Chapter I: Preface

In 1861 was published in quarto the first volume of “The Life and Typography of William Caxton, England’s First Printer, with evidence of his typographical connection with Colard Mansion the Printer at Bruges. Compiled from original sources by William Blades;” the second volume appearing in 1863.

In 1877, the year of the Caxton Celebration, a condensed edition of the quarto work was issued in one volume octavo by Messrs. Trübner & Co. In this some alterations and additions rendered necessary by recent discoveries were incorporated.

The same publishers now offer a revised reprint, containing all the matter and all the plates of the previous octavo issue, with the addition of remarks upon the meaning and origin of Caxton’s Device, and upon his system of punctuation.

A real study of our early printed books brings with it the knowledge, more or less, of all the arts and sciences generally taught in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. In this lies one of its chief attractions to the bibliographer. The invention of printing gave new life to all branches of knowledge, and if we thoughtfully consider the wonderful effects which have proceeded from it--effects far more important to mankind than even the discovery of steam power, electric power, or any other invention--we shall surely feel deeply interested in all that concerns its introduction and spread in our own country.

CONTENTS.

~Part I.~

CHAPTER I.

Caxton’s birthplace and parentage--Flemish settlers in the
Weald of Kent--Eyren = Egges--The families of Cauxton
and Causton--John Caxton of Canterbury--Date of Caxton’s
birth--Usual term of apprenticeship _page_ 1-6

CHAPTER II.

Caxton an apprentice--John Large: his household; his
mayoralty and death; his widow and her vow--Scenes in
London during Caxton’s apprenticeship--He goes abroad 7-14

CHAPTER III.

Bruges and the Merchant Adventurers--Caxton’s position
there--Journey to London--Fined for not attending
the “riding” on Lord Mayor’s Day--Account of the
Merchant Adventurers--Caxton appointed Governor; his
duties and emoluments--Correspondence between the
Mercers Company in London and Caxton at Bruges--Trade
treaties--Embassy--Marriage of the Duke of Burgundy
to Margaret of York--Caxton begins to translate “Le
Recueil”--Caxton as arbitrator--Presented with “vins
d’honneur”--Edward IV, a fugitive, takes refuge in
Bruges--Caxton in the service of the Duchess of
Burgundy--Resigns and turns Printer--Caxton’s marriage 15-32

CHAPTER IV.

Literature in the fifteenth century--Libraries of French
kings and Burgundian princes--Philip the Good--Edward
IV.--Louis de Bruges--Duke Humphrey--Guild of St. John
and of St. Luke and their manufacture of books--Caxton
starts to set up printing in England 33-38

CHAPTER V.

The gradual development of Books--Manuscripts compared with
printed books in their technical aspect--Shape of the
letters--Justification of types--Table of books--Tests
by which to recognise the dates of undated books 39-48

CHAPTER VI.

Colard Mansion: his history; workshop; landlords; his
printing compared with printing by William Caxton 49-54

CHAPTER VII.

Caxton a printer at Westminster--Dates of his first
productions and evidence of the place and date
of production--The “Bartholomeus” said to be by
Caxton--Printers’ errors--Wynken de Worde’s careless
mistakes--Sequence of Caxton’s books 55-68

CHAPTER VIII.

Caxton at Westminster--Position of his press--Not in the
Abbey--William Pratt--Maude Caxton--Chronological table
of all the books from the Westminster Press--Caxton
as a translator--His choice of works to print--His
death--His property and will--Legacies--His prologues
and epilogues--a Yorkist--His moralisations--Caxton
a linguist and translator--R. Atkyns and his
forgery--Caxton’s portrait--His character 69-92

CHAPTER IX.

Caxton as a master--His men--Peculiarities of
his books--The paper--Paper-marks--The
types--Compositor--Punctuation--Pressman--Printing
ink--Binder--Rubricator--Illuminator and wood
engraver--Early typefounders--B. Franklin--Type moulds
and punches--Particulars of all the five types, together
with the titles of the books used for each type--The
compositors--Pressmen--Bookbinder--Collation 93-142