Bruges. This was a position of great influence, and it is thought to
have enabled the loyal mercer to give good service to Edward IV., who
was an exile in 1470. Caxton's marriage was not much later than 1469,
and it is conjectured that this led him to enter the service of the
Duchess of Burgundy. She had literary tastes, and at her request he
translated the "Recuyell des Histoires de Troyes" of Raoul Le Fevre. It
was the demand for copies of this that exhausted Caxton's calligraphic
patience, and led to his employment of a printer. The incident may have
been casual, but it led to great results. It has been said that he
learned the printers' art at Cologne, but Mr. Blades supposes that he
entered its mystery at Bruges under Colard Mansion, with whom he appears
to have had some partnership. Probably towards the end of 1476 Caxton
returned to England. He had the favour of Edward IV. and of his sister,
Duchess of Burgundy, and the friendship of the King's brother-in-law,
Earl Rivers. Ninety-nine distinct productions issued from Caxton's
press, he was printer, publisher, translator, and something of author as
well. He set in good earnest about the work that is still going on--of
making the best accessible literature widely and commonly known. This
useful career was only ended by his death. The exact date is not known,
but it was probably late in 1491. He left a married daughter. Caxton was
a good business man. He was also a sincere lover of literature, and he
was at his favourite work of translation only a few hours before the
final summons came.

The quality of Caxton as a translator is not a matter of much doubt. It
may be that the archaic forms give an additional flavour to his style,
since they present few difficulties to the modern reader, and yet sound
like echoes from the earlier periods of the language. Generally he is
content to follow his author with almost plodding fidelity, but
occasionally he makes additions which are eminently characteristic. His