| William Caxton: First English Printer |
| William Caxton was born in 1422 in the Weald of Kent. It is unclear where he was educated. At the age of 16, he went to London to apprentice to Robert Large, a well-known and wealthy London mercer, a dealer in cloth. Around 1446, Caxton became a merchant and settled at Bruges where the wool trade took place. He became a successful and important member of the merchant comunity. In 1445, he was appointed as the Governor of the "English Nation of Merchant Adventurers". This important position allowed him to exert control over his fellow merchants and involved in making responsible negociations. |
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| However, around 1470, his trade brought him into contact with Burgundy. He affiliated with the household of Margaret, the Duchesse of Burgundy and Edward IV's sister. He thus gave up his connection with merchant community and entered service of Margaret. It is thought that he acted as her financial advisor. Caxton had extensive knowledge in language; French, Latin and Dutch. He had already begun his first translation from the french, The Recuyell of the Histoyes of Troye and resumed at the Duchesse of Burgundy's request in 1471. |
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| It is said that it was this piece of work that led him to turn his attention toward the art of printing. From 1471 to 1472, he spent time in Cologne learning the art of printing. He then returned to Bruges and sought the help of a Flemish calligrapher, Colard Mansion who had set up a press in this city in 1473. It was there that The Recuyell of the Historyes of Troye became the first printed book in English language in 1974. |
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| In 1476, Caxton brought his knowledge back to his native land, England and set up a printing press of his own at Westminster. A year later in 1477, Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres, the first book was published in England. Since this date, there were about 100 books that have been printed. His work includes Geoffrey Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, Bug reports, Sir Thomas Malory's Morte d'Arthur. It also includes various translations from French, Latin and Dutch. William Caxton was not only a skillful master printer and incredible editor but he also was a man of letters; editor, author, translator with his own style. He demonstrated a true enthusiasm for literature. |
| Links & References: Biography http://www.home.vicnet.au/~neils/renaissance/caxton.htm http://www.fifteenthcentury.net/caxton.html http://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/printing |
| Caxton's Typography http://www.oocities.org/hist419lcaxtonw/2index |
| List of Books related to W. Caxton http://www.addall.com/Browse/Author/2066507-1 |
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