ear 1471; and
where Wm. Caxton, Citizen and Mercer, who first brought it into England,
first practised it."

The first work printed in England was "The Recueil of The Historeys of
Troye," of which Caxton thus speaks:--"Thus end I this book, &c., and
for as moche as in wrytyng of the same my penne is worn, myne hande
wery, and myne eyen dimmed, with overmoche lokyng on the whit paper--and
that age crepeth on me dayly--and also because I have promised to
dyverce gentilmen and to my frendes to adresse to them as hastely as I
myght this said book, therefore I have practysed and learned at my grete
charge and dispense to ordayne this sayd book in prynte after the manner
and forme as ye may here see, and is not wreten with penne and ynke, as
other bokes ben, to thende that every man may have them att ones; for
all the books of this storye named the Recule of the Historyes of Troyes
thus emprynted as ye here see were begonne in oon day and also finished
in oon day," &c. In another place he enumerates the works he had printed
thus:--"When I had accomplished dyvers workys and historyes translated
out of Frenshe into Englyshe, at the requeste of certayn lords, ladyes,
and gentylmen, as the Recule of the Historyes of Troye, the Boke of
Chesse, the Historye of Jason, the Historye of the Mirrour of the
World, I have submysed myself to translate into English, the Legende of
Sayntes, called Legenda Aurea in Latyn--and Wylyam Erle of Arondel
desyred me--and promysed to take a resonyble quantyte of them--sente to
me a worshipful gentylman--promising that my sayd lord should during my
lyf give and grant to me a yearly fee, that is to note a bucke in
sommer, and a doo in wynter," &c.

It appears that Caxton continued his employment at Westminster, with
considerable success, until his death, which occurred in 1491. He seems
to have been extensively patronised, and to have been a person of great
moral worth. He is supposed to have lived to beyond the age of eighty.

Wynkyn de Worde, who was an assistant, and afterwards succeeded Caxton,
was a foreigner, born in the dukedom of Lorrain. He made great
improvements, especially in the form of his types. Most of his books now
remaining, were printed in Fleet Street, in St. Bride's Parish, at the
sign of the Sun. He died in 1534.

Richard Pynson, who had been brought up under Caxton, set up a Press at
Temple Bar, and was the first who obtained the patent of King's Printer;
he died in 1529.