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Introduction v
educated of all countries when Locher Philo¬
musus translated it into Latin, under the title,
*Stultifera Navis.’ The same year Pierre
Riviére made a French version, ‘La Nef des
Folz du Monde;’ and the Belgian, Badius
Ascensius, later renowned as a printer at Paris,
was stirred up to attempt a sequel. Brant had
dealt with men only, but Badius felt that women
should not be left out, and his ‘ Stultiferae
Naves’ added six shiploads of foolish virgins
to the fleet. The book was sent to Angilbert
de Marnef, the Paris publisher, with a request
for a translation into French, ‘so that women
might read it for their salutary discipline, and
instruction in a holy life.’ Jean Drouyn, who
had just published a paraphrase of _Riviére’s
translation, gladly undertook the work; but
he amplified it till his ‘ Nef des Folles’ came
out half as big again as the ‘ Stultiferae Naves ’.
Four French editions of Badius’s book and one
Latin were printed in three and a half years ;
but still he was not satisfied, and in 1505 he made
another Latin version of Brant’s ‘ Narrenschiff’,
naming it ‘ Navis Stultifera’, an inversion of
Locher’s title.