INTRODUCTION.Thework now for the first time reprinted from Caxton’s original edition has been preserved in three copies. One of these is in the Library of Ripon Cathedral, another in the Spencer Library, now at Manchester, and the third at Bamborough Castle. A small fragment, consisting of pp. 17-18 and 27-28, is in the Bodleian Library. The text of the present edition is taken from the Ripon copy. I have not had an opportunity of seeing this myself; but a type-written transcript was supplied to me by Mr. John Whitham, Chapter Clerk of Ripon Cathedral, and the proofs were collated with the Ripon book by the Rev. Dr. Fowler, Vice-Principal of Bishop Hatfield’s Hall, Durham, who was kind enough to re-examine every passage in which I suspected a possible inaccuracy. It is therefore reasonable to hope that the present reprint will be found to be a strictly faithful representation of the original edition.The earlier bibliographers gave to the book the entirely inappropriate title of ‘Instructions for Travellers.’ Mr. Blades is nearer the mark in calling it ‘A Vocabulary in French and English,’ but, as it consists chiefly of a collection of colloquial phrases and dialogues, the designation adopted in the present edition appears to be preferable. As in other printed works of the same period, there is no title-page in the original edition, so that a modern editor is at liberty to give to the book whatever name may most accurately describe its character. The name of Caxton does not occur in the colophon, which merely states that the work was printed at Westminster; but the authorship is sufficiently certain from internal evidence. On the ground of the form of type employed, Mr. Blades inferred that the book was printedabout 1483. However this may be, there are, as will be shown, decisive reasons for believing that it was written at a much earlier period.A fact which has hitherto escaped notice is that Caxton’s book is essentially an adaptation of a collection of phrases and dialogues in French and Flemish, of which an edition was published by Michelant in 18751, from a MS. in the Bibliothèque Nationale.The text of Caxton’s original cannot, indeed, have been precisely identical with that of the MS. used by Michelant. It contained many passages which are wanting in the Paris MS., and in some instances had obviously preferable readings. Caxton’s English sentences are very often servile translations from the Flemish, and he sometimes falls into the use of Flemish words and idioms in such a way as to show that his long residence abroad had impaired his familiarity with his native language. The Frenchrespaulme cet hanap, for instance, is rendered by ‘spoylle the cup.’ Of course the English verbspoyllenever meant ‘to rinse’; Caxton was misled by the sound of the Flemishspoel. Caxton’s ‘after the house,’ as a translation ofaual la maison(throughout the house), is explicable only by a reference to the Flemish version, which hasachter huse. The verbformaketh, which has not elsewhere been found in English, is an adoption of the Flemishvermaect(repairs). Another Flemicism is Caxton’swhiler(= while ere) for ‘some time ago,’ in Flemishwilen eer. It is still more curious to find Caxton writing ‘itenis not,’ instead of ‘it is not’; thisenis the particle prefixed in Flemish to the verb of a negative sentence. As is well known, Caxton’s translation of ‘Reynard the Fox’ exhibits many phenomena of a similar kind. From all the circumstances, we may perhaps conclude that Caxton, while still resident in Bruges, added an English column to his copy of the French-Flemish phrase-book, rather as a sort of exercise than with any view to publication, and that he handed it over to his compositors at Westminster without taking the trouble to subject it to any material revision.The original work contains so many references to the city of Bruges that it is impossible to doubt that it was compiled there. According to Michelant, the Paris MS. was written in the first half of the fourteenth century. The MS. used by Caxton must itself have been written not later than the second decade of the fifteenth century; unless, indeed, it was an unaltered transcript from an older MS. The evidence on which this conclusion is based is somewhat curious. Caxton’s text contains two passages in which the pope is spoken of as still resident at Avignon. Now the ‘Babylonish captivity’ of the popes ended in 1378; and, even if we suppose that at Bruges the Avignon anti-popes were recognized by some persons to the very last, the latest date at which these passages could have been written is the year 1417. It is not easy to understand how it was possible for Caxton to leave uncorrected these references to a state of things which he must have known had long ceased to exist. The only explanation of the fact seems to be that, as has been suggested above, he sent his many years old MS. to the press without going over it again. It may be remarked that one of the Avignon passages does not occur in the text as printed by Michelant. As it would be absurd to suppose that it was introduced by Caxton himself, the inference is clear that his copy of the original work was fuller than that contained in the Paris MS. Probably Caxton may have added a few lines here and there—the mention of certain English towns and fairs on pp. 18-19, and that of English bishoprics on p. 23, for instance, were most likely inserted by him. But by far the greatest portion of the matter which is peculiar to Caxton’s form of the dialogues may be confidently ascribed to his original, on account of the frequent occurrence of passages in which, while the French is quite correct, the English translation shows imperfect understanding of the sense.One of the most remarkable differences between Caxton’s form of the dialogues and that which is preserved in the Paris MS. consists in the transposition of several of the sections in that portion of the work to which the title ‘Le Livre des Mestiers’ ismost properly applicable (pp. 24-44 of Caxton’s edition). In both versions the sections in this portion are arranged in the alphabetical order of the Christian names of the persons referred to; but the names connected with particular employments are not always the same in the two versions. Thus in Michelant the bowyer is called Filbert, in Caxton he is Guillebert; in Michelant the carpenter is Henri, in Caxton Lambert; in Michelant the tiler is Martin, in Caxton Lamfroy; and so on. The resulting transpositions render it somewhat difficult at first sight to perceive the substantial identity of the matter in the two books. If an editor wished to print Caxton’s text and that of the Paris MS. in parallel columns, he would need to have recourse to the ingenious device adopted by Professor Skeat in the Clarendon Press edition of the three recensions ofPiers Plowman; that is to say, all the sections in which the names have been altered would have to be given twice over in each column—with large print where they occur in their alphabetical place, and with small print opposite to the corresponding sections in the other text. It is hard to see why the person who made the later version followed by Caxton should have taken the trouble to alter the names and re-arrange the material in the new alphabetical order. One might almost suspect that the names were those of actual tradesmen in Bruges, and that the alterations represent changes that had taken place between the earlier and the later edition of the book.The French of the Paris MS. is the Picard dialect of the former half of the fourteenth century. The French of Caxton’s book retains many of the original north-eastern forms, but is to a considerable extent modernized and assimilated to the literary language of a later period. Such ‘etymological’ spellings asrecepueur,debuoit, are common in Caxton’s text, but rarely occur in Michelant. The following comparative specimen of the two versions will afford some notion of the orthographical and grammatical differences between them, and also of the degree in which Caxton’s English was influenced by his Flemish original.MICHELANT.CAXTON.Pierres le bateur a l’arketPietre de coutenslaerrePyere le bateure de lainePeter the betar of wulleVa tout useus,Gaet al ledich,Va tout oyseux,Gooth alle ydle,Car ses doiiensWant siin dekenCar son doyenFor his deneLi ha desfendu son mestierHeeft hem verboden sin ambochtLui a deffendu son mestierHath forboden hym hys craftSur l’amende de xx. sauls,Up de boete van xx. scelle,Sour l’amende de vingt solz,Vpon thamendes of xx. shelyngs,Dusqu’ a dont qu’il auraTote dien dat hi sal hebbenJusques a dont quil auraTill that he shall haueAchaté le franchise.Ghecocht sine vrihede.Achatte sa franchise.Bought his franchyse.Il s’en plaindraHi sals hem beclaghenIl sen plaindraHe shall complaine hymAu bourghmaistre,Den buerghmeestre,Au burchmaistre,Unto bourghmaistre,Et li doiiens, ne si jureiEnde de dekene no sine gheswoerneEt les gardiens des mestiersAnd the wardeyns of the crafteN’en font conte.Ne micken niet.Nen font compte.sette not therby.Pol li cuveliersPauwels de cuprePoul le cuuelierPoule the couperFait et refait cuves,Maect ende vermaect cupen,Faict et refaict les cuues,Maketh and formaketh the keupis,Cuviers et tonniaux,Cupekine ende vaten,tonniaulx, vaissiauxBarellis, vassellisChercles et tonneletsHoupen ende tonnekine.Courans et gouttans.Lekyng and droppyng.Il ont doilloires, wembelkins,Si hebben paerden, spikelboren,Forets, tareales, et planes.Foretten, navegheeren ende scaven.Paulins le mesureur de bléPauwelin de corenmeterePaulin le mesureur de bledPaulyn the metar of corneA si longement mesuret,Heeft so langhe ghemeten.A tant mesureHath so moche motenDe bled et de mestelonOf corne and of mestelyn,Qu’il ne puet plusDat hi mach nemmeerQuil ne peult plusThat he may no morePar che grande villeche;Mit sire groter outheide;de viellesse;for age;Car il est tout kenus.Want hi es al calv.Il est tout gryse.He is alle graye.Il donna [sic] a chescun sa mesure.He gyueth to euerich his mesure.Pirote, si filleulle,Pierote, siin dochterkine,Pieronne sa filleulePieryne his doughterEst la pire garcheEs die quaetste dierneEst la pieure graceIs the shrewest ghyrleQue je sacheDie ic weetQue ie sacheThat I knoweDechà mer, ne delà.An disside der zee, no an ghene zide.de cha la mere.on this side the see.Quintins li tonliersQuintin de tolnareQuintin le tollenierQuyntyne the tollarA pris de miHeeft ghenomen van miA pris de moyHath taken of meUne lb. de gros1 lb. grotVng liure de grosA pound of grotesPlus qu’il ne devoit;Meer dan hi sculdich was;Plus quil ne debuoit prendreMore than he ought to takeDu droit tonlieu;Of right tolle.Si m’en trairaiZo dat ic sal truckenSy me trayeraySo shall I drawe meAu recheveurVor den ontfanghereAu recepueurVnto the receyuourPour faire me plainte,Omme te doene mine clagheEt pour men droit requerre.Ende omne min recht te versoukene.Pour men droit requerre.For my right to requyre.In the present edition Caxton’s text has been literally reproduced, except that obvious misprints are corrected (the original readings being given in the marginal notes2), and that modern punctuation has been added for the sake of intelligibility. Where Caxton leaves a space for an illuminated initial (a small letter being printed in the middle to serve as a guide) I have used a large capital. The List of English Words at the end is intended to contain all the words that require any explanation, or are on any account noteworthy. The List of French Words, which I was unable to prepare on account of ill-health, has been compiled by Mr. Henry Littlehales.HENRY BRADLEY.1.Le Livre des Mestiers: Dialogues français-flamands composés au XIVesiècle par un maître d’école de la ville de Bruges. Paris: Librairie Tross.2.Misprints affecting only the word-division, however, have been corrected without remark.NOTES.317. This corresponds with the beginning of the French-Flemish dialogues printed by Michelant. The preceding table of contents may have been added by Caxton himself.332-47. Not in Michelant.48. The French should no doubt readquil y ait, as in Michelant, but Caxton translates the erroneous reading.836. There is some mistake here. Michelant’s text hascavecheul, bed’s head.839-106. Michelant’s text is here quite different, enumerating the parts of the body and the articles necessary for the toilet.1319.Confiteis a misreading on Caxton’s part forconfire, comfrey; Michelant has the right word.1531.Serashould befera, as in Michelant; the sense is ‘the abatement which you will make will cause it to be sold.’ Caxton attempts to translate the erroneous readingsera, but his translation makes no sense.161-1719. This interesting portion of the dialogue is not in Michelant.1818.It en is not= Flemishhet en es niet. Evidently when this was written Caxton had become more familiar with Flemish than with his native language.1826-1910. The names of English towns in this list are added by Caxton.2214-259. The enumeration of ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries is much more full here than in Michelant’s text, but it is probable that Caxton had before him an amplified copy of the original work, as the mention of the pope’s residence at Avignon obviously cannot have been inserted by him. The names of English bishoprics, however, are most likely added by Caxton.246.Bogarsin the French column (rendered bylewd freris, i.e. lay brothers) appears to be a mistake forBegars, Beghards.2637.Spoylle the cuppe.Another proof that Caxton had forgotten his English. The Flemish isspoel den nap, ‘rinse the cup’; the Englishspoilof course never had the sense ‘to rinse.’2912.Byledyngis an attempt at literal interpretation of the Frenchdeduit, delight.2913.Serouge (serourge)is properly ‘brother-in-law’; it is not clear whether Caxton’s renderingcosen alyedis a mistranslation, or whether the French word was used at Bruges in the extended sense.304-6. This reference to the truce between the English and the Scots is not, as might perhaps be thought, an insertion by Caxton. Michelant considers the truce in question to be that of the year 1340.3030-33. Michelant’s text omits these lines, to the manifest injury of the sense.3523-25. Caxton seems here to have found his MS. illegible: Michelant’s text has ‘Fremius [? readFremins] ses voisins Dist qu’el vault bien son argent.’378-30. This emphatic praise of the writer’s craft is not in Michelant; probably it expresses Caxton’s own sentiments.3836.Enprintees, which Caxton amazingly renders ‘enprinted,’ is doubtless a mistake forenpruntes, borrowed. The occurrence of this mistake shows that the passage must have been in Caxton’s original, though it is not in Michelant’s text. Caxton’s account of the bookseller’s stock is much fuller than that in Michelant, but apparently this is not due, as might naturally be supposed, to his own interest in the subject.4417.Formaketh, literally adopted from the Flemishvermaect, repairs.4426.Filleuleis god-daughter, not ‘daughter.’ The Flemish hasdochterkine, which, though literally = ‘little daughter,’ was used for ‘god-daughter.’461. It is curious that the names beginning with S and T, which appear in Michelant, are omitted by Caxton. Possibly a leaf was missing in his original.5022. From this line to the end seems to be an addition by Caxton.[CAXTON’S DIALOGUES][Or ‘A Book for Travellers,’Typ. Ant.i. 315: or ‘A Vocabulary,’ Blades, ii. 133.][TABLE OF CONTENTS.]FRENSSHE.ENGLISSH.Cycommence la tableHierbegynneth the tableDe cest prouffytable doctrine,Of this prouffytable lernynge,Pour trouuer tout par ordeneFor to fynde all by ordreCe que on vouldra aprendre.That whiche men wylle lerne.4[PAGE]Premierment, linuocacion de latrinite;3Fyrst, the callyng of the trinite;Comment on doibt chescun saluer;4How every man ought grete othir;Les meubles aual la mayson;6The catayllys langyng to the house;8Les noms des chars & de beestes1;1beestis10The names of flessh and of bestis;Et doysiaulz priues & sauuages;10And of byrdes tame and wylde;Les noms des poyssons de mer;11The names of fysshes of the see;Et des poyssons des Ryuiers;12And of fysshes of the Riuers;12Les noms de compenaiges;12The names of whyte mete;Les noms des fruis darbres;13The names of the fruytes of trees;Les noms des pluiseurs arbres;13The names of diuerse trees;Les noms des potages;13The names of potages;16Les noms des communs beuurages;14The names of comyn drynkes;La marchandyse des draps14The marchandise of clotheDes diuerses villes et festes;18Of diuerse tounes and fayres;Les marchandises des laines;19The marchandyse of wulle;20Les noms des cuyrs & des peaulx;19The names of hydes and of skynnes;Les noms des apotecaires;19The names of the apotecaries;Les noms des Oyles,20The names of Oyles,Des coleurs des paintres;20Of the colours of paynters;24Les noms des crasseries,20The names of coriars,Des aluns et daultres tainctures;20Of alume and of othir colours;Les noms des tous metauls;21The names of all metals;Les noms des merceries;21The names of merceryes;28Les noms des pluiseurs graines;22The names of diuerse graynes;Des prelats de saincte eglyse,22Of the prelates of holy chirche,Du pape, cardinaulz, euesques,22Of the pope, cardinals, bisshops,Archeuesques, abbes, et officiaulx,23Archebisshops, abbotes, and officials,4Des moynes et gens de lordene;23Of monkes and folke of ordre;De lempereur, roys, et roynes,22Of themperour, kynges, and quenes,Des ducs, countes, et princes,24Of dukes, erles, and princes,Barons, cheualiers, escuyers;24Barons, knyghtes, and squyers;8Les noms dhommes et des femmes,25The names of men and of wymmen,Et des mestiers, selon lordre dea b c;26And of craftes, after thordre ofa b c;Les grandes festes et termes delan;28The grete festes and termes of theyere;12Des orfeures, tisserans, & foulons1,1foulous31Of goldsmythes, weuers, and fullers,Tondeurs, pigneresses, fileresses;32Sheremen, kempsters, spynsters;Des lormiers et armurers,33Of bridelmakers and armorers,16Des tailliers & Vieswariers,34Of tayllours and vpholdsters,Des taincturiers2& drappiers,2taiuc-35Of dyers and drapers,Des boulengiers & cordewaniers,35Of bakers and shoomakers,Des escripuains & arceniers,36Of skriueners and boumakers,20Des moulniers & bouchiers,37Of mylnars and bochiers,Des poissonners & teliers,38Of fysshmongers and of lynweuers,Des chaudeliers3& libraries,3chan-38Of ketelmakers and librariers,Des gauntiers & corbelliers,40,38Of glouers and of maundemakers,24Des painturers & vsuriers,39Of paintours and vsuriers,Des couureurs de tieulles & destrain,40Of tylers and thatchers,Des charpentiers & feultriers,39Of carpenters and hatmakers,Des chauetiers et boursiers,41Of cobelers and pursers,28Des cousturiers et especiers,42Of shepsters and spycers,Des coultiers et hosteliers,42Of brokers and hosteliers,Des touriers et cuueliers,43Of kepars of prisons and coupers,Des mesuriers et messagiers,44Of metars and messagiers,32Des chartons et changiers,45Of carters and chaungers,Des monnoyers et pastesiers,45Of myntemakers and pybakers,Des jougleurs & teneurs,46Of pleyers and tawyers,Des vairriers et serruriers,46Of makers of greywerke and lokyers,36Des gorliers et huchiers,46Of gorelmakers and joyners,Des parcenniers;47Of parchemyn makers;Et les parolles que chescun49And the wordes that euerychePourra apprendre pour alerMay lerne for to goo40CONTENTS. OBJECT OF THE BOOK. PROLOGUE.Dun pays au ville a aultre;49Fro one lande or toune to anothir;Et plus aultres raysonsAnd moo othir resonsQue seroyent trop longuesThat shold be over longeDe mettre en cest table.To sette in this table.4En la fin de cest doctrine50In the ende of this doctrineTrouueres1la maniere1TrouuerersShall ye fynde the manerePour aprendre acompter51For to lerne rekenePar liures, par soulz, par deniers.By poundes, by shelynges, by pens.8Vostre recepte et vostre myseYour recyte and your gyuing outeRaportes tout en somme.Brynge it all in somme.Faittes diligence daprendre.Doo diligence for to lerne.Fuyes oyseusete, petyz et grandes,Flee ydlenes, smal and grete,12Car tous vices en sount sourdans.For all vices springen therof.Tres bonne doctrineRyght good lernyngPour aprendreFor to lerneBriefment fransoys et engloys.Shortly frenssh and englyssh.16OVnom du pere,Et du filz,In the name of the fadre,And of the soone,Et du sainte esperite,And of the holy ghoost,Veul commencierI wyll begynne20Et ordonner ung livre,And ordeyne this book,Par le quel on pourraBy the whiche men shall moweRoysonnablement entendreResonably vnderstandeFransoys et engloys,Frenssh and englissh,24Du tant comme cest escriptOf as moche as this writingPourra contenir et estendre;Shall conteyne and stratche;Car il ne peult tout comprendre;For he may not alle comprise;Mais ce quon ny trouueraBut that which can not be founden28Declaire en cestuiDeclared in thisPourra on trouuer ailleurs,Shall be founde somwhere els,En aultres liures.In othir bookes.Mais sachies pour voirBut knowe for trouthe32Que es lignes de cest aucteurThat in the lynes of this auctourSount plus de parolles et de raysonsBen moo wordes and reasonsComprinses, et de responses,Comprised, and of ansuers,Que2en moult daultres liures.2QneThan in many othir bookes.36Qui ceste liure vouldra aprendreWho this booke shall wylle lerneBien pourra entreprendreMay well entreprise or take on hondeTHIS IS A TRADER’S HANDBOOK. HOW TO SALUTE FOLK.Marchandises dun pays a lautre,Marchandises fro one land to anothir,Et cognoistre maintes denreesAnd to knowe many waresQue1lui seroient bon achetes1QneWhich to hym shalbe good to bebouȝt4Ou vendues pour riche deuenir.Or solde for riche to become.Aprendes ce liure diligement;Lerne this book diligently;Grande prouffyt y gyst vrayement.Grete prouffyt lieth therin truly.[CH. I.]OR scaues quil affiertQuil ait du tout vne partie.NOw knowe what behouethThat he haue of alle a partie.8Quand vous alles par les rues,Whan ye goo by the streetes,Et vous encountres aulcunsAnd ye mete onyQue vous cognossies,That ye knowe,12Ou2quilz soyent de vostrecognoissaunce,2OnOr that they be of yourknowelech,Soyes ysnel et apparailliesBe swyft and redyDe luy ou deulx premier saluer,Hym or hem first to grete,16Sil est ou sils sount hommes de valeur.Yf he be or they be men of valure.Ostes vostre chappronDoo of your hoodPour dames & damoysellys;For ladies and damoyselles;Se ilz ostent leur chaperon,Yf they doo of their hood,20Sy le remettes de vous mayns.So sette it on agayn with your handis.En telle maniereIn such manereLes poes saluer:May ye salewe them:“Sire, dieu vous garde!”“Syre, god you kepe!”24Cest le plus bryefThat is the shortestQue on puise dyreThat one may sayeAux gens en saluant.To the peple in salewyng.Ou, en aultres vsages:—Or, in othir vsages:—28“Syre, vous soyes bien venus.”“Sire, ye be welcome.”“Vous, dame ou damoyselle,“Ye, lady or damoyselle,Vous soyes la bien venu.”Ye ben welcome.”“Sire, dieu vous doinst bon jour.”“Syre, god gyue you good daye.”32“Dame, bon jour vous doinst nostresire.”“Dame, good daye giue you ourlord.”“Compaignon ou amye,“Felawe or frende,Vous soies le bien venus.”Ye be welcome.”36“Que faictes vous? comment vousest?”“What do ye? how is it withyou?”“Bien; que bien vous aies.”“Well; that well mote ye haue.”“Ou aues este si longement?“Where haue ye ben so longe?40SALUTATIONS. HOW TO TAKE LEAVE OF FOLK.Je ne vous vey piecha.”I haue not seen you in longe tyme.”“Jay este longement hors du pays.”“I haue ben longe out of the contre.”“En quel pays?”“In what contre?”“Sire, ce seroit“Syre, that shold be4Trop a racompter;Ouermoche for to telle;Mais sil vous plaist aulcune choseBut if you plaise ony thyngQue ie puisse fayre,That I may doo,Commandes le moyCommaunde it me8Comme a celuyAs to hymQui volentiers le feroit.”That gladly shall doo it.”“Sire, grand mercy“Syre, gramercyDe vous courtoyses parollesOf your courtoys wordes12Et de vostre bonne volente;And of your good wyll;Dieu le vous mire!”God reward you!”“Dieu le me laisse deseruyr!“God late me deserue it!Sachies certainement11certaineintKnowe ye certaynely16Que vous ne y estesThat ye be notPoint engaignies2,2eugaigniesNothyng deceyued5,5deceynedCar ce vous feroye ie,For that wold I dooPour vous et pour les vostres.For you and for youris.20Adieu vous comande.To god I you commaunde.Je prenge congie3a vous.”3cougieI take leue of you.”Respondes ainsi:Ansuere thus:“Nostre sire vous conduyse!”“Our lorde conduyte you!”24“A dieu soyes vous comandes!”“To god mote ye be commaunded!”“Dieu vous ait en sa sainte garde!”“God you haue in his holy kepyng!”“Allez a dieu4.4dien“Goo ye to god.Salues moy la dameGrete me the lady28(Ou la damoyselle)(Or the damyselle)De vostre maysonOf your house(Ou de vostre hostel),(Or of your heberow),Vostre femme, vous enfans,Your wyf, your children,32Vostre mary,Your husbonde,Vostre fyltz et vous filles,Your sones and your doughtres,Toute vostre maisnye.Alle your meyne.Si me recomandesAlso recommaunde me36A mon seigneur,To my lorde,A mes damoyseauls,To my yong lordes,A ma dame,To my lady,A ma damoyselle,To my yong lady,40TAKING LEAVE. WINDOWS, BEDS AND BEDDING.A vostre pere et a vostre mere,To your fadre and to your modre,A vostre tayon et a vostre taye,To your belfadre & to your beldame,A vostre oncle et a vostre aunte,To your eme & to your aunte,A vostre cosyns et a vostre cosynes,To your cosyns and to your nieces,4A vous cousyns germains,To your cosyns germayns,A vostre nepheux & a vostre nieces,To your neueus & to your nieces,Qui sont enfans de vostre frereWhiche ben children of your brotherOu de vostre soeur.Or of your suster.8Vous freres, vous soeurs,Your brethern, your sustres,Ne loublies mye.”Forgete them not.”“Je le vous feray voulentiers.“I shal do it for you gladly.A dieu vous command.”To god I commaunde you.”12“Or alles a dieu.”“Now goo to god.”Cy finent les salutationsThus enden the salutationsEt les responses.And the ansueris.[CH. II.]OR mestoet auant parlerDaultres choses necessaires:NOw standeth me for to spekeOf othir thynges necessarie:16Cest a sauoyr des besongnesThat is to saye of thingesQue on vse aual le maison,That ben vsed after the hous,De quoy on ne peult synon.Of whiche me may not be withoute.20De la maison premiers diray,Of the hous first I shall saye,En auenture, se besoing est.On auenture, if it be to doo.La maison bien ordonneThe hous well ordeynedDoybt estre bien fenestreeOught to be well wyndowed24De pluiseurs fenestresOf diverse wyndowesPar quoy il ait grand clarte.By which it haue grete light.Il y affiert aux chambresHit behoueth to the chambresSolliers, greniers.Loftes and garettis.28[CH. III.]QVi vin veult maintenierConuient auoir chielliersWHo wyne wyll maynteneBehoueth to haue selersEt vne basse chambreAnd a lowe chambrePour prendre aisement.For to take his easement.32Ores vous conuient avoir lits;Now must ye haue beddes;Lyts des plummes;Beddes of fetheris;Pour les poures suz gesir,For the poure to lye on,Lyts de bourre;Beddes of flockes;36Sarges, tapites,Sarges, tapytes,Kieultes poyntesQuiltes payntedPour les lits couurir;For the beddes to couere;Couuertoyrs ainsi;Couerlettes also;40BED-FURNITURE, POTS AND PANS, CANS AND BOTTLES.Bankers qui sont beaulx;Bankers that ben fayr;Dessoubs le lite vng calys;Under the bedde a chalon;Estrain dedens;Strawe therin;Bancs, chaiers,Benches, chayers,4Lesons, selles;Lystes, stoles;Pots de keuure, chaudrens,Pottes of coppre, kawdrons,Chaudiers, paiels,Ketellis, pannes,Bachins, lauoirs,Basyns, lauours,8Pots de terre,Pottes of erthe,Cannes de terreCannes of erthePour aller al eawe;For to go to the watre;Ces choses trouueres vousThise thinges shall ye fynde12En le potterye.In the potterye.Se vous aues de quoy,Yf ye haue wherof,Faittes que vous ayesDoo that ye haueOuurages destain,Werkes of tynne,16Pots destain1et cannes,1de stainPottes of tynne and cannes,Cannes de deux lots,Cannes of two stope,Cannes dun sestier,Cannes of a sextier,Lotz et demy lotz,Stopes and half stopes,20Pintes et demy pintes.Pintes and half pintes.Ung lot est appelleA stope is calledEu aucun lieu2vng quart.2ancun lienIn somme place a quarte.Ce sont les mesuresThise ben the mesures24Que je3scay nommer:3yeThat I can name:Mais les bouteillesBut the botellisDestain, de boz, de cuir,Of tyn, of wode, of lether,Treuue on de toutes manieres.Men fynd of all maneris.28Or vous conuient auoirNow must ye hauePlatteaux destain,Platers of tyn,Escuyelles, sausserons,Disshes, saussers,Sallieres, trenchores;Sallyers, trenchours;32Ces choses trouueresThise thinges shall ye fyndeDe boz et de terre.Of tree and of erthe.Couuercles de keuuer,Couercles of coppre,De terre, et de fer,Of erthe, and of yron,36Or apres vng esculier,Now after a disshe fat,La on met dedensWhere me leyeth therinLes deuantdittes choses.The forsaid thinges.Les louches de boz,And the spones of tree,40FURNITURE, UTENSILS, PLATE AND CLOTHING.Les louches dargent,The spones of siluer,Metton la on veult,That dooe2men where they wylle,2doooEn plus seure garde.In most sure kepyng.Le louche de pot entour le feu;The ladle of the pot about the fyre;4Trepiet pour asseoir sus;Treuet for to sette it on;Sur laistre appertientVpon the herthe belongethLaigne ou tourbes,Woode or turues,Deux brandeurs de fer,Two andyrons3of yron,3andyrous8Ung estenelle, ung greyl.A tonge, a gredyron.Ung grauwet,Aflessh hoke,Coutieaulx pour taillierKnyues for to cutteCe quon vouldra,That what me shall wylle,12Ung couttel de poreeA choppyng knyfPour taillier la poree.for to choppe wortes.Hanaps dargent,Cuppes of silver,Hanaps dorees,Cuppes gylte,16Coupes door,Couppes of goold,Hanaps a pies;Cuppes with feet;Ces choses mettesThise things set yeEn vostre huche ou escrijn;In your whutche or cheste;20Vos joyaulx en vostre forchierYour jewellis in your forcierQue on ne les emble.That they be not stolen.Plente des linchieux,Plente of shetes,Nappes, touwailles.Bordclothes, towellis.24Pour faire a nous aulxFor to make to us garlykEt saulses parmi le stamine,And sauses thorugh the strayner,Vous conuient1auoir1connientYe muste haueUng mortier, ung pestiel.A morter, a pestyll.28Ala perche pendent vos vestures,On the perche hongen your clothes,Manteaulx, scurcorps,Mantellis, frockes,Heuques, clocques,Heukes, clokes,Cottes, pourpoints,Cotes, doblettes,32Vestures, fourrures,Clothes, furres,Vestures diuer et deste;Wynter clothes and of somer;Les oreilliers sur le lite;The pelowes on the bedde;Sur le queuerchiefUpon the keuerchief36Chemises, brayes,Chertes, briches,A tout le braieul.With the pauntcher4.4panutcherQuand vous estes desvestuesWhan ye be vnclothedOn treuue fourruresMe fyndeth furres40FURS, WHITE MEATS, WIFE, PARENTS AND CHILDREN.Descurieus1, daigneaulx,1DescuriensOf beuers and of lombes,Plichons de lieures et de conins.Pylches of hares and of conyes.Mettes en le tresoierSette into the cupbortVostre pain, vostre fourmage,Your brede, your chese,4Vostre bure, vostre viande,Your butter, your mete,Et aultres companages,And othir white mete,Le relief de la table.The leuynge of the table.Faictes quil y aist du seelDoo that ther be salte8Et des voires.And glases.Cy fine le tierce chapitle.Here endeth the thirde chapitre.[CH. IV.]OR entendes, petys & grands,Je vous dirai maintenantNow understande, litell and grete,I shall saye you right forth12Dune aultre matereOf an othir matereLa quele ie comence.The whiche I wyll begynne.Se vous estes maries,Yf ye be maried,Et vous aues femme,And ye haue a wyfe,16Et vous ayes marye,And ye haue a husbonde,Se vous maintenes paisiblement,So mayntene you pesibly,Que vous voisins ne disentThat your neyghbours saye notDe vous fors que bien:Of you othirwyse than well:20Ce seroit virgoingne.Hit shold be shame.Se vous aues pere & mere,If ye haue fader and moderSi les honnoures tousiours;So worshippe them alleway;Faictes leur honneur;Doo to hem worshipp;24Deportes les;Forbere them;Car selon le commandementFor after the commaundementEt conseil de cathon,And the counseill of cathon,Les doibt en honnourer;Men ought to worshippe them;28Car il dist en son liure:For he saith in his booke:“Honnoure pere & mere.”“Worshippe fader and moder.”Se vous aues enfans,Yf ye haue children,Si les chastoyes de la verge,So chastyse them with the rodde,32Et les instruesAnd enforme themDe bonnes meursWith good manersLe temps quilz soient jofnes;the tyme that they be yong;Les envoyes a lescoleSende them to the scole36Aprendre lire et escripre,To lerne rede and to write,quilz ne resambloient bestes.That they resemble not bestis.Soyes debonnairBe ye buxomEnuers touttes gens—Vnto alle folke—40
Thework now for the first time reprinted from Caxton’s original edition has been preserved in three copies. One of these is in the Library of Ripon Cathedral, another in the Spencer Library, now at Manchester, and the third at Bamborough Castle. A small fragment, consisting of pp. 17-18 and 27-28, is in the Bodleian Library. The text of the present edition is taken from the Ripon copy. I have not had an opportunity of seeing this myself; but a type-written transcript was supplied to me by Mr. John Whitham, Chapter Clerk of Ripon Cathedral, and the proofs were collated with the Ripon book by the Rev. Dr. Fowler, Vice-Principal of Bishop Hatfield’s Hall, Durham, who was kind enough to re-examine every passage in which I suspected a possible inaccuracy. It is therefore reasonable to hope that the present reprint will be found to be a strictly faithful representation of the original edition.
The earlier bibliographers gave to the book the entirely inappropriate title of ‘Instructions for Travellers.’ Mr. Blades is nearer the mark in calling it ‘A Vocabulary in French and English,’ but, as it consists chiefly of a collection of colloquial phrases and dialogues, the designation adopted in the present edition appears to be preferable. As in other printed works of the same period, there is no title-page in the original edition, so that a modern editor is at liberty to give to the book whatever name may most accurately describe its character. The name of Caxton does not occur in the colophon, which merely states that the work was printed at Westminster; but the authorship is sufficiently certain from internal evidence. On the ground of the form of type employed, Mr. Blades inferred that the book was printedabout 1483. However this may be, there are, as will be shown, decisive reasons for believing that it was written at a much earlier period.
A fact which has hitherto escaped notice is that Caxton’s book is essentially an adaptation of a collection of phrases and dialogues in French and Flemish, of which an edition was published by Michelant in 18751, from a MS. in the Bibliothèque Nationale.
The text of Caxton’s original cannot, indeed, have been precisely identical with that of the MS. used by Michelant. It contained many passages which are wanting in the Paris MS., and in some instances had obviously preferable readings. Caxton’s English sentences are very often servile translations from the Flemish, and he sometimes falls into the use of Flemish words and idioms in such a way as to show that his long residence abroad had impaired his familiarity with his native language. The Frenchrespaulme cet hanap, for instance, is rendered by ‘spoylle the cup.’ Of course the English verbspoyllenever meant ‘to rinse’; Caxton was misled by the sound of the Flemishspoel. Caxton’s ‘after the house,’ as a translation ofaual la maison(throughout the house), is explicable only by a reference to the Flemish version, which hasachter huse. The verbformaketh, which has not elsewhere been found in English, is an adoption of the Flemishvermaect(repairs). Another Flemicism is Caxton’swhiler(= while ere) for ‘some time ago,’ in Flemishwilen eer. It is still more curious to find Caxton writing ‘itenis not,’ instead of ‘it is not’; thisenis the particle prefixed in Flemish to the verb of a negative sentence. As is well known, Caxton’s translation of ‘Reynard the Fox’ exhibits many phenomena of a similar kind. From all the circumstances, we may perhaps conclude that Caxton, while still resident in Bruges, added an English column to his copy of the French-Flemish phrase-book, rather as a sort of exercise than with any view to publication, and that he handed it over to his compositors at Westminster without taking the trouble to subject it to any material revision.
The original work contains so many references to the city of Bruges that it is impossible to doubt that it was compiled there. According to Michelant, the Paris MS. was written in the first half of the fourteenth century. The MS. used by Caxton must itself have been written not later than the second decade of the fifteenth century; unless, indeed, it was an unaltered transcript from an older MS. The evidence on which this conclusion is based is somewhat curious. Caxton’s text contains two passages in which the pope is spoken of as still resident at Avignon. Now the ‘Babylonish captivity’ of the popes ended in 1378; and, even if we suppose that at Bruges the Avignon anti-popes were recognized by some persons to the very last, the latest date at which these passages could have been written is the year 1417. It is not easy to understand how it was possible for Caxton to leave uncorrected these references to a state of things which he must have known had long ceased to exist. The only explanation of the fact seems to be that, as has been suggested above, he sent his many years old MS. to the press without going over it again. It may be remarked that one of the Avignon passages does not occur in the text as printed by Michelant. As it would be absurd to suppose that it was introduced by Caxton himself, the inference is clear that his copy of the original work was fuller than that contained in the Paris MS. Probably Caxton may have added a few lines here and there—the mention of certain English towns and fairs on pp. 18-19, and that of English bishoprics on p. 23, for instance, were most likely inserted by him. But by far the greatest portion of the matter which is peculiar to Caxton’s form of the dialogues may be confidently ascribed to his original, on account of the frequent occurrence of passages in which, while the French is quite correct, the English translation shows imperfect understanding of the sense.
One of the most remarkable differences between Caxton’s form of the dialogues and that which is preserved in the Paris MS. consists in the transposition of several of the sections in that portion of the work to which the title ‘Le Livre des Mestiers’ ismost properly applicable (pp. 24-44 of Caxton’s edition). In both versions the sections in this portion are arranged in the alphabetical order of the Christian names of the persons referred to; but the names connected with particular employments are not always the same in the two versions. Thus in Michelant the bowyer is called Filbert, in Caxton he is Guillebert; in Michelant the carpenter is Henri, in Caxton Lambert; in Michelant the tiler is Martin, in Caxton Lamfroy; and so on. The resulting transpositions render it somewhat difficult at first sight to perceive the substantial identity of the matter in the two books. If an editor wished to print Caxton’s text and that of the Paris MS. in parallel columns, he would need to have recourse to the ingenious device adopted by Professor Skeat in the Clarendon Press edition of the three recensions ofPiers Plowman; that is to say, all the sections in which the names have been altered would have to be given twice over in each column—with large print where they occur in their alphabetical place, and with small print opposite to the corresponding sections in the other text. It is hard to see why the person who made the later version followed by Caxton should have taken the trouble to alter the names and re-arrange the material in the new alphabetical order. One might almost suspect that the names were those of actual tradesmen in Bruges, and that the alterations represent changes that had taken place between the earlier and the later edition of the book.
The French of the Paris MS. is the Picard dialect of the former half of the fourteenth century. The French of Caxton’s book retains many of the original north-eastern forms, but is to a considerable extent modernized and assimilated to the literary language of a later period. Such ‘etymological’ spellings asrecepueur,debuoit, are common in Caxton’s text, but rarely occur in Michelant. The following comparative specimen of the two versions will afford some notion of the orthographical and grammatical differences between them, and also of the degree in which Caxton’s English was influenced by his Flemish original.
Pierres le bateur a l’arket
Pietre de coutenslaerre
Pyere le bateure de laine
Peter the betar of wulle
Va tout useus,
Gaet al ledich,
Va tout oyseux,
Gooth alle ydle,
Car ses doiiens
Want siin deken
Car son doyen
For his dene
Li ha desfendu son mestier
Heeft hem verboden sin ambocht
Lui a deffendu son mestier
Hath forboden hym hys craft
Sur l’amende de xx. sauls,
Up de boete van xx. scelle,
Sour l’amende de vingt solz,
Vpon thamendes of xx. shelyngs,
Dusqu’ a dont qu’il aura
Tote dien dat hi sal hebben
Jusques a dont quil aura
Till that he shall haue
Achaté le franchise.
Ghecocht sine vrihede.
Achatte sa franchise.
Bought his franchyse.
Il s’en plaindra
Hi sals hem beclaghen
Il sen plaindra
He shall complaine hym
Au bourghmaistre,
Den buerghmeestre,
Au burchmaistre,
Unto bourghmaistre,
Et li doiiens, ne si jurei
Ende de dekene no sine gheswoerne
Et les gardiens des mestiers
And the wardeyns of the crafte
N’en font conte.
Ne micken niet.
Nen font compte.
sette not therby.
Pol li cuveliers
Pauwels de cupre
Poul le cuuelier
Poule the couper
Fait et refait cuves,
Maect ende vermaect cupen,
Faict et refaict les cuues,
Maketh and formaketh the keupis,
Cuviers et tonniaux,
Cupekine ende vaten,
tonniaulx, vaissiaux
Barellis, vassellis
Chercles et tonnelets
Houpen ende tonnekine.
Courans et gouttans.
Lekyng and droppyng.
Il ont doilloires, wembelkins,
Si hebben paerden, spikelboren,
Forets, tareales, et planes.
Foretten, navegheeren ende scaven.
Paulins le mesureur de blé
Pauwelin de corenmetere
Paulin le mesureur de bled
Paulyn the metar of corne
A si longement mesuret,
Heeft so langhe ghemeten.
A tant mesure
Hath so moche moten
De bled et de mestelon
Of corne and of mestelyn,
Qu’il ne puet plus
Dat hi mach nemmeer
Quil ne peult plus
That he may no more
Par che grande villeche;
Mit sire groter outheide;
de viellesse;
for age;
Car il est tout kenus.
Want hi es al calv.
Il est tout gryse.
He is alle graye.
Il donna [sic] a chescun sa mesure.
He gyueth to euerich his mesure.
Pirote, si filleulle,
Pierote, siin dochterkine,
Pieronne sa filleule
Pieryne his doughter
Est la pire garche
Es die quaetste dierne
Est la pieure grace
Is the shrewest ghyrle
Que je sache
Die ic weet
Que ie sache
That I knowe
Dechà mer, ne delà.
An disside der zee, no an ghene zide.
de cha la mere.
on this side the see.
Quintins li tonliers
Quintin de tolnare
Quintin le tollenier
Quyntyne the tollar
A pris de mi
Heeft ghenomen van mi
A pris de moy
Hath taken of me
Une lb. de gros
1 lb. grot
Vng liure de gros
A pound of grotes
Plus qu’il ne devoit;
Meer dan hi sculdich was;
Plus quil ne debuoit prendre
More than he ought to take
Du droit tonlieu;
Of right tolle.
Si m’en trairai
Zo dat ic sal trucken
Sy me trayeray
So shall I drawe me
Au recheveur
Vor den ontfanghere
Au recepueur
Vnto the receyuour
Pour faire me plainte,
Omme te doene mine claghe
Et pour men droit requerre.
Ende omne min recht te versoukene.
Pour men droit requerre.
For my right to requyre.
In the present edition Caxton’s text has been literally reproduced, except that obvious misprints are corrected (the original readings being given in the marginal notes2), and that modern punctuation has been added for the sake of intelligibility. Where Caxton leaves a space for an illuminated initial (a small letter being printed in the middle to serve as a guide) I have used a large capital. The List of English Words at the end is intended to contain all the words that require any explanation, or are on any account noteworthy. The List of French Words, which I was unable to prepare on account of ill-health, has been compiled by Mr. Henry Littlehales.
HENRY BRADLEY.
1.Le Livre des Mestiers: Dialogues français-flamands composés au XIVesiècle par un maître d’école de la ville de Bruges. Paris: Librairie Tross.2.Misprints affecting only the word-division, however, have been corrected without remark.
1.Le Livre des Mestiers: Dialogues français-flamands composés au XIVesiècle par un maître d’école de la ville de Bruges. Paris: Librairie Tross.
2.Misprints affecting only the word-division, however, have been corrected without remark.
317. This corresponds with the beginning of the French-Flemish dialogues printed by Michelant. The preceding table of contents may have been added by Caxton himself.332-47. Not in Michelant.48. The French should no doubt readquil y ait, as in Michelant, but Caxton translates the erroneous reading.836. There is some mistake here. Michelant’s text hascavecheul, bed’s head.839-106. Michelant’s text is here quite different, enumerating the parts of the body and the articles necessary for the toilet.1319.Confiteis a misreading on Caxton’s part forconfire, comfrey; Michelant has the right word.1531.Serashould befera, as in Michelant; the sense is ‘the abatement which you will make will cause it to be sold.’ Caxton attempts to translate the erroneous readingsera, but his translation makes no sense.161-1719. This interesting portion of the dialogue is not in Michelant.1818.It en is not= Flemishhet en es niet. Evidently when this was written Caxton had become more familiar with Flemish than with his native language.1826-1910. The names of English towns in this list are added by Caxton.2214-259. The enumeration of ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries is much more full here than in Michelant’s text, but it is probable that Caxton had before him an amplified copy of the original work, as the mention of the pope’s residence at Avignon obviously cannot have been inserted by him. The names of English bishoprics, however, are most likely added by Caxton.246.Bogarsin the French column (rendered bylewd freris, i.e. lay brothers) appears to be a mistake forBegars, Beghards.2637.Spoylle the cuppe.Another proof that Caxton had forgotten his English. The Flemish isspoel den nap, ‘rinse the cup’; the Englishspoilof course never had the sense ‘to rinse.’2912.Byledyngis an attempt at literal interpretation of the Frenchdeduit, delight.2913.Serouge (serourge)is properly ‘brother-in-law’; it is not clear whether Caxton’s renderingcosen alyedis a mistranslation, or whether the French word was used at Bruges in the extended sense.304-6. This reference to the truce between the English and the Scots is not, as might perhaps be thought, an insertion by Caxton. Michelant considers the truce in question to be that of the year 1340.3030-33. Michelant’s text omits these lines, to the manifest injury of the sense.3523-25. Caxton seems here to have found his MS. illegible: Michelant’s text has ‘Fremius [? readFremins] ses voisins Dist qu’el vault bien son argent.’378-30. This emphatic praise of the writer’s craft is not in Michelant; probably it expresses Caxton’s own sentiments.3836.Enprintees, which Caxton amazingly renders ‘enprinted,’ is doubtless a mistake forenpruntes, borrowed. The occurrence of this mistake shows that the passage must have been in Caxton’s original, though it is not in Michelant’s text. Caxton’s account of the bookseller’s stock is much fuller than that in Michelant, but apparently this is not due, as might naturally be supposed, to his own interest in the subject.4417.Formaketh, literally adopted from the Flemishvermaect, repairs.4426.Filleuleis god-daughter, not ‘daughter.’ The Flemish hasdochterkine, which, though literally = ‘little daughter,’ was used for ‘god-daughter.’461. It is curious that the names beginning with S and T, which appear in Michelant, are omitted by Caxton. Possibly a leaf was missing in his original.5022. From this line to the end seems to be an addition by Caxton.
317. This corresponds with the beginning of the French-Flemish dialogues printed by Michelant. The preceding table of contents may have been added by Caxton himself.
332-47. Not in Michelant.
48. The French should no doubt readquil y ait, as in Michelant, but Caxton translates the erroneous reading.
836. There is some mistake here. Michelant’s text hascavecheul, bed’s head.
839-106. Michelant’s text is here quite different, enumerating the parts of the body and the articles necessary for the toilet.
1319.Confiteis a misreading on Caxton’s part forconfire, comfrey; Michelant has the right word.
1531.Serashould befera, as in Michelant; the sense is ‘the abatement which you will make will cause it to be sold.’ Caxton attempts to translate the erroneous readingsera, but his translation makes no sense.
161-1719. This interesting portion of the dialogue is not in Michelant.
1818.It en is not= Flemishhet en es niet. Evidently when this was written Caxton had become more familiar with Flemish than with his native language.
1826-1910. The names of English towns in this list are added by Caxton.
2214-259. The enumeration of ecclesiastical and civil dignitaries is much more full here than in Michelant’s text, but it is probable that Caxton had before him an amplified copy of the original work, as the mention of the pope’s residence at Avignon obviously cannot have been inserted by him. The names of English bishoprics, however, are most likely added by Caxton.
246.Bogarsin the French column (rendered bylewd freris, i.e. lay brothers) appears to be a mistake forBegars, Beghards.
2637.Spoylle the cuppe.Another proof that Caxton had forgotten his English. The Flemish isspoel den nap, ‘rinse the cup’; the Englishspoilof course never had the sense ‘to rinse.’
2912.Byledyngis an attempt at literal interpretation of the Frenchdeduit, delight.
2913.Serouge (serourge)is properly ‘brother-in-law’; it is not clear whether Caxton’s renderingcosen alyedis a mistranslation, or whether the French word was used at Bruges in the extended sense.
304-6. This reference to the truce between the English and the Scots is not, as might perhaps be thought, an insertion by Caxton. Michelant considers the truce in question to be that of the year 1340.
3030-33. Michelant’s text omits these lines, to the manifest injury of the sense.
3523-25. Caxton seems here to have found his MS. illegible: Michelant’s text has ‘Fremius [? readFremins] ses voisins Dist qu’el vault bien son argent.’
378-30. This emphatic praise of the writer’s craft is not in Michelant; probably it expresses Caxton’s own sentiments.
3836.Enprintees, which Caxton amazingly renders ‘enprinted,’ is doubtless a mistake forenpruntes, borrowed. The occurrence of this mistake shows that the passage must have been in Caxton’s original, though it is not in Michelant’s text. Caxton’s account of the bookseller’s stock is much fuller than that in Michelant, but apparently this is not due, as might naturally be supposed, to his own interest in the subject.
4417.Formaketh, literally adopted from the Flemishvermaect, repairs.
4426.Filleuleis god-daughter, not ‘daughter.’ The Flemish hasdochterkine, which, though literally = ‘little daughter,’ was used for ‘god-daughter.’
461. It is curious that the names beginning with S and T, which appear in Michelant, are omitted by Caxton. Possibly a leaf was missing in his original.
5022. From this line to the end seems to be an addition by Caxton.
Premierment, linuocacion de latrinite;
Fyrst, the callyng of the trinite;
Comment on doibt chescun saluer;
How every man ought grete othir;
The catayllys langyng to the house;
Les noms des chars & de beestes1;1beestis
The names of flessh and of bestis;
Et doysiaulz priues & sauuages;
The names of fysshes of the see;
The names of the fruytes of trees;
Les noms des communs beuurages;
Les noms des cuyrs & des peaulx;
The names of hydes and of skynnes;
Des aluns et daultres tainctures;
Of the prelates of holy chirche,
Of the pope, cardinals, bisshops,
Archeuesques, abbes, et officiaulx,
Archebisshops, abbotes, and officials,
Of themperour, kynges, and quenes,
Les noms dhommes et des femmes,
The names of men and of wymmen,
Et des mestiers, selon lordre dea b c;
And of craftes, after thordre ofa b c;
Les grandes festes et termes delan;
The grete festes and termes of theyere;
Des orfeures, tisserans, & foulons1,1foulous
Of goldsmythes, weuers, and fullers,
Tondeurs, pigneresses, fileresses;
Sheremen, kempsters, spynsters;
Des taincturiers2& drappiers,2taiuc-
Des boulengiers & cordewaniers,
Des escripuains & arceniers,
Of fysshmongers and of lynweuers,
Des chaudeliers3& libraries,3chan-
Des gauntiers & corbelliers,
Of glouers and of maundemakers,
Des couureurs de tieulles & destrain,
Des charpentiers & feultriers,
Of kepars of prisons and coupers,
Des monnoyers et pastesiers,
Of makers of greywerke and lokyers,
CONTENTS. OBJECT OF THE BOOK. PROLOGUE.
Fro one lande or toune to anothir;
Par liures, par soulz, par deniers.
By poundes, by shelynges, by pens.
Your recyte and your gyuing oute
Fuyes oyseusete, petyz et grandes,
Car tous vices en sount sourdans.
OVnom du pere,Et du filz,
Du tant comme cest escript
Car il ne peult tout comprendre;
But that which can not be founden
That in the lynes of this auctour
Sount plus de parolles et de raysons
Que2en moult daultres liures.2Qne
Qui ceste liure vouldra aprendre
Who this booke shall wylle lerne
May well entreprise or take on honde
THIS IS A TRADER’S HANDBOOK. HOW TO SALUTE FOLK.
Marchandises dun pays a lautre,
Marchandises fro one land to anothir,
Que1lui seroient bon achetes1Qne
Which to hym shalbe good to bebouȝt
Grande prouffyt y gyst vrayement.
Grete prouffyt lieth therin truly.
OR scaues quil affiertQuil ait du tout vne partie.
NOw knowe what behouethThat he haue of alle a partie.
Ou2quilz soyent de vostrecognoissaunce,2On
Or that they be of yourknowelech,
De luy ou deulx premier saluer,
Sil est ou sils sount hommes de valeur.
Yf he be or they be men of valure.
So sette it on agayn with your handis.
“Dame, bon jour vous doinst nostresire.”
“Dame, good daye giue you ourlord.”
“Que faictes vous? comment vousest?”
“What do ye? how is it withyou?”
SALUTATIONS. HOW TO TAKE LEAVE OF FOLK.
I haue not seen you in longe tyme.”
Mais sil vous plaist aulcune chose
TAKING LEAVE. WINDOWS, BEDS AND BEDDING.
A vostre pere et a vostre mere,
To your fadre and to your modre,
A vostre tayon et a vostre taye,
To your belfadre & to your beldame,
A vostre oncle et a vostre aunte,
To your eme & to your aunte,
A vostre cosyns et a vostre cosynes,
To your cosyns and to your nieces,
A vostre nepheux & a vostre nieces,
To your neueus & to your nieces,
Qui sont enfans de vostre frere
Whiche ben children of your brother
OR mestoet auant parlerDaultres choses necessaires:
NOw standeth me for to spekeOf othir thynges necessarie:
Of whiche me may not be withoute.
Of the hous first I shall saye,
QVi vin veult maintenierConuient auoir chielliers
WHo wyne wyll maynteneBehoueth to haue selers
BED-FURNITURE, POTS AND PANS, CANS AND BOTTLES.
FURNITURE, UTENSILS, PLATE AND CLOTHING.
That dooe2men where they wylle,2dooo
And sauses thorugh the strayner,
FURS, WHITE MEATS, WIFE, PARENTS AND CHILDREN.
Plichons de lieures et de conins.
Pylches of hares and of conyes.
Here endeth the thirde chapitre.
OR entendes, petys & grands,Je vous dirai maintenant
Now understande, litell and grete,I shall saye you right forth
So chastyse them with the rodde,