specyally he axed after eggys And the good wyf answerde. that she coude speke no frenshe. And the marchaunt was angry for he also coude speke no frenshe. but wolde have hadde egges, and she understode hym not, And thenne at last a nother sayd that he wolde have eyren, then the good wyf sayd that she understod hym wel."

Did it not savour somewhat of high treason, we might hint at a doubt as to whether Caxton were more than half an Englishman after all.

In the accounts of the "Wardeins," as they were then called, of St. Margaret's, Westminster, there appears this entry under Fees for Burial in the year 1478:

"Itm the day of burying of William Caxton

for ij torchis and iiij tapirs at a lowe masse xx d."

We

This has been said to be the printer's father. have no evidence on the point, but looking at his connection with the parish at that time, it is not improbable.

We are ignorant of the date of his birth, and all we know with respect to his education is gathered from his statement in the prologue to The Life of the Noble and Christian Prince, Charles the Great, that he went to school-whether in London or Kent he does not tell us—and that he was thankful for having had a good education. The first positive information about him occurs in the Wardens' accounts of the Mercers' Company in 1438, as follows:

This little entry tells us a great deal more than would at first sight appear. The Robert Large here mentioned was one of the most prominent citizens of London at that time. He was a large merchant, living in the Old Jewry, was "Gardein " or Warden of the Mercers'

Company in 1427, Sheriff in 1430, and Mayor in 1439-40. That he was very popular may be gathered from the unusual display made on his entering upon the Mayoralty, as shown by the Mercers' accounts. From this and the circumstance that Caxton was apprenticed at the same time as Large's own son we may gather that he was of good family.

In the date we have a clue to his probable age, as we know that apprentices were bound for not less than seven and on an average for about ten years, the time being so arranged that they should issue from their apprenticeship on attaining their civic majority-i.e., entering their twenty-fifth year. It therefore is more likely, as Mr. Blades suggests, that he was born about 1422-3, than 1412, as formerly stated.

Alderman Large died the year after his Mayoralty, and an imperfect copy of his will is still preserved in Somerset House. We find by this that amid numerous other legacies and charitable bequests he left the sum of 20 marks (equal to about £150 at the present day) to Caxton.

He was not released from his apprenticeship by the death of his master, and, as no one is named in the will, another master must have been found for him by the executors. This they were bound by law to do, because if an apprentice did not serve his whole time he was debarred from taking up his freedom. In the same year he went to Bruges. There was nothing unusual in this. It was a common thing in those days for apprentices who had nearly served their time to be sent to "the Marte Townes beyonde the seas, there to learne good facions and knowledge in trade." Bruges at that time was one of the most, if not the most, important commercial centres of Europe, and young Caxton was probably already known personally to many of the merchants there, who would be likely to stay in

Large's house when in London. He must have issued from his apprenticeship about 1446. That he at once went into business on his own account, and was wonderfully successful, seems to be proved by the record of a legal case, in 1450, from which we find that he had been accepted as a joint surety for £110 (equal to about £1,500 now).

For the due understanding of his progress and ultimate position there, it is necessary for us to glance at the circumstances under which merchants then lived and traded in foreign countries. In the thirteenth century there had been formed by the Mercers' Company a body called the "Merchant Adventurers," for the mutual protection and assistance of traders abroad. It was rendered necessary by the jealousy and distrust with which foreign competition was regarded on the Continent-sentiments which were apt to find expression occasionally even in blows and attempted plundercoupled with the difficulties of communication with the Home Government. Though quite distinct from the Mercers' Company, it included many mercers among its members, and held its meetings at Mercers' Hall, the minutes being entered in the same book. In 1446 Philip the Good, Duke of Burgundy, who had been brought up mostly in England, granted them great privileges under the title of the "English Nation," a name by which they were afterwards known in foreign countries.

As merchants were frequently objects of suspicion abroad, and were placed under various irksome and unreasonable restrictions, it was customary for all in a town to live and conduct their business under one roof. We have preserved to us, in the Flandria Illustrata of Sanderus, a drawing of the building which was used for this purpose at Bruges. It is described as "Domus Anglorum Bruga," and has somewhat the appearance of

a place of worship, with fourteen large windows in the front, in addition to several smaller ones. Its occupiers lived under strict rules, many of them almost of a monastic character. They took their meals together at a common table, were not allowed to marry, and were bound to be in at a certain time of night. The control of the establishment and all within it was vested in a Governor, appointed nominally by the King, but practically by the Court of Adventurers, whose duty it was to submit to him the name of some 66 fit person" to

fill the office.

There is a vast hiatus here in the biography we are endeavouring to trace. It is not until between Midsummer 1462 and 1463 that Caxton's name again appears in the Mercers' books, this time as corresponding with them and the Government, in the capacity of acting Governor. There is no record of his appointment, but it could only have been just made, since a certain William Obray had been appointed so recently as April, 1462. On August 16th, 1465, he is described distinctly as "Willm Caxton, gouno' by yonde the see." This was a most important and influential position. He had to witness all bargains and superintend the packing and unpacking of all goods in order to see that nothing prohibited or liable to special duty was included. He also held a Court and gave sentence on all trade disputes, assisted by twelve "justicers" chosen by the merchants and mariners. All communications from the Government under which they were living were addressed to him, and he conducted all correspondence with the Home Government and the civic authorities. From time to time he would have to visit the other cities of the dukedom, and on his discretion and energy would depend much of the comfort and welfare of all the English residents.

In 1464 and 1465 we find him endeavouring, though unsuccessfully, to secure the renewal of the treaty of

· commerce, which expired in the latter year. Philip the Good died on June 15th, 1467, and was succeeded by his son Charles the Bold. Soon afterwards Lord Scales and other ambassadors arrived to negotiate a marriage between the Duke and Margaret, sister of Edward IV. It was perhaps at the wedding festivities in the next that Caxton first attracted the notice of the Duchess.

year,

In 1468 he commenced to translate a favourite romance of that time, Le Recueil des Histoires de Troye, as he says in the prologue, "to eschewe slouthe and ydelness." This was only a common expression of the age, and in this case was actually copied verbatim from the original work. On the contrary, he was apparently much occupied, for the work of translation was laid aside when he had only got through a few sheets.

Somewhen within the next year or two he relinquished his position as Governor, and entered the service of the Duchess, in what capacity is not clear. We know that she traded on her own account in English wool, as her brother in 1472 granted her special privileges and exemptions, and we find entries of letters to her in the Mercers' books. But Caxton was the official head and controller of all English trade in Bruges, and therefore would hardly be tempted by the offer of the management of any business, even for the highest lady in the land. It is more likely, especially having regard to her after conduct, that she recognised his literary tastes and for that reason wished to have him near her person.

What could have induced him to give up the most influential position an Englishman could hold in Burgundy in order to accept any appointment, however honorable, at the Ducal Court? He himself speaks of age creeping upon him. This, judging from his subsequent career, was only another conventional selfdepreciatory remark. It is not improbable that he felt