3tl(ata, New ^nrk BENNO LOEWY LIBRARY COLLECTED BY BENNO LOEWY 1854-1919 BEQUEATHED TO CORNELL UNIVERSITY Cornell University Library Z232.C38 P94 Fac-simlles illustrating the labours of 3 1924 029 503 400 olin Overs DATE DUE ^ r^/-x- ^^^ ^r,^'!-" I i«<1StlS j;; i: *JW«K.^ ? lAAr* *i ^JfflSL GAYLORD PRINTCOIN U S.A. Cornell University Library The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924029503400 fatUmim imnxatim tl)e labours; of miiiiam €axton at mt&mind^tx, mh tl)e 3ntroriutfion of ^xintim into 6nglanl3* WITH A Memoir of our Firft Printer, AND Bibliographical Particulars of the Illuftrations. BY FRANCIS COMPTON PRICE. LONDON, Privately Printed, 1S77. [T/ie Four-hundredth Anniverfary,\ /)7^-V77 5 Tlie number of copies of tliefe fac-fimiles has been flriSlly limited to one hundred and .62 tii'cnty-five, of which this is the ^ ^ .^^ g/^.^. (^Aoca \ V I I Witlltam Cayton. Ince the Rev. John Lewis, of Margate, publifhed, fo long ago as 1737, " The Life of Mayfter Wyllyam Caxton," hardly a new faft, fcarcely a frefh incident, affefting the biography of our firft printer has been recorded ; and to that work all fubfequent biographers of Caxton owe their material. The incomparable monograph of Mr. William Blades has, how- ever, rendered the fubjeft capable of being fatisfaftorily ftudied. It is not too much to exped, through the labours of Mr. Van Praet and others, that in the archives of Bruges there will one day be found interefting particulars concerning thofe who worked with Colard Mansion, and we may hope that among the particulars yet to be difcovered, many new foBs relating to " The chief Englifh- man at Bruges " will not be wanting. In the fifteenth century the citizens of London difregarded the legal majority of man, and the indenture of an apprentice was always fo drawn that the civic majority was not attained until the completion of the twenty-fourth year. We find in the vellum folio of the Mercers' Company [the entries extending from 1344 to 1464J that Caxton was entered apprentice to Robert Large in 1438 as appears by the following under that date : — .iiij^ It. John large, ■) les appfitices de It. Willin Caxfton j Robert Large Ten, eleven, or twelve years was no uncommon term of apprenticefhip at this time. Reckoning, however, the term of Caxton's fervitude at the minimum of feven years, he could not have been more than feventeen years old at the date of entry, and therefore cannot have been born before 142 1. The date of Caxton's birth being thus approximately fet down, we have his own ftatement that he was born in " Kent in the Weeld," though topographers are not agreed in what part of the "garden of England" the Weald is to be found. At Bruges. Caxton's mafler, Sir Robert Large, "who dwelled in Lothbury," and "whofe houfe ftandeth in two pariflies, S' Margaret's and S' Olive's," became Lord Mayor in 1439, and at his death, in 1441, bequeathed to his apprentice, who had ferved him but three years, a legacy of twenty marks (a fum equal to about 150/. of the prefent value of money). A year after Sir Robert's death, Caxton went abroad, ftill an apprentice, to ferve the remainder of his term in Flanders — probably to conclude bufmefs engaged in by his late mafler, who had been one of the richeft and moft powerful merchants in the city of London. It fhould be remembered that Bruges, like Florence and Venice, was far in advance of London as a commercial centre in Caxton's time, and at that city the Englifh merchants found their mart for the large confignments of wool, then our chief produft, and the Mercers' foreign trade far exceeded that of all the other Companies. Caxton took up his refidence in the " Domus Anglorum," a femi-fortified ftru6lure, ere6led to guard the foreigner againft any turbulent outbreak of the populace, whofe ignorant jealoufy eafily imagined that the foreign merchants were ruining their nation — and he dwelled in the Burgundian Capital, faving rare vifits firft to London and then to Ghent and Cologne, for thirty-five years. Having worked out the three or four remaining years of his apprenticefhip, Caxton was foon in bufinefs on his own account, and fo profperoufly, that in 1450 he was accepted as fecurity for one John Granton, a merchant of the Wool-ftaplers, who had their Staple of Wools at Calais, in the fum of one hundred and ten pounds, which fum may be eftimated at ten times its prefent value. By an entry in the before-mentioned folio of the Mercers' Company, we fee that Caxton was admitted to their livery in 1453 ; but for which glimpfe, we lofe fight of him for ten years — during which time, however, he muft have continued to be fuccefsful, for in 1463 he became Governor of "The Englifh Nation" at Bruges. This Affociation enjoyed great privileges — granted by Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy. The Mercers' appear to have originated the guild, which was the Company of Merchant Adventurers under another name, with leave for other great Companies to fhare in the memberfhip. In the following year King Edward the Fourth iffued a Commiffion and appointed Sir Richard Whitehill from his Court, and William Caxton, " a moft fit perfon," to be his ambaffadors and deputies to the Duke of Burgundy " for the purpofe of confirming an exifi:ing At Cologne. treaty of commerce, [which had been in force for a long time, but would expire in 1 46 5 J or, if neceffary, for making a new one." Thefe negotiations were unfuccefsful, and the commercial relations between the two countries were inter- rupted, and not reftored until the acceffion in 1467 of Charles the Rafh, who wedded, in the following year, Margaret, fifler of the Englifh King. The marriage was folemnized at Bruges with great rejoicings, of which an account by an eye-witnefs may be found in the Pafton Letters. Caxton retained his poft as Governor of The Englifh Nation to 1469 — but about this time fome reverfe of fortune apparently befell him. A Judgment, dated May 12, 1469, fets forth a difpute between an Englifhman and a French- man who agree to abide by the decifion of William Caxton and Thomas Perrot as arbitrators and common friends ■ — but Caxton being obliged to leave Bruges for fome caufe not mentioned in the document, a full court of merchants was fummoned, and the judgment declared in the names of the arbitrators. From Bruges, Caxton went to Ghent, and afterwards to Cologne ; he was probably in the train of Edward IV., when that monarch was feeking refuge from the machi- nations of the great Earl of Warwick. But it is idle to fpeculate as to what 7nay have been, which is always the greateft barrier to our obferving what is. It is certain that Caxton received fome appointment in the Court of the Englifh wife of Charles, and became a favourite with the noble lady. In converfation, the Duchefs elicited from him an acknowledgement that, " having no great charge or occupation," he had, before her Grace's arrival, commenced the tranflation, from French into Englifli, of Le Recueil des Hijloires de Troye, by Raoul le Fevre. Difcouraged, he had abandoned the tafk ; but he tells us in his prologue to " The Recuyell," that his noble miflrefs made him fetch his " five or fix quires," and fubmit them to her infpeftion ; and fhe " commanded me ftraightly to continue and make an end of the refidue then not tranflated — whofe dreadful command- ment I durfh in no wife difobey, becaufe I am fervant unto her faid grace, and receive of her yearly fee." Thus the mercer becomes loft in the courtier ; the tranflation he began as an amufement he concludes apparently with but little fatisfaction, and it is finifhed at length " in the holy city of Cologne in September 1 47 1." The ftatements of Caxton have led many bibliographers to the opinion that the " Recuyell" was printed at Cologne by Ulrich Zel, who would thus be Ai Wejlminjlet. made the inftru6lof of Cajtton, who tells us in the epilogue to the third book that it was during its progrefs through the prefs that he learned the art ; but Mr. Blades declares in favour of Colard Manfion, with many a cogent reafon. My own opinion is that Caxton always refers to the tranjlation of the " Recuyell " finifhed at Cologne, and that the "Recuyell," as afterwards "The Game and Playe of the Cheffe Moralyfed," were printed at Bruges. Be that as it may, foon after " The Game and Playe of the Cheffe" was printed, Caxton took leave of the land of his adoption, and turned his thoughts towards England, where he arrived laden with a freight more precious than the moft opulent merchant adventurer ever dreamed of, to endow his country with that ineftimable bleffmg, the printing prefs — the inflrument deftined to relieve mankind from the thraldom of ignorance, fuperftition, and vice. Towards the end of the year 1476, or the beginning of 1477, we find Caxton in occupation at Weftminfter, his prefs ere6led in the Almonry, which was a building erefted by a moft admirable and excellent per- fonage, whom the printers of England might well regard as their patronefs — Margaret of Richmond, mother of King Henry the Seventh, who was the great patronefs of learning, and, as we know, the friend of Erafmus. She founded the Almonry, not for the purpofe of encouraging printing, it is true, but for that of extending her charity to the neceffitous of the neighbouhood, of which some veftige ftill continues in a dole which is given every Saturday to the poor of Weftminfter in the Hall of the College of St. Peter. As far as can be made out, the Almonry ftood near the great weft door of the Abbey, at the entrance of what is now called Tothill-ftreet, and as a matter of fafl the Almonry was then included within the Abbey precinfts. For many years an old building [which tumbled down in 1 846] was pointed out as Caxton's houfe, but it was proved to be no older than the time of Charles the Second. This did not prevent parts of the woodwork being made into walking-fticks and fnuff-boxes, and prefented to various patrons of literature as genuine relics of our famous printer. Caxton himfelf tells us that he lived in the Almonry, and from the fame fource we know the very fign of the houfe he inhabited — The Red Pale, which, it has been conjecTiured, might ftand for Red Pole ; but the far greater likelihood is that the fign had a heraldic fignificance, and was a fiiield of one of the heraldic metals, a pale gules. A curious hand-bill advertifement, printed and circulated by Caxton ante 1480, furnifiies us with thefe particulars. Of this interefting relic, the eariieft EngUfti " broad-fide " extant, Ai Wejiminjler. particulars are appended to the facsimile [Plate 2]. From his houfe in the Almonry, Caxton iffued all his important works, except the " Recuyell," the iirft edition of " The Game and Playe of the Cheffe," both printed abroad, and the " Hiftory of Jafon," which lafl may have been printed either at Bruges or Weft- minfter. When Caxton ftarted in England his whole flock of type confifted of two founts, a church or text type and a secretary type. Thefe founts he purchafed in the Low Countries and brought with him. When they began to wear he pro- cured new founts, with a fmall fount of larger fize for headings ; but whether Caxton at any period of his career caft his own letter feems now impoffible to afcertain with any certainty. For fome time he was bufied with the work of his patron, Anthony Wydevile, Earl Rivers, " The Dicles or Sayengis of the Philofophres." This work is dated November i8th, 1477, the earlieft certainty, and the real date of the Caxton anniverfary. If we had a book of Caxton's, as we have of Colard Manfion's, Primunt opus impreffitm per Willeltmnn Carton, it would be a different matter. As it is we muft work upon the " Di61;es" of November, 1477, until we know more. The " Di6les " is efpecially interefting from the fa6l that the conclufion of it affords us a fpecimen of Caxton's own ftyle of literary compofition. His patron, the Earl, with whom he feems to have been on the mofl affe6lionate terms, having omitted to tranflate certain conclufions of Socrates "towchyng women," Caxton fupplies the omiffion. Thefe paffages are reproduced in the fac-Jimiles [Plates 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8]. About one hundred feparate works have come down to us from the Weft- minfter prefs, of which number no lefs than thirty-three are known by fmgle copies or fragments only. If fo great a proportion of his work is unique, how much is loft altogether ? We are poffeffed in the various public and private colle6lions, all told, of nearly fix hundred volumes from Caxton's prefs. Had Caxton's opportunities allowed, he would probably have ufed wood-engraving to a much greater extent ; the chief difficulty was no doubt experienced in obtaining the fervices of an engraver — many of the blocks being badly cut into, and the draughtfman's work thereby deftroyed. The beft fpecimen of the wood- engraver's art his works afford, and one which has been much praifed for its At Wejlminjler. compofition and feeling, is the well-known ' Crucifixion ' [Plaie 9] frequently feen in the books of Wynkyn de Worde, who received great credit for it until its earlier ufe was difcovered as the frontifpiece to Caxton's ' Fifteen Oes and other prayers.' Caxton continued to work at Weflminfter till his death, which took place at the clofe of the year 1491. He lies buried in his own parifh church-yard [St. Margaret's]. The precife fpot is not known. The record of his burial may be feen in the Churchwarden's account books, which give evidence of a funeral more coftly than ufual : It™ atte Bureyng of William Caxton for iiij torches . . vjs. viijd. It™ for the belle atte fame bureyng yjd. No ftone marked the burial place until the Roxburghe Club ere6led the fimple tablet in the Church of St. Margaret. More than a century after Caxton's death, there was laid (in 1618) fide by fide with this Kentifh worthy- — this citizen- ambaffador, author, and artizan — the headlefs corfe of one of England's greateft children. Sir Walter Ralegh. X 13.LCS. Plate I. An Indulgence granted by John Kendale, as legate from Pope Sixtus IV., to thofe contributing to the defence of Rhodes againft the Turks — on vellum, dated 1480. In favour of "Symoni Mountfort et Emme vxori eii . . . ultimo die Mejis marcij." The fac-fimile is from the unique original preferved in the Britifh Mufeum, and bears the earliejl inftance of printed initials in England. The wavy appearance of fome of the lines is due to the unequal expanfion and contradion of the vellum through damp. Purchafed in 1 846. [ C 18. e. 2. ] 5- A paper communicated to the Society of Antiquaries by Sir Frederic Madden in 1837,* informs us that John Kendale was Grand Prior of the Order of St. John of Jerufalem in England, and was remarkable from having been the fubjeft of the earlieft contemporary medal in exiftence, of which the unique fpecimen is now in the cabinet of the Duke of Devonfhire, bearing date of fame year as the iffue of the Indulgence. On the medal he is ftyled Turcopolier or General of the Infantry of the Order- — the office of which was annexed to that of Grand Prior of England. Kendale was a perfon of the greateft influence, for, befide the power he had obtained from the Pope of granting Indulgences, he acquired the confidence of Edward IV. and Henry VII., who employed him in political negociations of great moment. In 1495 he was accufed of taking part in a plot againft Henry's life, but he was fortunate or crafty enough, not only to efcape the King's anger, but to grow in ftability with his Majefty. In the A61 of Attainder againft Perkin Warbeck's adherents, though the Prior's name appears, a faving claufe is drawn in his favour. * ArchcBologia, vol. xxvii, p. 172. ^1 5: 3-3 g. 8 :^ 55^ 2 f a 5 ?r f S-^ S g %,% a g^ili i^f! r.'si-9-i 3 3 LJ"8 3 gjj s^ «S aio' - ^g- «'-»»<© a-' 5- 3 -a, § -9 3 3-. ^-8. § f n J> "^ o ::♦ -tj 3 ^ O. or 2 p e a fs» » '•'Q^ n 3 Irs"! is,t^-s 8^ S* B'-.v^ Plate II. Caxton's Hand-bill Advertisement, ante 1480. The firft "broadfide" printed in England. From the copy in Bodley's Library at Oxford. {Douce fragments.) Of this interefting relic a fecond copy is in the poffeffion of Earl Spencer. The advertifement refers to an Ordinate of the Church of Salifbury, printed in the fame type ; a colleftion of rules to fhow how to determine the celebration of more than one office on the fame day, ad ufum Sarum. Thefe colle6lions were called "pyes" — ^the "pye" of two commemorations governed the moveable feaft of Eafter, which ruled Whitfuntide ; and the "pye" of three commemorations included the offices for Eafter, Whitfuntide, and Trinity. This advertifement has been already treated of in the Memoir, q.v. 3IC it pfell^ on^ man (pirttuet 0^ tmip:el to b^ie on^ ppt^ oitm anD ti^ comemomciod of QiiCbmi mH \m ^d anD tml^ cortect/late ifpm tatm to v^eGmo; nefto: in to tl^ almontfr^e at <|e teeti {lale and l^e (|^al l^aitt timt goon d^ .%^ SiifpliaiQettciiida Plates III., IV., V., VI., VII., VIII. The Epilogue to the firfl edition of the " Diftes or fayengis of the phllofophres," 1477. From the copy in the Britifh Mufeum. [C. 21. d.] That the i8th of November is the real date of the Caxton anniverfary is fhown by the unique colophon to Earl Spencer's copy of the firfl edition — this diftinftion is as follows : Cl^ujs entietl^ tl^ijs boofi of tl^e Drfte^ anD notable loovtt far* enges! of ti^e pj^^lofopi^erjs late tranflateD antj Dratnen out of frenfte into om engliffl)e tonge hv mv forfaine loru Cl^erle of as^nerjs ann lorD ^fealegi ►* anu b^ l)v$ coman* Dement fette in forme anD empr^nten in tl^ijS manere a0 re mare j^ere in t^i^ boofie fee mT^icJ^ t»ajs frnifdjeti ti^e* X^m * tiar of tl^e monet]^ of l^ouembte *i*^ tl^e feuententl^ pere of ti^e regne of 6png ^DtoarD tl^f^ fonrtl^ »i< This book, which has been adopted as marking the introduftion of print- ing into England, is a volume of feventy-five leaves, feventy-two of which are occupied by Anthony Wydevile's tranflation. The laft fix pages, here re-produced, are from Caxton's own hand. •^•^■f'^'1 P^ ? of ^^ p§t05(of 5§te« mptjneeb? /6g me tBi^wMji ^^^^ ^ €a|p6ot) a( tBepttwptc ^ gm of owt fetb^ *^* ;t^ ^rgnct of tBal^cj QTwb? J^ fe fo ^M ci( fuc^e £gme a« ^ ^ab^ a(gffl|i^ ^5*» fagb? ^e;tKe/t^ Kfeb? §tnj fe fen» t^^ me m; mia^t) <\ua^txi$ 6> oue^tfee/JBptc^e ^;tf ^iBt^l^ J (^^ g fon» ^?j*m; mang ga^+nofex^f^+anb %(« fagwgte of ify, p^K)fcp^e (2tco;t^jng^ 15n6> ^5^ footed ma(« w^ fwnf?^ t8§tc5e ^ 5ftt>? ofee afbte wt>b2/^w^ ce;tftignCg J ftn^fcej^noneiijimjKdlJ tiC (?«( ^gme/ (^nb? fo af ft;t^ajj;b? J <^V) ^^^ ***? f*^ fo^b? g^rb? ^iw) 9^55 JH? teb2 g feet) |w« &o6 / t^nb? !^^ ^ ^ Tot) tt mea6>*g »» ty (^^ Exflbut of t^^nfid^ dot) i^f n) ^ owr cttgKffl^ ^gC/JB^^wji ?K?»b? »fcmb? a (tngu^ fe^» g ^^ ^n^ ^t/tt^tte mj ^^^ ^sib? ecpteb^ we (o oue;tfee t( anb? tB^eoe a^ ^ fi^f^ fgnoc^ute 6> eot; t:ef9ip^ftx^ ^[couoe not amen^ i^/^ue tf J ffy^^ |o paf^me J mig^^ apjiite i^/^o* i^ tSad W3§^ ISkt g coniwcjwfg ma^ j ^mnffeftb? in^ tij^^ 500b? anb? f^gr CttgKp/lttoi^Bi^^pontJgng 5^ 1KiReb2 me h oue^fce i^ ^ fl^^Stb? me ^gueita ^5»rtS^« ^?^ dje a« ^tnj (emeb? mgg^ fe &f ^ ou^ ac» ^iwe*(e ^ttt«0 imf pue» (cn^ f«0M; Q^fan^* 6> b»n9 anb? aapo^fe g e<§e 6) o^^ttBpi^e 6ft«e« Sew fi^gf a^er^nm^ Snfc fe We« fooSc It) enfant +Q?nt)2 4"^ ^^K***S ^^ txejuep an^ (o watm^mcK^ ^ poiue pu^ me n) '^uogt ^ ouetfce ^^i& 5g« fftgb^ 6006 m^ ftfofcei) a« ngg^^acj J cdu» ^Ke J^ accc* no^^gng^ "^^fcc^i^m^ ^xh) + ^auf omfg it} i^ '^gie^ anb2 (c^g»t05^« of ^oa;ate«^t)Opetnj J fgn» t) ^ri) * ne tB^^ ^i^ meugt)? ^gn) fo 6> ^ gte M^i tttttfc 9t ^X)?» a^ i^^ i^mt * <§ut J fttjpofe i^ft^ ^rt) f^gt K:i^^ ^(^ *P«^ ^H»l> ^ ftw^ «^ oue of ^ie» fooflc ©It eK!g« 5^ ^«« ametoucj ot) ^mme no$^ Exbg + fbt.fi5§o«5 &ue ^ tBoCb? noe fcfte g( «) §^6 foog + <« c0P|^« for ^^ fc «l> a^«|^oj)+0>ue anb? goob? JB^tte (^ ^ ^(0 15nfe affie Ext>ge« ant^ (^^ (o(^ +^n6? tBwee of JSomet) mow i^t) ixoui^^ JS§gc5e 3 «i9 noi i^Mt ifyi fo ^t^t amat) g (0 noSfe a C|)%fo(o|)§tje acj ^oaa6e« tSae^f^ftj^ tBtgfe 0^^ %fc i^t} itOiU^ + ^or 3f ^ ?^b? ma^ fd^tt n} ffitgting^ <>f tBornei; * 1^^ oua;^^ no^ ne f^b? no( 0e fefeugbj % %« 0^ (^r t^p (aptn^ec + ^ui J appfcrcegue i^t mg fagb2fe*b;> ^notBe(0 !&l^fg^e (oc^e '^ef^uftc 8:1) «o^ 5ftb? ne fbtmOft; h^ ^^ tSomet) ^xt) anb? "^i^effgng^ «l #^ fc par^^ec ne ieggone of ^ tBozfb^ * ^^<*^^ ^^^ ^ (Bix^e fopeti tt; a fcwe 0w<»4fy tSomet) of i^iwc?j?n5 tSomct) ^u^ fb^ a$ moc^e a€> ^ ^cib^ eonta^mi^ of mg fa|3b2 fc^bj 0^^* fgnoe J none (auf (^^^ 5<^ ^(0 ^ff ou^ (^fe t>t(^« g (a^ngecj of t^ tIBomet) of o^«/ ;J f u«:pf« 6) ISt^te ^^^ fame fagngee of ifyi 0\x^t ^ocmfeg /tS^tc^e tBwte of ^^ tBomct) of gtca ant)? no^gng^ of f pirt) of ^^i« ^ogame /tB^w) jf fu^ pfc fe ncuet i^neiS^/ J=o* if ?& 9*^ 3 ^* pRiiinP^ (age ^^^ ^5 ^oCbp gaue refcweb? f ^n) me^eaaf n) §tcj (agb? t>i(^e« ^WBag no( jKcfumgng 6) pu^ ^ fette ^^nj it; mg (a^ ^ ^^ fooS/0u^ me?tn» apr^ tt; ^^ te^*(agf of ify, voMi9 ^wmSFv tie(nttt|^n5^ af (^m) f ^^ f?ftf tc5e ^^te ej^^gf wj^r ^^^ ^^i gf ^^g l^n^ ong frttuf ^ tatsc^ ii io 0ocmft« antg no^ ^ me SB^d^e IBtgtef? a« ^tx af eetf foPoSBe^^ ^^ ^^ ^ttatiee fag^ C?a( tBomei) &ij (^^pawgfiPe^ 65 ^■fi^ ooi;ct5emet)/0wH^g6tSenone6wH5en)(^ffiif -^» — ^ & pwe/os: efc (few) (?»( SnoSe Ipett) no^C^nfe? $r fag^ (^( (^;i; lenone (0 o;t»^ em^fl^men^ $n^ amat) e^te fi^te/of tBpon) 5? fate 4^ ^^ ?oteet ft*tc ^^ eoC^w CTQttttj? ^ faiBe a tBomatj fe6(i^cf tS^nj ^Jogb) ^^^5r fo*g ant>? angifg $tmufe i^ ^j*^Sa^ me muWfjKetj? oigC 55pt) cugf Cf^nb? ^f (a^t)? ifyki i^ Jgwotsottmce cf a mat) is gno^^jj hj (^tt (^mge© C^^ t6 65 tBe^ /lX)5rti) ^ ^(^ no ^^U5§( 6> 15fc teafot) *tt)^t) ^ wt) not tefmgn^ ^p« couctifc® / Q^nbj tB?(Xt) ^ i« gouetneb? 6g ^5^ to nctpj ^ of 5Bome»j )i) ^9*^ 1^ Eno^et? t?(xt% 6notBe not CT^nb? ^i fa^b2 %to §g« ^j^fcj^plkJ '^gtte ge t^ftt ;} mfejgne anb^ te(^e gou /^ffie ge f5(xf mo ^ tfcai(A fton) aSPe otg^ /Q?nbp t?^p anfuwbj/gc/ (^nb? t^ewte ift faipx ^ t^cn) / Jf oif t5?cit [om€u«« 4^3? ^^^ ^^ 6?^^^^ gou anbp 65 tBe£ Saa* t^t ge o6jge not to tBomtt) TX)^ anfit^tb? 6> ^gn) agagt) * ^nb? tS^t fag^P t^ouPg out (joobp rno^x^ g of our jS4pe;t«/1§c (ag^ to ^/^ufp fc gou/tBtt^ tfetjj §ftuc (agb? to gou^ Jot affie G^t) fcmBfo We tt; maKa CT^nb? ^ fag^/ S^ fomcuer tBgfl^ acquete anb? gcte (cgmct/KJite 5g»>) neuer |)wt ^gM) m t^e gouetnaS « of a tSomcii) Cf^nb? ?2 f^^e a ffiomai^ t^i ma?* ^t ftep ctnb? a;age* to tB^n) ^ fagb? /C^u tefcmSap t^ f gtc/ Jo* i$ mow tgooe i« (^gb? to tfefgte t^ mote IBoft tt 6termfc/^nb? t^e Rafter ic t^ ^^ C^nb? oj) a tgme one o^gb? 5gn) / »^t ^gnj fem^b? of t»omet)*^e cinpte*> t;9«t t§j SBomei) tefcmjfe 5n6) a 'tw cttffeb? <^^^ ^ui tBg^^nj i( g» fu0 of &Mgn)f C^nb? i^^ (agb? ^ 5p«)f anb^ ^man^b^ tB^tfbte ^ BWmeb^ |o tBome»j/ant>? (^ ^ §gn) fcCf ^b2 no( eomtt) m6) ^^g« tBojCb? nfe none o^pjt tne»j aifo tB^^^owte ^^n) +1ge anfuetb? + CJeSBomat) g« Ci^e 1Bn6) a Ctt nam^b^ C^flfo^gne^ ^ oi) tB^gc^e ^tc tt an^ p^che^n) i^it afl)toc5c ^n65 ^g^ + Q^nb? ge( ne ufcti^^^fjfe (^^ ^me ^tc Bwngi^? fbt^l^ cjoob? ^(e«5 anb2 5Bom6)^ + (^nb? ?i an(u«tb?^.^oif afmot^e a^ J ( ce^fe n) f C^e anbj 6fc^^« ^^ goob^ ^an^ (omcnC|^ ^ cug^ C^nb a Soma*) fag^ 6> ^j^ii) *^iU i^u ^ue ong of p^r womaj) ^t) m6 Qtnb? 5^ anfttwse 6) 6^;^ Q|tr6t nof ^^u af?(xmcb^ ^ffte (^g fcff ^ 5gii) +f^(»man»^5 nc^^pce^^^^ no^ •———-' ?gfo(op5 I f /te ^ooiafeg tB^ic^e 5? tBtott «) §i« foog / Qitnb? ^^M-M. ctrijtgnCg 5^ tBwte no iSozfc ^^ afbte i« xt^\z\> (^f(^ for afmoc^e a« %i i» acot^2^^i?a^ ^ics '^gct^c an'ti (agm^tg f^ft)? 6e 5«b? aei tBcC a(5 o%« ^5eif««^ 3 N^ f*^ te f( ji) (§m^ of ^^te foo^e /(^nb? af fS (omme jjfoncfij fti: auen^we ^^^ ^wc wb? (?te foo^Crt) ftenff^f tSofb? ^ue atefte a gwfte ^f&itfte h^ mc i^:( 3 ^b? ^^^ ^ *^S ^"^^ 19 5iptt«3; g ott^itfcegng of m^ fi);t^c foo^ acoji^^mg ^ ^te ^pt/Qli^nb? ^mnte of^^ij af (0 ^fljeCg tm's?^ ^ue (ttfofcb? iW ^ (a^e ^?k Ruft^ut of ^^nptj^tttgng n) gte P^dft^Si ^f ^^ ^^ ^^^ contman^men^ / '^i) tS§j tge j[ att^ fctm^i? fo ^ to fb« f^ 500b? tx5Ba*b? ^5a^ J ^^ u^ teffegw^tJ? of §i« fagt)? Fo*^fl5 ^"^H J ^f*^^ ^^f pfiftoi) n; 4<« ^<»i^y^n^ af ^* %^ fgf ^ C^we eueit^ Plate IX. The Wood-cut of the Crucifixion, frontispiece to the " Fifteen O's and othec prayers." From the unique copy in the Britifh Mufeum, 1490-91. [C. 25. c.J The Fifteen O's probably formed a fupplement to an edition of the Primer or Book of Hours, now loft. In the fac-fimile upon the oppofite page, the borders round the wood-cut in the original have been omitted as detra6ling greatly from the artiftic merit of the reprefentation. It is regarded as the moft confiderable wood-cut printed in England, ante 1500, and has been highly praifed by Dr. Dibdin, and by Chatto and Jackfon in their Treatife on Wood Engraving, 1838, fecond edition, 1861. The defign is undoubtedly admirable. Before the acquifition of the copy of the Fifteen O's by the Britifh Mufeum in 1851, the wood-cut had been fuppofed to firft appear at the end of Wynkyn de Worde's edition of the " Golden Legend," 1493, and this printer received great credit for it until its earlier ufe by his mafter was revealed. li^^MhS ItHRil Plate X. Copy of the drawing contained in the MS. of the " Diftes " preferved in the Archiepifcopal Library at Lambeth. The MS. is a fmall vellum folio, ff. 107, and is numbered 265. The prefent lithograph is taken from " Regal and Ecclefiaftical Antiquities of England," by Jofeph Strutt, firft edition, 1773, plate 47. Confiderable obfcurity hangs over the " head " of Caxton. A portrait of Burchiello, an Italian poet, from his work on Tufcan poetry, 1554, was inaccurately copied by the famous engraver, Faithorne, for Sir Hans Sloane, as the portrait of Caxton. The Rev. John Lewis improved upon this by adding flowing ringlets, and a thick beard to Burchiello's chin ; and the transformed Italian poet made his appearance in 1737 as frontifpiece to Lewis's life of our printer. This fame portrait again ferved for the Memoir by Ames and Herbert. The "figure in black," in the defaced vignette of the Lambeth MS. alone has any claim to be confidered an authentic portrait of Caxton, and this claim it is propofed fhortly to confider. Dr. Dibdin, in his " Life," pronounces againft it, without giving any very cogent reafons for his objection; and Mr. Blades fays that "unfortunately the figure is evidently an ecclefiaftic as fhown by his tonfure " — but that is by no means certain. We muft remember, that in 1477 Caxton was nearly fixty years of age, and, not improbably or unnaturally, had loft his hair from the fcalp ; the fcanty locks remaining are certainly not of a formal monkifli cut — that may be obferved of the figure at the back of the throne on the King's right hand ; all the figures in the pi6lure, whofe heads are uncovered, have the hair cut ftraight across the forehead as was the fafhion of the time, and Caxton has, with regard to his age, a goodly crop. The black gown is not neceffarily ecclefiaftical, and further- more, the garment is edged about with fur, which hardly points to a monaftic frock — indeed it much more refembles a civic gown. The famous antiquary, Strutt, (no mean authority) himfelf expreffly fays that he has done " the utmoft in his power to render his work a perfeft copy of the original," and it is tolerably certain that Strutt, who was hourly dealing with the viinutics of coftume, would immediately have obferved that the figure in black had been intended for an ecclefiaftic — yet he fays nothing to warrant the affump- tion — but on the contrary, he thus defcribes the vignette : " The king, queen, "and figure with a cap, are in blue and ermin, gold crowns, fcepters &c., the "prince, and the figure neXt the king are in red, the earl's coat as it is blazoned, "with blue legs. Caxton is in black; the figures behind are in pink, the throne, " arras, and carpet, are red and gold, floor green, walls lead colour, cieling blue " and gold fpots, the book is pink and gold leaves." A copy of the drawing, engraved by Grignon, forms the frontifpiece to the firft; volume of Horace Walpole's " Royal and Noble Authors," Strawberry Hill, 1758, two vols., 8vo; and beneath the engraving is an infcription in which the vignette is defcribed as follows: " Earl Rivers prefenting his Book and " Caxton his Printer to Edw. 4., the Queen and Prince. . . The Portrait of the " Prince (afterw"*' Edw. 5. is the only one known, & has been engraved by Vertue "among the Heads of the Kings. The Perfon in a Cap and Robe of State is "probably Richard D. of Gloucefter, as he refembles the King, and as Clarence " was always too great an Enemy of the Queen to be diftinguifhed by her Brother. " The Book was Printed in 1477 when Clarence was in Ireland, and in the " beginning of the next year he was murdered." The teftimony of Strutt, though fubfequent to that of Lord Orford, is to be regarded as more valuable, but the chief evidence in favour of the authenticity of the portrait, may be adduced from the manufcript itfelf. It is conjeftured that the kneeling figure by the fide of, the Earl (who is fully identified by the coat armour he is wearing) is that of " Haywarde," whofe name appears as the fcribe at the end of the MS.\ and the date of tranfcription is alfo given, December 29/^, 1477, or about fix weeks after the appearance of the p7'inted book. Had the MS. been a hundred times more magnificent than it is, it would have "paled its inefieftual fire" before the glory of The First Book Printed in England, pro- duced under the aufpices of the illuflrious Anthony, Earl Rivers, the brother of the Queen, and governor of the Prince of Wales ; who was inferior to none of that dark time in learning and politenefs — brave as any who followed the fortunes of the Rofes — a Knight of the Garter, and diftinguiflied as a warrior and a flatefman, and who performed a graceful a6l in prefenting his book and his printer to the King, of which event the fubfequent ornamented tranfcript and commemorative vignette is a memorial ?