242
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
king's money, to the undoing of Englishmen. This tended to inflame the minds of the people ; and the method adopted to discover the writer of the libel must excite a smile in the present day, while it shows the state in which learning must have been in. — The plan adopted was this: In every ward, one of the king's council, with an alderman of the same, was commanded to see every man write that could, and further, took every man's book and sealed them and brought them to guildhall to confront them with the original — so that if of this number many wrote alike, the judges must have been much puzzled to fix on the criminal.
1527. Laurence Andrews is stated by Ames to have been a native of Calais, and a translator and author of various books previous to his ex- ercising the art of printing : which he adds, he might probably have learned from John Does- borowe or Doesbrock, or Peter Treveris. The wonderful SItape and Nature of Man, Beattt, &c." of his translating, was printed at Antwerp by the former of the two typographers above- mentioned, as was idso Andrewe's English version of the Valuacion of Golde and Sylver, supposed to have been produced in 1499, in black-letter. Like many of the other early printers, Andrewe resided near the eastern end of Fleet-street, by the bridge which crossed the Fleet, at the sign of the Golden Cross.
The following is a list of his works : —
Boke of Distyllacyon. London in the flete- strete, in the sygne of the golden Crosse. 18th April, 1627. FoUo.
Myrrour, ^c. of the Worlde. In fletestrete, at the sygne of the golden crosse by fletehridge. Without date. Folio.
Directory of Contcienct. Without date. Quarto.
The above monogram of Laurence Andrewe, consisted of a shield, which was contained in a very rudely-cut parallelogram, surrounded by a thick black line. The escutcheon is supported by a wreath beneath an ornamental arch, and between two curved pillars, designed in the, early Italian style. The back-ground is formed of coarse horizontal lines.
1527. i>ied, John Froben, or Frobenids, an eminent and learned German printer He was a native of Hammelburg, but settled at Basil, where he acquired the reputation of being un- commonly learned. With a view of promoting useful learning, for which he was very zealous
he applied himself to the art of printing. He was the first of the German printers who brought the art to any perfection. The great reputation and character of this printer was the principal motive which led Erasmus to fix his residence at Basil, in order to have his own works printed by him. He would never sufier libels, or any thing that might hurt the reputation of another, to go through his press for the sake of profitj and being a man of great probity and piety, as well as skill, he was particularly choice in the authors he printed. It is said of him, that he exposed his proof-sheets to public view, and offered a reward to any person that should dis- cover an error. In his preface to Celius Rodi~ ginut, he advises the learned against purchasing incorrect editions of books, for the sAe of their cheapness, and calls the printers of them, pestt of learning. He says, " such wretched works cannot but be dearly bought, how cheap soever they are sold ; whereas he that buys a correct copy, always buys it cheap, how much soever he gives for it."
Erasmus, Heyland, Oecolampadius, and other persons of Uie highest rank in literature, were the learned correctors of his press. Oecolampadius says, he could not sufficiently wonder that Eras- mus, who alone kept three presses continually going, who read and compared the Greek ana Latin manuscripts, and consulted the writings of all the ancients and moderns, could find time enough to correct the proofs of his works ; and adds, that his example had not a little encou- raged him to engage in the laborious task of corrector.
We have already noticed the frequent fiJsifi- cation, piratii^, and forgeries of literag^ works. The case of Froben, as described by Erasmus, may represent those of many other meritorious printers whose liberality and public spirit were thus made to enrich the ignorant and worthless. " Many are they who lie in wait for the man, and almost have conspired to his ruin. When any new work appears which is likely to be sale- able, one or other of them surreptitiously pro- cures a copy from his printing house, prints, and sells it almost for nothing ; whilst Froben is at an immense expense, not only in remunerating' correctors, but often in purchasing the originju manuscripts."*
This excellent printer expired at Basil, in
- ircreerr, in Ua poem of the Preit, allndet to the same
subject in the following lines : —
How sweet to yield the tribute of applanse. When sterling worth with strong ftttractjon draws ; Or what more plearing to the fedlng mind Than living wreaths aroond his brows to bind 1 Bat In oiur Aajt what hordes of blockheads claim The prond distinction of the printer's name ; Around his press, Uke hungry beasts of prey. They swarm, whom every trade bath cast away ; Without the knowledge that can e'er improre. The sordid aim their active passions move. Their servile uses and their country's shame. How frequent now the public prints proclaim. Tbe base pursuits Hiat cunning can devise. Strong advocates their hireling page supplies. The dread of chains and slavery dispel, And as they're brib'd th' obedient conscience aeU.
