In conquerynge his rightfull enheritaunce/ that verray
peas and charite may endure in bothe his royames/
and that marchandise may haue his cours in suche
wise that euery man eschewe synne/ and encrece
in vertuous occupacions/ Praynge your good grace to
resseyue this lityll and symple book made vnder the
hope and shadowe of your noble protection by hym
that is your most humble seruant/ in gree and thanke
And I shall praye almighty god for your longe lyf
& welfare/ whiche he preferue And sende yow thaccomplisshement
of your hye noble. Ioyous and vertuous desirs
Amen:/: Fynysshid the last day of marche the
yer of our lord god. a. thousand foure honderd
and lxxiiii”
This was struck out in the second edition, and the
following briefer farewell substituted:—
“Thenne late euery man of
what condycion he be that redyth or herith
this litel book redde take therby
ensaumple to amend hym.
Explicit per Caxton.”
The alteration may perhaps be received as an evidence
of our first English printer’s fastidiousness
as an author.
The bibliography of the editions, translations, and
imitations of Cessoles is long and intricate.
Details of MSS. have not been thought necessary.
They have been amply described by Dr. Van der Linde.
The treatise on the rule of princes of Colonna has
been taken as furnishing the matter which Jacques
de Cessoles afterwards re-arranged under the attractive
form of a description of the game of chess. The
editions of the Latin text are followed by particulars
of the translations into French, English, Spanish,
Italian, and other languages. Each title has
appended the name of the bibliographer on whose authority
it is given.
These are as follows:—
Hain.—Repertorium Bibliographicum
... opera Ludovici Hain. Stuttgart, 1826.
Ebert.—A General Bibliographical
Dictionary, from the German of Frederic Adolphus Ebert.
Oxford, 1837. 4 vols.
Graesse.—Tresor de Livres rares
et precieux: par Jean George Theodore Graesse.
Dresde, 1859-67. 6 vols.
Brunet.—Manuel du Libraire par Jacques-Charles
Brunei. Paris, 1860.
Linde.—Geschichte und Literatur
des Schachspiels von Antonius van der Linde.
Berlin, 1874.
Das erste Jartausend der Schachlitteratur (850-1880)
zusammengestellt von Dr. A.v.d. Linde. Berlin,
1881.
Dr. van der Linde’s work is so complete that,
for the most part, it has been thought sufficient
to give his name, even when older authorities have
been consulted.
(See ante, p. xxviii.)
AEgidius Romanus de regimine principum L. III. s.
l. 1473. Folio.
This Ebert and Graesse conjecture to have been printed
by G. Zainer. They describe it as the first edition
of a work frequently reprinted, and say that the last
edition appeared at Lugd. Batav. in 1643, and
had on the title-page the name of St. Thomas Aquinas
as author. Hain mentions editions at Rome—Stephanum
Plannck, 1482, folio; Venetiis, 1498.
