Golden legend video tutorials john ward and his magnificent collection publisher and editor 2010 the bonel collection rare and beautiful books editor and publisher 2003 a catalogue of this important collection of first editions, beautifully bound books and livres dartistes. For the first book of 2007 we feature a fifteenth century copy of the golden legend, a medieval compendium of the lives of the saints. Golden legend of master william caxton done anew 3 volumes. The golden legend was one of the earliest books to be printed in the west and only the bible was more popular. William caxton was born in kent around the year 1422. Or, lives of the saints, volume 4 caxton, william, jacobus, william on. And thenne at laste a nother sayd that he wolde haue eyren. Caxton s version appeared in 1483 and his translation was reprinted, reaching a ninth.
He already had a long and successful career as a businessman in europe with the mercers guild. Very good original binding, fine text truly a rare beauty morriss kelmscott press produced some of the worlds finest. The golden legend by longfellow, henry wadsworth seller james cummins bookseller published 1852 condition full tan morocco lettered and ruled in gilt for asprey, a. It is impossible to comprehend the spread of christianity especially for the first two centuries taking place in a vacuum. Selections from the golden legend in the caxton translation, edited by paul halsall with annotations, rubrics, and formatting by richard stracke. One of the central texts of the middle ages, the golden legend deeply influenced the imagery of poetry, painting and stained glass with its fascinating descriptions of saints lives and religious festivals. Englished by william caxton, first edition 1483, edited by f. With an active marketplace of over 175 million items, use the alibris advanced search page to find any item you are looking for through the advanced search, you can find items by searching specific terms such as title, artist, song title, genre, etc or you can narrow.
The golden legend, or, lives of the saints, volume 3 books by. His translations of chaucers canterbury tales and thomas mallorys le morte darthur were important milestones in english literature. A study of caxtons golden legend with special reference to its relations to the earlier english prose translation. Saint cecilia the holy virgin was come of the noble lineage of the romans, and from the time that she lay in her cradle she was fostered and nourished in the faith of christ, and always bare in her breast the gospel hid, and never ceased day ne. He was born in kent, possibly around 1422, and at the age of sixteen came to london to become an apprentice to a mercer. Legenda aurea sanctorum, sive lombardica historia english the golden legend. William caxton and the shaping of written english k. For the translation of the work in its entirety into english we have had to wait 700 years for the energy and learning of a distinguished american academic, william granger ryan. Apr 22, 2012 depicting the lives of the saints in an array of factual and fictional stories, the golden legend was perhaps the most widely read book, after the bible, during the late middle ages. During the height of its popularity the book was so well known that the term golden legend was sometimes used generally to refer to any collection of stories about the saints. Golden legend, first edition abebooks shop for books. See the description page for this image and the page explaining the iconography of images of this saint. Books by william caxton author of the history of reynard.
William caxton books list of books by author william caxton. He also translated some 24 books, all but one of which he printed. Though the golden legend was to be one of the earlist books produced by morriss kelmscott press, there were many delays in the monumental undertaking. Caxtons version appeared in 1483 and his translation was reprinted, reaching a. Books by william caxton author of the history of reynard the. This translation of the golden legend by william caxton ca. Jerome writeth, was in the time of decius and valerianus, emperors, the year of the incarnation of our lord two hundred and fiftysix. It was one of the first books william caxton printed in the english language.
He is thought to be the first person to introduce a printing press into england, in 1476, and as a printer was the first english retailer of printed books. Around the end of the 1470s henry frankenburgh was importing hundreds of historical books and peter actors was also shipping similar quantities. The university of houston s college of engineering presents this series about the machines that make our civilization run, and the people whose ingenuity created them. Mar 06, 2001 a slightly corrected edition, described in some detail in a memoranda by the editor in volume 3, of caxton s edition of 1483. The golden legend is bridwell librarys only intact book by englands first printer. The first english printer, william caxton 14221491, printed a total of about 100 different works.
See the golden legend main pageindex for other volumes or chapter length files. The paper, the type, and the woodcut engravings were meant to mimic those of caxton s period. That was based on an older english translation by william caxton, but with a text modernized by f. The golden legend, an extensive collection of saints biographies, became one of the bestselling books of the late medieval period. His work has been longlisted for the man booker prize, shortlisted for the impac prize and the dsc prize for south asian literature, and won the kiriyama prize, the encore award, the windhamcampbell literature prize, and a lannan literary fellowship. Caxton s precise date of death is uncertain, but estimates from the records of his burial in st. Depicting the lives of the saints in an array of factual and fictional stories,the golden legendwas perhaps the most widely read book, after the bible, during the late middle ages. William caxton, golden legend 1483 the life of saint cecilia the interpretation of the name cecilia serves as an introduction. The golden legend william caxtons middle english version not quite complete. William caxton 1420 1492 was a printer, diplomat, writer and merchant. William caxton said that he was born in the weald 1 of kent, but his exact birthplace is unknown. William caxton 14221491 was a renowned merchant, writer, and diplomat, who many historians maintain introduced the printing press to england.
Istc incunabula shorttitle catalogue cerl databases. Ellison bay wi browsing the shelves of this jampacked, used book emporium in ellison bay wi, a friend was thrilled and surprised to come across several south american novels that shed been unable to find anywhere in her chicago hometown. The golden legend unique very early printed copy of selections, missing some pages. It was likely compiled around the years 12591266, although the text was added to over the centuries. Caxtons translation of the golden legend provided the first english edition of.
As a teenager he was apprenticed to robert lange, a mercer cloth trader. William caxton and the introduction of printing to london. The golden legend or lives of the saints, as englished by william caxton. Caxton may have already traded in books while he was in bruges, but in cologne he acquired firsthand knowledge of how they were produced. Margaret is said of a precious gem or ouch that is named a margarite pearl which gem is white, little and virtuous. It is a massive folio volume, produced and translated by william caxton, englands first printer. Maybe one can assume that that says something about the nature of. The golden legend is a fascinating book containing a wealth of valuable historical and traditional information about the men and women of the first thousand years who founded and expanded the church. The result is a book of extreme quality and beauty. He is thought to be the first person to introduce a printing press into england, in 1476, and as a printer was the first english retailer of printed books neither his parentage nor date of birth is known for certain, but he may have been born between 1415 and 1424, perhaps in the weald or wood land of kent. The golden legend is bridwell librarys only intact, although incomplete, book by englands first. During the early part of the 15 th century, william caxton took his newly learned trade of printing and set up shop in his native england. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Golden legend, caxton translation christian iconography.
William caxton, between 20 november 1483 and march 1484. William caxton and the shaping of written english during the early part of the 15 th century, william caxton took his newly learned trade of printing and set up shop in his native england. Born in hadlow, kent, he became the first retailer of books in the country 1476. He moved to brugge, belgium, the center of the european wool trade, and became prosperous. Painter makes numerous references to the year 1491 in his book william caxton.
He went to london at the age of 16 to become an apprentice to a merchant, later moving to bruges, the centre of the wool trade, where he became a successful. William caxtons most popular book is the history of reynard the fox. The golden legend hardcover january 1, 1900 by william caxton author 2. And the good wyf answerde that she coude speke no frenshe. I have read all of nadeem aslams books and like all of them, i read the golden legend slowly, very slowly. And the marchaunt was angry for he also coude speke no frenshe but wold haue hadde egges and she understode hym not. Margarets, westminster, suggest that he died near march 1492.
More than a thousand manuscripts of the text have survived. Anne often place the virgin mary and the christ child on her lap. Nadeem aslam was born in pakistan and now lives in england. The first person to bring printing to england was william caxton. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Golden legend table of contents christian iconography home page. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading the golden legend. From 1470 to 1530 it was also the most often printed book in europe. William caxton has 155 books on goodreads with 38 ratings. Illustrations of the golden legend from the hm 3027 manuscript of legenda aurea from.
By the 15th century, editions of voragines golden legend were available in every major european language. So the blessed margaret was white by virginity, little by humility, and virtuous by operation of miracles. The golden legend tells a magnificent story of terror. It is a compendium of saints lives and of liturgical and doctrinal instruction, culled in the 1260s from a wide range of patristic and medieval sources. The golden legend came to serve as the literary equivalent of wallpaintings and stained glass. William caxton printer pioneer under the tudor rose.
Ed, and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. May 24, 2015 william caxton set up his printing press in westminster abbey, and the first book to be printed on it was geoffrey chaucer. The kelmscott press golden legend a documentary history of its production together with a leaf from the kelmscott edition. He is credited with bringing the first printing presses to english and becoming one of the first booksellers in english. William caxton the first english printer, william caxton 14221491, printed a total of about 100 different works. The golden legend voragine wikisource, the free online. In 1441 he moved to bruges where he became prosperous and in 1463 he was appointed governor of the english nation of merchant adventurers in flanders.
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