Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/287

 278

HISTORY OF PRINTING.

Ooie, and many others who deserve to be held up to the admiration of succeedinfr generations, and justly form the boast of Great Britain.

There is a remark to be made concerning the difference between the literature of the ladies of the sixteenth century, and that of the women of more recent times. The former entered deeply into the study of the ancient languages, while the latter, beside acquiring a skill m the modern tongues, especially the French and the Italian, have paid their principal attention to the culti- vation of general knowledge. Some of them, however, have been no small proficients in the learning of antiquity.

Ano&er circumstance observable in the learned ladies of the sixteenth century is, that they were most eminent for their piety. Religion was deeply impressed upon their minds, and, agree- ably to the fashion of the times, religion was almost the sole topic of their writings. It is pleasing to reflect, that the best female authois of the present day are not inferior to them in pious and virtuous principles and conduct.

1 540. The spirit of persecution raged not only in England, but in almost every part of Christen- dom. One or two instances of the severity with which those were treated who sold or dispersed the scriptures in France, will exhibit in its true light the antipathy of superstition and intol- lerance, over truth, and a desire to obtain that knowledge which maketh us wise unto salvation.

In this year, William Hussen, an apothecary of Blois, was delected, in the city of Rouen, dis- tributing small pamphlets, explaining the tenets of the reformed church,and exposing the Romish superstition. Being apprehended at Dieppe, domg the same, he was taken back to Rouen, where he confessed that he was both author and distributor of the books in question. This con- fession occasioned him his condemnation, when he was executed in the following manner. His tongue being cut 6ut, his hands and feet were tied behind him, and be was drawn up by a

Sulley to a gibbet, and then let down into a fire indled beneath, in which situation he called upon the Lord, anoksoou expired.

Another victim to bigotry, was a poor book- seller, who resided at Avignon, and obtained his livelihood by the sale of religious publications. At Avigrnon, the bishop of Rieux gave a banquet to the bishop of Aix and other prelates engaged in the violent persecution' of the in- habitants of Merindola, to which the most beautiful women were invited. After the ban-

3 net, the company amused themselves with ancing, playing at dice, and similar dissipative pleasures ; after which the prelates, with each a female leaning on his arm, walked up and down the streets, to pass the time till supper, when seeing a man offering obscene pictures and songs to sale, they purchi^ed the woole of his stock, " as many as a mule could well carry." With these they entertained their female companions, at the expense of all modesty and gravity, and with most indecent levity, explained the difficult sentences which occurred in them. In Uie

course of their walk through the city, they a met with a bookseller, who had exhibited sale certain Latin and French Bibles. 1 prelates, indignant at his heretical boldn< sternly asked him, " Darest thou be so bold to set out such merchandise as this to sell, in t town ? Dost thou not know that such books i forbidden?" The bookseller answered, "Is i the Holy Bible as good as those goodly pictu which you have bought for these gentlewome Scarcely had he spoken the words, but thebisb of Aix said, " I renounce my part of paradi if this fellow be not a Lutheran. Let him taken and examined." Immediately a compa of ruffians, who attended on the prelates, beg to cry out, "a Lutheran, — a Lutheran; to I fire with him, — to the fire with him ;" whilst c gave him a blow, and another pulled him by hair, and a third plucked him by the beard, that the poor man was covered with blot before he reached the prison to which they wi dragging him. The next day he was brought 1 fore the judges, and examined in the presence the bishops. Being asked," hast not thou set fo: to sale the Bible and the New Testament French;" he honestly acknowledged "that had done su." It was then demanded of hi " whether he did not know and undetstand, tl it was forbidden throughout all Christendom, print or sell the Bible in any language exce Latin?" To which he replied, "Uiat he kn the contrary to be true; and that he had s( many Bibles in the French tongue, with t emperor's privilege in them, and many oth printed at Lyons, and also New Testamei printed by the king's privilege;" and added, tl "he knew no nation throughout all Christendo which had not the Holy Scriptures in their v gar tongue." He then courageously address them in the following terms: "O ye inhabitaj of Avignon, are you alone in all Christendo the men who despise and abhor the Testament the heavenly Father? Will ye forbid and hi that which Jesus Christ has commanded to revealed and published? Do yon not knowtl our Lord Jesus Christ gave power to his apost to speak all manner of tongues, to the end tl his holy gospel might be taught to all creatur in every language? And why do you not fori those books and pictures, which are full of filtJ ness and abomination, and which stir up t people to whoredom and uncleanness, and pi voke God's vengeance and great indignati against you? What greater blasphemy can th( be, than to forbid God's most holy books whi he ordained to instruct the ignorant, and to i duce and bring again into this way such as ha gone astray ? What cruelty is this, to take aw from the poor simple soids their nourishme and sustenance! But, my lords, you shall gi a heavy account, who call sweet sour, and so sweet, and who countenance abominable a; detestable books and pictures, but reject tl which is holy." The bishops, enraged 1 these words, violently exclaims, " What ne( have you of any more examination ? Let hi

VjOOQ IC