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 SIXTEENTH CENTURY

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be seat straight to the fire, without anv more words." But Liberius, the judge, ana some others, who conceived that the prisoner had done nothing worthy of death, proposed the adoption of a nulder sentence, wishing only to have him fined, and to acknowledge that the bishop of Aix and his companions were the true pastors of the church. This the pious and intrepid book- seller refused, saying, that " he could not do it with a gx>od conscience, since he had an instance before his eyes, that these bishops countenanced filthj books and abominable pictures, rejecting and refusing the holy books of God, and be therefore judged them rather to be priests of Bacchus and Venus, than the true pastors of the church of Christ." On this refusal, the book- Kller was immediately condemned to be burnt ; and the dreadful sentence was executed the very same day. As a token of the cause of his con- demnation, tico BibUtweTe hung about his neck me of them before, and the other behind, and he was thus led to the place of execution. Such, however, was the firmness of his mind, and the Divine support which he experienced, that with undaunted earnestness he continued to exhort the multitude, as he passed on the way to execution, to read the Holy Scriptures; and with such effect, that several became inquirers after truth.

The death of the pious bookseller created con- siderable emotion among the inhabitants of the city, who not only murmured at the execution of tiie excellent man who had suffered, but were indignant at the contempt which the prelates had diown for the Scriptures. The bishops, there- fore, in order to silence the people, caused a proclamation to be made by sound of trumpet, throughout the whole city and country, "that all those who had any books, in the French tongue, treating upon the Holy Scriptures, should bring them forth, and deliver them into the han^ of the commissioners appointed for that purpose, under pain of death, if any such books should be afterwards found about them, or in any war in their possession."

Another who suffered for the sake of the Gos- pel was Peter Chapot, corrector of the press to a printer at Paris. Having been at Geneva, he returned into France, with a number of copies of die Scriptures. These he dispersed among those of his own peisuason. But his zeal cost him his life; for being apprehended, on the information of John Andre, a bookseller, he was condemned, and afterwards strangled and burnt. This fanatical catastrophy took place at Paris, in 1546.

Anthony Comellius, a lawyer of this century, wrote a small tract, which was so effectually suppressed as a monster of atheism, that a copy is now only to be found in the hands of the curious. This author ridiculed the absurd and horrid doc- ', tiine of infant damnation, and was instantly decried as an atheist, and the printer prosecuted to his ruin.

1540, i4^/. Anthonv Malert, or Mabler, was a haberdasher by company, as appears by a

fatent granted him for printing a /alio bibU.* n the king's library, in the Bntish museum, at the beginning of a very fine illuminated folio bible, printed on vellum, are the following words wrote, " This book is presented unto your most excellent hyghness, by your loving, faithful!, and obedient subject, and dayly orator, Anthony Marler, of London, haberdasher." His desire to oblige by this present, might probably be a means of his having the grant. See Rymer's Foedera, vol. 14. page 746.

1540. RiS&ARD Banks was employed, as Herbert states, as a printer ind bookseller for about twenty years, in various parts of London, although few books of his are now extant. In this year he received a patent for printing the epitltet and gotpeh. This, says Hansard, appears to me to have been a privilege much more com- prehensive in its nature than those just before noticed, and to have some analogy to that sort of property now denominated copv-riobt, of which we may perhaps deem it the first instance. It runs thus: — ^" Henry the eighth, by the grace of God, king of England and of France, de- fender of the Faith, lord of Ireland, and in earth supreme head immediately under Christ of the church of England. To all printers of books within this realm, and to all our letters hearing or seeing, greeting. Be it known to all, that we of our especial grace have given privilege unto our well-beloved subject Richard Banks, that no person within this realm shall print any manner of books whatsoever that our said subject shall first print within the space of seven years next ensuing the printing of every such book so by him printed, upon pain of for- feiture of the same. Wherefore we will and command, that you, nor one of you, do pre- sume to print any of the said books during the time aforesaid; as you tender our pleasure and will, avoid the contrary." The device of Richard Banks, if he used any, is not known. Few of his books are now extant: the first is dated 1525, and the last 1542. In the whole he printed fifteen books.

1541, May 6. A proclamation ordeyned by the kynges majestie, with the advice of his honourable counsayle, for the bvble of the largest and greatest volume, to be bad in every chureh before All Saints' Day. Devised the VI. day of May, the xxxiii. yeare of the kynges moste gracious reygne. Excutum per Richardum Grafton et Eduardum Whitchurch. Cum privi- legio ad imprimendum solum. Notwithstanding the former injunctions, many parish churches were yet destitute of the Bible. At the same time, the king fixed the price of the Bibles at ten thillingt unbound, and not above twelve shil- lingt well bound and clasped ; and charged all ordinaries to take care that the command of the king was executed. Upon this Bonner, bishop of London, set up nx Bibles in certain con- venient places of St. Paul's chureh, and affixed

Tbomaa Beithelet, the Udk*! printer.
 * Printed br Thooiu Petit uid Robert Bedman, for

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