Caxton's Mirrour of the world
By: ed. by Oliver H. Prior ...
Contributors: Gossuin, of Metz.; Gautier, of Metz, fl. 1245.; Caxton, William, ca. 1422-1491, tr.; Prior, Oliver H. 1871- ed.; Vincent, of Beauvais, d. 1264.
Series: Early English text society.; Extra series, CX; Early English Text Society (Series).; 110.
Publisher: Pub. for the Early English text society by K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & co., ltd., and by H. Milford, Oxford university press [London] and New York
Published: 1912
Place of publication: London
Language: eng
Number of pages: 192
Subjects: Encyclopedias and dictionaries -- Early works to 1600; English language -- Middle English, 1100-1500 -- Texts; Geography, Medieval
Other titles: Mirrour of the world.
Notes: "Caxton's Mirrour ... the first work printed in England with illustrations ... was translated in 1480 ... The first edition [here reprinted] ... was probably produced ... in 1481."--Introd.
Translated from a prose version, sometimes known as the Livre de clergie, of the Image du monde, a compilation from various Latin sources, including the Imago mundi attributed to Honorius Solitarius or Inclusus. The compilation is attributed by some authorities to Gossuin, by others to Gautier, of Metz. The date of composition of the prose version used by Caxton is placed not far from the year 1246 (1245 o.s.) generally assigned to the original rhymed version. A longer rhymed version of slightly later date is known as the Mappemonde; a plagiarized version was published by Buffereau in 1517 under title, Mirouer du monde. cf. Introd.; Langlois, Connaissance de la nature et du monde au moyen âge, 1911; Gröber, Grundriss d. romanischen philol., v. 2, p. 757; La petite philosophie (Anglo-Norman poem) A critical edition ... by W. H. Trethewey. [London, 1939] p. liii.
Also attributed to Vincentius (?) cf. S.T.C. 24762.