Chapter XIX: Book I: ends on sig. ~b~ 8 verso; Book II on ~f j~ recto; Book III on (1)

~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 4⅝ 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 2⅜ 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 2⅜ 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 4⅝ 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 4⅝ 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 4⅝ 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 × 5¾ 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 10½ × 7½ 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 2⅝ 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 5¼ × 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 4⅝ 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 5½ × 3⅝ 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 4⅝ 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-‖~