The Paston Letters, A.D. 1422-1509. Volume 6 (of 6), Part 1 (Letters, Chronological Table)

Note 65.2 — THE PASTON LETTERS Edward IV (continued 2)

Reading edition

[From Fenn, ii. 300.] This is a catalogue of the books either of John Paston the younger or of John Paston, Knight, most probably the former, drawn up in the reign of Edward IV., but owing to the decay of the original MS. we cannot tell in what year. It certainly could not have been earlier than 1475, when The Game and Play of the Chess was first printed by Caxton. It is in itself a remarkable thing that the expression ‘in print’ should have got into use even during the reign of Edward IV.; but one may suppose that such an expression could hardly have been current for at least a year or two after the first printed book appeared. We therefore, without deciding the year, place the paper at the end of King Edward’s reign.

66.1 Quære, if Cypio is not a mistake from ‘Somnium Scipionis,’ a piece which is usually printed with the ‘de Amicitia,’ and probably accompanied it in this manuscript.—F.

66.2 It is a curious circumstance that this book should be here mentioned as left with William Worcester, who with the assistance of John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester, and John Phrea or Free, a monk of Bristol, translated it.—F.

66.3 See vol. v. p. 3, Note 1.

66.4 These further memoranda seem to have been added at a later period, probably in the reign of Henry VII., as the last entry is of ‘a book of new statutes from Edward IV.’

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