PREFACE.

IT is a singular fact in the history of English Literature, the first book printed in the English language was a "History of drawn mainly from the Eneid of Virgil, written first in French by le Feure, the Chaplain of Philip, Duke of Burgundy, and, at the com of the Duke, translated from the French, and printed as his first bo William Caxton, the introducer of printing into England. Resp this somewhat celebrated "first book," Caxton, in its title, "Whiche sayd translacion and werke was begonne in Brugis i contree of Flaunders, the fyrst day of Marche, the yeare of the Incarr of our said Lord, a thousand four hondred sixty and eight, and ende fynyshed in the holy cyte of Colen the xix day of Septembre, the of our sayd Lord God, a thousand four hondred and enleven" ( The reason for such command to print it, is stated in the Biog Britannica to be, "possibly to gratify the disposition there was a time, in the English or British nation, to derive their original from E and his Trojans." Subsequently Caxton issued "The Boke of En compyled by Vyrgyle; which hath be translated oute of Latine Frenche, and oute of Frenche, reduced into Englyeshe, by me, W Caxton, the 22d day of Juyn, the yere of our Lord 1490." This, thou inferior literary merit, was, however, well received, as being the recognized translation into English of any part of the Æneid. Hystory, Siege, and Dystruccyon of Troye," written by the John Lydgate, about the year 1430, but not printed until 1513, h