Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid Caton : whiche booke hath ben translated in to Englysshe by Mayster Benet Burgh, late Archedeken of Colchestre and hye chanon of Saint Stephens at Westmestre ... and by cause of late cam to my hand a book of the said Caton in Frensshe, whiche reherceth many a fayr lernynge and notable ensamples, I haue translated it oute of Frensshe in to Englysshe, as al along here after shalle appiere, whiche I presente vnto the cyte of London.

Here begynneth the prologue or prohemye of the book callid Caton : whiche booke hath ben translated in to Englysshe by Mayster Benet Burgh, late Archedeken of Colchestre and hye chanon of Saint Stephens at Westmestre ... and by cause of late cam to my hand a book of the said Caton in Frensshe, whiche reherceth many a fayr lernynge and notable ensamples, I haue translated it oute of Frensshe in to Englysshe, as al along here after shalle appiere, whiche I presente vnto the cyte of London.

Catonis disticha. English.

[Westminster] : [Printed by William Caxton], [1484]

[160] p. ; (fol.)

The original Latin text of the Disticha, with an anonymous prose paraphrase and commentary.

The disticha, wrongly attributed to Marcus Porcius Cato, in fact date from imperial times.

Caption title, pi2r.

Printer's name from STC; publication date from Needham.

Colophon reads: Here fynyssheth this present book whiche is sayd or called Cathon translated oute of Frensshe in to Englysshe by William Caxton in thabbay of Westmynstre the yere of oure Lord M CCCC lxxxiij, and the fyrst yere of the regne of Kynge Rychard the Thyrd the xxiij day of decembre.

Signatures: pi⁶ (pi2,3 signed ij, iij respectively) a-h⁸ i¹⁰.

The first leaf and the last leaf are blank.

Duff 79
GW 6361
Pollard, A.W. Short-title catalogue of books printed in England, Scotland, & Ireland and of English books printed abroad, 1475-1640 (2nd ed.) (STC), 4853
Needham, P. Printer & the pardoner, Cx 68
English short title catalogue (ESTC), S106569

Great Britain -- England -- Westminster.

STC 4853 (folio)

HH48/27. Imperfect: wanting leaves 1 (blank), 2, and 6 and 7 (both blank) (title supplied from ESTC); blank leaf inserted at a later time between 1st and 2nd gathering. Some initials in red. Russia leather binding. Early manuscript notes in margins giving a summary at the beginning of many paragraphs; on leaf a3v, a few lines about worship of images are crossed out in brown ink; large markings at head of a few Disticha; manuscript letter on blank leaves at end of the book with title "the queenes answere to the [blank]" in another early hand; a manuscript note in colophon, defaced "In Anno Domini i609 the xxiii dey[?] of december[?] This book is CCLxxiiii years old[?]". Provenance: Pencilled note referring to Sotheby sale on front free endpaper (no. 33 in the sale catalog of William H. Ingilby's library, Oct. 1920); Harmsworth copy.