Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Mitchell, John (fl.1556)

1170986Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900, Volume 38 — Mitchell, John (fl.1556)1894Gordon Goodwin

MITCHELL or MYCHELL, JOHN (fl. 1556), printer, pursued his trade in St. Paul, Canterbury. From 'A Cronicle of Yeres' (1543 and 1544) he compiled, with large additions, 'A breviat Cronicle contaynynge all the Kinges from Brut to this daye, and manye notable actes gathered oute of diuers Cronicles from Willyam Conquerour vnto the yere of Christ a. M. V. c. 1. ii.,' 8vo, Canterbury, 1551; another edit. 1553. In a quaint dedication to Sir Anthony Aucher, master of the king's jewel-house, whom he asks to aid him in improving the next issue of the book, he implores his friends and brother-printers to suffer him quietly to enjoy the benefit of his labours. His request was apparently disregarded, as his book was reissued at other presses at London in 1555, 1556, 1559, and about 1561.

Mitchell printed at Canterbury:

  1. 'The Psalter … after the translacion of the great Bible,' 4to, 1549 and 1550.
  2. 'A Treatise of Predestination,' by John Lambert, 8vo, 1550.
  3. 'Two Dyaloges wrytten in laten by Desiderius Erasmus, translated in to Englyshe by Edmund Becke,' 8vo (1550).
  4. 'Articles to be enquired in thordinary Visitacion of ... the Lord Cardinall Poole's Grace, Archebyshop of Canterburie within hys Dioces of Canterbury, 1556,' 4to, 1556.
  5. 'A shorte Epistle to all such as do contempne the Marriage of us poor Preestes,' 16mo, undated.
  6. 'The spirituall Matrimonye betwene Chryste and the Soul,' 24mo, undated.
  7. 'An Exposytion upon the Epistyll of Saynt Paul to
    the Phillipians,' by Lancelot Ridley, 8vo, undated.
  1. 'The Confession of Fayth, writtyn in Latyn by Ph. Melanchton … translated … by Robert Syngylton,' 8vo, undated.
  2. 'Newes from Rome concerning the blasphemous sacrifice of the papisticall Masse,' by Randall Hurlestone, 8vo, undated, but about 1560.

[Tanner's Bibl. Brit.; Watt's Bibl. Brit.; Cat. of Books in Brit. Mus. to 1640.]

G. G.