SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
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out of Italen into Englishe Anno Do. mdxlviii. Jmpryntcd by R. C. for William Beddell at the sygne of the George, in Pauls church yarde. octavo.
1548. Ipswich has something singular in the history of its early typography, no fewer than three printers having been at work here during the reign of king Edward VI. Books executed by each of them yet remaining; but all of these with the exception of perhaps one, are of the same year, 1648, and we possess nothing from Ipswich, either of an earlier or later date during that century. The printers were John Oswen, (who it is said was patronised by cardinal Wolsey) John Overton, and Anthony Scoloker, who appear to hare settled here nearly at the same time, and to here quitted the place also together. One of them, John Oswen, went immediately to Worcester; but of the other two Herbert observes that nothing more is known, either of their types or themselves.
John Oswen printed seven books at Ipswich, who added. Imprinted at Ippyswiche, by me Jhon Oswen. Cum priv. ad impnnundvm lolum.
John Overton printed only one book, which he dedicated to Edward VI., and has the picture of John Wiclif and his own; printed in Roman letter, and some peculiar initials.
1546. Anthonv Scoloker resided in St. Botolph's parish, without Aldersgate; also in the Savoy rents, near Temple Bar, and afterwards at Ipswich. He translated Viret's Collection of scriptures, serving for exposition of the Lord's Prayer out of French; the Ordinary for all Faithfull Christians, out of Dutch; and, A briefe sum of the Bible, out of German. Ames conjectures that he printed The complaint of Roderick Mors. He printed the following with Will. Seres, which are entered under his name, as, A Boke made by John Frith, &c. The Practyce of Prelates, &c. A notable collection of places of Scripture, &c. A brefe Chronycle concerning Sir Johan Oldcastell. A Goodly Dyalogue, &c. A Right Goodly Rule, &c. 16mo. No dates, Prayse and Commendacions, &c. 16mo. Institucion of Baptisme, 16mo. The olde Faith, &c. I6mo. Order of Matrimony, &c. 16mo. Ordinarye of Christians. Pyers Plowmans Exortation, 8vo.
At Ipswich, Scoloker printed three books, one of which, the Sermons of Bernard. Ochinus, may be seen in the library of Trinity college, Dublin: a perfect and tine copy. Another is entitled, A iust reckenyng, or accomplt of the whole number of the yeares, from the beginnynge of the world, unto this present yere of 1547. A certaine and sure declaration, that the world is at an end, &c. Of the last day of iudgment, or day of dome, and how it shall come to passe. Translated out of Germaine tonge, by Antony Scoloker. 6 day of July 1547.
The elegant device used by Scoloker, the original motto to which, shows the point of it: — "Proue the spyrites whether they be of God, Jhon ye iiij. i. Reg. viij. d. Ma. vij." — since the word of God is there represented as a touchstone, on which the worth of the spirit is being proved, under the form of a coin, perhaps from the figure upon it, of that species called crosses.
1548. Worcester received the art of print- ing by John Oswen, from Ipswich. In the roll's chapel, is a licence granted by Edward VI. to John Oswen, of the city of \frorcester, and his assigns, to print and reprint, ^c. every kind of book, or books, set forth by his majesty, con- cerning the service to be used in churches, ad- ministration of the sacraments, and instruction of his subjects of the principality of Wales, and the marshes thereunto belonging, .Sec. for seven years, prohibiting all other persons whatsoever, from printing the same. He printed till 1663, in which year, being the 7th of Edward VI. he was appointed printer for the principality of Wales, ana the marshes thereunto belonging.
164H. The first printed edition of the Ethiopia New Testament was executed at Rome, in 4to. by the brothers Valerius Doricus and Ludovicus of Brescia, under the superintendence of Peter, or Tesfa Sion Malezo, a native of Ethiopia, with the assistance of his two brothers. In the fol- lowing year, the Epistle of St. Paul were pub- lished separately. They are said to be full of errors, chiefly from the unskilfulness of the printers : " They who printed the work could not read," says Peter, in his Latin preface, " and we could not print ; therefore they helped us, and we helped them, as the blind helps tiie blind."
1649. William Baldwin is supposed by Anthony Wood to have been a west countryman, who studied at Oxford, and who, after leaving the university became a schoolmaster and a minister. He seems to have been one of those scholars who engaged in the work of printing to forward the reformation ; and he was employed by Whitchurch, ve^ possibly as a corrector of the press, although he afterwards qualified him- self for the office of a compositor. His original works are said to have been some dramas, now either lost or unknown ; but in 1647, Whit- church first printed a treatise on Moral Philo- sophy, which was compiled by him, and which was afterwards several times republished. In 1649, Baldwin printed Balades of Salomon,4U).
William Baldwin used for his device a hand holding a caduceus, having at top an open book , over which is a dove with wings extended, and under it Love and Lyte, in a small compartment. A scroll issues from each of the serpents mouths, the one with Nosce te Ipsvm, the other with Ne Qdd nimis. Under the serpents is his name, BAL on one side, and WIN on the other, with the middle letter D on the caduceus. The whole contained in a parallelogram, with this motto about it. Be wise as Serpentes, and Innocent as Doves. Matthew x.
1649. William Hvll, or Hill, lived at the sign of the Hill, in St. Paul's church yard, at the west door of the church. He is said to have left off printing in this year, and turned binder, having been fined one sliilling,in 1666, for bind- ing primers in parchment, contrary to the com- pany's orders. He printed six works.
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