FIFTEENTH CENTURY.
181
This volume is divided into four books, con- taining 72 heads. Mr. Dibdin bavintr never seen a printed French edition of it before the publication of Caxton's, therefore conjectures that our typographer made his translation from a mannscnpt. It was held in great esteem by Poraius of Florence.
ParvH* Chato (Cato) Euplicit Chato. With- out printer's name or date; but evidently the production of Caxton's press. Folio.
This may be considered as a supplement to the foregoing; it was originally written by Daniel Churche (or Ecclesiensis), a domestic in the court of Henry II. about 1180, and trans- lated by De Burgh. It closes with the follow- ing veise —
BehoUe my mabtre this litd tretiae,
WUche to foil of wit and mpience. Batane the tbls matera tacoofflplice,
Theiike bit is tnnalated at your rererence j EnroDe hit therefbre in yoor advertance.
And desire for to knowe wliat Cathon mentc. Whra ye it rede let not your heit be thense.
Bat doth as tliis saith with al your hole entente.
Mr. Dibdin says it contains twenty-six un- numbered pages; Mr. Ames states twenty- seven.
1484. Printing introduced into the following places in the course of this year : — Soncino, by Joshua Salamon and partners. The honour of the first Hebrew editions is due to the Italians; these were executed about the same time as the Greek, at Soncino, a little city in the duchy of Milan, under the direction of two Jewish rabbins, Joshua and Moses ; they are dated in the year of the world 6244, which agrees with 1484 of the Christian era. Bois-le-duc, by G. L. de Noviomago. Winterperg (or Winterberg) by John Alacraw. Chamberri, by Anthony Neyret Breand-Loudehac(orLoudeac)byR.Fouquet. Rennes, by Pierre Belleesculee and Josses. Sienna, by Henry de Colonia. Novi, bv Nicol Girardengus. 1484. 'fhis year Caxton printed the following four books : — 1484, Jtate 1. 2%e Knyght of the Toure. Folio. Caxton's prologue affords no bad specimen of hb courteousness towards the fair sex, from which the following is an extract : —
" In the yere of our Lord a m. 3 c. 71, as I was in a garden, under a shaddow, as it were in thyssue of Aprylle, all mooming and peusyf, but a lytel I rejoysed me in the sowne and songe of the fowles sauvage, whiche sonee, in theyr Ian- gage, as the merle, the manys, the thnistell, and the nyghtyngale, whiche were gay and lusty ; this swete songe enlustyed me, and made myn herte all temoye, Stc."
Mr. Dibdin informs us, that this work derived its title from the name of the author, De la Tour Laundry ; and seems to have been printed from a manuscript of the fourteenth century, written in 1371.
1484, March 24. The tubtyl hittorytt and of Eiope. FaUie. Folio. Mr. Dibdin, who has seen and examined
more early editions of iEsop, in different lan- guages, tnan most people, considers Caxton's edition, on the whole, as the rarest of all those in the fifteenth century. His Majesty's copy of it, he adds, is the only perfect one known.
On the first leaf is a wood-cut of £sop, sur- rounded with birds and beasts. It commences with his life, in which we are informed, that he was born in Greece, in a town named Amones, not far from Troy ; that he was much deformed, having " a great head, large visage, long jaws, sharp eyes, a short neck, curi-backed, great belly, great legs, and large feet ; and yet that which he was worse, he was dumb and could not speak ; but notwithstanding all this, he had a great wit and was greatly ingenious; subtle in cavillations, and joyous in words."
Then follows his life, fortune, and death,* to which is prefixed a cut of him, his master, and the two servants that had stolen the figs.
This volume contains 142 leaves, which are numbered, but there are no catchwords.
1484. The Book of the Ordre of Chyvalry, or Knyghthode. No printer's name or date, but un- doubtedly the production of Caxton's press ; and supposed to have been printed in this year. Folio.
In the Order of Chivalry, which he translated out of French, he gives a curious picture of the manners of his age ; and at the same time la- ments, in strong and feeling language, the de- cline of chivalry : "0! ye knights of England, where is the custom and usage of noble chivalry that was used in those days. What do you now, but go to the tbaynes (bas), and play ath dyse; and some, not well advysed, use not honest and good rule again all order of knight- hode. Leve this — leve it ! and read the noble volumes of St. Graal, of Lancelot, of Galaad, of Trystram, of Perseforest, of Percival, of Ga- vaine, and many more. There shall ye see manhode, curtsys, and gentleness. And look in latter days of the noble actes sith the Conquest; as in King Richard dayes, Cuer de Lion ; Ed- ward I. and III. and his noble sones; Syr Ro- bert Knowles, &c. Rede Froissart. Also, be- hold that noble and victorious King Hary the Fifthe. I would demand a question, if I should not oisplese : How many knyghtes ben ther now in England, that have th' use and th' exercise of a knyghte. That is to wit, that he knoweth his horse, and his horse him. I suppose, an a due serche sholde be made, there sholde be
• The death of .^sop, we are tidd, happened as follows : — " And as they were all come to the place for to cast down Bsop, he said to them another fkble, saying in this manner—' A man which was enamonred on his daaghter, the which by force he took and deflonred heri and the danchter said to the father, ' Ha, fkther, thon art an evil man and ont of thy wit that hast done to me such shame and nrgogue ! for rather I should have sutteicdtliis crime and loathly deed of an hundred other men than of thee, of whose blood I am made and lonned.' Semblably is of me ' for I had leave and rather I should sufffer all the peril of the world of noble men, than to be put of yon churls so TiUainously to death. But I render and yield thankings and mercy to the gods, praying to them that they panisb yon of the evU which ye have, and will do to me.' And then they cast and threw him down fTom the top of the hill to the foot of it. And thus died Esop miserably."
VjOOQ IC
