Figure 61

Caxton’s Type 3. Used in his Handbill, Westminster

From Burger’s Buchhändleranzeigen es 15. Jahrhunderts (facsimile), Digital Bodleian (scan)

1477

Caxton’s Type 3 is particularly interesting to students of English printing, for it is the type that we have come to know, both in face and size, as English. It is a lettre de forme, much finer than his batarde types, and not unlike the ancient Flamand type in the Enchedé collection, though not so massive. It was used by Caxton for three books: an Ordinale seu Pica Sarum, in 1477, and a Psalter and Horæ ad usum Sarum, both printed in 1480. This type is shown in our illustration.

See chapter 9