The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1877-07-11
SOMETHING OF MlLLIAM CAxrox.

William Caxton, the first English
printer, was kentish man, born about
l412. His parents were worthy people,
and it is memorable that at a time wnen,
from political troubles and the unset
tied state OF the country, education was
elected, the parents Of Caxton reared
their son carefully. 81 am bounden,"
says he, "to pray for my tather's and
mothers souls, that in my youth sent
ance OF God, l get my living, l hope
truly" He was apprentoed to u citizen
of London, mercer, that name being
then given to designate a general mer-
chant trading III various goods.
That Caxton was diligent and faith
.ul apprentice may be inferred from the
fact that his master, William Large, in
l44l, left him in his will a legacy Of
lib IS. 3d., handsome sum III those
days. After he received this legacy he
went abroad, being probably engaged in
mercantile pursuits. He continued for
the most part in the countries Of Bra.
bant, Flanders, Holland, ana iceland,
all at this time under the dominion of
the Duke Of Burgundy, one OF the most
powerful princes OF Europe.
While CaXton's countrymen were con-
testing in the battlefield the claim OF
| the rival Houses OF York and Lancas ter,
he was exercising his acute and obsery-
ant mind, acquiring the French ana
Dutch languages, and preparing himself
by peaceful and Lhougutlul lie, for his
q eat work as benefactOr to his coun-
t,v. In 1864 he was sent on mission by
Ed ward ~, to continue and contirm
some important treaties OF commerce
with The Duke of Burgundy. The Low
countries were at that time the great
mart Of Europe, and Caxton bred to
commerce, from his experience would
be able to enter into treaties beneficial
to his own long-troubled land.
In 1450, Gutenberg, generally consid.
cred To be the first primer, entered into
partnership with Fust, a lich merchant
Of Menu, who supplied the sums neces-
sary to carry the invention into effect.
I;harles, the son and successor to the
Duke oI Burgundy, whom Caxton had
first known, married Margaret, the sis
Ter to our Edward ~, and Caxlon, who
| could scarcely have been merchant on
his own acc 'unt, was appointed to some
| post in the ho lsehold OF the Duchess.
| The exact nature and salary OF his
office are not known, but he was on
terms of familiar intercourse with Mar.
yaret, who seems to have rightly appre-
Grated her estimaDle countrymAn. Cax-
ION had been deeply Interested in the
new and wondrous art of printing, and
| he had exercised him self in making some
translallons from books that pIeased
him, Sin 1869" he says, "naving no
great charge o. occupation, and wishing
to eschew sloth and idleness, which is
the mother and nourlsher OF vices,
having good leisure, being at Co.
| topne. | set about finishing the
translation (of the Histories OF
Troy') when, however, l rsmem-
bereu my simpleness and Imperfections
in French and English, fell in despair
of my works, ana alter l had written
five or six quairs, purposed no more to
nave continued therein, and the quairs
(books) laid apart, and in TWO years
after labored no more in this work, till
in time it fortuned the Lady Margaret
sent for me to speak with her good
Grace OF divers matters, among the
| which let uer have knowledge Of the
ioresaid beginning" "Ihe Duchess"
he adds, "iound fault with myne which
she commanded me to amend, and tO
continue and make an end of the resi-
due: which command l durst not DISC
Dey." The Duchess both encouraged
and rewarded him literally. >
He mentions In the prologue and epil.
ogue to this book that his eyes are din
with much overlooking on the white a
per, and that age was creeping OH him
daily and enlee ling ali his body; that
ne mad learned ana practised at grea1
charge and dispense to ordain this sale
book in print, and not written with pei
, and ink, as other books be-" This, il
, seems, was not the first book he hat
= printed at Cologne. He returned to En-
gland about 1472, when he would be SIX
ty years old, alter having lived thlrt!
lyears on the Continent. He brough
, with him some unsold copies of thu
> works he had printed at Cologne. Thos
= Milling, Bishop of Hereford and Abbo
. OF esLminster, was Caxton's frs
= patron. 1t was probably by his pernis
= sion that Caxton set up mis- printing
!. press in the aim jnry VI one OF the chal
eIs attached to the Abbey The Fire
side.