WILLIAM CAXTON, 1474(?).
Caxton, as, indeed, many of the other printers whose names are subsequently mentioned, used several devices, of which, I think, it will be sufficient to give the chief. This pioneer English printer learned his art during the years 1474-5 in the office of Colard Mansion at Bruges. Sometime about the year 1477 he established himself as a printer at Westminster, where he died in 1491. There are certain distinguishing features by which any of Caxton's works may be known, even if the colophon is lost or the book a mere fragment. His type is always Gothic or old English; he never used catchwords nor commas; and although works from the press of Lettou and Machlinia of London (1480) are exactly like Caxton's in these respects, the measurement of any given space occupied by 20 or 22 lines, according to the description of type used, varies considerably. Since 1819, some twenty hitherto unknown works by Caxton have been identified by the measurement test, for a full explanation of which the collector is referred to Blades' Life of Caxton.
Among the works printed by this great master may be mentioned the following, which have brought the prices affixed at auction, within the last few years:—
The Game and Playe of Chesse, small folio, 31st March, 1474, the first book of Caxton with a date, and a perfect copy, but wanting the two blank leaves (10⅛ in. × 7⅛; in.), old calf, £645.
Dictes and Sayinges of the Philosophers (11½ in. × 8 in.), 1477, folio, morocco extra, perfect, £650.
Higden's Discripcion of Britayne, evidently made up from two imperfect copies (11½ in. × 8 in.), morocco extra, 1480, folio, £195.
Chronicles of Englonde, 1480, folio, wanted part of the index and otherwise greatly imperfect, £67; another copy (9½ in × 7 in.), perfect, £470.
Higden's Polychronicon, 1482, 4to, a very imperfect copy, containing only 205 leaves, £31.
Ryal Book, or Book for a King, perfect, but several leaves mended (11⅛; in. × 8⅛; in.), no date (1487?), folio, £365.
The Prouffitable Boke for Mannes Soule, called The Chastysing of Goddes Children, no date, folio, quite complete; and another called The Tretyse of the Love of Jhesu Christ by Wynkyn de Worde, 1493, folio, both in one volume, £305.
Bœcius de Consolacione Philosophie, in Latin and English, a complete copy, several leaves stained (10¾ in. × 7½ in.), old calf, no date, folio, £156.
Contemporary with Caxton were the printers Lettou and Machlinia, previously mentioned, who carried on business in the city of London, where they established a press in 1480. Machlinia had previously worked under Caxton. Their productions are scarce, but not so much so as those of Caxton. An inferior copy of their Vieux Abrigement des Statutes, no date, but about 1481, folio, sold by auction in August, 1887, for £8 10s., and occasionally other and better specimens may be picked up for two or three times that amount.
WYNKYN DE WORDE, 1491.
In all probability this famous printer was one of Caxton's assistants or workmen, when the latter was living at Bruges, but without doubt he was employed in his office at Westminster until 1491, when he commenced business on his own account, having in his possession a considerable quantity of Caxton's type. Wynkyn de Worde, who was one of the founders of the Stationers' Company, died in 1534, after having printed no less than 410 books known to bibliographers, the earliest of which bearing a date is the Liber Festivalis, 4to, 1493. The whole of these works, especially when in good condition, are excessively scarce, and invariably bring high prices. A wormed copy of the Descrypcion of Englonde, Wales, and Scotlonde brought £10 at the Gibson Craig sale in July, 1887, and the Vitas Patrum, 1495, folio, £71, at the Crawford sale in the same month. Voragine's Golden Legend, printed by de Worde in 1527, brought £81 a short time ago; his Higden's Polychronicon, 1495, folio, wanting title, £16 5s.; the Nova Legenda Anglie, 1516, folio (wormed), £28; and Dame Juliana Berner's Fysyhing with an Angle, 1496, folio (frontispiece inlaid), £120.