Page:The booke of thenseygnementes and techynge that the Knyght of the Towre made to his doughters - 1902.pdf/215

 EDITORIAL NOTE.

HE BOOKE WHICHE THE KNYGHT OF THE TOURE MADE TO THE ENSEYGNEMENT & TECHING OF HIS DOUGHTERS. This was the title given by the English printer Caxton to his translation of a French book which was written in 1371–2 by the Chevalier Geoffroy de La Tour Landry, for the double purpose of teaching his little daughters to read, and of instructing them in the manners and virtues proper to gentlewomen. This book contained 149 chapters, made up of stories and moral examples drawn from various sources, such as chronicles, legendary history, and the Bible, as well as from contemporary gossip and the author's own experiences.

To judge by the number of French MS. copies extant, this work became a great favourite in its own country, but only two English versions are known; one, in MS., by an anonymous translator, temp. Henry VI, and one by William Caxton, published at his press at Westminster in 1484. The latter was the first printed edition of the Knight's book, as in France it did not attain to type till 1514, although a German edition was produced in 1493.

The earlier English version, which is preferred to 199