Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/196

 FIFTEENTH CENTURY.

187

" Modus Ugendi Abbreviafuras in ulroque Jure" printed at Paris, by John Petit, in 1498. To avoid abbreviations, and attbc same time not too mach to angment the size of the volume, Aldus Manutius invented the italic letter.

The following literal renderinp; of Matthew V. 1,3, according to the Codex Beztt, or Cam- bridge manuscript of the four Gospels and Acts, ^vill convey some idea of the manner in which manuscripts were anciently written and printed :

AKIMKSIKOniHULTITDOItllCWIMTtTriKTnAMOnvrAIN

AHDWHBiraCWAaaBTDOWN-CAIin'OaiU

BISDUCIFLBS-ASDOPBNIliaMIgJtOUTH

BSTAOOBTTHIHSATIMO

■ LSS«BDAItrrHSFOOKI»trT*rOKTBIIIUI«

TSBBIMODOMOrBBAVBN.

1488. In this year appeared the first edition of the Worlu of Homer tn Greek, which was exe- cuted at Florence, in 2 volumes, folio, under the care of Demetrius Chalcpndylas. It is a most eleeantly printed book, and measures thirteen inches by nine inches. Now in the Royal library in the British museum.

1488. Printing introduced into the following places in the course of this year : —

Virterbo, no printer's name.

Brunswick, no printer's name.

Elichstedt, by Micheal Reiser.

Pescia, by Sigismund Rodt.

1488. Caxton printed no books during this year.

1489. In this year Caxton published two books, the first of which was the Doctrinal of Sapymee, translated out of French, and finished the 7th of May. Folio.

This book has no title, it commences with a preface of two parts, the former accounting for Its being translated into English, and the latter gives some account of the original. It has two wood cuts, the first of our Saviour with the doc- tors in the temple, the other exhibiting the crucifixion. The table contains the heads of 93 chapters, though in reality it consists of 94. It has capital initials and signatures : the leaves are nnnumber.'-d.

The Harleian catalogue contains the following memorandum relative to this work : — ^" This book was written in the year 1388, by Guy de Roye, archbishop of Sens; but the year after, a religious brother, of the order of Clugny, enriched it with divers historical examples, parables, he. as what would move the people more to devo- tion, than great authority of science. Which argument, of the force of examples, is proved in the prologue, by examples themselves."

A priest of the province of Otranto, as it is said, translated this work out oFFrench into Greek verse about 1370. The manuscript is in the Vatican, at Rome.

1489, yu/y 14. The Fayt of Arrne* and Chy- ryalre. Folio. " This was delivered to me, William Caxton, by the most Chrystiir King and redubted Prince, my natural and sovereign lord, Kyng Henry the 7th, Kyng of Eugland and of France, in his palace of Westmestre, the

•Spliit.

23 day of Janyure, the 4th yere of his regnc; and desired and willed me to translate this said boke, and reduce it into our English and natural tongue, and to put it in imprynt." It is a corn- nation by Christine of Pisa, from the Military Treatitet of Vegetius Frontinus, and the Arbee det Battailet. It appears that the fair authoress was blamed for meadling with this subject; it was said, " that the handling of her distafi" and spinning wheel are occupations more suitable to a woman than concerning herself with the feats of arms, and the battles of heroes :" in her pre- face she quotes the examples of Minerva, whom she addresses, in her justification.

During this century, and especially towards the close of it, Germany, and the neighbouring states, produced several* eminent men, who en- deavoured to create an attention to literature in general, and laboured to promote an acquaint- ance with the Greek ana Hebrew languages. Amongst man^- eminent names who flourished about this period, that of John Herman Wes- selus, of Oroningen, deserves to be recorded. He was born about the year 14)9; and studied first at Zwoll and Cologne, and afterwards at Paris, where he was so celebrated for his talents and attainments as to be denominated the light of the uxMrld. His extraordinary religious know- ledge, and truly christian spirit, were so indis- putable, and his views of gospel doctrine so clear, that he hasjustly been called the forerun- ner of Luther. Wesselus not only studied the Greek language by the help of the Dominican friars, who about this time passed over to the west, from Constantinople, after its subjection to the Mahommedan government, — but obtained from certain learned Jews, a knowledge of the Hebrew, Cbaldee, and Arabic tongues. Having been early instructed in the scholastic disputes, and having, by his industry, acquired an uncom- mon share of biblical learning, he taught philo- sophy and philologye with great applause, at Groningen, Paris, Cologne, Heidelberg, and especially at Basil, where he had the famous Reuchliu for a hearer. On the advancement of Cardinal Francis de Rovere to the papal chair, under the name of Sixtus IV. he sent for him to Rome, and promised to grant him whatever he would a.sk : Wesselus answered, " Holy fa- ther, and kind patron, I shall not press liard upon your holiness. You well know I never aimed at great things. But as you now sustain the character of the supreme pontiff, and shep- herd on earth, my request is, that you would so discharge the duties of your elevated station, that your praise may correspond with your dig- nity; and that when the great shepherd shall appear,'whose first minister you are, be may say, ' Well done, good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of thy Lord:' and, moreover, that you may he able to say boldly, ' Lord, thou gavest me live talents; behold, I have gained five other talents.' " The pope replied, " That must be my care. But do you ask something for your- self." " Then," reioined Wesselus, " I beg you to give me out of the Vatican libraiy, a Greek,

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