tion of printing. Besides, the fifteenth cen tury was peculiarly barren of good writers, particularly of history. Yet, even in that age, there were authors in manuscript (though Caxton was not so fortunate as to get access to them, nor even knew of their existence,) from whom might have been derived far more ample documents. Such are Froissard; R. Avesbury; Tit. Livius; T. de la More; J. Rosse; H. Knyghton; J. Walsingham; J. Wetheram; J. Otterborne; &c. &c. By the invention of printing, these authors are become more extensively known than at the time of their writing.

What Caxton says of Trevisa's Translation is remarkable. In the course of a hundred and wenty years, the time which had elapsed between that translation and its being printed by him, it appears that the language had undergone such alterations, that many words used by Trevisa had ceased to be employed, and even to be understood. This great change, was especially promoted by the renowned poets Chaucer and Gower, to whom the early improvement of our language is chiefly to be attributed.

Caxton, however, did not escape censure for

changing what he deemed the obsolete language: for says he:

"Some gentlemen blamed me, saying, that in my translations, I have over-curious terms, which could not be understand of common people, and desired me to use old and homely terms in my translations. As I fain would satisfy every man, so to do, I took an old book and read therein; but certainly the English was so rude and broad, that I could not well understand it. Also, the Lord Abbot of Westminster did do shew to me late certain evi dences written in old English, for to reduce it into our English then used; but it was written in such wise, that it was more like to Dutch than English; so that I could not reduce, ne bring it to be understonden. And certainly, our language now used, varyeth far from that which was spoken, when I was born; for we Englishmen ben born under the domination of the moon, which is never stedfast, but ever wavering; waxing one season, and waneth and decreaseth another season. And common English that is spoken in one shire, varyeth from another."

As a confirmation of this last assertion, he tells the following story:

"In my days (says he) happened, that cer

tain merchants were in a ship in Tamyse1, for to have sailed over the sea into Zealand; and for lack of wind, they tarried at Foreland, and went to land for to refresh them. And one of them, named Sheffelde, a mercer, came into an house, and axed for meat, and specially he axed for eggs. And the good wife answered that she could speak no French. And the merchant was angry, for he could speak no French, but would have had eggs, and she understood him not. And then, at last, another said that he would have eyren. Then, the good wife said, that she understood him well."

On this Caxton exclaims:

"Lo! what should a man in these days now write eggs or eyren, certainly it is hard to please every, man, because of diversity and change of language: for in these days, every man that is in any reputation in his country, will utter his communication and matters, in such manners and terms, that few men shall understand · them."

Again he informs us, "That some honest and great clerks had been with him, and desired him to write the most curious terms that he could find. And thus (says he) between plain,

1 Thames.

rude, and curious, I stand abashed. But, in my judgment, the common terms that be daily used ben lighter1 to be understand than the old and ancient English."

He therefore concluded, " for a mean between both; and to reduce and translate into our English, not over rude ne curious, but in such terms as should be understood, by God's grace, according to his copy."

Caxton introduces his own performance with a short prologue. Incipit liber ultimus.

"Thence following this fore written book of Polychronicon, I have emprized to ordain this new book, by the sufferance of Almighty God, to continue the said work briefly; and to set in historical things such as I have can get, from the time that he left, that was in the year of our Lord one thousand three hundred and seven and fifty, unto the year of our said Lord, a thousand four hundred and sixty, and to the first year of the reign of king Edward IV."

This additional book consists of thirty-three chapters, and concludes thus:" And here I make an end of this little work, as nigh as I can find, after the form of the work tofore made by Ranulph, monk of Chester. And whereas there

I easier.

is fault, I beseech them that shall read it, to correct it for if I could have found more stories, I would have set in it more; but the substance that I can find and know, I have shortly set hem in this book, to the intent, such things as have been done syth the death, or end of the said book of Polychronicon, should be had in remembrance, and not put in oblivion, ne forgetting; praying all them that shall see this simple work to pardon me of my simple and rude writing. Ended the second day of July, the 22d year of the reign of king Edward IV. and of the incarnation of our Lord a thousand four hundred four score and twain. Finished by Caxton."

Higden had filled his margins with chronological tables, in double and triple columns. These were probably omitted in the copy which Caxton followed, as they were left unprinted by him. In some of the printed copies, therefore, those tables are found written throughout with red ink, perhaps with his own hand.

Wynkin de Worde, in his edition of the English Polychronicon, in 1495, says, that in imitation of his master Caxton, "He had added such stories as he could find, from the end that Ranulph finished his book, which was in 1357,