Here begynneth the koke Intituled? Eracks, and also of Godes frip of Boboyne, the Whiche speketh of the Conquest of the holp lona of causalem.conœyuyng diucrse Warœs ang noß& fayt~ of Acmes made m the same Royāme,and m the contwes udiacent And also many meruapllous Werkes happedy and fallen as we on this sywce as m tho partyes this tyme durynge, Andy hold he Valpant ouc Boxfrey of Bologne conquerch with the (Werothe Jayd Royamme, And Was kynge there,

The ffirst chapitre treateth hoß Eracles conquerd Perf and flebe Cofozoe and brought m w herusalem the Wry case ca pitulo

pamo,

He Auncyent hystorpes saye that Eracles was a good aysten maŋ andy gouernour of thempyre of Rome,ut m his tyme Machp? met had beŋ Whiche was messager of the xuil Andy made the peple to Snærstond, that he Bao a prophet (ente from our lord, In the tyme of Eracles Was the fals labe of ma chomet solen and spiad aɓroæ m many partyes of thozyent and namely m Arabye, m so moche that the prynces of the londes yet Wold not gyue faith to his secte that he prechid and taught Whiche is cursed and eupl,but he constrayned them by force and by swerd to e alle their fußgets to okeye to his commandemens and to hyles ue in his labe, Whan Eracles had conquerd Perse and flayn of dzoe which was a puffaunt kynge he brought agayn to Sheru? falem the Bery Crosse, Which they had ladde i to perse, And abode and doellydm the lone of Surrye, And dide do ozæyne and chose a pataarke a mock Bise man named Moæste y Whoo counfcie he dyde do make agayn the chiches, and habylled the holy places, and clensed them that the tyraunt Coforoe of Perse had smeton doun and destroyed Eracles sette grete entente & mac grete coftco for to repayre them, And Whiles he entenæed thee akoute homar the fone of captap Which Was a prynœ of A rake the third after mas chomet cam m to this contre named palestyne With so gret nom? bre of peple that alle the londe Bas cuerd with them, andy hady tenne taken by force a moche stronge Cyw of that londe nainedy Jadre, from thene he dze Be hymn wardy damaske, and afsiegro

12

BOOKS

are not absolutely dead things, but do contain a potency of life in them to be as active as that soul was whose progeny they are; nay, they do preserve as in a vial the purest efficacy and extraction of that living intellect that bred them. I know they are as lively, and as vigorously productive, as those fabulous dragon's teeth; and being sown up and down, may chance to spring up armed men. And yet on the other hand, unless wariness be used, as good almost kill a man as kill a good book: who kills a man kills a reasonable creature, God's image; but he who destroys a good book, kills reason itself, kills the image of God, as it were in the eye. Many a man lives a burden to the earth; but a good book is the precious life-blood of a master-spirit, embalmed and treasured up on purpose to a life beyond life.

JOHN MILTON.

CAXTON.

Reduced facsimile of the first page of the only copy extant of

GODEFREY OF BOLOYNE

or

LAST SIEGE AND CONQUESTE OF JHERUSALEM.

The Prologue, at top of page, begins:

Here begynneth the boke Intituled Eracles, and also Godefrey of Boloyne, the whiche speketh of the Conquest of the holy lande of Jherusalem.

Printed by Caxton, London, 1481.

In the British Museum.

A good specimen page of the earliest English printing. Caxton's first printed book, and the first book printed in English, was "The Game and Play of the Chess," which was printed in 1474. The blank

space on this page was for the insertion by

hand of an illuminated initial T.