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SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
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kad as english, and a pica roman, of a thick appearance, but a letter which sUrad well in bne. He had also a better fount of great primer English, with which he printed in 1498 ; Pynson was the first typographer who introduced the iDman letter into this country.
As the authenticity of the portrait of William Caxton has already been noticed, so it should be observed, that there is no better proof than that of time add popular acceptation for the head engrared for Richard Pynson. In reality, it represents John Gmmeus, junior, who lived at the court of Louis XIII. to whom he was phy- ncian in ordinary ; and it occurs on the back of a Latin address to marshal Montmorenci, com- posed by him. The original is a tine spirited wood engraving, about six inches in height ; and was discovered by Francis Douce, Esq.
The above is the principal device of Richard Pynson, though in general, they were six in number. He had also several loose engraved border pieces, for the formation of compartments and title-pages ; or for the enlar^g of some other device, on some of which his cypher ap- pears in miniature. Of these compartments, one consisted of naked boys in procession to the left, carrying one upon the shoulders of four others ; anoUier had a procession to the right, in which two of the boys were riding in panniers on an elephant, the nearest of which was crowned. A third, had two boys holding a festoon ; and all of these were bottom pieces. A fourth compart- ment contained the history of Mutius and Por- senna. He probably had likewise a kind of stamp for the covers of books ; since in Herbert's description of the Jmitatyon, ^e. o/CAru(, 1503, and Dibdin's Typographical Antiquitia, vol. ii. page 423, he says, " a copy of this book was curiously bound, with the king at length, the printer's mark, and other figures stampt on the cover." Again, in Herbert's notice of the Abbre- vimentum Slatutontm, 1499, he states that " the king at length, and Pynson's mark, R. P. were stamped on the cover of the book." Pynson, like Wynkyn de Worde, affixed to several of his books, especially to his statutes and law publi- cations, various engravings of the royal arms, supporters, badges, &c. as well to inoicate his being the king^s printer, as to denote those volumes which more immediately related to the history and constitution of England.
1629. The first patent of king's printer which has been found, is that granted to Thomas Ber- thelet, by HenryVIII., in this year. But be- fore this time, Kchard Pynson, in 1503, had styled himself "printer unto the king's noble grace;" and in 1608, we find William Faques, in like manner, taking the Latin title of regit impreuor (the king's printer). It may be re- garded as almost certain, that at this time the appointment of king's printer did not convey any exclusive privileges, but was merely an honorary distinction, implying that the indivi- dual possessing it was peculiarly patronized by his majesty, and perhaps was regularly employed to do the printing work of the crown. It was, in fact, an appointment very nearly of the same nature with those held at present by any of the royal tradesmen. Wynkyn de Worde, before Pynson, called himself printer to the lady Mar- garet (Henrv VII.'s mother), but it will scarcely be pretended that that princess, by such an ap- pointment, could confer upon him any exclu- sive privileges. At the venr time that Pynson called himself printer to the king, the acts of parliament were printed not only at hb press, out also at those of Wynkyn de Worde, and of Julian Notary. And this view is fully confirmed by the terms of the patent granted to Berthelet, in which there is not a word about the exclusive right of printing anything whatever. The king assumed the right of controlling the exercise of the art of printing, not merely in regard to cer- tain classes, but in regard to all classes of books. He licensed at bis pleasure one man to print, and refused that liberty to another ; he permit- ted the printing of one book, and prohibited that of another. The royal prerogative, in fact, as to this matter, was held to be unlimited and om- nipotent Every thing testifies the supremacy actually exercised by the royal prerogative. No book, in the first place, could oe printed at all until it was licensed; and secondly, the king assumed the power of granting a right of exclu- sive printing and exclusive selling to whom he pleased in regard to all books whatsoever. — We shall enumerate the patents and privileges as they were gpranted to certain persons for printing or vending any kind of books.
Thomas Bertheletlived at the si^ of Lucretia Romana, in Fleet-stieet ; and it is sinfpilar to remark Uiat the king's printer, (from Pynson in 1600) to the present time, have all resided in the parish of St. Bride, which seems to have been the Alma Mater of our profession, upon its first introduction into the metropolis. The total num- ber of those carrying on printing in this parish almost defies enumeration ; certainly eclipses, in comparison, that of any other parish or circle of similar extent in England, or perhaps the world.
1529. Louis de Berquin, a gentleman of Ar- tois, who was probably attached to the reformed opinions, presumed to avow himself by his con- versation and writings the defender of Erasmus, and brave in his behalf the fury of the Sorbonne. Such was the fury of the Parisian divines, (who had published a Centura, about 1526, upon va-
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