: The History of the Seven Wise Masters of Rome by Gomme George Laurence Editor Wheatley Henry B Henry Benjamin Editor - Romances Latin (Medieval and modern) Translations into English

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Editor: G. L. Gomme H. B. Wheatley

TRANSCRIBER'S NOTE:

THE HISTORY

THE SEVEN WISE MASTERS OF ROME.

PRINTED FROM THE EDITION OF WYNKYN DE WORDE, 1520,

AND EDITED, WITH AN INTRODUCTION,

GEORGE LAURENCE GOMME, F.S.A.

LONDON: PRINTED FOR THE VILLON SOCIETY.

Introduction.

It was through this Latin version that the work was communicated to nearly all the languages of Western Europe; and in 1520 a translation into English was printed by the famous printer Wynkyn de Worde. A fine copy of this is preserved in the British Museum, and from it is printed the text of the present version. One or two pages are missing from this copy, and the passages are restored from the earliest chap-book version which I have been able to discover--namely, that printed in 1671 at London, and belonging to the British Museum. This chap-book version is nearly identical with the Wynkyn de Worde, with the simple alteration of the spelling to the modern forms. One curious variation, however, illustrating the force of the change of religious opinions at the time of the Reformation, is well worth noting. On page 173 of our text will be found related how the murdered children of the Emperor Lodwyke were found alive singing "of ye moost blessed vyrgyne Mary, aue Maria gracia plena dn?s tecum," but in the chap-book of 1671 it is said they were singing praises to the Almighty.

Since 1671 many chap-book versions have been issued, and I have succeeded in obtaining a copy still published in Dublin. These later versions are all much deteriorated from the original. Besides the 1671 edition, there are the following: London 1684, 1687, and 1697; Glasgow 1713; London ; Newcastle 1750; London 1780--7 ; Boston 1794; London 1805; Warrington 1815. And I have no doubt that it has been continually reproduced until the present day.

"The preface runs thus:--

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