The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1935-10-03
VIM. CaxtOn Introduces Printing
In England, A. ID. 1474

William Caxton, England's first
printer, has left the following all too
brief biographical monograph, to
which the most careful and prolonged
research has added nothing: 81 was
born and learned myn ENGLISH in
Kente in the weeld where | doubte
not is spoken as brode and rude eng
lissh as is in any place of england y
The name weld signifies "forest," or
woody country, and betokens the
nature of the district at the time of
Cations birth. 1t was not only COW
cred with dense woods, but in it
roamed thousands of wild hogs that
fattened there.
The date of Cations birth is uncer-
tain, though if we allow ten years for
his apprenticeship. which probably
expired according to the custom of
that day when the apprentice reached
the age of 25 years, the year of his
birth was 1929. He had some school
ing prior to his apprenticeship, but
this could only have been meager,
thought it was supplemented by con-
slant study and travel. We find him
in 1888 duly installed in the household
of Alderman Large, and duly invested
with all the rights and privileges of
a London apprentice. Large was a
Mercer and merchant of great wealth
and influence in London.
Whether Caxton left England by his
own desire, or was sent by his master,
or went abroad by invitation of a
friend, is unknown; but it is certain
that he took up his abode in the Low
Countries, and probably at Bruges,
in 1441. Finishing his apprenticeship
between 1451 and 1853, he returned to
London where he was invested with
the livery of the MERGERS Company,
becoming a full-fedged member of this
guild Caxton quickly became a man
of influence in his Guild, occupying
about 1865 the position of Governor
beyond the Sea, where the duties were
to preserve standard width and quality
of cloth, also fair prices.
We must pass by the struggles be-
tween Flemish and English merchants
because of conflicting interests, and
the anxieties endured by Caxton be-
cause of international boycotts, and
turn at once to his part in introducing
printing into England.
The cares of office, together with adj
vancing years, no doubt influenced
Caxton to enter the service of the
Duchess of Burgundy; but there was
also the call to literary pursuits which
this situation not only made possible,
but encouraged. Here he translated
from the French the Histories of
Troys." He tells US that it was because
of many persons desiring copies of
this book and finding the labor of writ
ing too wearisome for him, and not
expeditions enough for his friends, he
practiced and learned at his great
charge and expense the art of print
ing, to the end that every man might
have book at once. To him the most
wonderful feature of the new art lay
in the fact that all the copies were
begun upon one day and were finished
upon one day.
Between 1474 and 1476 Caxton es-
tablished his press at Westminster,
the first printing press ever to be
used in England. He was under the
patronage of Edward ", to whom he
presented copies of the first books he
printed. The most important of these
was the Golden Legend" which con-
tanned both monkish legends and
Scripture history from the Bible.
These extracts were the first por-
tions of the Bible printed in English.
Whatever may have been added to
the wealth and commercial prestige
of England by William Caxton, the
Mercer, William Caxton, the printer,
brought to the English people heri-
tage in the printing press, richer than
argosies of pearls or gold from Col
conda. The art of printing was the
necessary antecedent to the work of
Luther, Tyndale, Coverdale, and the
great reformers whose mighty works
laid the foundation of the Temple of
Spiritual Freedom in England and
the World.
TYNDALE