Figure 60
Caxton’s Type 2. From The Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres, Westminster, 1477
First book printed in England with date and place of printing, from The Digital Bodleian
1477
In his Type 2 he printed at Westminster in 1477 The Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres—the first book printed in England with a date and place of printing. “This type,” says Blades, “has a more dashing, picturesque, and elaborate character than type No. 1. It is an imitation of the ‘gros-batarde’ type of Colard Mansion, with some variation in the capital letters, which are extremely irregular, not only in size but also in design, some being of the simplest possible construction, whilst others have spurs, lines, and flourishes.”
Digital edition note: The original figure from the first edition is from Caxton’s printing of The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer and not The Dictes or Sayengis of the Philosophres as originally stated.