ABSTRACT
One of the earliest manifestations of patronage of letters, after the advantages of literature were recognized, is the matter of writing at request. The relationship between author and noble in this case is very obviously patronage in that it was an encouraging interest whether it ever became anything else or not. In England and Scotland, many authors carefully tell in their works on whose commission they write, but enough instances have been cited to indicate clearly that the custom was a universal one. The rubric of every manuscript, as well as William Caxton’s printed edition, states that the Life of Our Lady was written “at the excitation and styryng of the noble and victorious prynce Kyng harry the fyfthe” and though there is no evidence outside of the rubrics there is no reason for rejecting the assertion. Occasionally Caxton was requested only to print books that had already been translated or compiled.
