The two extremely rare tracts here given have been reprinted by Prof. Arber in his “English Garner,” if we can call reprinting the issuing of a pamphlet not only with the spelling entirely modernised, but also with words and phrases inserted or inverted to suit the Editor’s taste. In the “Tryumphe at Caleys” Mr Arber has issued the Second Edition, giving us no particulars whatever as to the First. In the list of the noblemen of France, Mr Arber modernises the names and yet gives us a Cardinal Gramond, being evidently unaware of the existence of the noble family of de Grammont, and he equally fails to recognise in the Comte de Tonnore, the celebrated Armand, Comte de Tonnerre. Anne de Montmerancy remains for him an unknown actor on the brilliant stage, and yet, surely, the name of the Montmorency must have reached his ears.
I have here given an absolute reprint of the first edition and have noted at the foot of each page any variations in the readings which occur in the second. Both Editions were printed by Wynkyn de Worde, probably about November, 1532. The collation according to the copies in the British Museum (c. 21, b. 20) is as follows. It is a black letter, unpaged tract of four leaves. Page 1 contains the title, with a woodcut of Henry VIII. on horseback, with two attendants.[1] Page 2 is blank in the First Edition but contains a list of the noblemen of France in the second. Then come five pages of text in the First Edition, followed by page 8 blank, whilst the Second Edition has six pages of text. The second tract, “The Cornacyon of Quene Anne,” was printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1533. I trust the few notes I have added, either for the purpose of explaining obsolete words or to give a slight clue to the identity of the more important persons mentioned, may prove of use to the student.
EDMUND GOLDSMID.
Edinburgh, Nov. 15th, 1884.
