t in modern spelling,
with the substitution of current words for those now obsolete, and the
softening of a handful of passages likely, he thought, to prevent the
book being placed in the hands of boys. In 1889 a boon was conferred
on scholars by the publication of Dr. H. Oskar Sommer's page-for-page
reprint of Caxton's text, with an elaborate discussion of Malory's
sources. Dr. Sommer's edition was used by Sir E. Strachey to revise his
Globe text, and in 1897 Mr. Israel Gollancz produced for the "Temple
Classics" a very pretty edition in which Sir Edward Strachey's
principles of modernisation in spelling and punctuation were adopted,
but with the restoration of obsolete words and omitted phrases. As to
the present edition, Sir Edward Strachey altered with so sparing a hand
that on many pages differences between his version and that here printed
will be looked for in vain; but the most anxious care has been taken to
produce a text modernised as to its spelling, but in other respects in
accurate accordance with Caxton's text, as represented by Dr Sommer's
reprint. Obvious misprints have been silently corrected, but in a few
cases notes show where emendations have been introduced from Wynkyn de
Worde--not that Wynkyn had any more right to emend Caxton than we, but
because even a printer's conjecture gains a little sanctity after four
centuries. The restoration of obsolete words has necessitated a much
fuller glossary, and the index of names has therefore been separated
from it and enlarged. In its present form the index is the work of Mr.
Henry Littlehales.

A. W. POLLARD.

PREFACE OF WILLIAM CAXTON

AFTER that I had accomplished and finished divers histories, as well of
contemplation as of other historial and worldly acts of great conquerors
and princes, and also certain books of ensamples and doctrine, many
noble and divers gentlemen of this realm of England came and demanded
me many and oft times, wherefore that I have not do made and imprint
the noble history of the Saint Greal, and of the most renowned Christian
king, first and chief of the three best Christian, and worthy, King
Arthur, which ought most to be remembered among us Englishmen to-fore
all other Christian kings; for it is notoyrly known through the
universal world, that there be nine worthy and the best that ever were,
that is to wit, three Paynims, three Jews, and three Christian men. As
for the Paynims, they were to-fore the Incarnation of