The Game of the Chesse (Caxton, facsimile)

Evil-merodach original: "Euylmerodach" was a reckless original: "Jolye"; in this context, it implies a lack of restraint or seriousness regarding grave matters man without justice, and so cruel that he ordered his father's body to be cut original: "did do hewe" into three hundred pieces. He gave it to be eaten and devoured by three hundred birds that men call vultures. He was of the same character as Nero, and closely resembled his father, Nebuchadnezzar original: "Nabugodonosor". Nebuchadnezzar once wanted to kill all the sages and wise men of Babylon because they could not tell him the dream he had dreamed one night, which he had forgotten—just as it is written in the Bible in the Book of Daniel.

It was under this king, Evil-merodach, that this game and play of chess was invented original: "founden". It is true that some men say original: "bene," meaning there are those who claim that this play was invented during the time of the battles and siege of Troy, but that is not so. For this game belonged to the pastimes of the Chaldeans original: "Caldees", as Diomedes the Greek says and records. He notes that among philosophers, it was the most renowned game of all. After that, in the time of Alexander the Great, this game came into Egypt and so unto all the regions toward the south. The reason why this game was so renowned shall be explained in the third chapter original: "iij chapitre".