FLOOR.] 
KING'S LIBRARY. 
7 
specimens of the books printed abroad by William Caxton, 
the first English Printer, before he introduced the art into 
England. Caxton, who was born in 1422, and in 1438 was 
apprenticed to Robert Large, Mercer of the City of London, 
appears to have removed into Flanders about 1441, when 
his master Large died. He became a merchant at Bruges, 
and was so successful in his businsss that he was made 
" Governor of the English Nation abroad." Afterwards he 
entered into the service of Margaret, Duchess of Burgundy. 
According to Mr. Blades, his latest and best biographer, he 
learned the art of printing from Colard Mansion, at Bruges, 
about the year 1474. His first book and the first book 
printed in English was No. 3 in this Case : 
3. Le Fevre. Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye. — Printed abroad 
by Caxton, about 1475. The first book printed in English. From 
the library of King George III. 
Caxton is also supposed to have printed the original French 
of this work, No. 2 : 
2. Le Fevre. Le Recueil des Histoires de Troyes.— Printed by 
Gaxton, about 1475. This book is considered to be the first work 
printed abroad by Caxton, and the first book printed in French. 
Purchased in 1844. 
Caxton also printed No. 4, u The Game and Playe of 
the Ohesse," which was translated in 1474, and printed, as 
Mr. Blades supposes, at Bruges about the year 1475. 
About the year J 476, or early in 1477, Caxton came to 
England and settled down as a Printer, at Westminster, within 
the precincts of the Abbey. Here he printed the first book 
that ever issued from the Press in England, No. 5 : " The 
dictes or Sayengis of the philosophhres enprynted by me 
William Caxton at Westmestre the yere of our lorde 
M.CCCC.LXXVII." 
Attention is also particularly directed to the following Nos. 
in this Case : — 
9. St. Bonaventure. Speculum Vitse Christi. Second edition. — 
Printed by William Caxton about 1488. On vellum. The copy 
of the Doctrinal of Sapyence, 1489, in the Royal Library at 
