ceeding geneiation, on whom knowledge will igsceoa l^e the first and second rain, uninter- nipted, unabated, unbounded, fertilizing some grounds, and overflowing others ; changing the whole fonn of social life ; establishing and over- throwing religions; erecting and destroying Ungdoms. This invention may be likenedl'^to a joDog tree, which is now newly planted, but shall, in succeeding generations, bear fruit as fatal, jret as precious, as that of the Garden of Eden, the knowledge, namely, of good and evil."
1483. Caxton printed more books this year thin ai»r other; among which are the follow- ing : — nu Pylgremage of the SowU, jrc. Folio, inished June 6.
This is a translation from the French of a work entitled Le Peleringe de FAme, and is dirided into fire books : the first treateih of the soul trom its departure out of the body, to its being sentenced to purgatory. The second, of the soul being brought to purgatory: these con- tain 65 chapters. The third, of an angel shew- ing the soul hell, and describing the pains ftereof by the causes; 10 chapters. The fourth, of the green tree and the dry, and by the other tronderfol sights; 38 chapters. The fifth, of the soul taken out of purgatory, and led up through the heavenly spheres; with a descrip- tion thereof, and of the calendar of heaven, &c. U chapters.
Mr. Dibdin is of opinion that this work, and M Bernard's File of Man, laid the foundation of John Bunyan's PUgrim't Progress : it is a curious work, and full of devout matter touch- ing the soul. Caxton has not given the name of the translator : his colophon begins thus — "Here ndetk the dreme of pylegremage of the itmU" &c. The work is comprised in 110 leiTes, and num'bered with running titles. It is a poetical work. Caxton's translation has the addition of various curious songs.
TTit Liber Fettivalit, or Directions for keeping Ftuti all the Yere ; and the Qfiatuor Semumes ; both of them printed in folio, by William Cax- ton; and frequentiy bound together. Of the first, Heame observes, that "it consists of a coane of homilies, in which are many odd sto- ries ; that it goes by no other name than that of FettivaU, among curious men, who are very in- quisitive after copies of it." Oldys adds, " that some uf these odd stories are such, that the pa- pists are now ashamed of them." " The fact IS," says Mr. Dibdin, " whatever be the nature of these stories, all 'curious' theological scho- lars may be well inquisitive after the Liber Fes- tiadis, as it is the origin or substratum of the English Common Prayer Book." The prologue telb us, that " For the help of such clerks, this hook was drawn to excuse them for default of hooks, and for simpleness of cunning, and to shew unto the people what the holy saints suf- fered and did for God's sake, and for his love ; so that they should have the more devotion in Ood's saints, and with the better will come to church to serve God, and pray the saints of their help." That it was principally taken from the
Legenda Aurea, or Golden Legend, is proved by the prologue of an ancient edition, in which the writer states, " this treatise is drawn out of Le- genda Aurea, that he that list to study therein, he shall find ready therein of all the principal feasts of the year, on every one a short sermon, needful for him to teach, and for them to learn ; and for that this treatise speaketh of all the fcasts of the year, I will and pray that it be called Festival."
Then follow, says Lewis, sermons on nineteen Sundays and ferials, beginning with the first Sunday in advent, and ending with Corpus Christi day. Next are discourses or sermons on forty-three holy-days. Then follows a sermon De dedicationekcelesia, or on the church holiday.
The Quatuor Sermorus, which was a transla- tion from the Latin, was most probably the Ro- man Catholic formulary of the day, respecting the religious topics of which it treats, namely. The Lord's Prayer, Belief, Ten Commandments, and Articles of Faith. In the translation of the creed, which we have in the first sermon, the fourth article is thus expressed, / byleve, that he suffered payne under Ponce Pilate," ice*
1493,t Sep. 2. Confessio Amantis ; That U to saye in Englisshe, The Confessyon of the Lnuer, maad and compyled by John Gower, Squyer,X Ire Folio.
This work was written by John Gower the poet, (see p. 84 ante.) It treateth how he was confessed to Genius, priest of Venus, upon the causes of his five wits, and seven deadly sins, as appeareth in the said book; in which is comprised divers histories and fables touching every matter. Caxton observes, that he has ordained a table of all such histories and fables. It contains 211 leaves, which are numbered.
1483. Tite Golden Legende — Accomplisshed at the commaundemente and requeste of the noble and puyssawnle erle, and my special good lorde, wyllyam erle of arondel ; and fynysshed at West- mestre the twnty day of Nouembre. Folio.
This work, which has many wooden cuts, contains an account of all " the high and great fates of our Lord, the fates of our blessed Lady, the lives, passions, and miracles of many other Saints, and other historiesand acts." St. George being our English patron, we shall extract the following from the close of his life : —
'According to this manner of writing, excepting some- times Ponce for Pounce, was this article of the creed ex- pressed in EnRlisb, from the fourteenth century down to A.D. 1S32, when in the Primer ot Salisbury use, it was altered to Pontius Pilate, which was followed by arch- bishop Cranmer, in his notes on the King's Book, 1538.
t By mistake for 1483, as the designation of this king's reign clearly testifies.
t Gower wrote some I.attn verses on the rebellion of Wat Tyler, — which are humorously translated by An- drews, — part of which we insert, as a specimen of the literature of the age : —
Wat cries, Tou flies, nor Sthiin stays aside ;
And Batt and Okb, and ilrxi, they summon loud, CnoLtN and Bob combustibles provide.
While Will the mischief forwards in the crowd Greo bawls. Hob bawls, and Dav? Joins the cry.
With Larv, not the least among the throng ; HouoB drubs, Judb scrubs, while Tib stands grinning by.
And Jack with sword and flre-brand madly tftxldes along.
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