PLATE VIII. Imitation. LES QUATRE DERRENIERES CHOSES. [British Museum.] Without date. Recto of 5th printed leaf. Shows the same peculiarity in the use of red ink as is found in "Bocce" and other carly books from the Press of Colard Mansion. Cy commona la premiere partie do quatre dernieres choses qui sont a aduenir ÷ A premiere partie æs quatæ æræmieres cho / fee Dont la memoire Retrait komme æs P / chiez æft la mort present ou &mporelle,Œt pour & dift samt Bernard ou miwir æs moy nes La fouuerame philosophie est tousiours penser a la mozt .Œt lomme qui le porte auec luy en quelque lieu quil yra Il ne pechera Jamaiz. Jem samt augusti dift a son liure as exhortations Jl nest Biens qui amfi euoc que lomme as pechiez comme fait souumé penser a la mort Ceres æft alle qui fait lomme foy humilier / mesprifier toutes choses & entreprendre penitenc Comment memoire & la mort fait lomme for humilier Edis concques que la recordation & la mort fait i Comme sop Humilier Et pour & dift faint augu stiy ou liuœ de nostœseigneur que lomme se con gnoiffe eftæ mozel Il oftera a soy toutes manieœs dz gueil. En krit toutes noz autres choses tant Bonnes que mauuaises font Incertaines maiz la feulle most no9 eft artame. Et Jasoit a que kure & son @duenement nous soit muffice & Inærtame, car elle nant &ndra tâ tost & ne taræra point. Et a & propos dist kælefiafte o fon quatorziefme chapitre Sopes remenbrant que la mort ne taræ pomt Il est aussi escript en thoßie que la mozt se Pl. VIII. CHAPTER V. WHO TAUGHT CAXTON TO PRINT? On certain Books generally attributed to Caxton before his Settlement at Westminster— V ERY vague and contradictory are the opinions of bibliographers on the typographical productions attributable to Caxton before his return to England; and the difficulty has increased, as, time after time, fresh specimens have been discovered. The list, which a typical examination of the books in the libraries of Holland and Belgium would probably still further augment, now includes seven books in two sorts of type, viz.:— IN TYPE No. 1. 1. The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye. Folio. Translated by Caxton in 1471, but without Place or Date of Printing. This will be quoted for shortness as "The Recuyell." 2. The Game and Playe of the Chesse. Folio. First Edition. Finished 31st March, 1474. Without Place of Printing. Short title, "The Chess-Book." 3. Le Recueil des Histoires de Troye. Folio. Compiled in 1464, but without Printer's Name, Place, or Date. Short Title, "Le Recueil." 4. Les Fais du Jason. Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. 5. Meditacions sur les Sept Pseaulmes Penitenciaulx. Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. Short Title, "Meditacions." IN TYPE No. 2. 6. Propositio clarissimi Oratoris Johannis Russell. Consisting of Four Quarto leaves. Sine ullâ notâ. Short Title, "Propositio." 7. Les quatre derrenieres choses qui sont advenir. Folio. Sine ullâ notâ. Short Title," Les 4tre derrenieres choses." A.D. 1470-75. A.D. 1470-75. by John Lewis, gate, 8vo, London, 1737. Typographical Anti Ames, 4to, London, 1749. quities,augmented bert, 3 vols, 4to, Of these productions, "The Recuyell" alone has been by general conThe Life of Mayster sent ascribed to Caxton while abroad. Lewis was only acquainted with Wyllyam Caxton, "The Recuyell" and "Chess-Book," the latter of which he presumes to Minister of Mer- have been the first book printed in England, an opinion adopted by Ames and Herbert. To these two books Ames added "Le Recueil," giving it quities, by Joseph the foremost place in his list, but was doubtful about attributing it to Caxton. Dibdin, supported by the opinion of Bryant, believed all three Typographical Anti- to have been produced by Caxton, at Cologne, and even adds a fourth, by William Her- "Propositio clarissimi Johannis Russell," in Type No. 2, which he London, 1785-90. imagines to have been also by Caxton, before his return to England, quities, enlarged though he refrains from venturing an opinion as to the place of printing. by T. F. Dibdin, To these M. Van Praet (and several Continental bibliographers) added "Les Fais du Jason," ascribing all to Caxton, at Cologne; in which Mansion, &c. p. 79. opinion, so far as the place of printing is concerned, he is supported by the latest writer on the subject, M. Bernard, who has thrown so much light on the early history of printing. The list was completed, so far as known at present, when Mr. J. Winter Jones discovered, about ten years ago, in the British Museum, "Meditacions," and "Les 4tre derrenieres choses." Typographical Anti 4 vols, 4to, London, 1810-19. Notice sur Colard De l'Origine de l'Imprimerie, &c. vol. II, page 202. See an Account of, in Archæologia, vol. xxxi, p. 412. The Recuyell. Prol. to book I. Epil. to book II. We have now to consider the proofs of printer's name, place, and date, afforded by these seven books. The evidence adduced will be,—First, that derived from the prologues, epilogues, and colophons, attached to some of the books; and, secondly, that obtained by a minute examination of the peculiarities of workmanship and arrangement. I. Of the seven books above enumerated, only three afford, by prologue or epilogue, any information as to their origin. "THE RECUYELL" has curious and interesting gossip from Caxton's own pen, from which we learn that the translation was finished at the Epil. to book III. command of the Duchess of Burgundy, whose servant Caxton then was; that it was begun at Bruges on March 1st, 1468, or, as we now should reckon 1469,* was carried on at Ghent, and finished at Cologne on 19th September, 1471, making a period of two and a half years; that, on the completion of the whole, he presented a copy to the Duchess, who largely rewarded him; that many persons desired copies also, but that, finding the labour of writing too wearisome for him, and not expeditious enough. for his friends, he had practised and learnt, at his great charge and *The year at that time, in Flanders, was reckoned from Easter, which, in 1469, did not happen till April 2nd. |