Page:A dictionary of printers and printing.djvu/377

 HISTORY OF PRINTING.

city of Lisbon, in the year 1527, and there re- ceived that education, which enabled him to dispay abilities, the magnitude and lustre of which procured him the appellation of "the Virril of his country." After completing his academical studies, he entered into the army; and, in a battle against the Moors at Centa, had the misfortune to lose an eye. He then em- barked for the East Indies, urged by the hope of mending his fortunes by commerce; but nis wishes were disappointed, either from his own neglect, or that commerce was adverse to his efforts; however this might be, the leisure be obtained was devoted to &e Muses, and the re- sult was, his there commencing that production, universally known and admired, under the title of the Lxuiad. On his return from India, be had the misfortune to be shipwrecked, and the only thing he could preserve was his poem. In 1571, this great work was published, with a dedication to Sebastian, king of Portugal.* But, as if misfortune had " marked him for her own," his hopes of royal patronage were cruelly dis- appointed. The monarch, either insensible to the merits of the poem, or instigated to act coldly to the poet by his enemies, received with con- tempt what he ought to have considered as an honour done even to a crowned bead, and re- warded the writer with a neglect which left bim in all the wretchedness of indigent virtue, to expire in an alms-house, and left an everlasting stain on his king and country. The following epitaph was inscribed on his grave : —

HERE LIES LUIS DE CAMOENS,

PRINCE OF THE POETS OF BIS TIME.

HE LIVED POOR AND MISERABLE, AND DIED

ANNO DOMINI 1579.

The people of Macao are still proud of shew- ing a cave where Camoens amused himself in writing his Lusiad. This excellent poem has been translated into English by sir Richard Fanshaw, and Mr. Mickle.f

1579. Andrew ScHouTENs,a printer at Ley- den, in Holland, professes to beprinting tn now aeademia Lugdun in Batavit. William, prince of Orange, founded a university at Leyden, in 1 575. This city, during the seventeeth and eighteenth centuries, produced some of the most splendid and beautiful specimens of the typographic art, from the Elzevir press, and also fays claim to the first use of stereotype printing.

1 579. It is related by Balbinus,in his Bohemia Docta, that Henry of Waldstein, lord of Dan- brawitz, in Bohemia, erected printing presses both at Dobrziech and at New Buntzlau, about the middle of this century. Some of his own compositions were printed at these presses. Henry is reported to have been the principal author of the Bohemian version of the Bible, (six hand-

• Sebastian III. was killed near Tankers, July ag, 1S78.

t William JiiUns Mickle, the traaslator of the Ltuiad of Camoens. was born at Langholm, in Domfrieshlre, in 1734, and died October, 1788. Mr. Mickle was also the aathor of the Coneuilne, a poem In the manner of Spencer, re- published under the title of Sir Marlpn, 4to. and Almada BiUf a poem.

some volumes in small folio) printed tn vnan fratrvm Bohemicontm tn Graticz Marehionahu Moravia, in the years 1579, fue. Le Long^ mentions a Bohemtan Bible edited by the Calvin* ists, printed at Castello Kralitz, in Moravia, in 6 vols. 4to. 1579-1593. It is observed by Crantz that the Bohemian brethren, to whom tnis press belonged, applied it to no other purpose than that of printing the Holy Scriptures in their ver- nacular language.

1579, Oct. 20. The parliament held at Edin- burgh, forbade " all markets and fairs to be kept on the Sabboth-day, or in any church, or church yaird; so all handy-work on the Sabboth- day, all gaming, playing, pas.singto taverns and aile-houses, and wilfull remainging from their parish church, in time of sermon or prayers; and a pecuniall mulct layd upon the trans- gressours respective, to be paid for the use of the poor of the parish." It was also decreed, that " Every householder having lands or goods worth 500 pounds, should be obliged to have a Bible," (which at this time was printed in folio) " and a Psalm book, in his house, for the better instruc- tion of themselves, and their families, in the knowledge of God."

1579. The Schoole of Abuse, conteining a pleautaunt Invective agairut Poets, Pipers, Plaiers, Jesters, and such like Caterpilters, of a Cotmnon- welth; setting up the Flagge of Defiance to their mitchievota exercise, and overthrowing their Bul- warkes by profane writers, naturall reason and common experience. A Discourse as pleasatmt for Gentlemen that favour learning, at profitable for all that wyll follow vertue. By Stephan Gosson, Stud, Oxon. Printed at London, by Thomas Woodcocke. 1579.

1580. A document found by Mr. Thomson, of the record office, Edinburgh,* gives the fol- lowing bibliopegistic information, respecting the charges of a Scotch bookbinder of this date, which may be considered rather an interesting morceau of its kind; and which throws consider- able light on the sort of bindings and prices paid in Scotland at this period. Among fifty-nine different books, the following items are selected :

JOBHNI GiaSOMIS BUIMINDIRS PRICSrT.

£\7 u. <d. October, 1580.

Opera Clementis Alexandrln], Svo. gj/U, pryee. . u

Gildeie epistola, 8vo. In /larcftmtfn/ ti^a

Aneuch Is ane feist, 4to xiitf

Predtctiones memorabiles. Bto. In parchment. . ' iijs Zanthlg [Zanchius] de tiibus clohim folio gj/U,

pryce xu

Harmonia Stanharsti folio. In wUene, pryce. . zs Dtctionariam in latino gneco et galUco setmone

4to. gylt, pryce xu

Badieus de contemptn rerum fortuitarum 4to,

X» vcltene yjs vU)tf

Commentazia in Suetonium, Svo, gytt, pryce .. zs

Thesaurus paupcrum, 8to, In vetlene t«

Petronius Arbiter, 8to. In parchment iy«

Orationes daioram vionun, iSmo. gylt, pryce it

I!>.«_« Somraa of this compt is

J. B«OWO. ^^ ,. jjy ^ j,y ^

The value is given in Scotch money.

On the back of this account is an order upon the treasurer, subscribed by the king, and the


 * Published by the Bannatyne club.

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