noble acts I purpose to write in this present book here following. The second was Charlemagne, or Charles the Great, of whom the history is had in many places both in French and English; and the third and last was Godfrey of Boulogne, of whose acts and life I made a book unto the excellent prince and king of noble memory, King Edward the Fourth. The said noble gentlemen instantly required me to print the history of the said noble king and conqueror, King Arthur, and of his knights, with the history of the Saint Graal, and of the death and ending of the said Arthur,· affirming that I ought rather to print his acts and noble feats than of Godfrey of Boulogne or any of the other eight, considering that he was a man born within this realm, and king and emperor of the same; and that there be in French divers and many noble volumes of his acts, and also of his knights. To whom I answered that divers men hold opinion that there was no such Arthur, and that all such books as be made of him be but feigned and fables, because that some chronicles make of him no mention, ne remember him nothing ne of his knights; whereto they answered, and one in special said, that in him that should say or think that there was never such a king called Arthur, might well be aretted great folly and blindness; for he said that there were many evidences of the contrary. First ye may see his sepulchre in the monastery of Glastonbury; and also in 'Polychronicon,' in the fifth book, the sixth chapter, and in the seventh book, the twenty-third chapter, where his body was buried, and after found and translated into the said monastery. Ye shall see also in the history of Boccaccio, in his book 'De casu principum,' part of his noble acts and also of his fall. Also Galfridus in his British book recounteth his life, and in divers places of England many remembrances be yet of him, and shall remain perpetually, and also of his knights. First in the Abbey of Westminster at Saint Edward's shrine remaineth the print of his seal in red wax closed in beryl, in which is written 'Patricius Arthurus, Britanniae Galliae Germaniae Daciae Imperator.' Item, in the castle of Dover ye may see Gawain's skull and Caradoc's mantle; at Winchester the round table; in other places Lancelot's sword, and many

other things. Then all these things considered, there can no man reasonably gainsay but here was a king of this land named Arthur; for in all places, Christian and heathen, he is reputed and taken for one of the nine worthy, and the first of the three Christian men. And also he is more spoken of beyond the sea; more books made of his noble acts than there be in England, as well in Dutch, Italian, Spanish, and Greek as in French; and yet of record remain in witness of him in Wales in the town of Camelot the great stones and marvellous works of iron lying under the ground, and royal vaults, which divers now living hath seen. Wherefore it is a marvel why he is no more renowned in his own country, save only it accordeth to the word of God, which saith that no man is accepted for a prophet in his own country. Then all these things aforesaid alleged, I could not well deny but that there was such a noble king named Arthur, and reputed one of the nine worthy, and first and chief of the Christian men; and many noble volumes be made of him and of his noble knights in French, which I have seen and read beyond the sea, which be not had in our maternal tongue, but in Welsh be many, and also in French, and some in English, but nowhere nigh all. Wherefore such as have lately been drawn out briefly into English, I have, after the simple cunning that God hath sent to me, under the favour and correction of all noble lords and gentlemen, emprised to imprint a book of the noble histories of the said King Arthur and of certain of his knights, after a copy unto me delivered, which copy Sir Thomas Mallory did take out of certain books of French and reduced it into English. And I according to my copy have down set it in print, to the intent that noble men may see and learn the noble acts of chivalry, the gentle and virtuous deeds that some knights used in those days, by which they came to honour, and how they that were vicious were punished and oft put to shame and rebuke; humbly beseeching all noble lords and ladies and all other estates, of what estate or degree they be of, that shall see and read in this said book and work, that they take the good and honest acts in their remembrance and to follow the same, wherein they

WILLIAM CAXTON

phatt and many joyous and pleasant histories and noble
ren and acts of humanity, gentleness, and chivalry. It
herein may be seen noble chivalry, courtesy, but
freness, hard, Lood, love, friendship, cowardicem
der, hate, virtue and sin. Do after the good and lear
the evil, and it shall bring you to good fame and rev
And for to pass the time this bock shall be pleasant
read in; but for to give faith and believe that all is the
that is contained herein, ye be at your liberty. But
is written for our doctrine, and for to beware the ve
fall not to vice ne sin, but to exercise and follow vitt,
by which we may come and attain to good fame and re.
in this life, and after this short and transitory lie to
come unto everlasting bliss in heaven; the which He grant
us that reigneth in Heaven, the Blessed Trinity. Amen.

Then to proceed forth in this said book which I direct
unto all noble princes, lords and ladies, gentlemen or ge
tlewomen, that desire to read or hear read of the note
and joyous history of the great conqueror and excellent
king, King Arthur, sometime King of this noble realm then
called Britain, I, William Caxton, simple person, presti
this book following which I have emprised to imprint.
And treateth of the noble acts, feats of arms, of chivalry,
prowess, hardihood, humanity, love, courtesy, and very ge
tleness, with many wonderful histories and adventures.
And for to understand briefly the contents of this volume, I
have divided it into 21 books, and every book chaptered,
as hereafter shall by God's grace follow. The first book
shall treat how Uther Pendragon begat the noble conqueror,
King Arthur, and containeth 28 chapters. The second
book treateth of Balyn the noble knight, and containeth 19
chapters. The third book treateth of the marriage of King
Arthur to Queen Guinevere, with other matters, and con-

taineth 15 chapters.

assotted, and of war made to King Arthur, and containeth 29 chapters. The fifth book treateth of the conquest of Lucius the emperor, and containeth 12 chapters. The sixth book treateth of Sir Lancelot and Sir Lionel, and marvellous adventures, and containeth 18 chapters. The seventh book treateth of a noble knight called Sir Gareth, and

The fourth book how Merlin was

cers.

by Sir Kay 'Beaumains,' and containeth 36 chapters. eighth book treateth of the birth of Sir Tristram ble knight, and of his acts, and containeth 41 chapters. inth book treateth of a knight named by Sir Kay, ote mal taillé,' and also of Sir Tristram, and conh 44 chapters. The tenth book treateth of Sir Trisand other marvellous adventures, and containeth 83 The eleventh book treateth of Sir Lancelot and Galahad, and containeth 14 chapters. The twelfth I treateth of Sir Lancelot and his madness, and coneth 14 chapters. The thirteenth book treateth how ahad came first to King Arthur's court, and the quest y the Sangreal was begun, and containeth 20 chapters. e fourteenth book treateth of the quest of the Sangreal, 1 containeth 10 chapters. The fifteenth book treateth Sir Lancelot, and containeth 6 chapters. The sixnth book treateth of Sir Boris and Sir Lionel his brother, d containeth 17 chapters. The seventeenth book treat

of the Sangreal, and containeth 23 chapters. The ghteenth book treateth of Sir Lancelot and the Queen, d containeth 25 chapters. The nineteenth book treateth f Queen Guinevere, and Lancelot, and containeth 13 hapters. The twentieth book treateth of the piteous death f Arthur, and containeth 22 chapters. The twenty-first ook treateth of his last departing, and how Sir Lancelot came to revenge his death, and containeth 13 chapters. The sum is 21 books, which contain the sum of five hundred and seven chapters, as more plainly shall follow hereafter.

ENEYDOS (1490)

PROLOGUE

AFTER divers work made, translated, and achieved, having no work in hand, I sitting in my study whereas lay many divers pamphlets and books, happened that to my hand came a little book in French, which lately was translated out of Latin by some noble clerk of France, which book is named Aeneidos, made in Latin by that noble poet and

great clerk, Virgil. Which book I saw over, and read therein how, after the general destruction of the great Troy, Aeneas departed, bearing his old father Anchises upon his shoulders, his little son Iulus on his hand, his wife with much other people following, and how he shipped and departed, with all the history of his adventures that he had ere he came to the achievement of his conquest of Italy, as all along shall be shewed in his present book. In which book I had great pleasure because of the fair and honest terms and words in French; which I never saw before like, ne none so pleasant ne so well ordered; which book as seemed to me should be much requisite to noble men to see, as well for the eloquence as the histories. How well that many hundred years past was the said book of Aeneidos, with other works, made and learned daily in schools, especially in Italy and other places; which history the said Virgil made in metre. And when I had advised me in this said book, I delibered and concluded to translate it into English; and forthwith took a pen and ink and wrote a leaf or twain, which I oversaw again to correct it. And when I saw the fair and strange terms therein, I doubted that it should not please some gentlemen which late blamed me, saying that in my translations I had over curious terms, which could not be understood of common people, and desired me to use old and homely terms in my translations. And fain would I satisfy every man, and so to do took an old book and read therein, and certainly the English was so rude and broad that I could not well understood it. And also my Lord Abbot of Westminster did do show to me lately certain evidences written in old English, for to reduce it into our English now used. And certainly it was written in such wise that it was more like to Dutch than English, I could not reduce ne bring it to be understood. And certainly our language now used varieth far from that which was used and spoken when I was born. For we Englishmen be born under the domination of the moon, which is never steadfast but ever wavering, waxing one season and waneth and decreaseth another season. And that common English that is spoken in one shire varieth from another, insomuch that in my days.