The Eneydos is not, as might be expected from the name, a translation of Virgil's Aeneid, but is more in the nature of a romance founded upon it. Caxton's version was translated from "a lytyl booke in frenshe, named Eneydos," probably the work called Le Livre des Eneydes, printed at Lyons in 1483 by G. le Roy. The most interesting part of the work is the prologue, for in it Caxton sets out at length his views and opinions on the English language, its changes and dialects. He notes that it was rapidly altering. "And certaynly our langage now used varyeth ferre from that whiche was used and spoken when I was borne." While some were anxious to preserve the old style, others were equally wishful to introduce the new. "And thus bytwene playn rude and curious I stande abasshed, but in my judgemente the comyn termes that be dayli used ben lyghter to be understonde than the olde and auncyent englysshe."
In order to make the style as good as possible, Caxton obtained the assistance of John Skelton, lately created a "poeta laureatus" at Oxford, who revised the work for the press.
A second edition of the Speculum Vitae Christi and the Liber Festivalis belong probably to 1490. The latter book is not a reprint of the first edition, but another version, and is reprinted from the Oxford edition of 1486.
The last five books printed by Caxton are theological or liturgical. The Ars Moriendi, a unique little quarto of eight leaves, was discovered in a volume of early tracts in the Bodleian by Henry Bradshaw, and is described by Blades in the second edition of his book. He there states that no other edition in any language is known; but it was certainly reprinted by Wynkyn de Worde. The Fifteen Oes, a little quarto containing fifteen prayers, each commencing with O, is known from a unique copy in the British Museum. The book was no doubt intended as a supplement to the Sarum Book of Hours, but no edition agreeing with it typographically is known. It differs from all other of Caxton's books in having wood-cut borders round each page of text. It also contains a beautiful wood-cut of the Crucifixion, one of a series intended for a Book of Hours. No doubt Caxton possessed the set, and we find it later on in the hands of Wynkyn de Worde.
The Servitium de Transfiguratione Jesu Christi and the Commemoratio lamentationis Beatae Mariae Virginis are special issues of new services to be incorporated into the Breviary. The first contains 10 leaves, and is one of the very few books in which Caxton introduced printing in red. The only copy known, bound up with a unique tract printed by Pynson, and some foreign books, was formerly in the Congregational Library, London, but was purchased by the British Museum in 1862 for £200. The Commemoratio, a quarto of 34 leaves, is known only from the unique copy, wanting two leaves, presented to the University of Ghent by the learned librarian, Dr. Ferdinand Vander Haeghen. This little book was purchased for a trifle at a sale in Ghent and remained unrecognized for many years, until M. Campbell of The Hague identified it as a production of Caxton's press.
The book generally considered to have been the last printed by Caxton consists of three treatises printed with separate signatures. These are the Orologium Sapientiae, the Twelve profits of Tribulation, and the Rule of St. Benet.
SERVITIUM DE TRANSFIGURATIONE JESU CHRISTI
(see page [78])]