28 JOURNAL AND PROCEEDINGS. 
‘“‘and moder’s sowls that in’ my youthe sette me to scole, by 
‘“‘which I get my living I hope truly.” After his school days 
Caxton was apprenticed to Robert Large, a London mercer of 
reputation, who was Lord Mayor in 1439. . | 
Troublesome times in Caxton’s youth were in store for England. 
Abroad, war with France; at home, starvation and want among the 
people ; a fierce struggle between the nobles; deadly strife for the 
crown between the Houses of York and Lancaster ; and to complete 
the list of national woe, there were faint, distant mutterings of that 
storm of religious persecution which in the future would burst upon 
the nation. Strange sights, foreign to modern life, arrested Caxton’s 
attention during his London apprenticeship. For three alternate 
days, a dame of high degree, barefoot, taper in hand, clad in a sheet, 
and followed in procession by Mayor and civic dignitaries, walked 
the public streets, from the Thames to St. Paul’s, in penance for 
sorceries with the witch of Eye; heads of Kentish ‘‘ risers” were 
stuck on poles on London Bridge; and an aged vicar of eighty 
years was degraded from his priesthood and burnt on Tower hill for 
Lollardism. Large died before Caxton’s apprenticeship ended ; and 
the apprentice was sent to finish his term in the service of the 
Mercers Company, at Bruges. The London guilds whose names 
remain to occasionally flit by as spectres from the past, were, in 
Caxton’s day, vigorous promoters of English commerce. Under 
title of Merchant Adventurers, the English guilds jointly obtained 
rights by charter, to supervise and control practical working of the 
commercial treaty made between the Duke of Burgundy and England. 
Their charter gave them power to elect governors having authority 
to supervise and control English merchants trading with Burgundy ; 
and to make all trade regulations that were reasonabie and within 
treaty rights. No goods could leave Bruges for England without 
the seal of the Governor of the Merchant Adventurers Co., who 
received two pence for each parcel sealed. He appointed packers, 
as merchants could not pack their own wares, lest prohibited goods 
Should be included ; and he had power to call to his aid twelve 
merchants and mariners, who collectively settled all commercial 
disputes. 
Caxton was at first member, then Governor of the Company of 
Merchant Adventurers. During his Governorship the commercial 
