“ And thus between plain rude and curious I stand abashed, but in my judgment, the common terms that be daily used been lighter* to be understood* than the old and ancient English. And for as much as this present book is not for a rude Uplandish man to labour therein, nay read it, but only for a clerk and a noble gentleman that feeled* and understondeth* in fights of arms in love and in noble chivalry. ”
Quotes from Eneydos — Prologue (Virgil)
“ Loo what should a man in these days now write, eggs or eyren,* certainly it is hard to please every man, by cause* of diversity and change of language. For in these days every man that is in ony* reputation in his country, will utter his communication and matters in such manners and terms, that few men shall understand them. ”
“ Caxton's original spelling is shown in W.F. Bolton, The English language (Cambridge, 1966: 1-4) .Prologue to his Aeneids (1490) After diverse works made, translated and achieved, having no work in hand; I sitting in my study where-as lay many diverse pamphlets and books. Happened that to my hand came a little book in French, which late was translated out of Latin by some noble clerk of France which book is named (A) Eneids, made in Latin by that noble poet and great clerk Virgil, which book I saw over and read therein. ”
