Born 1321.—Died 1400.—Edward II.—Edward III.—Richard III.
Born in London, and called the first English poet, wrote the twenty-four _Canterbury Tales_. The scene is laid in the Tabard inn, Southwark, and the characters of noble, knight, yeoman, prioress, pardoner, parson, clerk of Oxford, reeve or steward, and Robin the miller, etc., give the best pictures of the Plantagenet times that exist.
Born 1325.—Died 1402.—Edward II.—Edward III.—Richard II.—Henry IV.—Henry V.
An early English poet, born in Yorkshire, who flourished about the same time as Chaucer. His poems are chiefly on moral subjects, the first edition of them being printed by Caxton. He was a liberal benefactor to the church of St. Saviour, Southwark, and died in London.
Son of Henry IV. When Prince of Wales called “Madcap Hal.” Invaded France and fought the battle of Agincourt. Was acknowledged Regent of France and successor to the crown. Lived chiefly in Paris, and died at Vincennes, when in the full glory of his reign.
Born about 1420.—Died 1471.—Harry V.—Henry VI.—Edward IV.
Earl of Warwick (the king maker). This famous nobleman, also known as the last of the Barons, was the son of the Earl of Salisbury, and first cousin of Edward IV., son of the Duke of York. After the first great battle of the Rose wars (St. Albans) Warwick joined the Yorkists. After the battles of Bloreheath, Northampton, Wakefield, and Mortimer’s Cross, Warwick was defeated in the second battle of St. Albans. He again won the bloodiest struggle of the Rose wars, Towton, but was slain at Barnet, fighting against Edward IV. With him English feudalism died.
Born 1410.—Died 1491.—Henry IV.—Henry V.—Henry VI.—Edward IV.—Edward V.—Richard III.—Henry VII.
William Caxton was born in Kent. He seems to have begun authorship long before printing. He went to Bruges in 1468 with the English bride of Duke Charles of Burgundy, and translated for her the _Recueil des Histoires de Troye_, by the duke’s chaplain. Having learnt in Germany (Cologne) to print, he brought out this translation in 1471. He removed in 1474 to Westminster, where he lived in the Reed Pale, near the Almonry, and set up his printing-press there. The first book printed there was _The Game and Playe of the Chesse_, _translated out of the French_. When he died in 1491, Wynkyn de Worde and Richard Pynson worked the press.