preface of william caxton-第1节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！






PREFACE　OF　WILLIAM　CAXTON



AFTER　that　I　had　accomplished　and　finished　divers　histories；　as

well　of　contemplation　as　of　other　historial　and　worldly　acts　of

great　conquerors　and　princes；　and　also　certain　books　of　ensamples

and　doctrine；　many　noble　and　divers　gentlemen　of　this　realm　of

England　came　and　demanded　me　many　and　oft　times；　wherefore　that　I

have　not　do　made　and　imprint　the　noble　history　of　the　Saint

Greal；　and　of　the　most　renowned　Christian　king；　first　and　chief

of　the　three　best　Christian；　and　worthy；　King　Arthur；　which　ought

most　to　be　remembered　among　us　Englishmen　to…fore　all　other

Christian　kings；　for　it　is　notoyrly　known　through　the　universal

world；　that　there　be　nine　worthy　and　the　best　that　ever　were；

that　is　to　wit；　three　Paynims；　three　Jews；　and　three　Christian

men。　　As　for　the　Paynims；　they　were　to…fore　the　Incarnation　of

Christ；　which　were　named；　the　first　Hector　of　Troy；　of　whom　the

history　is　comen　both　in　ballad　and　in　prose；　the　second

Alexander　the　Great；　and　the　third　Julius　Caesar；　Emperor　of

Rome；　of　whom　the　histories　be　well　known　and　had。　　And　as　for

the　three　Jews；　which　also　were　to…fore　the　incarnation　of　our

Lord；　of　whom　the　first　was　duke　Joshua　which　brought　the

children　of　Israel　into　the　land　of　behest；　the　second　David　king

of　Jerusalem；　and　the　third　Judas　Machabeus；　of　these　three　the

Bible　rehearseth　all　their　noble　histories　and　acts。　　And　since

the　said　Incarnation　have　been　three　noble　Christian　men；

stalled　and　admitted　through　the　universal　world　into　the　number

of　the　nine　best　and　worthy。　　Of　whom　was　first　the　noble　Arthur；

whose　noble　acts　I　purpose　to　write　in　this　present　book　here

following。　　The　second　was　Charlemain；　or　Charles　the　Great；　of

whom　the　history　is　had　in　many　places；　both　in　French　and　in

English。　　And　the　third　and　last　was　Godfrey　of　Boloine；　of　whose

acts　and　life　I　made　a　book　unto　the　excellent　prince　and　king　of

noble　memory；　King　Edward　the　Fourth。



The　said　noble　gentlemen　instantly　required　me　to　imprint　the

history　of　the　said　noble　king　and　conqueror　King　Arthur；　and　of

his　knights；　with　the　history　of　the　Saint　Greal；　and　of　the

death　and　ending　of　the　said　Arthur；　affirming　that　I　ought

rather　to　imprint　his　acts　and　noble　feats；　than　of　Godfrey　of

Boloine；　or　any　of　the　other　eight；　considering　that　he　was　a　man

born　within　this　realm；　and　king　and　emperor　of　the　same：　and

that　there　be　in　French　divers　and　many　noble　volumes　of　his

acts；　and　also　of　his　knights。　　To　whom　I　answered　that　divers

men　hold　opinion　that　there　was　no　such　Arthur；　and　that　all　such

books　as　been　made　of　him　be　feigned　and　fables；　because　that

some　chronicles　make　of　him　no　mention；　nor　remember　him　nothing；

nor　of　his　knights。　　Whereto　they　answered；　and　one　in　special

said；　that　in　him　that　should　say　or　think　that　there　was　never

such　a　king　called　Arthur　might　well　be　aretted　great　folly　and

blindness。　　For　he　said　that　there　were　many　evidences　of　the

contrary。　　First　ye　may　see　his　sepulchre　in　the　monastery　of

Glastonbury。　　And　also　in　Policronicon；　in　the　fifth　book　the

sixth　chapter；　and　in　the　seventh　book　the　twenty…third　chapter；

where　his　body　was　buried；　and　after　found；　and　translated　into

the　said　monastery。　　Ye　shall　see　also　in　the　history　of　Bochas；

in　his　book　De　Casu　Principum；　part　of　his　noble　acts；　and

also　of　his　fall。　　Also　Galfridus　in　his　British　book　recounteth

his　life：　and　in　divers　places　of　England　many　remembrances　be

yet　of　him；　and　shall　remain　perpetually；　and　also　of　his

knights。　　First　in　the　abbey　of　Westminster；　at　St。　Edward's

shrine；　remaineth　the　print　of　his　seal　in　red　wax　closed　in

beryl；　in　which　is　written；　Patricius　Arthurus　Britannie；　Gallie；

Germanie；　Dacie；　Imperator。　　Item　in　the　castle　of　Dover　ye　may

see　Gawaine's　skull；　and　Cradok's　mantle：　at　Winchester　the　Round

Table：　in　other　places　Launcelot's　sword　and　many　other　things。　

Then　all　these　things　considered；　there　can　no　man　reasonably

gainsay　but　there　was　a　king　of　this　land　named　Arthur。　　For　in

all　places；　Christian　and　heathen；　he　is　reputed　and　taken　for

one　of　the　nine　worthy；　and　the　first　of　the　three　Christian　men。　

And　also；　he　is　more　spoken　of　beyond　the　sea；　more　books　made　of

his　noble　acts；　than　there　be　in　England；　as　well　in　Dutch；

Italian；　Spanish；　and　Greekish；　as　in　French。　　And　yet　of　record

remain　in　witness　of　him　in　Wales；　in　the　town　of　Camelot；　the

great　stones　and　the　marvellous　works　of　iron　lying　under　the

ground；　and　royal　vaults；　which　divers　now　living　have　seen。　

Wherefore　it　is　a　marvel　why　he　is　no　more　renowned　in　his　own

country；　save　only　it　accordeth　to　the　Word　of　God；　which　saith

that　no　man　is　accepted　for　a　prophet　in　his　own　country。



Then　all　these　things　aforesaid　alleged；　I　could　not　well　deny

but　that　there　was　such　a　noble　king　named　Arthur；　and　reputed

one　of　the　nine　worthy；　and　first　and　chief　of　the　Christian　men。　

And　many　noble　volumes　be　made　of　him　and　of　his　noble　knights　in

French；　which　I　have　seen　and　read　beyond　the　sea；　which　be　not

had　in　our　maternal　tongue。　　But　in　Welsh　be　many　and　also　in

French；　and　some　in　English　but　nowhere　nigh　all。　　Wherefore；

such　as　have　late　been　drawn　out　briefly　into　English　I　have

after　the　simple　conning　that　God　hath　sent　to　me；　under　the

favour　and　correction　of　all　noble　lords　and　gentlemen；　enprised

to　imprint　a　book　of　the　noble　histories　of　the　said　King　Arthur；

and　of　certain　of　his　knights；　after　a　copy　unto　me　delivered；

which　copy　Sir　Thomas　Malorye　did　take　out　of　certain　books　of

French；　and　reduced　it　into　English。　　And　I；　according　to　my

copy；　have　done　set　it　in　imprint；　to　the　intent　that　noble　men

may　see　and　learn　the　noble　acts　of　chivalry；　the　gentle　and

virtuous　deeds　that　some　knights　used　in　those　days；　by　which

they　came　to　honour；　and　how　they　that　were　vicious　were　punished

and　oft　put　to　shame　and　rebuke；　humbly　beseeching　all　noble

lords　and　ladies；　with　all　other　estates　of　what　estate　or　degree

they　been　of；　that　shall　see　and　read　in　this　said　book　and　work；

that　they　take　the　good　and　honest　acts　in　their　remembrance；　and

to　follow　the　same。　　Wherein　they　shall　find　many　joyous　and

pleasant　histories；　and　noble　and　renowned　acts　of　humanity；

gentleness；　and　chivalry。　　For　herein　may　be　seen　noble　chivalry；

courtesy；　humanity；　friendliness；　hardiness；　love；　friendship；

cowardice；　murder；　hate；　virtue；　and　sin。　Do　after　the　good　and

leave　the　evil；　and　it　shall　bring　you　to　good　fame　and　renown。　

And　for　to　pass　the　time　this　book　shall　be　pleasant　to　read　in；

but　for　to　give　faith　and　belief　that　all　is　true　that　is

contained　herein；　ye　be　at　your　liberty：　but　all　is　written　for

our　doctrine；　and　for　to　beware　that　we　fall　not　to　vice　nor　sin；

but　to　exercise　and　follow　virtue；　by　which　we　may　come　and

attain　to　good　fame　and　renown　in　this　life；　and　after　this　short

and　transitory　life　to　come　unto　everlasting　bliss　in　heaven；　the

which　He　grant　us　that　reigneth　in　heaven；　the　blessed　Trinity。　

Amen。



Then　to　proceed　forth　in　this　said　book；　which　I　direct　unto　all

noble　princes；　lords　and　ladies；　gentlemen　or　gentlewomen；　that

desire　to　read　or　hear　read　of　the　noble　and　joyous　history　of

the　great　conqueror　and　excellent　king；　King　Arthur；

sometime　king　of　this　noble　realm；　then　called　Britain；　I；

William　Caxton；　simple　person；　present　this　book　following；　which

I　have　enprised　to　imprint：　and　treateth　of　the　noble　acts；　feats

of　arms　of　chivalry；　prowess；　hardiness；　humanity；　love；

courtesy；　and　very　gentleness；　with　many　wonderful　histories　and

adventures。　　And　for　to　understand　briefly　the　content　of　this

volume；　I　have　divided　it　into　XXI　Books；　and　every　book

chaptered；　as　hereafter　shall　by　God's　grace　follow。　　The　First

Book　shall　treat　how　Uther　Pendragon　gat　the　noble　conqueror　King

Arthur；　and　containeth　xxviii　chapters。　　The　Second　Book　treateth

of　Balin　the　noble　knight；　and　containeth　xix　chapters。　　The

Third　Book　treateth　of　the　marriage　of　King　Arthur　to　Queen

Guenever；　with　other　matters；　and　containeth　xv　chapters。　　The

Fourth　Book；　how　Merlin　was　assotted；　and　of　war　made　to　King

Arthur；　and　containeth　xxix　chapters。　　The　Fifth　Book　treateth　of

the　conquest　of　Lucius　the　emperor；　and　containeth　xii　chapters。　

The　Sixth　Book　treateth　of　Sir　Launcelot　and　Sir　Lionel；　and

marvellous　adventures；　and　containeth　xviii　chapters。　　The

Seventh　Book　treateth　of　a　noble　knight　called　Sir　Gareth；　and

named　by　Sir　Kay　Beaumains；　and　containeth　xxxvi　chapters。　　The

Eighth　Book　treateth　of　the　birth　of　Sir　Tristram　the　noble

knight；　and　of　his　acts；　and　containeth　xli　chapters。　　The　Ninth

Book　treateth　of　a　knight　named　by　Sir　Kay　Le　Cote　Male　Taille；

and　also　of　Sir　Tristram；　and　containeth　xliv　chapters。　　The

Tenth　Book　treateth　of　Sir　Tristram；　and　other　marvellous

adventures；　a