§11. English Books printed Abroad. XIII. The Introduction of Printing into England and the Early Work of the Press. Vol. 2. The End of the Middle Ages. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: An Encyclopedia in Eighteen Volumes. 1907

The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume II. The End of the Middle Ages.

XIII. The Introduction of Printing into England and the Early Work of the Press.

§ 11. English Books printed Abroad.

With the death of Caxton, the character of the English press changed. Both Wynkyn de Worde, his successor, and Richard Pynson, the only other printer then at work in England, were practical printers only, depending on their business for their livelihood, and had to follow, not direct, the popular demand. De Worde especially seems to have been without initiative, most of his early work consisting of reprints and, for a year or two, his press was almost idle. A foreign printer, Gerard Leeu of Antwerp, took advantage of this period of inactivity and printed four books for the English market. Three were mere reprints of Caxton’s books, The History of Jason, The History of Paris and Vienne and The Chronicles of England; but the fourth is unknown in any other English version. This is the Dialogue or communing between the wise king Solomon and Marcolphus, a widespread and popular story, of which there are versions in many languages. The English version is translated from the Dutch, but there is no clue to the translator. The story tells of the various questions put by Solomon, which are answered by the rustic wit of Marcolphus, and of the various ruses and quibbles by means of which he escaped the punishments designed for him by the king. As the other three of Leeu’s books are reprints of Caxton’s editions, it is just possible that there may have been an English printed edition of it also; but, if so, no trace of it remains.