In comparing the first edition of “Caxton’s Game of Chess” with the second, one perceives many variations in the spelling.  I confider the first edition to be the more interesting, for a variety of reasons: 

1.  It is the first book printed in England. 2.  It is the Editio princeps of the English version. 3.  It shows the Art of Printing in its crudest form. 4.  It has a Post-script not in the second edition.

Both editions run on together to the passage on the last page of the second edition: 

[Blackletter:  And a mon that lyvyth in thys world without vertues lyveth not as a man but as a beste.]

The first edition ends thus: 

[Blackletter:  And therefore my right redoubted Lord I pray almighty god to save the Kyng our soverain lord to gyve him grace to yssue as a Kynge tabounde in all vertues/ to be assisted with all other his lordes in such wyse yn his noble royame of England may prospere/ habounde in vertues and yn synne may be eschewid justice kepte/ the royame defended good men rewarded malefactours punyshid the ydle peple to be put to laboure that he wyth the nobles of the royame may regne gloriously.

In conquerynge his rightfull inheritaunce / that verraypeas and charitie may endure in both his royames and that marchandise may have his cours in suche wise that every man eschewe synne/ and encrese in vertuous occupacions / Praynge your good grace to resseyve this lityll and symple book made under the hope and shadow of your noble protection by hym that is your most humble servant in gree and thanke.  And I shall praye almighty god for your long lyf & welfare / which he preserve And sende now thaccomplishment of your hye noble joyous and vertuous desirs Amen:|: 

Fynysshid the last day of marche the yer of our lord god a. thousand four hondred and lxxiiii. *.:.:.*.]

The second edition ends thus: 

[Blackletter:  Thenne late every man of what condycion he be that redyth or herith this litel book redde. take therby ensaumple to amend hym.  Explicit per Caxton.]

This copy came from the library of Mr. L.M.  Petit.[4]

It will be noticed that Mr. Quaritch calls the editio princeps of Caxton’s “Game and Play of the Chesse” the first book printed in England.  This was the general opinion of bibliographers before the investigations of Mr. Blades.  Dibdin, although he seems to have had some doubt, pronounced in favour of that view.  Yet it is clearly erroneous.  The only materials for judgment are those afforded by the colophon and the prologue to the second edition, with the silent but eloquent testimony of typography.  Caxton ends the first edition with the words:—­“Fynysshid the last day of Marche the yer of our lord god a thousand four hondred and LXXIIII.”  The word “fynysshid,” as Mr. Blades observes, “has doubtless the same signification here as in the epilogue to the second book of Caxton’s translation of the Histories