into consideration that in those days philology did not exist, and that no one cared to reproduce a text with scrupulous exactness, the variations are rather improvements upon Caxton's text, for many errors are corrected, words, and even whole passages, often added, which, to conclude from the sense, Caxton's compositors evidently omitted. From the point of view of the modern critic it is, however, apparent that owing to these changes Caxton's text had already in 1529 lost its most characteristic peculiarities.'

The difference of orthography in both texts is so considerable, that to quote all variations in this respect would be almost equal to reproducing the whole of W. de Worde's second edition. But as W. de Worde's orthography is consistent, and all passages quoted are rendered exactly, one can easily form an opinion about his spelling.

The following list contains only the various readings of "Le Morte Darthur" itself, as the Preface of Caxton is wanting, and the Table of Contents is not complete in the Grenville copy. The Clarendon figures refer to the pages, the ordinary Roman ones to the lines. All words included in brackets are those omitted by W. de Worde. As W. de Worde prints throughout "Kyng Arthur," whereas Caxton frequently simply puts "Arthur," I have not thought it necessary to register each single case.

Book í.

35. Here begynneth the fyrst boke of the moost noble and worthy prince kyng Arthur fometyme kyng of grete Brytayne / now called Englande whiche treateth of his noble actes and feates of armes & chyualrye and of his noble knyghtes of the table roude and this volume is devyded in to. xxi. bokes; 2, of Englonde; 3, regned there; myghty and a noble; 4, longe tyme warre; 5, named; 7, a ryght fayre; 8, and Igrayne was her name; 9, to the; 10, bothe accorded; II, her grete; 12, lyke as; 20, As foone; 21, wonders; 26, at your commaundement; for than haue ye; 30, wonders; 33, he had; 36, & that other hyght.

1 Compare what is said, p. 13, about Mr. Wright's characterisation of Thomas Stansby's edition. The number of variants which I quote here amounts to nearly ten thousand; I estimate that about double the amount of variants exists between Caxton's and Stansby's editions.

36. 2, and he put hym felfe; 7, Igrayne kynge; Than; 8, to kyng; 13, gete yow; 27, vnto kynge; 29, tary lōge; 31, bounden; 32, he said y' he; 34, to me.

37. 1, whan that is; 3, as moche as; 5, this nyght ye; 10, But be ware ye make; 12, So as they had deuyfed it was done; 19, and begate on her Arthur the fame nyght; 20, & or day; 27, betwene; 34, were accorded.

38. 10, vnto; II, Than was fhe; 12, Fere ye not; 22, fere; 26, came; 27, wylt; 36, vnto me; As.

39. 1, As Merlyn had deuysed; 4, the quene; 6, in ryche cloth of golde & delyuer hym; II, owne breftes; 15, in; 23, moche; 25, to L.; And within a whyle he was passyng; 27, there is none; 29, loke that ye; 30, before hym to morowe; 34, appertenaunces; 38, yelded.

40. 1, belonged vnto; wherefore I. the quene; 8, fhold come to L. afore Xmas; 9, that as Iefu was; 16, to god; 18, lyke to; 23, a fote of heyght; 24, and letters of golde; 26, of E. ; 23, cōmaūde you; 30, all the; 31, all the states; went for to; 35, to be knowen.

41. 7, to the field; 10, Kay; 12, toward the I. / fyr Kay had; 14, Arthur to; I wyll with a good wyll; 20, Arthur alyghted; he went; 23, he pulled; 30, to swere.

42. 2, fir Ector; 7, Therwith syr; 9, affay you; to; 12, With a good wyll; 14, Kay also and my brother; 16, ne of; 18, hym to; 21, fyr E.; 29, foftred; 31, done fyr; 32, whyle that; 34, And vpon the. xij. daye; 35, for to affay; 37, but onely A.; many grete 1.

43. 2, be gouerned; 5, both day; 7, And at C.; 8, but none of them; 13, And yet; 14, theyr kynge; 16, purueye of the; 17, that myght be gotten; 18, as Kynge V.; 20, and fyr B.; 31, kneled doune all at ones; 32, forgaue it; 33, offred it vp to; 34, and was made.

44. 1, to the lordes; 6, vnto kynge A.; 9, for to be; 15, tyme as for the; enemy vnto the kyng; 18, a parte of Wales; 19, and all through; 21, Than the kyng; 23, Coronacyon; 25, vnto this; 26, Gore whiche brought with hỹ; 27, to this feeft there came; & with hym; 34, Than was kyng A. glad; 37, and fente vnto.

45. 2. receyue gyftes; 4, And that; 5, betwene; 8, the rule; 10, this answere vnto kyng Arthur; And for this caufe; II, men of armes; 13, afore; 15, Merlyns comynge; 16, berdles boye; 18, begoten; 19, vpon; wyfe of Cornewayle; 22, Vtherpendragon; 23, who fo euer; 24, and or that; 26, many moo realmes; 31, for to come safe and to go fafe; 32, affurance was; he fholde not fere; 6, wyll not.

46. 2, vndernethe; maylle whiche was good and fure; 4, Kay the Senesshall; 6, mette togyder; but lytel mekenes for there was; II, returned to; 18, vnto; 20, that ye had; 21, to ye worste; 31, king; 33, vnder hym; 7, them backe.

47. I, all the knyghtes; 6, to London; 9, be auenged on hym; 10, of them al; 17, and was fayre; 18, I fhal tel you fyrs; 21, vnto; 22, duke also and but yf; 23, make hym felfe; 25, this cafe ; 28, the one; 34, worfte; 35, that our kynge fende vnto the two. 48. I, to; 4, vpon ; 6, in moost pleasaunt; 15, our prisoners; 18, grete strengthe; 19, and the other two; 20, vnto; 23, at the thyrde; 25, but that he; 32, Than they; 38, delyuered them ftreyght.

49. 1, better; 4, taryed; 5, & had as good chere as; 8, Ha ha fayd kynge B. & B.; our; 13, to kyng; hafte they; 24, the Seneffhall; 28, had waffhed & were ryfen.

50. 1, couched; 2, yt was called Ladynas; 7, And whan; he quyckly horfed; II, downe hors and man; 12, none that; 13, came in fyerfly; 20, wonders wroth; 22, to waxe; 27, to Syre G.; 28, to counfeyle; 30, to bedde; 31, morowe;-and after went to.

51. 3, fared; 6, on horfbacke and on fote; 17, vnto kyng A.; 20, told them that; 26-27, where the kynges enemyes; 34, that the fyxe.

52. 3, armes whiche; 6, that he wold; 10, Than kyng Lot fwore; 13, Ewayns; 29, And foo by; 35, wonderfull.

53. 9, that they made; 11, fayre felde; 22, for than they wyll; you haue but: 25, and the barons; paffynge; 26, done anone; morow; 34, fyerfly agayn; 35, well and meruaylously.

54. 2, whan; 4, to; 13, to; 14, to; 21, and fmote doune; 23, to; 32, In the meane; 34, whiche; 35, ye hors fete; 36, Cradelmont.

55. 2, an hors; 4, wonder therof; Cradelmont; 7, to; II, kerued; 15, y' hyght; 16, fmote down; 20, vpon; 24, bothe fholder; into ye felde; 25, fyr G.; fuche refcowe; 29, fyr G.; 34 and 36, fyr L.

56. 4, trembled; 6, a stronge; 8, Vryence; 11, kynge A.; 16, fyr G.; 17, And than; 19, Cradelmans; 26, Cambenet; wyll; 27, aparte; 31, So anone they as they had; 35, the uaunt warde; two kynges.

57. 2, Cambenet; 3, on them with; 6, put backe; 7, as the men of Inde; 12, world is ioyned to; 16, by ye aduyse of; a knyght; 17, if; 18, whan it is nede; 19, may for you; 20, tyll they; 21, as a bowe shotte; 23, whiche; 25, theyr armes ; 28, bothe the partyes; 32, knyght & was but; 34, as a fyers; 35, ha ha; 36, now shall we be dyscomfyted.

58. 5, and forowe; 8, to hurtle togyder; 9, with theyr; flewe

downe ryght; pyte to; 10, and a grete multytude fledde; II, wyth the hondred; 13, dedes of; 14, wyth; 16, fmote hym a myghty ftroke vpon; 17, whiche astonyed; Than was king; 18, fet vpon hym; whan that other sawe that he; 22, cut in twayne; hors also; 23, with; 26, Ban with grete dylygence voyded the hors / and came and smote at the other fo egrely vpon the helme; 30, By that tyme; 31, that founde; 35, no man myght; 38, therwith he.

59. 1, helme with fuche force; 2, cutte hym in two peces that the one halfe fell on the one fyde & the other on ye other syde / & kyng A.; hors & ledde; 5, grete nede; 7, myn hurte; II, a newe; 17, in the felde; 18, & theyr knyghtes affembled; 19, all dyfcomfyted; 22, grete dedes; 23, not; vnder heuen; 30, knowe; 35, ye must take; 37, vpon.

60. 2, almooft; For kyng A.; 3, therfore they; 5, loke that ; suche an; 7, for to flee; 9, we be; vnto me; 15, And they swore that; the one vnto the other; 16, who that; 17, Than anone; 29, whiche; valyaunt; 32, of Gorre; 33, with grete; 34, as fast as; theyr horses; 35, good knyghtes; 37, thyckest.

61. 3, kyng A.'s visage; 6, vpon; 7, to; haue ye; 8, thousand ye haue; 10, you; ye wyll; 11, yf ye tary on; 12, and theyrs; 13, to; 14, rewarde well; 15, ryght well; 16, for there may; 18, this daye; 21, these thre yeres; hurte; ne greue you; 23, to kyng A.; 24, in hande; 27, these thre yeres; 28, yt ye haue goten; 29, kynges that be here; 32, at a nede; able ynough; 36, gyuen them; 38, go fe; whiche.

62. 4, told hym; 8, the werfte; 8, caused Bleyfe his mayfter to wryte them; 10, caufed hym; 13, ftode; 15, all furred; 21, thou chorle; 22, the whiche; 23, place where as; 26, fmyled at hym; 29, sporte; 36, begate vpon her; and his; 37, rounde t.; 38, ftronge warre vpon.

63. 1, Leodegraunce; 2, bycause; 3, the ordynaunce; 4, they all; 7, Than Kyng A.; 16, doughter vnto; [Camylyard]; 17, and after; 18, as it shall be shewed here after; 19, these two kynges took; 20, on bothe theyr; 21, kynge A.; 22, do in these; 25, many good; malyce of; 29, not nede fayd; 31, for or . xij. monethes be past; 32, he fhall; 33, haue reuenged; 34, one day; 35, as it shall be shewed here after; 36, whiche; 37, as ony be now; vnto.

64. 1, whiche; to; [the]; 2, Vryence lande; 5, that there was; 6, lawlesse; 19, on the water and the lande; 23, of Scotlande; 26, lordes and gentylmen; Northwales whiche; 28, man of good men alfo; 30, ordynaunce that belongeth to warre for to; 31, reherceth; 33, Than after that k. B. and k. B. were departed.

65. 3, keft; 5, mothers; 6, fhe departed; Than on a tyme ye;

7, ryght fore; 10, land many; 13, domage; 14, awoke; ryght penfyfe of; 15, for to put aweye all these; 19, his hors; longe after; 25, fate there alone; 26, nombre; 30, whyle that; 34, a fote to; 36, Arthur vnto the knyght; 37, that beeft; 38, haue kylled.

66. 3, that hors; 4, these. xij. monethes; eyther; 6, Kynge P.; io, to kyng A.; II, thy defyre is in; 12, to; 13, is myn; 16, I wolde be cōtent; 17, paffed forth; 14, grete study; 19, came M.; 21, penfyf & heuy; 22, for here euen now; moost merualyest ; 26, and also who; and alfo one whome; 32, M. departed; 34, was gladde; a ryght wyse man; 36, kynge A.; dyuers; 38, that olde.

67. 3, late wherfore; 4, lyen; 12, moche fhameful deth as; into; all quycke; 13, As they thus; 14, horfes; 17, hym that; 18, kynge A. said vnto M.; 25, & all that were there myght here; 26, Beware Vlfius; 29, fyr Vlfius; for to; 30, that fayth; 31, cause; grete warre that ye haue had; 34, ye fholde neuer haue had; halfe; whiche; 35, your grete lordes barons and gentylmen. 68. I, god and you; 2, vpon; II, to; 13, than fyr V.; 15, that I bare; 18, kyng V.; 19, bothe his; 21, whiche; 33, hym there; 26, Myles; 27, fome good; 32, done to; 36, were pyte; 37, he cometh to aege.

69. 2, he shall be in; 6, must graūte; 7, will my lorde; 8, body that; 10, that in the fame maner; II, withoute any queftyon or; 12, fir G.; 18, ende of his; 21, it were; dyd; 25, but of whens; 26, they ran; 27, fyr G.; 29, his spere; 33, gaue hym; 34, vpon; [and gate him wynde]; 37, where as; moone.

70. 2, his lyfe faued; 6, may ye; or; 8, wyll I hold; vpon ; 10, shall be within these fewe dayes; 12, as wrothe as they; 14, And by and by; 16, belonged to; that it be; 17, in the mornynge afore daye; 21, whiche chafed M.; 22, them a good pace; & cryed to; 24, fled away; you; 25, crafte; 26, yf I; 27, thy deth; towarde thy d.; 29, pauylyon by it; 30, knyght fate all; 37, defende it.

71. 1, [anone]; 2, drewe; 3, [faid the knyght]; 6, speres ynough; 7, two good; loke one; 8, theyr myght; 9, kynge A.; II, [ones]; good; 16, ye myddes; 17, fore angred; drewe; 22, thought it was; 23, fuche a vauntage; 24, & fo alyght; dreffed hy to kyng A.; 26, where they; 27, was all bloody; 28, to batayle; 29, two wylde bores; eyther of them; 33, to the kynge; 36, But as to.

72. 2, a paffynge; 8, reame in; 25, & faue one; 26, the one shall be named P. & that other L.; 27, & they fhalle telle; 28, begoten fon; 30, vnto an heremytage; where as was; 33, & the