Saturday, June 28, 2014

"Doo after the good and leue the euyl"

"herein may be seen noble shyualrye, Curtosye, Humanyte, frendlyness, hardynesse, loue, frendshyp, Cowardyse, Murdre, hate, vertue, and synne.  Doo after the good and leue the euyl".

     William Caxton, Preface to his famous 1485 edition of Le morte d'Arthur, by Thomas Malory.  I was put onto this by Carolyne Larrington, reviewing the apparently superlative new edition of Le morte d'Arthur by P. J. C. Field, in "Unto me delyverd," Times literary supplement no. 5797 (May 9, 2014):  13.  But she, following probably Field, varies the orthography:  "herein may be seen noble shyvalrye, curtosye, humanyte, frendlyness, hardynesse, love, frendshyp, cowardyse, murdre, hate, vertue, and synne"; "doo after the good and leve the evyl".

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