton, according to his friend’s wish, translated and printed it “for the amendment of manners and the increase of virtuous living.”

Only three copies are known--one at Cambridge, one at the Royal Library, Copenhagen, and one at Lambeth.

NO. 71.--SPECULUM VITÆ CHRISTI. _Folio. “Emprynted by wyllyam Caxton.” Without Place or Date. Edition A. (1487?)_

COLLATION.--~a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s~ are 4ns, with the first leaf of sig. ~a~ blank; ~t~ a 2n, with the fourth leaf blank. In all 148 leaves, of which two are blank.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title-page. The type throughout is No. 5. The lines are spaced to an even length, and measure 45⁄8 inches. A page has 33 lines, exclusive of the head-lines, and one line space between. Without folios or catchwords. There are side notes throughout the volume, a rare practice with Caxton, who, however, probably followed his copy in this particular, as side notes appear in nearly all the manuscript versions. An initial, cut on wood, begins every chapter.

Commencing with a blank leaf, the Text begins thus on sig. ~a ij~ recto:--

~C Jncipit Speculum vite Cristi.~

~T the begynnynge of the prohemy of the booke that is ~A~ cleped the myrroure of the blessyd lyf of Jhesu Cryste the fyrst parte for the monedaye / C A deuoute medy- tacion of the grete counceyll in heuene for the restorynge of man ‖ and hys sauacyon . Capitulum primum . C Of the manere~

At the head of sig. ~b ij~ recto,

~Die lune C Prima pars ca j.~

~dome all the Courte of heune wondrynge and commendyng the souerayne wysedome assented wel here to / but ferther- more ‖~

At the head of sig. ~f~ 6 verso,

~C Ca / xv C Die Mercurij C Tercia pars~

~parauentur there with a fewe smal fysshes that oure lady had ‖ ordeyned theme as god wold / & soo therwith the Aungels co-‖~

The “Speculum” ends at foot of sig. ~s i~ recto,

~lord ihesu and his moder Mary now and euer withoute ende ame~

~C Explicit speculum vite Cristi.~

On the verso begins a treatise on the Sacrament of Christ’s body,

~C A shorte treatyce of the hyhest and most worthy sacra- mente ‖ of crystes blessid body . and the merueylles therof.~

which finishes on sig. ~t~ 3 recto with the following imprint:--

~C Emprynted by wyllyam caxton~

REMARKS.--There appear to have been two original works on the “Life of Christ” in the libraries of the fifteenth century. One by Father Ludolphe, or Rudolphe (_Addit._ 16609), was translated, as already noticed, into French, and thence into English; but this is an entirely different work to that printed by Caxton. St. Bonaventure, in 1410, wrote “The Life of Christ” in Latin (_Royal_ 17, D. XVII), which became very popular, and was translated several times into French, with amplifications more or less. In the early part of the fifteenth century Jean de Gallopes, already noticed as the translator of “The Pilgrimage of the Soul” (_ante_ page 259), made a French prose translation of Bonaventure’s Latin work (_Royal_ 20, B. IV). This bears a close resemblance to the English text as printed by Caxton, was dedicated by Gallopes to Henry V, and probably had considerable currency among the English, to whom Gallopes, if not an Englishman himself, was well known from his connection with the Duke of Bedford. The author of Caxton’s English text is unknown, but he professes to have borrowed largely from the Latin of Bonaventure.

Of the “Speculum vitæ Christi” two distinct editions were issued, both printed with the same types, page for page, line for line (with few exceptions), and nearly letter for letter. The typographical minutiæ do not enable us with facility to determine which edition has the better claim to priority of workmanship. The greatest variations will be found in the head-lines, where, from sig. ~k~ to the end of the volume, there is a difference in every page; one edition (A) using the word ~Ca~ in the heads, while the other (B) has the full word ~Capitulum~. In the University Library, Cambridge, there is a copy of each edition.

There is a curious transposition of pages in the copy belonging to W. E. Watkyn Wynne, Esq., proving that even so late as 1489, the practice of printing one page at a time was retained. This is shown by the verso of sig. ~e iiij~ being printed on the recto of sig. ~e~ 6, and _vice versâ_. In sig. ~e~ there are several instances of the side notes having been blocked out in the printing. Pressmen call it “a bite.”

EXISTING COPIES.--British Museum; Cambridge; Hunterian Museum, Glasgow; and four in private libraries. One of the copies in the British Museum is on vellum, and before the Reformation was in Sion Nunnery.

NO. 72.--DIRECTORIUM SACERDOTUM, UNA CUM DEFENSORIO EJUSDEM; ITEM TRACTATUS QUI DICITUR CREDE MIHI. _Folio. Second Version, First Edition. Per William Caxton apud westmonesteriu. Without Date. (1487?)_

COLLATION.--Kalendar a 3n, signed ~j ij iij~; ~a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q~ are 4ns; ~r~ a 5n; ~s t~ are 4ns. In all 160 leaves. In the only copy known the whole of the kalendar is inserted between the first and second leaves of sig. ~a~, making ~a j~ appear as the first leaf in the book.

Note.--The signature to ~e j~ is not printed.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title-page. The type is all No. 5. The lines, which are fully spaced out, measure 45⁄8 inches. Exclusive of head-lines there are 33 to the page. Without folios or catchwords. A few 2-line woodcut initials.

The work commences with a kalendar of the months, a month to a page, each being headed by a Latin couplet on unlucky days, and a woodcut KL.

The Text begins on sig. ~j~ recto,

~KL~ ~Prima dies mensis. & septima truncat vt ensis Januarius het dies xxxj / luna vero xxx iij A Januarij Circusicio dm dup fm ix l’c~

The Text ends on sig. ~t~ 8 verso,

~de michi / Na qui predcas regulas memoriter tenet vix pote- rit errare in seruicio diuino / Deo gras /~

~C Caxton me fieri fecit~

REMARKS.--The large woodcut, which is really on sig. ~a j~ verso, is, in the only known copy, transposed, very naturally, to precede the Kalendar. This at first misleads one to believe that it does not belong to the volume. It measures 9 × 53⁄4 inches, and occupies the entire page, being thus described by Herbert--“In the middle part Christ is seen naked, half length, as at a window, with his arms across and his head inclined, showing the wounds on his hands and under the right breast; a spear erect on the right and a sponge on the left; over his head is a tablet with INRI. On a tablet beneath the window the title appears evidently to have been printed, but from this copy has been indiscreetly cut out. About this middle part are 28 square divisions, each containing some symbol of the passion, forming a kind of border.” An engraving similar in design was used for the “Horæ,” described at No. 75 _post_.

There was another edition of this work in type No. 6, printed in 1489 (see No. 87). In both the Latin is printed with many contractions. In the various editions of “Typographical Antiquities,” these two editions being treated as one has led to several errors.

The numerous and constantly varying alterations in the daily order of Church Service must have rendered, in all ages, a book of directions most necessary to all officiating priests. But the introduction of new Feasts and Commemorations would, in course of time, render any such book incorrect. Thus it happened that Clement Maydestone, a monk of the order of St. Bridget, and a priest, finding, as he tells us in his prologue, that one of the most important festivals in the year, that of Corpus Christi, with its Octave, was, according to the written directions, celebrated _cum regimine chori_, while the admitted and general custom of the Salisbury rule was to celebrate that festival _sine regimine chori_; finding also several necessary things omitted altogether, and a wrong disposition made of others, determined, by the consent of his superiors, to correct and supply all defects. When Clement Maydestone had thus reformed and renewed the Pica, he gave his work the now recognised title of “Directorium Sacerdotum.” This is the text as printed by Caxton.

Clement Maydestone appears to have been the son of Thomas Maydestone (probably of Hounslow, Middlesex), and flourished in the reign of Henry V. An account of the martyrdom of Archbishop Scroop is also ascribed to him.

In the latter half of the fifteenth century the reformed Pica of Maydestone was again collated with the true “Sarum Ordinale,” by one Clarke, a singing man of King’s College, Cambridge, by order of the University, which at this period evidently followed the Salisbury use. A notice of Clarke’s work may be seen in the prologue appended by Pynson to his “Directorium” of 1497. In the copy of this edition, lately purchased of Mr. Maskell for the British Museum, are numerous notes in the autograph of Bishop Wagstaffe, the nonjuror, which have supplied material for some of the above remarks.

The only EXISTING COPY at present known is that in the King’s Library, British Museum (C. 10. b. 16), which is _perfect_, in fair condition, and measures 101⁄2 × 71⁄2 inches. On a fly-leaf is the autograph “W. Bayntun, Gray’s Inn, bought of a man introduced by Doctor Nugent.” This copy, which is catalogued by Dr. Middleton as being in the University Library, Cambridge, was stolen thence between 1772 and 1778. Before 1787 it was purchased by W. Bayntun--and probably (though, of course, in ignorance) from the thief himself.

NO. 73.--HORÆ.--A FRAGMENT.--_Third Edition. 8vo. Sine ullâ notâ. (1488?)_

The COLLATION cannot be given, eight leaves, or the whole of sig. ~m~, being all that is known at present.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--The type is No. 5 only. The lines, of which there are seventeen to the page, are fully spaced out and in length measure 25⁄8 inches. Large full-faced capital letters are used.

On sig. ~m j~ recto the Text begins,

~Non fecisti~

The first words on the rectos of each leaf are--1, ~non~; 2, ~perhanc~; 3, ~habitabile~; 4, ~A Doro~; 5, (injured); 6, woodcut; 7, ~Domine~; 8, ~siones~; the last word on the eighth verso, being ~cospui~.

The woodcut on ~m~ 6 recto is an “Image of Pity,” very similar in treatment to that noticed on page 316. It occupies only the depth of ten lines of text, and beneath, in six lines, is the following:--

~To them that before * * * * yma ge ofpyte deuoutly sey . v . P’r noster / v . Auyes & a * * * * py- teously beholdyng * * * * * * of Xp’s passyon ar graunted * * * * M / vij . C & . lv / yeres of pardon~

These unique leaves, which have evidently been rescued from the binding of an old book, were presented, in 1858, by Mr. Maskell to the British Museum (C. 35. a). Measurement 51⁄4 × 4 inches. They are in the same binding as the fragments of another Horæ described at page 332.

NO. 74.--THE ROYAL BOOK OR BOOK FOR A KING. _Folio. Without Printer’s Name, Place, or Date. “Translated out of frensshe into englysshe by me wyllyam Caxton / whiche translacion was fynysshed the xiij day of septembre in the yere of our lord M / CCCC. lxxxiiij.” (1488?)_

COLLATION.--~a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t~ are 4ns, the first leaf of ~a~ being blank; ~u~ a 5n, with the last leaf blank. In all 162 leaves, of which two are blank.

Note.--~m iij~ is wrongly signed ~m ij~; and ~n j~ is wrongly signed ~n iiij~.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is entirely No. 5. The lines are fully spaced out, and measure 45⁄8 inches, 33 forming a full page. Without folios or catchwords. 2-line initials in wood are used at the commencement of the chapters. There are six small vignette illustrations in wood, all of which, however, except the first, which appeared in the “Golden Legend,” are from the “Speculum” just described, where they are suited to the text, and not, as here, used without any reference to fitness.

Commencing with a blank leaf, the prologue follows on ~a ij~ recto, with a 2-line initial.

The Text begins thus:--

~W~ ~Han J remembre and take hede of the conuersacion of ‖ vs that lyue in this wretched lyf . in which is no surete ‖ ne stable abydyng . And also the contynuel besynes of euery ‖~

The Text ends, with a full page, on sig. ~u~ 9 recto,

~T~ ~his book was compyled & made atte requeste of kyng Phelyp of Fraunce in the yere of thyncarnacyon of our lord / M . CC · lxxix . & translated or reduced out of frensshe in ‖ to englysshe by me wyllyam Caxton . atte requeste of a wor-‖shipful marchaunt & mercer of london . whiche Jnstauntly re-‖~

* * * * *

~to be called Ryall / as tofore is sayd . whiche translacion or re-‖ducyng oute of frensshe in to englysshe wos achyeued . fynys-‖shed & accomplysshed the xiij day of Septembre in the yere of ‖ thyncarnacyon of our lord . M / CCCC.lxxxiiij / And in the ‖ second yere of che Regne of Kyng Rychard the thyrd / ‖~

In the printed epilogue appended to the book by Caxton we read:--“Which book is called in French ‘Le livre Royal,’ that is to say the royal book, or a book of a king; for the Holy Scripture calleth every man a king which wisely and perfectly can govern and direct himself after virtue.” But “Le livre Royal” was by no means the title by which Caxton’s contemporaries knew this work. The most common name is that found in _Royal MS._ 19 C. II “Le livre des Vices et des Vertus;” although it was sometimes entitled “La Somme de Roi,” or “La Somme des Vices et des Vertus.” By whatever name known it was for centuries a favourite book, as is proved by the numerous copies still extant. Its author is said to be “Frere Laurent de l’ordre des predicateurs et confesseur de Phillippe le Hardi” (_Les Msc. Franç._ t. iii, page 388), but his name does not appear in any of the above-mentioned manuscripts of the work. Very soon after its appearance it was favourably received in England, where, in the year 1340, it was translated by a priest of Kent, for the purpose of being read to the people in their own dialect. This was called “The Ayenbite of Inwit,” and was printed from the Arundel MS. (No. 57) in the British Museum, in 1855, for the Roxburghe Club. Another and purer translation into English (_Addit._ 17013) was also made in the fourteenth century.

EXISTING COPIES.--Bedfordshire General Library, British Museum, Cambridge, and five in private collections.

NO. 75.--IMAGE OF PITY. _Quarto Broadside. Sine ullâ notâ. (1489?)._

This is a woodcut measuring 51⁄2 × 35⁄8 inches, printed on one side of a quarto. Like the folio woodcut described at page 320, and the 8vo cut described at page 322, there is a central figure of our Saviour upon the Cross, surrounded by eighteen small compartments, each having some reference to the Passion. Beneath the central figure the block has been cut, and the following sentence inserted in type No. 5:--

~To them that before this ymage of pyte de uoutly saye v Pr nr v Aues & a Credo py- teuously beholdyng these ar of Xps passio ar grauted xxxij . M . vij. C & lv. yeres of pardon ·~

NO. 76.--THE DOCTRINAL OF SAPIENCE. _Folio. “Caxton me fieri fecit.” Without Place or Date. Translated May 7th, 1489._

COLLATION.--~A B C D E F G H J~ are 4ns; ~K~ and ~L~ 5ns. In all 92 leaves. No blanks.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type throughout is No. 5. The lines, which are spaced to an even length, measure 45⁄8 inches, and there are 33 to a page. Without folios or catchwords. There are side-notes, which, however, never exceed the three letters ~Exa~, which are placed in the margin whenever an “Example” occurs in the Text. Two woodcuts and printed initials.

The Text begins on sig. ~A j~ recto, with a 3-line initial,

~his that is written in this lytyl boke ought the prestres ~T~ to lerne and teche to theyr parysshes: And also it is ne- cessary for symple prestes that vnderstode not the scrip~

This prologue is followed by the table, which commences on the bottom line of sig. ~A j~ verso, and finishes at foot of ~A iij~ recto; and on the verso, with a woodcut down the side of the type, and a 2-line initial ~E~, is the commencement of the work.

┌───────────────────────────┐ ~E~ ~Very crysten man & │ _Woodcut from “Speculum,” │ woman ought to bi │ of Jesus in the Temple._ │ leue fermely the xij arty- └───────────────────────────┘ cles of the cristen feith.~

On ~B j~ is another woodcut, the Crucifixion, also from the “Speculum.” On the verso of sig. ~J ij~ the 64th chapter is thus dismissed:--

~C Of the neclygences of the masse and of the remcdyes J pas ‖ se ouer for it apperteyneth to prestes & not to laie men . C . lxiiij ‖~

The Text ends on the tenth recto of sig. ~L~,

~god bi his grace graunte for to gouuerne vs in such wyse and ‖ lyue in thys short lyf that we may come to hys blysse for to ly ‖ ue and regne there wythout ende in secula secu- lorum Amen~

~C Thus endeth the doctrinal of sapyence the whyche is ryght ‖ vtile and prouffytable to alle crysten men / whyche is translated ‖ out of Frenshe in to englysshe by wyllyam Caxton at westme ‖ sster fynysshed the . vij . day of may the yere of our lord / M / cccc ‖ lxxx ix~

~Caxton me fieri fecit~

On the verso is Caxton’s large device.

REMARKS.--The “Manipulus Curatorum,” compiled in the early part of the fourteenth, was printed frequently in the fifteenth century. Greswell mentions--“Savilliani anno 1470; Aug. Vindel. 1471; Gering at Paris 1478;” and several times later. In these, as in all the early French editions, the authorship is ascribed to Guy, Archbishop of Sens, who died 1409. This has been adopted by the compilers of the Harleian Catalogue (III. 1552), and from them by all subsequent bibliographers. That it is, nevertheless, erroneous, appears from the extracts given above. In no manuscript copy is the authorship attributed to Guy de Roye: in fact, it was well known before his time, for it was “envoié à Paris,” by Blanche, Queen of France, who died in 1370. The archbishop was, nevertheless, the cause of its being circulated in the French language; for about the year 1388 he employed several doctors of divinity to translate it from the original Latin, and promoted its use by the clergy in all the parishes of his diocese. Further than this he appears to have had no direct connection with it.

It was known in France under the titles of “Livre de Sapience” and “Doctrinal de la foy catholique,” but most commonly as “Le Doctrinal au simples gens.”

The following remark of Mr. Douce is written in his copy of the “Doctrinal.” “The Sermons of Vitriaco,” or some other of his works, much quoted in “Scala Perfections,” seem to have been used in the “Doctrinal.”

EXISTING COPIES.--Cambridge and Oxford (2), and seven in private libraries. The copy at Windsor Castle is so interesting that a special description is necessary. It is printed on vellum, and has a chapter on “Negligences happing in the Mass,” which does not appear in any other known copy. The parchment used is very coarse, discoloured, uneven in substance, and disfigured with holes. Dr. Dibdin could never have seen it, or he would not have written in terms of admiration. A slip of paper at the beginning states, “This book was presented to the Royal Library by Mr. Bryant,” which was doubtless the reason why it was (together with the Æsop) retained when that splendid collection became national property. It is not known how Bryant obtained it, but it is curious to note in these days, when every leaf of a Caxton represents a bank-note, how Bryant demurred at giving the exorbitant price of four guineas for this vellum copy, and then only after mature consideration with “old Pain,” the celebrated bookbinder.

The unique chapter at the end of this copy occupies three leaves, unsigned, and begins thus:--

~C Of the necligences happyng in the masse . and of the reme-‖ dyes Capitulo · lxiiij°~

~L~ ~Jke as we haue seyd that thys is made especyally for the symple peple· and for the symple prestes. whiche vnderstond not latin / bycause that he is not so suffy- saut ‖ but that somtyme for necligence or other wyse he may faylle ‖~

The whole of this chapter is very curious, and is occupied with what the officiating priest is to do--if, after the consecration of the wine, he remembers that no water had been mingled with it; or finds that he has consecrated water only; or remembers that he has eaten ought since midnight; or finds a fly, a “loppe,” or a venomous beast in the chalice; whether, if a small piece of meat abide in the teeth, and be swallowed during the celebration, it incapacitates the priest from singing Mass; what is to be done when the priest lets fall any portion of the consecrated elements, or meets with a similar accident.

On the third verso the chapter ends,

~And yf the body of Jhesu crist or ony piece fylle vpon the palle of the aulter or vpon ony of the ‖ vestymentes that ben blessyd · the piece ought not to be cutte ‖ of on whyche it is fallen . but it ought right wel to be wasshen ‖ And the wasshyng to be gyuen to the mynistres for to driuke / ‖ or ellys drynke it hym self / This chapitre to fore J durst not sette in the boke by cause it ‖ is not conuenyent ne aparteynyng that euery laye man sholde ‖ knowe it Et cetera /~

NO. 77.--SPECULUM VITÆ CHRISTI. _Folio. “Emprynted by wyllyam Caxton.” Without Place or Date. Edition B. (1488?)_

COLLATION the same as No. 71.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS the same as No. 71.

Commencing with a blank leaf, the Text begins thus on sig. ~a ij~ recto:--

~C Jncipit Speculum vite Cristi.~

~A~ ~T the begynnynge of the prohemye of the booke that is cleped the myrroure of the blessyd lyf of Jhesu Cryste the fyrst parte for the monedaye/⁚C A deuoute medy- tacion of the grete counceyll in heuene for the restorynge of man ‖ and hys sauacyon. Capitulum primum. C Of the manere ‖~

At the head of sig. ~b ij~ recto,

~Die lune C Prima pars Capitulo j~

~dome all the Courte of heuene wondrynge and commendynge the souerayne wysedome assented wel here to . but forther- more ‖~

At the head of sig. ~f~ 6 verso,

~C Die mercurij C Tercia pars Capitulum xv /~

~parauenture ther with a few smale fisshes that oure lady had ‖ ordeyned thenne as god wold . & soo therwyth the aungels[* typo angels?] co-‖~

The “Speculum” ends at foot of sig. ~s i~ recto, ~hys moder Marye now and euer wythout end Amen C Explicit speculum vite Cristi.~

On the verso is a treatise on the Sacrament of Christ’s body,

~C A shorte treatyce of the hyhest and most worthy sacra- mente ‖ of crystes blessid body . and the merueylles therof /~

which finishes on sig. ~t~ 3 recto with the following imprint:--

~C Emprynted by wyllyam caxton~

On the verso of the same leaf the Text ends,

~C Jhesu lord thy blessyd lyf / helpe and comforte oure wret ‖ chid lyf · Amen · soo mote it be Explycit speculum vite Cristi complete / C Jn omni tribulacione / temptacione · necessitate & an- gustya ‖ succurre novis pijssima virgo maria Amen.~

The recto of sig. ~t~ 4 is blank, and the verso occupied with Caxton’s device.

EXISTING COPIES.--British Museum; Cambridge; Lambeth and two in private collections.

NO. 78.--COMMEMORATIO LAMENTATIONIS SIVE COMPASSIONIS BEATÆ MARIÆ IN MORTE FILII. _Quarto. Without Name, Place, or Date. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--~a b c d~ are 4ns, signed on the first and third leaves only. Altogether 32 leaves. If a sheet is printed in 4to, a signature on the first page is sufficient guide for the binder; and two sheets so printed, and the second inserted after folding inside the first, would give signatures as in this copy, and, as in the “Servitium,” No. 79, which has Caxton’s imprint. This method, however, points to a late period of Caxton’s career, and the date 1491 has therefore been affixed.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. Type No. 5 only. The lines are evenly spaced, and 24 to a full page. Without folios or catchwords. One small woodcut is on the first page.

The Text begins on ~a j~ recto,

~Comemoraco Lametacois sine copassiois bte marie i morte filij & dr Comemoraco bte ma- rie pietatis vl’ ꝯmemoraco pietatis q celebrari debet feria sexta imediate pcedete domica i passi one p eo q) ipo die legit’ i eccl’ia de resuscitacoe lazari~

The Commemoration ends on sig. ~d~ 8 verso.

This particular Commemoration seems quite unknown to all bibliographers; and of the edition printed by Caxton, the only copy known is preserved in the Public Library at Ghent. It was first recognised as a Caxton by Mr. M. F. A. G. Campbell, chief librarian of the Royal Library, The Hague.

NO. 79.--SERVITIUM DE TRANSFIGURATIONE JHESU CHRISTI. _Quarto. Caxton me fieri fecit. Without Place or Date. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--Sig. ~a~ consists of a sheet folded in quarto, having a half-sheet inside; the first recto of the sheet is unsigned, but upon the first recto of the half-sheet, which is the third recto in the book, is the sig. ~a ij~. Sig. ~b~ is a whole sheet, signed only on the first recto, ~b j~. There are altogether ten leaves and no blanks.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is No. 5 only. The lines are spaced to an even length, and measure 35⁄8 inches. 24 lines to a full page. Without folios or catchwords. One small woodcut of the transfiguration on the first recto. The initial letter in wood, with many rubrics, are printed in red, not as noticed in “Quatre derrennieres choses,” by the same pull of the press, but by a separate operation.

The Text begins on an unsigned leaf, in red ink,

~C Octauo Jdꝯ Augusti fiat seruic’ / de tnsfigu~

The Text ends on sig. ~b~ 4 verso,

~Sci deꝯ . Per oia scl’a seculoru amen C Caxton me fieri fecit /~

REMARKS.--This little tract has considerable interest for the bibliographer, for although Caxton had already printed several service books before this was undertaken, such as the two (if not three) editions of the “Horæ” (pages 189 and 240 _ante_), the Psalter with Service for the Dead (page 105 _ante_), and the “Servitium de Visitatione” (page 264 _ante_), not to mention the service books for the priests, such as “The Festial” and the three editions of “Directorium,” yet this can certainly claim a unique distinction in two particulars, for it is the only _perfect_ service book in the types of Caxton, and it is the only one known to have his imprint.

The observations concerning the printing of the “Horæ,” last noticed, might be repeated here. This also has every appearance of being a very late issue. No other book from the same press was signed in a similar way. The first sheet was evidently, like sig. ~b~, printed four pages at once, in which case it would be only necessary to sign the _first_ page, so as to show the binder how to fold it. As in the first sheet the red-ink title and the woodcut would answer that purpose, we find no signature at all; but the first page of the half-sheet, which is the _third_ leaf in the tract, is signed ~a ij~. This is very systematic, and according to the same plan the second sheet is signed ~b j~ on the first recto only; but it is an advance in the art, beyond the usual practice of Caxton.

This service is one of the numerous additions made to the “Church Calendar” in the fifteenth century, and, being newly ordained by the Church, would not be found in the old manuscript “Service Books.” To supply this deficiency it was, therefore, printed separately.

The only EXISTING COPY was purchased many years ago in a volume of theological tracts by Joshua Wilson, Esq., of Tunbridge Wells. When, in 1831, Mr. Wilson presented a large portion of his collection to the Congregational Library, Blomfield Street, London, this volume was among the number. Here it was first noticed, in 1860, as containing a Caxton, by Mr. Cowper, who sent an account of the volume to _Notes and Queries_. It was determined shortly after to dispose of it, and, in July 1862, it came under the hammer of Mr. Puttick, when it fetched the high price of £200, and added another curiosity to the Caxtonian treasures of the British Museum. The volume is in its original binding, somewhat dilapidated, of oak boards covered with stamped leather, and contains besides four other black-letter tracts.

NO. 80.--HORÆ.--A FRAGMENT. _Fourth Edition. 8vo. Sine ullâ notâ. (1490?)_

The COLLATION cannot be given, as four leaves only, signed ~d j~, ~d ij~, ~d iij~, ~d iiij~, are known.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--The type is No. 5 only. The lines, of which there are seventeen to a page, are fully spaced out, and measure 25⁄8 inches. Large full-faced Lombardic capitals are plentifully used, and printed in red ink separately, as are also such words as _Psalmus_ and _Versicle_. This points to quite a late production in the career of Caxton, probably after he had resigned the management of the practical part to his successor, Wynken de Worde.

The Text of sig. ~d j~ recto begins thus, with a 2-line capital ~O~ in red ink,

~O~ ~Gloriosa femina exel- la p’rper sidera qui te cre- auit prouide lactasti sacro vbere~

These are Latin rhymes printed as prose.

The first words on the succeeding recto are--2, ~rum liberati~; 3, ~dominum~; 4, ~Deus~.

These unique leaves, which have evidently been used as binder’s waste to form the covers of a book, were presented to the British Museum, in 1858, by Mr. Maskell (C. 35. A.). Measurement 51⁄4 × 4 inches.

A DESCRIPTION OF BOOKS PRINTED IN

TYPE No. 6.

_BOOKS PRINTED IN TYPE No. 6._

81. Fayts 1489

82. Statutes 1489

83. Governal 1489

84. Reynard. Second Edition 1489?

85. Blanchardyn 1489?

86. Four Sons of Aymon 1489?

87. Directorium Sacerdotum. Second Edition 1489?

88. Eneydos 1490?

89. Dictes. Third Edition 1490?

90. Mirror. Second Edition 1490?

91. Divers Ghostly 1491?

92. Fifteen Oes 1491?

93. Art and Craft 1491?

94. Courtesy. Second Edition 1491?

95. Festial. Second Edition 1491?

96. Four Sermons. Second Edition 1491?

97. Ars moriendi 1491?

98. Chastising 1491?

99. Treatise of Love 1491?

Books Printed in Type No. 6.

NO. 81.--THE FAYTS OF ARMS AND OF CHIVALRY. _Folio. “Per Caxton.” Without Place. Printed the 14th day of July, the fourth year of the reign of K. Henry VII., or 1489._

COLLATION.--Two unsigned leaves of table; ~A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P Q R~ all 4ns; ~S~ a 3n, with the last leaf blank. In all 144 leaves, of which one is blank.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The whole book is in one type only, No. 6. The lines, which are fully spaced out, measure 43⁄4 inches, and there are 31 to a full page. Without folios or catchwords. Woodcut initial letters.

The Text begins, with a 3-line initial,

~Ere begynneth the table of the rubryshys of the ~H~ boke of the fayt of armes and of Chyualrye whiche sayd boke is departyd in to foure partyes / C The fyrst partye deuyseth the manere that kynges and~

On sig. ~A j~ recto,

~Here begynneth the book of fayttes of armes & of Chyual- rye / and the first chapytre is the prologue / in whiche xpry- styne of pyse excuseth hir self to haue dar enterpryse to speke ‖ of so hye matere as is conteyned in this sayd book~

The Text ends on the verso of the same leaf,

~remayne alleway vyctoryous / And dayly encreace fro ver tu to vertue & fro better to better to his laude & honour in this ‖ present lyf / that after thys short & transitorye lyf / he may at- ‖ teyne to euerlastyng lyf in heuen / Whiche god graunte to ‖ hym and to alle hys lyege peple AMEN /~

~Per Caxton~

REMARKS.--There is a MS. in the British Museum (_Roy_, 15 E vi) containing the original French text of Christine de Pisan. It agrees very accurately with Caxton’s English version, and has the introductory chapter, in which Christine excuses herself, and explains her reasons for writing a work on chivalry. This manuscript is also interesting from having been written for the celebrated John Talbot, Earl of Shrewsbury, who died in 1453, and by whom it was presented to Queen Margaret. A still greater degree of interest would invest the volume if we suppose it to be the identical manuscript from which Caxton made his translation. This is certainly not improbable, as the original from the Royal Library was intrusted to our printer, for the purpose of translation and printing, by King Henry VII of England, as we learn from the prologue:--“which book, being in French, was delivered to me, William Caxton, by the most christian king, my natural sovereign lord, King Henry VII, in his Palace of Westminster, and desired me to translate this said book, and to put it in print.”

Many French bibliographers (_Les Msc. Franç._ t. v, page 94) ascribe the composition of “Fait d’Armes et de Chevalerie” to Jean le Meun, so well known from his connection with “Le Roman de le Rose.” The sole reason for this appears to have been the fact that Jean le Meun translated into French the celebrated work of Vegetius, “De re militari,” written in 1284, a work often quoted in the “Faits d’Armes;” but since the writings of Christine have become better known, no one has ventured to claim for the thirteenth, a work containing references and facts applicable only to the fifteenth century. That a book on the “Rules of War” should in any age have been written by a woman, is sufficiently improbable to require a critical examination; and, therefore, as the claims of Christine to the authorship of “Les Faits d’Armes” are still denied by some writers, it may not be inappropriate to state both sides of the argument.

Among the manuscripts in the British Museum is one entitled “The Boke of Noblesse” (_Royal_ 18, B. XXII). This, for the first time, was printed in 1860, for the members of the Roxburghe Club. The author is entirely unknown, and the only reason for mentioning this at all is that the name of Christine frequently appears in its pages as an authority upon military matters, but is always referred to as “Dame Cristyn in hir booke of Tree of Batailes,” or some military phrase. But “L’Arbre des Battailes” is the well-known compilation of Honoré Bonet, of which copies may be seen in _Royal_ 20 C. VIII, and _Addit._ 22768. Now, what is the natural conclusion from this erroneous ascription? Evidently that the unknown writer of the “Book of Noblesse,” quoting probably from a copy of “L’Arbre des Battailes,” which had neither prologue nor epilogue; and having in his mind the great fame of Christine as the writer of a book on a similar subject, made the not unpardonable mistake of misquoting the author’s name, and attributing to Christine, the compiler of “Les Faits d’Armes,” all the quotations drawn from Bonet’s “L’Arbre de Battailes.” Not so, argues Mr. John Gough Nichols, in his interesting preface to the Roxburghe impression. “Christina de Pisan,” he urges, “was a Poetess;” and it is not likely that she had more to do with the “Faits d’Armes” than the “dame Christine” of “The Book of Noblesse” had with the “Arbre des Battailes.” In support of this opinion is quoted a marginal note in “The Boke of Noblesse,” in an old hand-writing, but more modern than the original manuscript, to the following effect:--

“_L’Arbre des Battailles compose par Honore Bonet Prieur de Sallon en Prouuence._”

“Note y^t in some Authors this Booke is termed Dame Christine of y^e tree of Battayles, not that she made yt; But bicause she was a notable Benefactour to Learned men and perchance to y^e autor of this Booke And therefore diverse of them sette furthe their Bookes under her name.”

The author of this note was evidently unacquainted with the particulars of the life, or the character of the writings, of Christine--the “virilis fœmina” of her eminent contemporary, Gerson--and “La grant sagesse” of her editor, Jean Marot. The assertion that authors set forth their books under her name is unsupported by a single known instance; while her early tuition, political life, and numerous writings, would both enable and incline her to compose such a work.

Christine expressly states in the preface that she wrote the work; and although Verard, in his printed edition of 1488, omits the prefatory address, it appears in numerous manuscripts, and may be read in Caxton’s translation. “Because,” says Christine, “men of arms are not clerks, nor instructed in the science of language, I have assembled and gathered together diverse books to produce this work. And because that this is a thing not accustomed and out of usage to women / which commonly do not intermit but to spin on the distaff and occupy them in things of household. I supplicate humbly * * to have nor take it for no evil if I a woman charge myself to treat of so high a matter.”

Then follows an appeal to the goddess Minerva, who, being born in “Puylle” in Italy, was “somewhat consonant in the nation,” for, adds Christine, “I am as thou wert, a woman Italian.”

Christine was no common poetess whose strength was in the prettiness of her amatory verses. The short account of her already given (see _ante_ page 195) will show the energetic and comprehensive character of her mind. Educated by her father in the whole course of literature at that time in vogue, she had, while yet young, made herself mistress of the Latin language, and stored her mind by the perusal of the most celebrated writings, as well Pagan as Christian. Living in the midst of wars and preparations for war, many of her acknowledged writings teem with warlike allusions. In politics her opinion had great weight; she was consulted by the highest nobles of France; and many years of her life were spent in the endeavour to raise the political and moral tone of the country. The celebrated Jean le Meun found in her no weak opponent, and the equally celebrated Chancellor Gerson a most potent ally.

There are 21 copies of this work known, of which eleven are in private libraries.

NO. 82.--STATUTES OF HENRY VII. _Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. (1489?)_

COLLATION.--~a b c d~ are 4ns, with the first leaf of ~a~ blank; ~e~ a 5n, with the last blank. Total 42 leaves, of which two are blank.

Note.--The signature is omitted on ~a ij~. The third and fifth leaves of ~e~ are erroneously signed ~d iij~ and ~d v~.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is all No. 6. The lines, which are spaced to an even length, measure 45⁄8 inches, and there are 31 (in three instances 33 lines) to a full page. Without folios or catchwords. Only one 2-line woodcut initial is used.

After a blank leaf, the work commences on the second recto of sig. ~a~.

The Text begins thus--

~C The kynge our souereyn lorde henry the seuenth after the conquest by the grace of god kyng of Englond & of Fraunce and lorde of Irlonde at his parlyamet holden at west-~

The Text ends with nine lines on sig. ~e~ 9 verso, the last three being as follows:--

~‖ pleysure Wheder he wylle after the fourme conteyned & ordei ‖ ned in and by this acte / or after the maner & fourme afore ti ‖ me vsed /~

REMARKS.--This is the earliest known volume of printed statutes, and is further remarkable as being in English. It contains some very curious and interesting legislation on political, trade, and domestic matters.

The British Museum copy was purchased from Mr. Lilly, who, a few days before, had bought it at Hodgson’s for £2, 10s. It was then bound up with some other law tracts and year-books, mostly from the press of Machlinia, one of which, being unique, was catalogued by Mr. Lilly at 100 guineas. There is also a perfect copy in the National Library, Paris, and the Inner Temple, London, with one copy only in private hands.

NO. 83.--THE GOVERNAL OF HEALTH.--THE MEDICINA STOMACHI. _Quarto. Sine ullâ notâ. (1489?)_

COLLATION.--The “Governal,” ~A~ and ~B~ 4ns; the “Medicina,” two unsigned leaves = eighteen leaves.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title-page. Only one type, No. 6, is used throughout. The lines, which are of an even length, and measure 25⁄8 inches, excepting ~B~ 7 verso, which has 24, have all 23 lines to a page. Woodcut initials to chapters. Without folios or catchwords.

The Text begins on sig. ~A j~ recto,

~n this tretyse that is cleped Go uernayle of helthe : What is to ~I~ be sayd wyth crystis helpe of so- me thynges that longen to bodi ly helthe / hadde and to be kept or to bodily helthe . lost and to be recouered / and~

and ends,

~This receyte boughte is of no potycarye Of mayster antony ne of mayster hughe To all indyfferent it is rychest dyetarye~

~Explicit medicina stomachi:~

REMARKS.--The “Governal” was originally written in Latin, and soon after translated into English, but no trace of the translator’s name is left. The date of the original composition is unknown; we can only gather from the non-existence of manuscripts of an earlier date than the latter half of the fourteenth century that it was composed about that period.

The name of the author or compiler is doubtful. From _Sloane_ 989 one would say that John de Burdeux wrote it for the good of a “frende,” but _Sloane_ 3149 attributes it to another writer, “Explicit tractatus Bartholomei.” John de Burdeux was the author of several tracts on medicine, and flourished in the latter half of the fourteenth century. Bartholomeus was rather a prolific writer of the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, but the “Governal” is not found among the works generally attributed to him. Whoever may have been the author, the work possesses small claims to originality, being a compilation from the medical works of the Arabian and Greek physicians, and quoting largely from the “Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum.” The “Medicina Stomachi” is contained in most collections of Lydgate’s poetry, and in _Harl._ 116 is directly attributed to him.

_Caxton’s Type, No. 6._]

Both tracts were reprinted by Wynken de Worde, _sine anno_, who repeats all the blunders of the first edition. These editions are equally rare, the only copy of the second being in the Public Library, Cambridge. An annotated reprint of Caxton’s text was issued privately by the editor of this work in 1858. On no other occasion does this interesting treatise, which was the earliest medical book printed in the English language, appear to have passed through the press.

A good copy is in the old library of the Earls of Dysart, at Ham House, Surrey, and another in the Bodleian.

NO. 84.--THE HISTORY OF REYNARD THE FOX. _Second Edition. Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. (1489?)_

COLLATION.--An unsigned sheet of introductory matter; sigs. ~a b c d e f g h~ are 4ns; ~i~ is a 3n. No blank leaves. In all seventy leaves.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type throughout is No. 6. The lines, which are fully spaced out, measure 55⁄8 inches, and there are 31 (sometimes 32) to a page. Woodcut initials are used. On the first recto is Caxton’s device, underneath which is the following line only:--

~C This is the table of the historye of Reynart the foxe /~

On the verso commences the table, which ends seven lines down the second recto, underneath which is,

~C Hyer begynneth hystorye of reynard the foxe.~

The preface finishes the page. The second verso is blank.

On sig. ~a j~,

~C How the lyon kynge of alle bestys sent oute hys maude ‖ mentys that alle beestys sholde come to hys feest and court / ‖~

~C Capitulo Primo~

The conclusion of the text cannot be given, no perfect copy being at present known. For an account of the first edition of this celebrated allegory see _ante_ page 229.

The only EXISTING COPY is in the Pepysian Library, Cambridge. It unfortunately wants the last two leaves, containing the epilogue of Caxton, and ends on sig. ~i~ 4 verso, with these words,

~And her wyth wil J leue fforw hat haue J to wryte of thyse mysdedis J haue ynowh to doo~

It is in good condition, but cropped, measuring 9 × 63⁄4 inches. Pepys’s arms on the binding, and his book-plate inside. The wanting leaves are supplied in manuscript of seventeenth century.

NO. 85.--THE HISTORY OF BLANCHARDIN AND EGLANTINE. _Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. (1489?)_

COLLATION.--Imperfectly known. The introductory matter makes a 3n, signed ~i~, ~ii~, ~iij~, the sixth leaf being blank. ~A B C D E F G H J K L M~ are 4ns, and there were probably several other additional signatures.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title. The type is all No. 6. The lines, which are all of one length, measure 45⁄8 inches, and there are 31 to a full page. Woodcut initials. Without folios or catchwords.

The Text begins on sig. ~j~ recto, with a prologue by Caxton,

~U~ ~Nto the right noble puyssaut & excellet pryncesse my redoubted lady my lady margarete duchesse of So- mercete / moder vnto our naturel & souerayn lord and most~

and finishes on the verso of the same leaf,

~Joyes desirs in thys present lyf: C And after this short and transytorye lyff . euerlastynge lyff in heuen Amen /~

The table follows on sig. ~ij~, with a 2-line initial,

~H~ ~Ere begynneth the table of the victoryous prynce Blanchardyn / sone of the noble kyng of Fryse~

and finishes on the 5th recto, which, however, in the only copy known, is, unfortunately, in manuscript. This appears to have been copied from the very rare reprint by Wynken de Worde, the last four lines being--“How Blanchardin wedded his love the proude | pucelle in amours: And of the grete ioye that | was made there . and of the Kynge of Fryse deth capl° liiij°”

The sixth leaf is blank. On sig. ~A j~ recto the first chapter commences as follows:--

~C The first chapitre of this present boke conteyneth how Blanchardyn departed out of the court of his fader kynge of fryse / Capitulo primo .~

~T~ ~Hat tyme when the Right happy . wele of~

All the text after sig. ~M iiij~ is wanting in the only known copy.

REMARKS.--The prologue to Caxton’s translation of this romance is fortunately preserved, from which we learn that Margaret, Duchess of Somerset, brought to Caxton the French version of this romance (which she had “long before” purchased of him), with her commands that he should translate it into English. Having made the translation, he presented it to Her Grace, probably as a manuscript, as he says nothing of any command to print it. It was, however, soon after put to press, perhaps at Caxton’s own risk, as a trade speculation. As to the date, there are only the typographical particulars to guide us, which, however, all point to about the year 1489.

The only known EXISTING COPY is in the library of Earl Spencer. One leaf is in the Library of the British Museum.

NO. 86.--THE FOUR SONS OF AYMON. _Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. (1489?)_

The COLLATION cannot be given accurately, as no perfect copy is known. ~A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P Q R S T U X Y Z aa bb cc dd ee ff gg hh ii kk ll~ are all 4ns, ~mm~ being a 3n, with the sixth leaf, probably, blank. This makes a total of 278 leaves; but it is more than likely that some introductory matter preceded sig. ~A~.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Only one type, No. 6, is used. The lines, which are all of an even length, measure 45⁄8 inches, and there are 31 to a full page. Without folios or catchwords. Woodcut initials throughout.

The only known copy of this edition begins on sig. ~B iij~, in the middle of a sentence:--

~Reynawde one of the sones of Aymon / wherof specyally tre~

The Text ends on the fifth verso of sig. ~mm~, with the following sentence:--

~M~ ~y fayr lordes thenne that this present boke shal re- de or here . we shall praye god & the gloryous saynte Reynaude the marter / that he gyue vs grace to perseuere / and ‖ contynue our liff in good werkes . by the whiche we may ha ‖ ue at our endynge the liff that euer shall laste /~

~AMEN.~

REMARKS.--Manuscripts of this favourite romance, concerning the original of which little appears to be known, mount up to the thirteenth century, and references to it are found in manuscripts of a still earlier date; but all these are rhythmical romances, and Caxton’s translation (if we may give him the credit of it) was evidently made from a French prose text, perhaps that printed at Lyons, about 1480, under the title “Les quatre filz Aymon.”

Before the discovery of the volume under review, the earliest printed English text of “The four sons of Aymon” was the 1554 edition of R. Copland, to which was appended the following colophon:--

From Copland’s colophon we learn that an edition was issued in 1504 by Wynken de Worde, although, unfortunately, not a single copy is now known to exist. He, of course, reprinted from the text under review; and, indeed, the first portion of the colophon above quoted, so far as it concerns Wynken de Worde, is quite in Caxton’s style, and recalls the numerous instances already noticed in which Wynken de Worde, by altering the printer’s name and the date, has falsified both typographical and historical truth. That in this case he used Caxton’s colophon, with alterations, is rendered almost certain when the prologue to Copland’s edition is perused. Here we have all the peculiarities of our first printer’s style, and his very diction.

No manuscript or printed copy of Caxton’s life of Robert, Earl of Oxford, is known.

The only known EXISTING COPY of Caxton’s edition is in the library of Earl Spencer. It is imperfect, wanting all before sig. ~B iij~; ~D~ 8, ~N~ 8, and ~MM~ 6, upon which probably was the Device.

NO. 87.--DIRECTORIUM SACERDOTUM, UNA CUM DEFENSORIO EJUSDEM; ITEM TRACTATUS QUI DICITUR CREDE MIHI. _Folio. Second Version. Second Edition. “Impressum per Willelmū Caxton apud westmonasteriū prope London/” Without Date. (1489?)_

COLLATION.--A preliminary 4n, signed only on the fourth recto with the figure 4; ~a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p q r s t u x y~ are all 4ns; ~z~ is a 5n. Total 194 leaves. No blanks.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is all No. 6. The lines, which are spaced to an even length, measure 45⁄8 inches. Exclusive of head-lines there are 31 to a page. A few 2-line woodcut initials. Without folios or catchwords. The Table on the 8th recto is printed in black and red.

The “Kalendar,” which has the same woodcut KL as in the first edition, commences on the first recto, thus:--

~Prima dies mensis et septima trucat vt ensis Januarius habet dies xxxj / luna vero .xxx~

The Text ends on sig. ~z~ 10 verso,

~vix poterit errare: in seruicio diuino Deo Gracias~

~C Caxton me fieri fecit .~

REMARKS.--From the fact of the Printer beginning his table for finding the Golden and Dominical Letters at the year 1489, we may safely assume that year to be the date of printing, as to print back years would be useless. The combination of red and black figures, the black form being first printed, and the red form secondly and separately, shows a great advance in workmanship over other books by Caxton.

Like the first edition, there is only one EXISTING COPY known of this, which is in the Bodleian Library. It is, with “The Art and Craft to know well to die” by the same printer, still in the original parchment wrapper, as issued from Caxton’s workshop. It is perfect, and in good condition.

NO. 88.--ENEYDOS. _Folio. Without Printer’s Name, Place, or Date. “Translated by me wyllyam Caxton,” June 22nd, 1490._

COLLATION.--Sig. ~A a~ 3n, with the first leaf blank: ~B C D E F G H J K L~ are 4ns, with ~L~ 8 blank. In all 86 leaves, of which two are blank.

Dr. Dibdin erroneously ascribes only four leaves to sig. ~A~.

Note.--Sig. ~a~ is very irregular: the first leaf, which is blank, is not reckoned in the signatures, the second and third leaves being signed respectively ~A j~, and ~A ij~. The fourth leaf, which, to agree with the others, should have been signed ~A iij~, has no signature at all; while the omitted signature, ~A iij~, appears on the sixth or last leaf of the 3n.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is all No. 6. The lines are spaced to an even length, and measure 43⁄4 inches. There are 31 lines to a full page. Woodcut initials of two, three, and six lines in depth.

After a blank leaf the prologue begins on the second recto, signed ~A j~,

~After dyuerse werkes made / translated and achieued / ha uyng noo werke in hande . J sittyng in my studye where as laye many dyuerse paunflettis and bookys . happened that~

The Text ends on sig. ~L~ 7 recto, with the following colophon:--

~HERE fynyssheth the boke yf Eneydos / compyled by Uyr ‖ gyle / whiche hathe be translated oute of latyne in to frenshe / ‖ And oute of frenshe reduced in to Englysshe by me wyllm ‖ Caxton / the xxij . daye of Juyn . the yere of our lorde. M . iiij ‖ C lxxxx. The fythe yere of the Regne of kynge Henry ‖ the seuenth~

Caxton’s device on the verso. The eighth leaf is a blank.

REMARKS.--The “lytyl booke in frenshe, named Eneydos,” which happened to come under our Printer’s notice while sitting in his study surrounded with many divers pamphlets, is a free paraphrase of portions of “The Æneid,” by Virgil. Had Gawin Douglas, who, in 1553, issued a Scotch metrical version of “The Æneid,” read Caxton’s preface, he would have seen that Caxton does not pretend to give a translation of the Latin poem, and might have spared himself the trouble of some hundreds of lines in abuse thereof. The “Eneydos” was issued only as a romance compiled from Virgil’s “Æneid,” and Bocace’s “Fall of Princes;” and, with little merit, it seems to have gained little favour, even with the lovers of such compilations, for it never reached a second edition. It would appear, however, that a good sale was expected, and an impression more numerous than usual struck off, as few of Caxton’s books are so common as “Eneydos.”

EXISTING COPIES.--British Museum (3); Cambridge; Trinity College, Cambridge; Oxford (3); St. John’s, Oxford; Hunterian, Glasgow; and 11 in private libraries.

NO. 89.--THE DICTES AND SAYINGS OF THE PHILOSOPHERS. _Third Edition. Folio. Westminster. The year 1477 erroneously reprinted, the real date being about 1490._

COLLATION.--The device and prologue occupy two unsigned leaves; then, ~A B C D E F G~ are 4ns; ~H~ and ~J~ 3ns, the sixth leaf of ~J~ being blank. In all 70 leaves, of which the last is blank. Dr. Dibdin erroneously says “only 66 leaves.”

There is no title-page. The only type used is No. 6. The lines, which are fully spaced out, measure 45⁄8 inches. There are 30 and 32 lines to a page, but mostly 31. Without folios or catchwords. 2 and 3-line woodcut initials.

Caxton’s device is in the centre of the first recto, the prologue commencing on the verso with a 2-line wood initial,

~W~ ~Here it is so that euery creature by the suffraunce of our lord god is born and ordeyned to be subgette and thrall vnto the stormes of fortune . And so in diuerse and~

On sig. ~Aj~ the work commences:--

~Edechias was the first. Philosophir by whom ~S~ through the wyl and pleaser of oure lord god. Sa- pience was vnderstande and lawes resceyued. whi- che. Sedechias saide that euery creature of good beleue~

The Text ends at foot of fifth recto of sig. ~J~,

~Whom J beseche Almyghty god tencrece and to continue in his vertuous disposicion in this world . And after this lyf to lyue euer lastingly in heuen . Amen .~

~C Caxton me fieri fecit .~

The verso and final leaf are blank.

REMARKS.--This is another instance of the original date and imprint of a book being reproduced in subsequent editions. All the typographical particulars prove it to have been printed about 1490; and the presence of signatures, printed initials, and evenly spaced lines, give direct testimony against the date 1477, at which time none of these improvements had been adopted at Westminster.

For literary particulars, see the first edition, page 188, _ante_.

EXISTING COPIES.--Cambridge: St. John’s College, Cambridge; Oxford, and Lambeth Palace. Three copies are in private libraries.

NO. 90.--THE MIRROUR OF THE WORLD. _Second Edition. Folio. The Name, Place, and Date of the First Edition reprinted; but about 1490._

COLLATION.--~a b c d e f g h i k l~ are 4ns, the last leaf occupied with the device only. In all 88 leaves.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type is all No. 6. The lines, which are spaced to an even length, measure 45⁄8 inches, and a full page contains 31. Without folios or catchwords. 2 and 3-line initials in wood.

Commencing with a blank leaf, the table follows on the second recto, signed, however, ~a j~.

The Text begins on ~a j~ recto,

~H~ ~Ere begynneth y^e tahle of the rubrices of this presen- te volume named the myrrour of the world or thy- mage of the same /~

The Text ends on the seventh verso of sig. ~l~,

~and transytorye lyf he brynge hym and vs in to his eelesty- all blysse in heuene AMEN /~

~C Caxton me fieri fecit .~

On the eighth verso is the device, the recto being blank.

REMARKS.--Although this book bears the same dates as the first edition, it is very evident from the type, from the device, from the use of a woodcut to head Chapter II, which had been used shortly before in the “Royal Book,” and from many other more minute evidences, that it really was not printed till about 1490.

It would seem that the proper cut for Chapter II, viz. a figure of a philosopher with the globe in his hand, having been injured or lost, that the workman chose the first which offered itself, and thus, in this edition, we have the very inappropriate illustration of Christ’s transfiguration, as head to the chapter, “Why God made and created the World.”

EXISTING COPIES.--Cambridge: Pepysian, Cambridge; Exeter College, Oxford; Hunterian, Glasgow; Baptist College, Bristol; and eight in private hands.

NO. 91.--A BOOK OF DIVERS GHOSTLY MATTERS, CONTAINING:--THE SEVEN POINTS OF TRUE LOVE AND EVERLASTING WISDOM, OR OROLOGIUM SAPIENTIÆ: THE TWELVE PROFITS OF TRIBULATION;--THE RULE OF ST. BENET. _Quarto. Wyllelmū Caxton. “Emprynted at westmynstre.” Without Date. (1490?)_

COLLATION.--The “Seven points of True Wisdom” has ~A B C D E F G H J K L M~ all 4ns, or 96 leaves.

The “Twelve profits of Tribulation” has ~A B C D~ all 4ns, or 32 leaves.

The “Rule of St. Benet” has ~a b~ 4ns, and ~c~ a 2n, or 20 leaves.

Total of the three tracts, 148 leaves, all printed.

Note.--The signatures to the third tract are unusual, viz. ~a~ is signed ~aa~, ~a ij~, ~aa iij~, ~a iiij~; ~b~ is signed ~bb~, ~b ij~, ~b iij~, ~b iiij~; ~c~ is signed ~cc~, ~c ij~.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title-page. The type throughout is No. 6. The lines, which are spaced to an even length, measure 35⁄8 inches, and 24 make a full page. Without folios or catchwords.

The Text of “The Seven points of True Wisdom” begins on sig. ~A j~:--

~T~ ~Hese ben the chapitres of thys tretyse of y^e seuen poyntes of trewe loue and euerlastyng wysdom drawen oute of y^e booke y^t is writen in latyn and cleped Oro- logium sapiencie /~

The tract ends thus, on sig. ~M~ 8 verso,

~C Thus endith the treatyse of the vij poyntes of true loue & euerlastyng wysdom / drawen of of the boke that is wryten in laten na med Orologiu sapiecie .~

~C Emprynted at westmynstre~

~C Qui legit emendet / pressorem non repre hendat~

~C Wyllelmu Caxton . Cui deꝯ alta tradat~

The “Rule of St. Benet” ends on verso of sig. ~c~ 4,

~C Emprynted at westmynstre by desiryng of certeyn worshipfull persones:.~

REMARKS.--Little is known of Jehan de Soushavie, or Souaube, as a French copy has it. Bibliographers generally call him Henry de Suso, probably after the example of Echard, in his “Script. ordin. Prædicat.” The English version printed by Caxton is correctly described, not as a translation, but as “drawen oute of” a book named “Orologium Sapientiæ.” The printed text is not equal in extent to one-half of the original. Was it this induced Caxton to end the tract with “Qui legit emendet, _pressorem_ non reprehendat?”--a parody of the phrase often seen in manuscripts “Qui legit emendet _scriptorem_ non reprehendat.” Caxton says of the “Rule of St. Benet,” which is a translation from the Latin, that he was employed to print it “by desire of certain worshipful persons.”

The signatures given by the Printer to these three tracts suggest the probability that they were intended to be issued separately; but as in all the known copies they appear bound together, and as they have hitherto been described under the general head of “Divers Ghostly matters,” it has been deemed advisable to retain that arrangement.

EXISTING COPIES.--Cambridge, Durham Cathedral, and four in private libraries.

NO. 92.--THE FIFTEEN OES, AND OTHER PRAYERS. _Quarto. “Printed by commandment of the Princess Elizabeth, Queen of England, and the Princess Margaret, Mother unto our sovereign lord the King, by their most humble subject and servant William Caxton.” Without Place or Date. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--~a b~ are 4ns; ~c~ is a 3n = 22 leaves.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title. The type is all No. 6. The lines, which are spaced to an even length, measure 31⁄4 inches, and there are 21 to a full page. Without folios or head-lines. Woodcut initials. A woodcut border, in four separate pieces, is placed round each page. This border was used later, for an undated but very early edition of “Horæ,” by Wynken de Worde. The wood engraving of the Crucifixion, which appears upon the verso of the first leaf, has considerable artistic merit. It appears to have been a favourite, having been used at a later period by Wynken de Worde in several publications.

The recto of the first leaf is blank, but the verso is occupied with the woodcut of the Crucifixion, already noticed.

Upon the second recto (not signed, unless the signature has been cut away in binding) the Text begins with a 5-line initial in wood,--

~Jhesu endles swetnes of louyng soules / O Jhesu ~O~ gostly ioye passing & ex- cedyng all gladnes and desires. O Jhesu helthe & tendre louer of al repentaut sinners that~

and on the verso of ~c~ 6, ends thus:--

~C Thiese prayers tofore wreton ben en prited by the comaudementes of the mos te hye & vertuous pryncesse our liege la di Elizabeth by the grace of god Quene of Englonde & of Frauce . & also of the right hye & most noble pryncesse Marga rete Moder vnto our souerayn lorde the kyng / &c~

~C By their most humble subget and seruaut William Caxton~

REMARKS.--The fifteen prayers, named from the fact of their all commencing with the letter O, “the fifteen Oes,” are commonly found in the manuscript Horæ of the fifteenth century, in their original Latin. They were frequently printed both in that language and in English, Caxton’s version of the latter being possibly the earliest. All these prayers breathe a spirit of earnest devotion, and as an example the following is laid before the reader.

“O Jhesu heuenly leche haue mynde of thy langour and blewnes of thy woūdes & sorowe that thou suffredest in the heyght of the crosse / when thou were lifte vp fro the erthe / that thou were all to torne in all thy limmes / soo that there was noo limme abydynge in his right ioynte / soo that noo sorowe was like to thyne fro the sole of thy fote to the toppe of thy hede there was no hole place / And yet forgetying in maner all those greuous paynes / thou preydest deuoutly & charitably to thy fader for thine enmyes sayeng thus / Fader foryeue it theim / for they wyte not what they done / For this blessed charytable mercy that thou shewdest to thyne enmyes. and for mynde of thyse bytter paynes / graunte me / that the mynde of this bytter passion be to me plenar remyssion & foryeuenes of my sinnis Amen / C Pater noster Aue maria”

Another prayer commences thus:--

“O blessid Jhesu swetnes of hertes and gostli hony of soules. I beseche the for the bytternes of the aysel and galle that thou tasted,” &c.

The “Rex Henricus” of the Prayer on ~c iiij~ verso, was Saint Henry, surnamed the Pious and the Lame. He was son of Henry Duke of Bavaria, and was born in the year 972; crowned King of Germany, at Mentz, in 1002; died 14th July 1024; and was canonised by Pope Eugenius III in 1152.

Preceding a printed Latin version of the “Fifteen Oes” in the British Museum (C. 23. b. 24), is the following paragraph in English:--“These be the . xv . oos the whyche the holy virgyn saint brygitta was wonte to saye dayly before the holy rode in saint Paules chyrche at rome : who so saye this a holy yere he shall deleuer . xv . soules out of purgatory of hys nexte kyndred . and conuerte other . xv. synners to gode lyf and other . xvx. ryghtuouse men of hys kynde shall perseuer in gode lyfe.”

In _Harl. MS._ 2255 is a paraphrase of the “Fifteen Oes,” by John Lydgate, beginning--“O blessyd lord my lord, O Christ Jesu.”

The only EXISTING COPY known is in the British Museum (C. 25. c), and is bound with several tracts printed by Wynken de Worde. It is _perfect_ and in good preservation, although a good deal cropped in the binding. Measurement, 67⁄8 × 5 inches. Purchased in 1851.

NO. 93.--THE ART AND CRAFT TO KNOW WELL TO DIE. _Folio. Translated by Caxton in 1490. Without Printer’s Name, Place, or Date. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--~A~ a 4n; ~B~ a 2n; then a single leaf improperly signed ~B iij~, which was, probably, followed by a blank. Total, thirteen printed leaves.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The only type used is No. 6. The lines, which measure 45⁄8 inches, are spaced to an even length, and there are 31 to a page. Without catchwords or folios. Several 2 and 3-line woodcut initials are used.

The Text begins on sig. ~A j~ recto,

~C Here begynneth a lityll treatise shorte and abredged spe- kynge of the arte & craft to knowe well to dye~

~Hhan it ys soo that what a man maketh or doeth / it ~W~ is made to come to some ende / And yf the thynge be goode and well made / it muste nedes come to goode ede . Thenne by better & gretter reason / euery man oughte to~

The Text ends on a single leaf, signed ~B iij~,

~Thus endeth the trayttye abredged of the arte to lerne well to deye / translated oute of frenshe in to englysshe . by willm Caxton the xv . day of Juyn ⸝ the yere of our lord a M iiij Clxxx x .~

REMARKS.--Manuscripts of this work are usually known as “The Art and Craft to live well and die well.” This was often printed. A Latin edition was issued by Guy Marchand, at Paris, in 1483, and French editions by Verard, at Paris, and Colard Mansion, at Bruges. From the latter it seems very probable that our Caxton, as he says in the colophon, “abredged” his text.

An English version of the full work was made early in the sixteenth century by Andrew Chertsey, and printed by Wynken de Worde in 1506.

Copies are in the British Museum, Oxford, and National Library, Paris.

NO. 94.--THE BOOK OF COURTESY.--_Quarto. Second Edition. “Emprynted atte westmoster.” Without Name or Date. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--This little piece probably consisted, like Caxton’s early editions, of a 4n and a 3n, making fourteen leaves, all printed--a conclusion gathered from the only fragment known.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--The fragment, from which alone we know that such an edition was printed, consists of two quarto pages only, printed upon one side of a half-sheet, the other side being blank. One of the pages is signed ~bb~, which, as already seen in “The Rule of St. Benet,” was used for ~b j~. Here then we have the first recto of the outermost sheet of the second signature, and, by folding the half-sheet with the unprinted part inside, we see directly that the opposing page must be the last of that signature, and, in all probability, the last of the tract.

The type is all No. 6, but the appearance of the small device, which was probably never used in Caxton’s lifetime, points out a late date for its execution.

The last lines, underneath which are the imprint and the small device, are as follows:--

~a Thraue of thresshers a Lyeng of pdoners a Lasshe of carters a Hastynes of cookes~

~C Here endeth a lytyll treatyse called the booke of curtesye or lytyll John . Enprynted atte westmoster .~

_The small “W. C.” Device up-side-down._

As this edition, like the first and second, has three stanzas to the page, it would, although in a somewhat smaller type, take up the same number of leaves. The early editions had a blank leaf at the end, which here we find filled up with the curious phrases noticed above.

The _fragment_ is in the Douce collection at the Bodleian, having apparently been rescued from the cover of a book. Measurement, 63⁄4 × 51⁄4 inches. The reversal of the device, and the blank side of the paper, suggest the idea that this fragment was a _first proof_, although, from the numerous blunders in most of Caxton’s pages, it is difficult to believe that corrections were ever made after the matter was once set up.

NO. 95.--THE FESTIAL (LIBER FESTIVALIS). _Folio. Second Edition. “Caxton me fieri fecit.” Without Place or Date. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--~a b c d e f g h i k l m n o p~ are 4ns, with the first leaf of ~a~ blank; ~q~ has but one printed sheet, or two leaves; ~R~ a 4n; ~s~ a 3n, with device on ~s~ 6. In all 136 leaves, of which one is blank.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type consists of two sizes, Nos. 6 and 7, the latter being that in which Wynken de Worde printed many of his early books. The lines are in double column, and measure only 25⁄8 inches. They are spaced to an even length, and there are 33 to a column. Without folios or catchwords. Plain initials, cut in wood, of the depth of 2, 3, or 5 lines are used. There is a small rude woodcut on sig. ~f~ 6 verso.

Commencing with a blank leaf, the prologue follows, in double column, on sig. ~a ij~, the Text beginning--

~C The helpe and grace of of all the hie festis of the al- ‖ myghty god thrugh the yere. J ‖ wyll & praye that besechyn ‖ ge of his blessed it be called fes- ‖ tiuall / the moder saynt ma ‖ whiche begineth at the ‖~

The Text ends on the fifth verso of sig. ~s~, three-fourths of the way down the second column,

~the rather by the helpe of his bles ‖ sid moder mary / & his holy spow- ‖ sesse saynt brygytte / and all sayn ‖ tes . AMEN~

~Caxton me fieri fecit~

The next recto is a blank page, the verso having the large device.

REMARKS.--From the use of No. 7 type, which was Wynken de Worde’s, it is very probable that this book was printed by him immediately after his master’s death. This edition too is not an exact reprint of Caxton’s, issued in 1483. Every Festival has the prefix “Gode men and wymmen,” or “Good frendis,” and every tale is preceded by the word “Narracio.” Several stories not in the first edition have been added, while the Pardon of Corpus Christi, in Latin and English, which follows Trinity Sunday in first edition, is here entirely omitted.

Copies are in the British Museum, Cambridge, Oxford; and three in private libraries.

NO. 96.--FOUR SERMONS. _Folio. Second Edition. Sine ullâ notâ. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--~A B C~ are 4ns; ~D~ is a 5n = 34 leaves.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title. The type is all No. 6. In double column. The lines measure 21⁄2 inches, being a very little shorter than the “Festial,” and are spaced to an even length. 33 lines to a column. Without folios or catchwords.

The Text begins on sig. ~A j~ with a 3-line woodcut initial:--

~He mayster of sentence se myn owne soule . ne yours / ~T~ in the seconde boke · and J ‖ purpose me by his leue the fyrst dystynction / hoomly ‖ thus to shew it and sa- ‖ yth that the souerayn rede it to you ‖ in the boke / cause / whi ‖ god made all for to your lernynge ‖ it is as creatures in heuen ‖ good thus as wythout ‖~

The Text ends half-way down the second column of the ninth verso of sig. ~D~, with the collect “Absolve quesumus,” the last three lines being--

~gloria inter sanctos et electos tuos ressussitati respirent / Per ‖ xpm dmn nostrum Amen / ‖~

On the recto of the tenth leaf is the device of Caxton, the verso being blank.

For REMARKS, see the first edition, page 264.

Copies are in the British Museum, Cambridge, and three private libraries.

NO. 97.--ARS MORIENDI; THAT IS TO SAY, THE CRAFT FOR TO DIE FOR THE HEALTH OF MAN’S SOUL. _Quarto. Without Printer’s Name, Date, or Place. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--~A~ a 4n = 8 leaves, all printed.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--No title-page. The type of the text is No. 6, but the four lines of heading at the beginning, and some head-lines at the end, are in Wynken de Worde’s No. 1 type. The lines are spaced very evenly, except on four pages at the end, and there are 24 to a page. Woodcut initials to chapters. Without folios or catchwords. With the exception of the use of Wynken de Worde’s type, this tract agrees in all particulars with No. 83, “The Gouvernal of Helthe.”

The Text begins on sig. ~A j~ recto,

~C Here begynneth a lytyll treatyse schortely compyled and called ars moriendi / that is to saye the craft for to deye for the helthe of mannes sowle .~

~W~ ~han ony of lykly hode shal deye / thenne is moste necessarye to haue a specyall~

The tract ends on ~A~ 8 verso, with a full page:--

~For suche right bere ad=usite or oni tribulacon To that y^e chirche techeth y^e put ful credulyte .~

~That god hath pmysed trust it well withou defallacyon .~

~In hope abydyng his reward and eulastyng glorie . Amen Explicit .~

REMARKS.--This short tract appears to be a translation from the Latin, and doubtless by Caxton himself. No other copy, however, manuscript or printed, in Latin or any other language, appears to be known.

This unique specimen is in the middle of a volume of black-letter tracts in the Bodleian Library.

NO. 98.--THE CHASTISING OF GOD’S CHILDREN. _Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. (1491?)_

COLLATION.--An unsigned sheet (two leaves), containing table and prologue; ~A B C D E F G~ are 3ns; ~H~ a 2n. In all 48 leaves, and no blanks.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--In this book we meet with the first approach to a title-page, which consists of a 3-line paragraph printed in the centre of the first recto. The types are No. 6 for the Text, No. 7 being found on the first page only. Double column--the lines measuring 25⁄8 inches, and being fully spaced out. 36 lines to a column. Without folio or catchwords. Initials in wood 3 and 4 lines deep.

The Text begins with the following 3 lines in the centre of the first recto,

~C The prouffytable boke for manes soule / And right comfor= ‖ table to the body / and specyally in aduersitee & trybulacyon / whiche ‖ boke is called The Chastysing of goddes Chyldern~

On the verso, with a floriated 4-line initial, and in double column, the first two lines being in type No. 7,

~N drede of almigh= The causes considered . and ~I~ ty ‖ god Relygyous many ‖ other skylfully . J sus= ‖ ter a short may drede to wri ‖ te of this pistle J sen ‖ de chastysing But askyng ‖ you of the mater of ‖ temp= helpe of god almyghty / by tacons / whiche pystle as whoos ‖ might the asse had me ‖ speche to the pro ‖~

The Text ends on the recto of sig. ~H~ 4, with the verso blank,

~not denye to the alone that to ful Joye & blisse / Now prayest ‖ her soo besely / Yet god gra ‖ unt that it myghte ouer all this ‖ whan thou art so be . that euer ‖ is lastyng harde tempted . and ‖ in Trinyte /~ * * * * *

REMARKS.--The use of a title-page, a practice unknown to Caxton, the appearance of type No. 7, and the adoption of signatures having three sheets only--all point to Wynken de Worde, rather than to Caxton, as the printer of this book, which was probably executed about 1491. The original writer of the work is unknown, and there seems but little reason for attributing its composition to Caxton, as some writers have done.

EXISTING COPIES.--British Museum; Cambridge, University Library (2); Pepysian, and Sydney Sussex College; Hunterian, Glasgow; Lincoln Cathedral; Sion College, London; Göttingen University; and three copies in private hands.

NO. 99.--A TREATISE OF LOVE. _Folio. Translated in 1493. Without Printer’s Name, Place, or Date. (1493?)_

COLLATION.--~A B C D E F G H~ are all 3ns = 48 leaves, all printed.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title. The type is No. 6 for the Text, but on the first page is a line in type No. 7, the first of Wynken de Worde’s founts. The whole is in double column.

The Text begins on sig. ~A j~ recto,

~C This tretyse is of loue and spe ‖ kyth of iiij of the most specyall lo ‖ uys that ben in the worlde and she~ * * * * * ~whiche tretyse was translatid out of frenshe Into en= ‖ glyshe / the yere of our lord M cccc ‖ lxxxxiij / by a persone that is vnper ‖ fight insuche werke wherfor he hu ‖ bly byseche the lernyd reders wyth ‖ pacyens to cor= recte it where they ‖ fpnde nede. And they & alle other ‖ redders of their charyte to pray for ‖ the soule of the sayde translatour ‖~

The Text ends on the second column of the sixth recto of sig. ~H~,

~Whiche boke was lately transla- ‖ ted outeof frensh in to englisshe ‖ by a Right well dysposed persone / ‖ for by cause the sayd persone thoug ‖ hte if necessary to al deuoute peple ‖ to rede / or to here it redde / And also ‖ caused the sayd boke to be enpryn- ‖ ted /~

Underneath this is the small device. The reverse is blank.

REMARKS.--This is evidently an issue from the press of Wynken de Worde, whose earliest type is seen in the first page, and who was accustomed to make up his books in 3ns instead of 4ns, as was the plan during Caxton’s life. The tract does not appear to have been translated till 1493, and may have gone to press the succeeding year: now Caxton died in 1491. The non-occurrence of the small device in any other book attributed to Caxton is another reason for supposing it to be in reality the workmanship of Wynken de Worde, who frequently used this shaped device in his early publications. At a later period he added his own name to the design.

Although not the work of Caxton, “A Treatise of Love” has been included in this chapter, because “A List of Books printed in Type No. 6” would be imperfect without it.

Copies are in the University Library, Sydney Sussex College, and Pepysian Library, Cambridge; in Lincoln Cathedral Library; the Hunterian Museum, Glasgow; University Library, Göttingen; and two in private libraries.

_From Caxton’s “Order of Chivalry.” Type 4*_]

_Woodcuts from Caxton’s “Speculum vitæ Christi.”_]

_The earliest instance of a Title-page in any English Book; Printed about 1491._]

WOODCUT INITIALS FROM CAXTON’S BOOKS.]

CAXTON’S DEVICE.]

A LIST OF BOOKS NOT PRINTED BY WILLIAM CAXTON, BUT HAVING SOME CONNECTION WITH HIS TYPES; ALSO OF DOUBTFUL WORKS, AND BOOKS ERRONEOUSLY ASCRIBED TO HIS PRESS.

POSTHUMOUS AND DOUBTFUL WORKS.

NO. 100.--THE LIFE OF SAINT KATHERINE.--THE REVELATIONS OF SAINT ELIZABETH OF HUNGARY. _Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. (1493?)_

COLLATION.--~a~ is a 4n; ~b c d e f g h i k l m n o p~ are 3ns; ~q~ is a 2n. Total 96 leaves, all printed.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--There is no title-page. The type for some of the headings is No. 7, the same as that already noticed in “Chastising” and “Festial;” but the type for the body of the work is a partial re-casting of No. 4*, with many new additions, and on a rather smaller body, being evidently a different fount from any known to have been used by Caxton. The pages are in double column, and have 43 and 44 lines to a page. Full lines measure 27⁄8 inches. Without folios or catchwords. On the last leaf is the large Device.

This book, like some already mentioned, was in all probability the workmanship of Wynken de Worde, shortly after Caxton’s death. This opinion is borne out by the types used, by the signatures being in 3ns instead of 4ns; by very long pages, and by wood initials, identical with those used in the early books of Wynken de Worde.

NO. 101.--THE GOLDEN LEGEND. _Third Edition. Folio. “Fynysshed at westmestre . . The year of our lord M CCCC lxxxxiij / . . C By me wyllyam Caxton.”_

COLLATION.--Table and prologue a 2n; ~a b c d e~ are 4ns; ~F~ a single sheet; ~f g h i k l m n o p q r s t v x y z &~ 9 are 4ns; ~e~ a 2n, signed to ~e iij~; ~A B C D E F G H J K L M N O P Q R S T V X Y~ are 4ns; ~aa bb cc dd ee~ are 4ns; ~ff~ a 3n, signed to ~ff iiij~; and ~gg~ a 2n, signed to ~gg iij~. Total 436 leaves, all printed.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title-page. The types are No. 7, and the re-casting of type No. 4*, noticed in the preceding work, which fount is only known to have been used for these two books. The work is in double column, and the lines, of which there are 44 to a column, measure 27⁄8 inches. Without folios or catchwords. Many woodcuts and woodcut initials.

Caxton died two years before the date of printing.

NO. 102.--THE SIEGE OF RHODES. _Folio. Sine ullâ notâ._

COLLATION.--Four unsigned 3ns, or 24 leaves all printed.

TYPOGRAPHICAL PARTICULARS.--Without title of any sort. The type is very rude and uneven, being a different fount to that used for the “St. Katherine” and “Golden Legend” just noticed. Some of the letters are the same as Caxton’s No. 4*, but many rude additions have been made. There is a space between each line, probably made by the use of “reglets,” the unevenness of which is very apparent. The lines are spaced to an even length, and there are 26 to a page, except the first and second, which have, respectively, 30 and 31. They measure in length 41⁄2 inches, the depth of 26 lines varying from 7 to 71⁄8 inches. Without signatures, folios, catchwords, or printed initials.

NO. 103.--MISSALE AD USUM SARUM.--EXARATUM PARISIUS IMPENSA OPTIMI VIRI GUILLERMI CAXTON. _Folio. Paris, 4th Dec. 1487._

The type is the usual church text used for service books. In double columns, with head-lines.

As connected with Caxton, the whole of the interest centres in the colophon.

~Missale ad vsum Sar’ cun ctitenetis dei dono / magno conamine elaboratum finis feliciter . Exaratum Parisiꝯ impensa optimi viri Guil- lermi Caxton . Arte vero et industria Magistri Guiller mi Maynyal . Anno domini M . CCCC . lxxxvii . iiij De cembris.~

This is on the recto of the last leaf, and upon the verso is Caxton’s large device.

REMARKS.--Passing by the great interest which this missal has in being five years earlier in date than the celebrated Rouen edition, dated October 1st, 1492, hitherto considered as the _editio princeps_, we have to elucidate it in relation to Caxton.

It has not, until the discovery of this volume, been supposed that Caxton employed foreign printers to help him, although it is well known that his successors did so. In this case he used the services of a printer at Paris, whose name very seldom appears in typographical annals. Little is known of William Maynyal, who is erroneously called, by Panzer, George. In 1480, working in conjunction with Ulric Gering, the first printer at Paris, he produced “Speculum aureum,” as well as “Summa de virtutibus cardinalibus,” both in Roman types. Afterwards, he worked alone. In 1487, Caxton, not having appropriate types of his own, sent instructions to Maynyal, of Paris, to print for him the Salisbury Missal. The commission was executed, and Caxton, desirous of associating his press more directly with this issue than by the colophon only, which many people might overlook, probably designed his “mark” for the purpose of attracting attention. It is certainly the earliest date at which it has yet been found; and the state of the block, which has fewer breakages than any other known example, confirms the priority of this in a most interesting manner. Since 1484 Caxton had not used woodcuts; but just at this time, 1487, he appears to have found some one for the purpose, and the “Royal Book” and the “Speculum” appeared with numerous cuts. The same artist was probably employed to design and engrave the new “trade mark.”

The only known copy is in the possession of W. J. Legh, Esq., M.P., and was first made known in the _Athenæum_, March 21st, 1874.

BARTHOLOMEUS DE PROPRIETATIBUS RERUM.

This work is supposed to have been printed by Caxton, at Cologne, on the strength of a statement by Wynken de Worde. As, however, this printer has perpetrated the most curious contradictions and mis-statements in many of his prologues and colophons, it seems more than probable that he blundered here also, as no connection whatever can be traced between the typographical customs of Caxton and those of the Cologne school; nor does any copy of “Bartholomeus” exist which can, with any show of reason, be attributed to Caxton’s press.

For further remarks on this subject, see page 64.

THE METAMORPHOSES OF OVID.

In the Pepysian library, Cambridge (2124) is an English manuscript of the fifteenth century, not improbably Caxton’s autograph, and consisting of the Tenth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Thirteenth, Fourteenth, and Fifteenth Books of Ovid’s Metamorphoses. Each book in the manuscript begins with a red-ink title, the first being:--

“Here followeth the ‖ xth booke of Ouyde ‖ wherof the first fa ‖ ble is of the mari ‖ age of Orpheus ‖ and Erudice his lo ‖ ue. Cap° p’m°.”

For an imitation of this paragraph see Dibdin’s _Typ. Ant._, vol. i, page 14. At the end of the volume is the following colophon:--

“Translated and fynysshed by me William Caxton at Westmestre the xxij day of Apryll / the yere of our lord m. iiij^c iiij^{xx} And the xx yere of the Regne of kyng Edward the fourth.”

Now Caxton, from what we know of his disposition, would never have begun a translation in the middle of a book. He therefore, no doubt, translated the former nine books also. But all Caxton’s translations, and especially in the busy time of 1480, were made for the press. There seems, therefore, good reason to believe that the Metamorphoses were printed also by Caxton, although unfortunately no fragment of such a work is at present known.

It seems not unlikely that the Pepysian MS. is in Caxton’s own autograph.

THE LIFE AND MIRACLES OF ROBERT EARL OF OXFORD.

In the preface to “The Four Sons of Aymon,” Caxton says, “Therefore late at the request and commandment of the right noble and virtuous Earl, John, Earl of Oxford, my good singular and especial lord I reduced and translated out of French into our maternal and English tongue the life of one of his predecessors named Robert Earl of Oxford tofore said, with divers and many great miracles which god showed for him as well in his life as after his death as is showed all along in his said book.”

Having translated this Life, it is not improbable that Caxton also printed it.

A BALLAD.

“The small fragment of an unknown work,” preserved among some old ballads in the British Museum (643. m.) and described by Sir Henry Ellis, and Dr. Dibdin in _Typ. Ant._, vol. i, page 359, is a portion of the “Cook’s Tale,” from Caxton’s first edition of Chaucer’s “Canterbury Tales.”

* * * * *

Several works, such as “STATUTA” (probably Machlinia’s), “LYNDEWODE’S CONSTITUTIONES,” “THE LUCIDARY,” “AN ACCIDENCE,” and others, have been by various writers included among the books issued by Caxton, but in all cases erroneously.

THE COMPARATIVE RARITY OF BOOKS PRINTED BY CAXTON,

SHOWING THE NUMBER OF COPIES OF EACH WORK KNOWN TO EXIST.

_Quanta fuisti si tanta sunt Reliquia._

No. of Copies known.

Brass, Temple of _frag._ Book of Courtesy, 2nd edit. _frag._ Directorium Sacerdotum, 4to. _frag._ Horæ, 1st edition _frag._ Ditto, 2nd ditto _frag._ Ditto, 3rd ditto _frag._ Indulgence--Sixtus IV _frag._

Anelida and Arcyte 1 Ars moriendi 1 Aymon, Four Sons of 1 Blanchardin and Eglantine 1 Book of Courtesy, 1st edition 1 Catho, Parvus et Magnus, 1st edition, 4to 1 Ditto, ditto, 2nd edition, 4to 1 Charles the Great 1 Chorle and the Bird, 1st edit. 1 Ditto ditto 2nd ditto 1 Commemoracio beatæ Mariæ 1 Death-Bed Prayers 1 Directorium Sacerdotum, folio, 1st edition 1 Ditto ditto ditto 2nd ditto 1 Fifteen Oes 1 Glass, Temple of 1 Horse, Sheep, and Goose, 1st edit. 1 Ditto ditto 2nd ditto 11⁄2 Image of Pity 1 Infancia Salvatoris 1 Indulgence--Sixtus IV 1 Another, different 1 Meditacions sur les sept Pseaulmes 1 Paris and Vienne 1 Psalterium 1 Quatre derrennieres Choses 1 Reynard the Fox, 2nd edition 1 Stans Puer 1 Servitium de Transfiguratione 1 Sex Litteræ 1 Visitatio Mariæ Virginis 1

Advertisement, An 2 Arthur, Life of King 2 Catho, Parvus et Magnus, folio, 3rd edition 2 Curial, The 2 Gouvernal of Health 2 Indulgence, 1481 2 Propositio Johannis Russell 2 Saona, Gul. de 2

Æsop, Fables of 3 Art and Craft 3 Curia Sapientiæ 3 Dictes and Sayings, 2nd edition 3 Good Manners, Book of 3 Jason, Les fais du 3 Moral Proverbs 3 Saint Winifred, Life of 3

Book of Fame 4 Chivalry, Order of 4 Festial, The, 1st edition 4 Rhodes, Siege of 4 Statutes of Henry VII 4 Troilus and Creside 4 Vocabulary 4

Golden Legend, 2nd edition 5 Pilgrimage of the Soul 5 Four Sermons, 2nd edition 5 Reynard the Fox, 1st edition 5

Divers Ghostly Matters 6 Festial, The, 2nd edition 6 Jason, The Life of 6 Knight of the Tower 6 Recueil, Le 6

Chronicles of England, 2nd edit. 7 Dictes and Sayings, 3rd edition 7

Life of our Lady 8 Royal Book 8 Treatise of Love 8

Canterbury Tales, 1st edition 9 Ditto 2nd ditto 9 Doctrinal of Sapience 9 Four Sermons, 1st edition 9

Chess, Game and Play of, 1st ed. 10 Cordial 10 Golden Legend, 3rd edition 10 Katherine, Life of St. 10

Godfrey of Boloyn 11 Speculum Vitæ Christi 11

Caton 12 Chastising of God’s Children 12 Chess, Game and Play of, 2nd edit. 12 Chronicles of England, 1480 12 Description of Britain 12 Mirrour of the World, 2nd edit. 12

Dictes and Sayings, 1st edition 13

Mirrour of the World, 1st edit. 15

Boethius 16

Confessio Amantis 17

Eneydos 18

Recuyell, The 20

Fayts of Arms 21

Tully of Old Age, &c. 22

Polycronicon 30

Golden Legend, 1st edition 31

* * * * *

The reader who examines this list may well be astonished at the number here given of _unique_ Caxtons. Out of 102 works above enumerated, no less than 38 are known to us by single copies, or by fragments only. The fact is almost incredible even to those most conversant with the rarities of the Westminster Press; and the question naturally arises--If about one-third of Caxton’s issue has been _nearly_ destroyed, how numerous may have been the editions of which we shall never learn the existence? A glance at the titles of the _uniques_ will show that the books most liable to destruction, probably owing in part to their being much used, and in part to the destructiveness of religious sectarianism, are those, directly or indirectly, of an ecclesiastical character--such as “Horæ,” “Psalters,” “Meditacions,” &c. School-books also, such as the “Stans Puer,” “Catho,” &c., are always difficult of preservation. On the other hand, there seems no especial reason for the almost total destruction of such works as the romances of “King Arthur,” “The Four Sons of Aymon,” “Blanchardin,” “Charles the Great,” the second edition of “Reynard,” or the various short poems in quarto.

The greatest number of copies ever brought together is 83, being the number now in the British Museum; but of these 25 are duplicates, leaving the number of works 58, of which three are mere fragments. The Caxtons in Earl Spencer’s Library, although numerically less than those of the National Library, make nevertheless a more complete collection, and embrace 57 separate works. Other Libraries come far behind these two. The Public Library, Cambridge, has 42 separate works, a total considerably augmented by the numerous unique pieces of poetry in quarto. The Bodleian has 34 separate works, and the Duke of Devonshire 25.

INDEX.

Abbey, Meaning of word, 73

Adventurers (_See_ Merchant Adventurers)

Advertisement printed by Caxton, 72, 239

Æneid by Virgil, 347

Æsop, The Fables of, printed by Caxton, 48, 91, 287

Aforge, Daniel, 86

Ailly, Cardinal Pierre d’, 228

Alburgh, John, 150

Alcock, Bishop, 181

Aldus, Pius Romanus, 106

Alfonse, The Fables of, printed by Caxton, 287

Almonry, The, Its position, &c., 73, 74, 75, 79

Alphage, St., Parish of, 4

Ambassadors at Bruges, 27

Ames, Joseph, Note on Caxton’s death, 85

Amman, Jost, 104

Anderson’s History of Commerce, 26

Anelida, Queen, and False Arcyte, printed by Caxton, 212

Anne, St., Chapel of, 73, 74

Apprentices, Entry and Issues of, 6

Apprentices, Duties of, 8

Apprentices and Executors, 14

Apprentices, Oath of, 145

Apprenticeship of Caxton, 5

Arbre de, Batailles, 337

Arcyte, Queen Anelida, and False, printed by Caxton, 212

Ars moriendi, printed by Caxton, 358

Art, The, and Craft to know well to Die, printed by Caxton, 346, 354

Arthur, The Noble Histories of King, and of certain of his Knights, printed by Caxton, 304

Arundel, Earl of, his Device, 81

Ascensius Jodocus Badius, 128

Assumption, Guild of Lady of, 77

Atkyns, Richard, Origin and Growth of Printing, 90

Aubert, David (a Scribe), 35, 187

Avian, The Fables of, printed by Caxton, 287

Ayenbit of Inwit, The, 324

Aymon, The four Sons of, printed by Caxton, 343

Bagford, John, 75, 91

Baker, John, 150

Bakker, Jenyne, 149

Ballads, Some, printed by Caxton, 211

Ballad, A, 369

Ballard, Mr., of Cambden, 85

Balls, Inking, 124

Bartholomeus de Proprietatibus, 55, 64, 65, 340, 368

Bath Cathedral, 284

Bavaria, Henry, Duke of, 353

Bayntun, W., 321

Beauvais, Vincent de, 226, 227

Bedford, Duke of, 34, 36

Bedford Library, 255

Bedfordshire General Library, 324

Bedleem Hospital, Bequest to, by Large, 10

Belet, 282

Benet College Library, 220

Bernard, M. A., 106, 109

Bernard, M. A., Opinion on Colard Mansion, 62

Berners Juliana, 338

Betts, Edward, 151

Bequests, Various, of Large, 10

Bible, The Mazarine, 45

Bibles and Psalters, First, 43

Bibles not in demand in Fifteenth Century, 83

Bird, the Chorle and the, printed by Caxton, 209, 210

Blanchardin and Eglantine, The History of, printed by Caxton, 342

Blanche, Queen of France, 326

Blandford, Marquis of, 198

Blois, Library of, 36

Boat Hire, 19

Bocace, Fall of Princes, 347

Boethius de Consolatione Philosophiæ, translated into English by Geoffrey Chaucer, printed by Caxton, 215

Boke of Noblesse, The, 336

Bolomyer, Henry, 307

Boloyne, The History of Godfrey of, printed by Caxton, 252

Bomsted, Henry, 20

Bonet, Honoré, 337

Bonifaunt, Rich, 10, 147

Bowyer, William, 109

Bookbinder described, 130

Bookbinding, 95

Book of Courtesy, The 1st Edition, printed by Caxton, 211

Second Edition, 355

Book of Good Manners, printed by Caxton, 81, 315

Book, A, of Divers Ghostly Matters, printed by Caxton, 350

Book of Fame, The, printed by Caxton, 292

Book, The, which the Knight of the Tower made to the “enseygnement” and teaching of his daughters, printed by Caxton, 273

Books, Covers of, 215

Books not printed by Caxton but having some connection with his types, &c., 363

Books, Passion for, in Europe, 36

Botfield, Mr., 306

Bouillon, Godefroy de, 253

Bradshaw, H., of Cambridge, 55, 192, 295

Brand, John, 198

Bretaylles, Louis de, 190

Brice, Hugh, 228

Bristol, 350

Brito, Jean, 38

Broad, St. Ward, 75

Brown, J., 151

Browne, Willis (Mit. Abb.), 223

Bruges, 13, 15, 27, 37, 38, 57, 81, 150

Bruges, City of, Caxton, a Merchant at, 15, 17

Bruges, Ducal Library of, 214

Bruges, Guild of St. John the Evangelist, 37

Bruges, Records of, 158-160

Brute, Chronicle of, 89

Bryant, Mr., 327

Bryce, H., 82

Bryce, T., 17

Bullen, Mr., 244

Burdeux, John de, 340

Burchiello, Portrait of, 91

Burgh, Richard, 16, 17, 148, 204, 205, 279

Burgundy, Duke of, 15, 16, 24, 27, 34, 38, 58

Burgundy (Philip the Good), 38

Burial Fees for Wm. Caxton, 79

Campbell, M. F. A. G., 330

Canterbury Tales, 1st Edition, printed by Caxton, 193

Canterbury Tales, 2nd Edition, printed by Caxton, 290

Caradoc, Prince, 304

Carmen de Vere, 271

Caslon, W., 105, 108

Castel, Etienne, 193

Catchwords, 133

Catho Magnus, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 202, 204

Catho Magnus, printed by Caxton, 204, 205

Caton, printed by Caxton, 277

Cattlyn, Richard and John, 224

Caustons, Manor of, 3

Causton, Michael de; Henry de; Nichol de; Richard de; Theobald de; Roger de; William de; Stevyn, 147

Cauxton and Causton, a form of Caxton, 3

Cawston, Johannes, Will of, 3

Cawston, Oliver, 161

Caxston, W., 148

Caxton, Elizabeth (daughter of Caxton), 30

Caxton, Elizabeth: Deed of Separation, 166

Caxton, John, 4

Caxton, Maude, 81

Caxton, Pedigree, 4; his Patrons, 29; his knowledge of Printing, derived from Colard Mansion, and not at Cologne, 49 to 68; Settles at Westminster, 70; Extracts from Works, showing a connection between his own name and a locality, 70; his Daughter, 75; Patronised by Edward IV., 80; Receives a Payment from Edward IV., 80; List of Works, 82; Classification of Works, 82; Time taken for Translation of Works, 83; Death and Burial, 85; his Property at Death, 85; his Will, 86; his Literary Attainments, 87 to 90; a Linguist, 88; Portraits of, 90; Anecdotes in Appendix to Æsop’s Fables, 91; his Character, 92; a Master Printer, 93 to 142; his Printing Office and Workmen, 93; his Types, 103; his large Device, 137; Price of his Books, 141; Judgment by, 158; Payment by the King, 160; Burial Fees, 161; Auditor of Parish Accounts, 161; Chess Book, Interpolation of, 174

Caxton, William (not the Printer), 81; Burial, 4

Censuria literaria, 197

Charles, King of France, 33

Charles the Bold succeeds Philip the Good, 24

Charles the Great (Prologue), 83

Charles the Great, the Life of the Noble and Christian Prince, printed by Caxton, 306

Charron, The Jesuit, 310

Charters, Mercers and Merchant Adventurers, 18-21

Chartier, Alain, 297

Chases, 123

Chastising, The, of God’s Children, printed by Caxton, 359

Chato, et Parvus Magnus, 1st Edition, printed by Caxton, 202; 2nd Edition, 205; 3rd Edition, 224

Chaucer, Geoffrey, 89, 294; Envoi of, to Skogan, printed by Caxton, 211

Chaucer, Geoffrey, Canterbury Tales, 1st Edition, 193; 2nd Edition, 290; Boethius de Consolacione Philosophiæ, printed by Caxton, 213

Chaucer, The complaint of, to his purse, printed by Caxton, 212

Chertsey, Andrew, 355

Chess Book, The, 56, 59, 61, 68, 80, 111, 289

Chess, Game and Play of, 1st Edition, printed by Caxton, 23, 173

Chess, The Game and Play of, the, 2nd Edition, printed by Caxton, 232

Chivalry, The Order of, printed by Caxton, 289

Chobham, Eleanor, her penance, 13

Chorle, The, and the Bird, printed by Caxton, 209, 210

Chronicles of England, The, 1st Edition, printed by Caxton, 247; 2nd Edition, 255

Chronicle of King Alfred, 104

Chronicle of Brute, 248

Churche, Daniel, 204

Clarence, Duke of, 173

Cloth, English, excluded by Duke of Burgundy, 16, 23

Coburger, Nuremberg, printer, 239

Colard Mansion, _See_ Mansion

Cologne, 62

Colonna Ægidius, 174

Commission issued, 1464, for renewal of Treaty of Trade, 22

Complaint, The, of Chaucer to his purse, printed by Caxton, 212

Commemoratio Lamentationis sive compassionis Beatæ Mariæ in morte filii, printed by Caxton, 329

Composing-Stick, 122, 124

Compositor, The, described, 121

Confessio Amantis, printed by Caxton, 271

Congregational Library, 331

Connection between Caxton and Colard Mansion, 64

Copenhagen, Royal Library, 316

Copland, R., 344; one of Caxton’s workmen, 70

Copland, W., 94, 345

Corpus Christi College, 220

Cordyale, or the Four Last Things, printed by Caxton, 216

Court of Sapience, printed by Caxton, 250

Courtesy, Book of, printed by Caxton, 211, 355

Cowper, Mr., 331

Craes, W., 16

Creveceur, Seigneur de, 50

Crede Mihi, Tractatus, printed by Caxton, 319, 345

Croppe, Gerard, 30

Crosse, John, 86

Cristyne of Pisan--Moral Proverbs, 194, 195

Cura Sapentiæ; or the Court of Sapience, printed by Caxton, 250

Curial, The, 296

D’Ailly, Pierre, Cardinal, 180

D’Angers, Guy, 187

Dares Phrygius, 172

Daubeney, William, 80

Daunnou, M., 227

Day, John, Printer, 104

Death-bed Prayers, printed by Caxton, 285

Dedes, Robert, 10

Deguilleville, Guillaume de, Pilgrimage of the Soul, 259

Delff, 76

Denis de Leewis, 186

Description of Britain, The, printed by Caxton, 249

Development of Printing, 38

Device, Caxton’s, 48, 138

Devonshire, Duke of, Purchase of the Recuyell, 171

Dictes and Sayings, 24, 65, 70, 79, 86, 188, 221, 348

Dictes and Sayings, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 188; 2nd Edition, 221; 3rd Edition, 348

Dictys Cretensis, 172

Dinner, Visitation of Mercers’, 76

Directorium, seu Pica Sarum, printed by Caxton, 241

Directorium Sacerdotum, una cum Defensorio ejusdem, item tractatus qui dicitur crede mihi, printed by Caxton, 319, 345

Doctrinal de la foy Catholique, 326

Doctrinal of Sapience, The, printed by Caxton, 324

Domus Angliæ, 22

Donatus, St., Church of, 50

Douce, F., 172

Douce Collection, 356

Drapers, Merchant Adventurers, 18

Durham Cathedral, 351

Dysart, Earl of, 341

Echard, Script. Ordin. Prædicat, 351

Edward III introduces cloth factories to England, 2

Edward IV, 3, 27, 28, 35, 80, 87

Elizabeth of Hungary, Saint, the Revelations of, 365

Ellis, Sir Henry, 370

Eneydos, printed by Caxton, 2, 74, 80, 346

English, First Book in, 170

English Nation, The, 22

Esterlings, 22, 192

Essex, Earl of, 204

Esteney, John, Abbot of Westminster, 74

Eton College, 179, 230

Eugenius III, Pope, 353

Evilmerodach, King, 233

Exeter, 215

Exeter College, Oxford, 279, 301, 350

Eye, witch of, 13

Eyre, Thomas, husband of Elizabeth Large, 11

Fables of Æsop, the; of Avian; of Alfonse; and of Poge, the Florentine, printed by Caxton, 287

Faits d’Armes, les, 335

Fait d’Armes et de Chevalerie, 336

Fall of Princes, 347

Fame, the Book of, printed by Caxton, 292

Farmer’s, Dr., Library, 241

Faron, Jean, 174

Fastolf, Sir John, 81, 232

Fayts of Arms and of Chivalry, The, printed by Caxton, 80, 335, 338

Felding Geoffrey, Mayor, 17

Festial, The (Liber Festialis) 1st Edition, printed by Caxton, 263, 331

Festial, The (Liber Festialis) 2nd Edition, printed by Caxton, 356

Fèvre Ravne le, 58

Fifteen Oes, the, and other Prayers, printed by Caxton, 352

Figgins, V., 108

Filastre, Guillaume, 172

Fineschi Vincenzio, 102

Fishmongers, Merchant Adventurers, 18

Flanders, Peace between England and, 13

Flemish goods prohibited, 23

Flemish settlers in England, 2

Fostalf, John, Knight, 191

Founders’ Company, 18

Four Last Things or Cordyale, printed by Caxton, 216

Four Sermons, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 265

Four Sermons, &c. (Quatuor Sermones, &c.), printed by Caxton, 2nd Edition, 358

Four Sons of Aymon, The, printed by Caxton, 343

Fowls, Parliament of, printed by Caxton, 211

Frankfort typefounders, 107

Franklin, Benjamin, 108

Freeman of London, Oath of, 146

Friskets, 129

Gairdner, Mr., Memorials of King Henry the Seventh, 269

Galiard, Messire, 197

Gallopes, Jean de, 261, 318

Galiot du Pré, 297

Gedney, John, 11

Geiffe, William, 86

Gering, Ulrich, 367

Gerson, Chancellor, 338

Gervers, M., 29

Ghent, 27

Ghent, Public Library at, 330

Glass, The Temple of, printed by Caxton, 208

Gloucester, Humphrey, Duke of, 30

Godfrey of Bulloyn, printed by Caxton, 83

Gödike, K., 230

Golden Fleece, order of, 15

Golden Legend, 65, 96; Copies left by Caxton to St. Margaret’s, Westminster, 86; 1st Edition, printed by Caxton, 280; 2nd Edition, printed by Caxton, 310; 3rd Edition, 365

Gossin, Jean, 51, 227

Göttingen, Royal University Library, 208

Governal of Health, The, printed by Caxton, 340, 358

Governor of English Merchants at Bruges--Duties of, 20

Guido of Colonna, 172

Granton, John, 16

Grenville Library, 210

Greyhounde, The, 75, 76, 79

Groote, Guerard le, 16

Gruthuyse, Louis de Bruges, 35, 36, 50

Guilds:-- St. John the Evangelist, 37; St. Thomas-à-Becket, 18; Lady Assumption, 77; Vassel feasts, 78; Accounts, 78; “Les Frères de la Plume” of Brussels, 37; St. Luke at Antwerp, 37

Hadlow, 3

Hague, Royal Library, 330

Halle, Robert, 147

Hamburgh, 13

Ham House, Surrey, 304

Hansard, T. C., 109

Hanseatic League, 192

Hardwicke Hall, 205

Harrowe, John, 10, 148

Hasted on Kent, 2

Hastings, Lord, 24, 197, 229

Hawes, 209

Haywarde, a Scribe, 191

Health, The Governal of, printed by Caxton, 340

Hecht-Heinean Library, Halberstadt, 271

Hende, William, 19

Henricus, Rex, 353

Henry, Dr., 232

Henry II, 204

Henry IV, 18

Henry VI, 18, 36, 80

Henry VII, 80

Heton, Christopher, 10

Heton, Jas., 147

Higden’s, Ralph, Polycronicon, 249

History of Blanchardin and Eglantine, The, printed by Caxton, 342

History of Godfrey of Boloyne, The; or the Conquest of Jerusalem, printed by Caxton, 252

Histoire du Chevalier Paris, et de la belle Vienne, 310

Holkham Library, 198

Holtrop’s Monumens Typographiques, Woodcut from, 76

Horæ, 242, 320, 331, 352

Horæ, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 191; 2nd Edition, 242; 3rd Edition, 321; 4th Edition, 332

Horham, Manor of, 9

Horse, Shepe, and Ghoos, printed by Caxton, 66, 205, 206

House of the English Nation, 22

Hunter, Rev. Joseph, 223

Illuminators, 95, 113, 134

Image of Pity, printed by Caxton, 322, 324

Indenture of Apprentice, 5

Infancia Salvatoris, printed by Caxton, 207

Initials, 42, 135

Ink for Printing, 95

Jackson on Wood Engraving, 137

James, John, Typefounder, 109

Jason, English Edition by Caxton, 187; French Edition, 56, 60, 63, 172, 178

Jason, Derivation of Name, 15

Jean de Bruges, 36

Jersey, Earl of, 306

Jerusalem, Conquest of, or the History of Godfrey of Boloyne, printed by Caxton, 252

Joan of Arc, 195

John, Duke of Berry, 34

John II, King of France, 33

John Stubbes, 28

Jones, J. Winter, 182, 187, 215

“Justification”: a Printer’s term, 44

Karlemaine, 307

Katherine, Saint, the Life of, printed by Caxton, 365

Kendal, John, Letters of Indulgence issued by, printed by Caxton, 222, 223

Kentish Dialect, 2

Kynge Apolyn of Thyre, 70

King Edward VI Grammar School, St. Alban’s, 243

Knight of the Tower, the, Book to the ensaygnement and teaching of his Daughters, printed by Caxton, 40, 81, 273

Knight Paris, the, and the Fair Vienne, printed by Caxton, 308

Könnecke, Dr. G., 271

Lambert, John, 150

Large, Alice, 11; Elizabeth, 9, 11; Jone, 161; Johanna, 9-11; Marries John Godnay, 11; John, 5, 9, 148; Richard, 9; Robert, 147; a Mercer, 8; Sheriff and Lord Mayor, 8; Warden, 9; House in the Old Jewry, Account by Stow, 9; Family, 9; Death and Will, 9; Widow, 10

Large, Robert, his Will, 153-158; the younger, 5, 11; Thomas, 9, 11

Latour-Landry, 274

Laurent, Frere, 324

Le Recueil des Histoires de Troye (_see_ Recueil), 25

Leeu Gerard, 188, 309

Lefevre, Raoul, 188

Legenda Aurea, 282

Legends, Bequest from Caxton, 162

Legh-Gerard, 188

Legh, Stephen, M.P., 140

Legh, W. J., Esq., 368

Legrand, Jacques, 316

Leper Houses, Bequest to, by Large, 10

Letter to Caxton from Mercers, 23

Letters of Indulgence from Johannes de Giglis, printed by Caxton, 254

Letters of Indulgence issued by John Kendal in 1481, printed by Caxton, 222

Lettou, 94

Lewis, Rev. John, 91, 217

Life of Christ, 318

Life of Saint Katherine, The, 365

Life, The, and Miracles of Robert, Earl of Oxford, 369

Life, The, of the Holy Blessed Virgin, Saint Winifred, printed by Caxton, 301

Life, The, of the Noble and Christian Prince, Charles the Great, printed by Caxton, 306

Lilly, Mr., 339

Lincoln Cathedral, 285

Livre de Sapience, 326

Livre des bonnes Mœurs, le, 316

Livre des Vices et des Vertus, 323

Livre Royal, le, 323

Louis de Bruges, 35

Louis of Anjou, 34

Louvre Library, 33

Low Countries, 20

Lucidary, The, 370

Lydgate, John, 172, 206, 211, 262, 299, 341, 354

Lyf of our Lady, printed by Caxton, 299

Lyndewode’s Constitutiones, 370

Machlinia, 45, 339

Madden, Sir F., 223

Maittaire, 217

Mallet, Gilles, 33

Malory, Sir Thomas, 305

Manipulus Curatorum, 326

Mansion Colard, 36, 38, 39, 42, 43, 45, 49, 51, 54, 63, 67, 109, 179, 214, 253, 355

Mansion Colard, a Skilful Caligrapher, begins to Print, 68; his Connection with Caxton, 54; Dean of the Guild of St. John, 50; Place of Residence and Workshop, 51; Opinion by Bernard, 62; Peculiarity of his Printing, 52-54; the first Printer at Bruges, 49

Mansion, Paul and Robert, 51

Marchand, Guy, 355

Margaret (of Flanders), 34

Margaret, Queen, 284

Margaret’s, St., Westminster, Records, 4, 31, 77-79, 85, 163

Margarita Eloquentiæ, Fratris Laurentii Gulielmi de Saona, printed by Caxton, 218

Mariæ Virginis Servitium de Visitatione, printed by Caxton, 267

Marot, Jean, 337

Marshall, J., 151

Marten, Walter, 86

Marte Townes, Apprentices sent to the, 14

Martin, St. Otewich, 75

Maskell, Mr., 322, 332

Maydestone, Clement, 320

Maynyal, W., 140, 367

Medicina Stomachi, printed by Caxton, 340, 341

Meditacions sur les Sept Pseaulmes Penitenciaulx, printed by Caxton, 179

Mercer’s Company, 5, 8, 16, 28, 75, 76, 145

Merchant Adventurers, their Institution, Object, and Charters, 15-19, 21, 24

Metamorphoses of Ovid, 51

Meun, Jean le, 336

Middleton, Dr., 321

Mielot, Jean, 187, 232

Mirkus, John, 264

Mirrour of the World, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 226; 2nd Edition, 234

Missale ad Usum Sarum, printed for Caxton, 366

Montaiglon, M., 276

Moral Distichs, printed by Caxton, 199

Moral Proverbs, printed by Caxton, 194

Mores, Rowe, 109

Moule, Bib. Herald, 290

Mountfort, Symoni, 222

Moxon, Joseph, 105, 109

National Library, Paris, 355

Neche, Thomas, 10, 148

Nichols, J. G., 76

Noblesse, Declamation of, 230

North, Mr., 220

Nouns, Substantive, and Verbs, The proper application of certain, printed by Caxton, 205, 206

Nugent, Dr., 321

Nyche, Thomas, 147

Obray, William, Governor of the English Merchants, 19, 21

Old Age, Tully of, 330

Oldys, 228

Onkmanton, Henry, 10, 148

Order of Chivalry, The, printed by Caxton, 289

Orford, Lord, 217

Orologium Sapientiæ, 351

Osborne, 208

Ottley, 128, 135

Ovid, Metamorphoses of, 90, 368

Oxford, Robert, Earl of, 208, 369

Palmer, Samuel, 109

Paper, its Value, 102; its Watermarks, 98; Large-Paper Copies, 97; Paper Mill, 96; the kind used by Caxton, 97

Paris, M., 172, 214

Parker, Archbishop, 105, 220

Pannartz, 84

Pannizzi Sir Anthony, 106

Pegge Dr., 3

Pembroke College, Cambridge, 273

Pepysian, 235, 342, 350, 368, 369

Perkin Warbeck, 223

Perrot, Thomas, 27

Peterborough, Earl of, 253

Petrus Carmelianus, Sex Epistolæ, printed by Caxton, 268

Petzholdt, Dr. Julius, 271

Philadelphia, Loganian Library, 285

Pica Sarum, seu Directorium, printed by Caxton, 241

Pica, type of printers, 240

Pilgrimage of the Soul, The, printed by Caxton, 259

Pins, Jean de, 310

Pisan, Christine de, 336

Poge, the Florentine, the Fables of, printed by Caxton, 287

Polycronicon, printed by Caxton, 65, 89, 256

Portraits of Caxton, 90

Pratt, William, 17, 75, 81, 316

Prayers, Death-bed, printed by Caxton, 285

Premierfait, Laurence de, 231

Preste, Simon, 24

Psalter, the First, 44

Psalterium, &c., printed by Caxton, 243

Purgatoire des mauvais Maris, 63

Pye, The, a Tenement, 75

Pye, a collection of rules, 240

Pykering, John, 151; Successor to Caxton as Governor of the English Nation, 21; summoned before the Court of the Mercers, and discharged from his office, 21

Pynson, Richard, 94, 295

Quadrilogue, Le, by Colard Mansion, 67, 179

Quaternion, Meaning of, 132, 168

Quatre derrennieres Choses, 56, 61, 63, 64, 67, 68, 185, 330

Queen’s College, Oxford, 273

Quinternion, Meaning of, 168

Rawlett’s Library, Tamworth, 284

Recto, Meaning of, 168

Recueil, Le, des Histories de Troye, 25, 60, 63, 65, 68, 171

Recuyell, The, of the Histories of Troye, 26-28, 31, 41, 56-60, 63, 68, 104

Redeknape, Esmond, 17

Redeknape, W., 17, 19, 151

Red-Pale, The, 75, 80

Red Ink, Curious use of, by Caxton and Mansion, 185

Regimen Sanitatis Salernitanum, 341

Reglets, 123

Reinaert die Vos, die Historie Van, 230

Revelations of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary, 365

Reynard the Fox, History of, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 229; 2nd Edition, 341

Rhodes, The Siege of, 223, 366

Richard III, 80, 198, 290

Richmond, Margaret, Countess of, 80

Ripon Minster, 215, 263

Ripoli Press, 102, 106

Ritson, 201; Bib. Poet, 205

Rivers, Anthoine, Earl of, 24, 28, 80, 217; translated the Dictes, 189

Robert, Monk of Shrewsbury, 302

Rock, Canon, D.D., 240

Roger, Monk of St. Werberg, 257

Roman Types, 43

Romans, Les, de la Table Ronde et les Contes des anciens Bretons, 305

Romuleon, written by Colard Mansion, 50

Rood of Oxford, 265

Rotherham, Bishop, 242

Roxburgh Club, 207, 210

Royal Book, the, or Book for a King, printed by Caxton, 322, 368

Roye, Guy de, 326

Rubrisher, The, 135

Rule of St. Benet, The, printed by Caxton, 350, 351, 355

Russell, John, Bishop of Lincoln, 24, 197, 228; his “Propositio,” printed by Caxton, 196

Ryolle, William, 86

Sacerdotum Directorium, printed by Caxton, 345

Salisbury Missal, 367

Salve Regina, printed by Caxton, 199

Saona, Fratris Laurentii Gulielmi de, Margarita Eloquentiæ, printed by Caxton, 218, 220

Scala Cœli, 326

Scales, Lord, 24, 197

Scriptorium of Westminster Abbey, 74

Scrivers, 134

Scroope, Archbishop, 321

Selle, John, 16

Seven Points, The, of True Love and Everlasting Wisdom, or Orologium Sapientiæ, printed by Caxton, 350

Sermons, Four, printed by Caxton, 265, 358

Sermons of Vitriaco, The, 326

Servitium de Transfiguratione Jhesu Christi, printed by Caxton, 330

Servitium de Visitatione B. Mariæ Virginis, printed by Caxton, 267, 331

Sex perelegantissimæ Epistolæ per Petrum Carmelianum Emendatæ, printed by Caxton, 268

Shakspere, W., 172, 298

Shrewsbury, John Talbot, Earl of, 336

Siege of Rhodes, 220, 366

Signatures, 41, 42

Sixtus IV, Pope, 197, 220

Skogan, John, Envoy of Chaucer to, printed by Caxton, 211

Sloane, Sir Hans, 310

Sluis, The Port of, Bruges, 26

Smithfield, Jousts in, 12

Smith, John, 109

Somerset, Margaret, Duchess of, 343

Somme de Roi, La; or, La Somme des Vices et des Vertus, 323

Sophologium, 316

Sotheby, S. Leigh, 102

Soushavie, or Souabe, Jehan, 351

Southey, Robert, 305

Spacing, 44

Speculum Historiale, 307

Speculum Vitæ Christi, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 316; 2nd Edition, 328

St. Alban’s, the Printer Schoolmaster of, 45, 219; Grammar School, 215, 241, 242; St. Alban’s Chronicle, 248

St. Benet’s Chapel, Westminster, 214

St. James of Compostella, 189

St. John’s College, Cambridge, 349

St. John’s College, Oxford, 225, 248, 347

St. John’s Hospital of Jerusalem, 174

St. John the Evangelist, Guild of, 37

St. Martin’s Otewich, 152

St. Olave, Old Jewry, 10

St. Omer, Proposed Convention at, 23

Stans Puer ad Mensam, printed by Caxton, 66, 199

Stanzas, various, printed by Caxton, 205

Star Chamber Decree, 105

Statutes of Henry VII, printed by Caxton, 339

Staunton, Thos., 147

Steel Yard, 22, 78, 192

Steevens, G., 172

Stomachi Medicina, printed by Caxton, 340

Stow, John G., 250

Stower, C., 109

Streete, Randolph, 10, 147, 148

Strete, Hundred of, 10

Stubbes, John, 31, 149

Styles, Old and New, in the Year, 56

Suso, Henry de, 351

Sutton, John, 19

Surigo, Stephen, 214

Surse, Pistoie, 232

Sweynheim and Pannartz, 43, 84

Tate, John, 103, 151

Temple of Brass, The, printed by Caxton, 1st Edition, 208; 2nd Edition, 211

Terms, Explanation of, 168

Ternion, Meaning of, 132, 168

Thomassy, Raimond, 195

Thorney, Roger, 253

Timperley, C. H., 109

Title Pages, 45

Tractatus de ymagine mundi, 228

Trade Marks of Printers, 76

Trades, List of, in the Guild of St. John the Evangelist, 37

Trading Guilds, 17

Treatise of Love, A, printed by Caxton, 258

Treatise on Hunting and Hawking, 338

Treaty of Trade, Commission for Renewal of, 22

Tree of Battailes, 337

Treveris, Peter, 94

Troilus and Creside by Shakspere, 172

Trojan War, 172

Troy, Siege of, 172

Trinity College, Cambridge, 347

Trinity College, Dublin, 222

Troylus and Creside, printed by Caxton, 297

Tully of Old Age; Tully of Friendship; The Declamation of Noblesse, printed by Caxton, 230

Turnat, Richard, 10

Twelve Profits of Tribulation, The, printed by Caxton, 350

Tympans, 130

Typefounding, 104

Type, No. 1, Books printed in, described, 169-182

Type, No. 2, 64, 112

Type, No. 3, 114, 115

Type, No. 5, 118

Type, No. 6, 119

Types, 43, 104, 109

Upsala, University Library, 221

Utrecht, Old Records, 25

Vaghan, Thomas, 197

Valerius, Maximus, 50

Van Praet, M., 37, 50, 51, 179

Vegetius, De re militari, 336

Vellum used for Caxton’s books, 103

Vento, Jeronimo, 160

Vérard, Antoine, 338, 355

Verso, meaning of, 168

Vienna, Imperial Library 235, 253, 295

Vignay, Jehan de, 174, 283

Vignoles, Bernard de, 223

Vins d’honneur, 27

Vitæ Patrum, 85

Vocabulary in French and English, printed by Caxton, 262

Wagstaffe, Bishop, 321

Walbrook, Watercourse of, 10

Walpole, Horace, 196

Warde, John, 150

Warwick, Earl of, 23, 27, 80

Watermarks in Caxton’s books, 98

Watson, James, 109

Weald of Kent, 1

Westminster, 70; Abbots of, 74; Wool-staple at, 77

Whitehill, Sir Richard, 22

Whetyngton, Quit Rents, 152

Wideville, Richard, 161

Wilson, Joshua, Esq., 331

Winchester, Earl of, 35

Windsor, Royal Library, 289

Winifred, Life of Saint, printed by Caxton, 301

Wright, Thomas, Mr., 305

Wool-staple at Westminster, 77

Worde, Wynken de, 45, 75, 94; His blunders, 64, 66; Various ways he spelt his name, 66

Wyche, Hewe, 28, 31, 149

Wyche, Richard, burnt, 12

Year. Old and new style of reckoning in England and Flanders, 56

York, Cathedral Library, 207, 210

Zanetti, 102

Zel Ulric, 44, 62, 63

Transcriber’s Notes

• Italics represented with surrounding _underscores_.

• Small caps converted to ALL CAPS.

• Blackletter (old style printing) represented with surrounding ~tildes~.

• Superscripts not available in Unicode represented with a caret and braces if more than one character: Rob^{t.}

• Subscripts not available in Unicode represented with an underscore and braces: Rob_{t.}

• The superscripted signatures described on p. 168 are not superscripted in this text version. So, for example, 4^{ns} is presented as 4ns throughout.

• The initial character of every chapter is an ornate illustrated letter. No attempt to represent these is made in the text or electronic book versions but is reproduced fully in the HTML version.

• Obvious typographic errors silently corrected. No corrections made to any representation of original texts.

• Variations in hyphenation and spelling kept as in the original.

• Illustrations moved close to the relevant content.

• Footnotes numbered consecutively and moved to the end of their respective chapters.

• p. 47 - The word “edition” in the table has been shortened to “ed.”