The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-07-26
SOMETHING OF WILLIAM axroN.


SOMETHING OF WILLIAM c axiom.
| William Caxton, the first English
printer, Kentish man, born about
1412. His parents were worthy peo-
pie, and it is memorable that at the
time when, from political troubles and
the unsettled state of the country, ed
ucation was neglected, the parents of
Caxton reared their son carefully, al
am bounden," says he, "to pray for
my fathers and mothers souls, that in
my youth sent. me to school, by which
by the sufferance of God, l get my
living, l hope truly" He was APP
prenticed to citizen of London, a
mercer, that name being then given to
designate a general merchant trading
in various goods.
That Caxton was a diligent and
faithful apprentice may be Inferred
from the fact that his master, William
Large, in 1441, left him in his will a
legacy of E13 6s. 3d.. a handsome
sum in those days. After he received
this legacy he went abroad, being en-.
gagged in mercantile pursuits. He con-
tinued for the most part in the
countries of:Brabant. Flanders, Hol-
| land and Zealand, all at this time un-
der the dominion of the Duke of Bur-
gundy, one of the most powerful
princes of Europe.
While Caxton's countrymen were
contesting in the battle field, the claim
of the rival Houses of York and Lam
caster, he was exercising his acute and
observant mind, acquiring the French
and Dutch languages, and preparing
himself by a peaceful and thoughtful
life, for his great work as benefactor
to his country. In 1464 he was sent
on mission by Edward Nv, to con-
tinue and confirm 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 Com.
merce, from his experience would be
able to enter into treaties beneficial TO
his own long troubled land.
In 145O. Gutenberg, generally con-
sidered to be the first printer, entered
into partnership with Fust, a rich
merchant of Mentz, who supplied the
sums necessary to carry the invention
into effect. Charles, the son and suc-
cezsor to the Duke of Burgundy,
whom Caxton had first known, mar
ried Margaret, who seems to have
rightly appreciated her cstimable
countryman. CaXtOn had been deep
ly interested in the new and wondrous
art of printing, and he had exercised
from books that pleased him. sin
I469," he say s, "having no great charge
or occupation, and wishing to eschew
slOth or idlcncss, which is the mother
and nourisher Of vices, haying good
leisure, being at Cologne, l set about
finishing the translation (of the 'His-
tories of TrOyO. When however, l
remembered my simpleness and i'm
perfections in French and English, L
fell in despair of my works. and after
| had written five or six quires, pur-
posed no more TO have continued
therein, and the quairs (books) laid
apart, and in two years after labored
no more in this work, Till in a time it
fortuned the Lady Margaret sent for
me to speak with her good Grace OF
divers matters, among the which let
her have knowledge of the aforesaid
beginning" ''Ihe Duchess, he adds.
found fault with myne which she
commanded me to amend, and TO con-
tinue and make an end of the residue,
which command l burst not obey"
The Duchess both encouraged and re-
warded him liberally.
He mentions in the prologue and
epllogue to this book that his eyes are
dim with much overlooking on the
white paper, and that age was creep
ing on him daily and enfeebling all
his body; that he 'had learned and
practised at great barge and dispense
to ordain this said book in print, and
not written with pen and ink, as other
books be-" This, it seems, was not
the first book he had printed at Co.
logne. He returned TO England about
l472, when he would be sixty years
old, after having lived thirty years on
the Continent, He brought with him
some unsold copies OF the works he
had printed at Cologne. ThOs. Mill
ing, Bishop Of Hereford and Abbot of
Westminster, was Caxton's first pa
tron. 1t was probably by his permis-
sion that Caxton set up his printing
press in the almonry or one of the
chapels attached to the Abbey.-[The
Fireside.