The English Scholars Library. 21
i. William Caxton,

ourji?st Fruiter

Translation of REYNARD THE FOX. 1481-

[COLOPHON,] / haue not added ne mynusshed but haue
fGlowed as nyghe as I can my copye which was in dutche \ and by
vie WILLIAM CAXTON translated in to this rude and symple
englyssh in th\e\ abbey of westmestre.

Interesting for its own sake ; but especially as being translated as well as
printed by CAXTON, who finished the printing on 6 June, 1481.

The Story is the History of the Thiee fraudulent Escapes of the Fox
from punishment, the record of the Defeat of Justice by flattering lips and
dishonouiable deeds. It also shows the struggle between the power of
Words and the power of Blows, a conflict between Mind and Matter. It
was necessary for the physically weak to have Eloquence . the blame of
REYNARD is in the frightful misu_se he makes of it.

The author says, "There is in the world much seed left of the Fox,
which now over all groweth and cometh sore up, though they have no red
beards."

2. John Knox,

the Scotch Reformer.

THE FIRST BLAST OF THE TRUMPET, &c.
1558.

(a) The First Blast of a Trumpet against the monstrous
Regiment of Women.

(d) The Propositions to be entreated in the Second BLAST.

This work was wrung out of the heart of JOHN KNOX, while, at Dieppe,
he heard of the martyr fires of England, and was anguished thereby. At
that moment the liberties of Great Britain, and therein the hopes of the
whole World, lay in the laps of four women—MARY of Loraine, the Regent
of Scotland ; her daughter MARY (the Queen of Scots) j Queen MARY
TUDOR ; and the Princess ELIZABETH.

The Volume was printed at Geneva.

(c] KNOX'S apologetical Defence of his FIRST BLAST, £c., to
Queen ELIZABETH. 1559.

3. Clement Robinson,

and divers others.

A HANDFUL OF PLEASANT DELIGHTS.
1584.

A Handeful of pleasant dehtes> Containing sundrie new Sonets
and delectable Histories, in diuers kmdes of Meeter. Newly
deuised to the newest tunes that are now in vse, to be sung :"
euerie Sonet orderly pointed to his proper Tune, With new
additions of certain Songs, to verie late deuised Notes, not
commonly knowen^ nor vsed heretofore.

OPHELIA quotes from A Nosegaie, &c., in this Poetical Miscellany ; of
which only one copy as now known.

It also contains the earliest text extant of the Ladle Grcensleettes, which
first appeared four years previously

This is the Third printed Poetical Miscellany in our language.