[_Proposals of Mr. Randal Minshull, c. 1742._[1]]
[Footnote 1: This document, though before printed, is as rare as a
manuscript. Dibdin had not seen it when he wrote his memoir of
Caxton, nor could he prove its existence but by a reference to the
_Bibliotheca Westiana_. It is now reprinted from a copy in the
Grenville collection in the British Museum. The specimen is a
small folio, in pica type, and on thin laid paper. As my
information on Mr. Randal Minshull is at present very scanty, I
reserve it with the hope of more fortunate gleanings.--BOLTON
CORNEY.]
"Proposals for printing an exact and ample account of all the
books printed by William Caxton, who was the first printer in
England: wherein will be set forth some select chapters from each
book, to shew the nature and diction thereof, with all his proems,
prologues, epilogues, and tables, in his own words. There will be
also interspersed several ancient and curious matters relating to
the history of England, and other curious subjects: with a
vocabulary of the old English words, and an explanation of them,
which will greatly illustrate the ancient English language, as it
was written in the reign of Edward III. and continued down to
Henry VII. kings of England, as contained in the writings of
Thomas Woodstock duke of Glocester, Anthony Woodville earl Rivers,
John Gower, Geoffry Chaucer, John Lydgate, and other famous
persons.
"By R. Minshull, library-keeper to the right honourable the earl of
Oxford deceas'd.
"'Ut sylvæ foliis pronos mutantur in annos,
Prima cadunt, ita verborum vetus interit ætas,
Et juvenum ritu, florent modo nata vigentq;
Debemur morti nos, nostraq;!'--HOR.
"It is proposed by the editor hereof, as follows: viz.
"I. This work will contain about 200 sheets of paper, printed in
the same form of letter and paper, as this specimen.
"II. There shall be no more printed than 500 books, suitable to
the proposed number of subscribers.
"III. That for the more expeditious carrying on, and effecting
thereof, every subscriber shall pay to the editor two guineas;
viz. one guinea at the time of subscribing, and the other guinea
upon the delivery of a perfect book in sheets.
"N.B. Proposals will be delivered, subscriptions taken, and proper
receipts given for the money, by the editor R. Minshull, at Mrs.
Reffers, in Maddox-street, near St. George's church,
Hanover-square.
"Received this [...] day of [...] 174[...] from [...] one guinea,
being the first payment [for] The account of the books printed by
William Caxton, according to the above proposals.
"An exact and ample account of all the books printed by William
Caxton, &c.
"The first work of William Caxton, appears to be (as he calls it)
The recuyell of the historyes of Troye, divided into three parts,
the whole containing 778 pages (as numbred by my self, they not
being figured in the printing) in a short folio, the paper being
very thick and strong: there are no initial capital letters in
this book, which shews that he had not formed any at that time. In
his preface to this book he declares that he was born in the Weeld
of Kent, where he first learned the rudiments of the English
tongue; a place wherein he doubts not, is spoke as broad and rude
English, as in any part of England: that he never was in France,
but that he continued the space of thirty years, for the most
part, in Brabant, Flanders, Holland and Zealand.
"He also says, that this history was first translated into French,
from several Latin authors, by a certain worshipful man, named the
right venerable and worthy Raoul le Feure, priest and chaplain to
Philip duke of Burgundy, in 1464; being the fourth year of the
reign of king Edward IV. In which year he was employed by that
king in conjunction with Richard Whetchill, esq.; to treat and
conclude certain actions of commerce between the said king and
Philip duke of Burgundy: their Commission, as set forth in Rymer's
_Foedera_, is as follows; [See Rymer.]
"It was from the said French translation that Mr. Caxton formed
this history, in the prologue of which he stiles himself mercer of
the city of London; and it was by the command of his royal
patroness, Margaret, sister to king Edward IV. after her marriage
with Charles, duke of Burgundy, that he undertook it and finish'd
it. A description of this noble marriage is largely set forth by
John Stow and Hollingshead, in their chronicles; the latter gives
the following character and description of this royal princess,
viz. 'She was a lady of excellent beauty,'" &c. [See Holinshed.]