324
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
five poitraits of Diana, iu gilt, each within the bands. There are also on the sides two pretty medallions of a winged figure blowing a trum- pet, and standing upon a chariot drawn by four nurses, willi the date 1553.
At this period, it was common to decorate, not onlv their common books, but books of devotion, with the portraits of their favourite minions and ladies in the character of saints, and even of the Virgin Mary and Jesus. Charles V. emperor of Gennany,* however pious he effected to be, had a missal painted for his mistress by Albert Durer, the borders of which are crowded with extrava- gant grotesques, consisting of apes, which were sometimes elegantly sportive, giving clysters to one another, and in more offensive attitudes, not iulaptcd lu heighten the piety of the royal mis- tress. This missal has two French verses written by the emperor himself, who does not seem to have been ashamed of his present.
In a mi.ssul once appertaining to the queen of Louis XII. of France, may be seen a mitred ape, giving its benediction to a man prostrate before it ; a keen reproach to the clergy of those times. But this practice was particularly pre- valent in the reign of Henry Ill.t who held the reins of government with a loose hand, and sanc- tioned every kind of debauchery.
The images, prints, and miniatures, with which the catholic reUgion has occasion to decorate its splendid ceremonies, were firequently consecrated to the purposes of love : they have been so many votive oUeriiiffs worthy to have been suspended in the temple of Idalia. Pope Alexander VI. had the images of the Virgin made to represent some of his mistresses ; the famous Vanozza, his favourite, w.is placed on the altar of Sancta Maria del Popolo ; and Julia Famese furnished a subject for another Virgin. Heme affirms, that the statuaries made the queen of Henry III. a model for the face of the Virgin Mary. And also, that the Virgin Mary was generally made to bear a resemblance to the queens of the age, which, no doubt, produced some real devotion among the courtiers.
The manners of our country, says D'Isiaeli, were rarely tainted with this licentiousness, al- though an innocent tendency may be obsei-ved towards it, by examining the illuminated manu- scripts of our ancient metrical romances : while we admire the vivid colouring of these splendid nianuseripts, the curious observer will perceive that almost every heroine is represented in a state which appears incompatible with her re- putation. Most of these works, it is believed, were executed by French artists.
In remarking on the taste for the exterior decorations of books, Mr. Roscoe, in his IMe of Lorenzo de Medici, says, " it is perhaps difficult to discover, why a favourite book should not be
- Born at Ghent, Febnurf M, ISOO, declared emperor
by the electoral voices, June S8, 1529; died September SI, ISS8, aud was buried in the Escorial. — Refer to Robert- son's Life of this relentless foe of the Reformation.
-f Bom at Fontatnblesn, Sept la, 1601 j assassinated July 32, 1589.
as proper an object of elegant ornament, as the head of a cane, the hilt of a sword, or the latchet of a shoe.
1556. Robert Toyf. resided at the sign of the Bell, in St. Paul's church yard, and was a mem- ber of the ancient stationers' company, though he died before they received a charter from PhUip and Mary. He is thought to have died early in the year 1556, and the records of the company mention that its members " received of Mrs. toye the xij daye of ffebruary for a reward to the companye for comyuge to the buryall of hyr husband Mr.Toye xxs." His widow seems to have carried on his business after his decease, from the entry of several copies of ballads allow- ed to her, on the stationers' books, which are entitled " to John Wallye and Mrs. Toye, these ballets folowvnge." She appears also to have con- tributed to all Uie company's collections for their establishment and public dinners, and to have
?aid for one of the glazed windows to the hall, n 1558 Mrs. Toye received a sole license to print the Latin Catechitm: and in 1560 she presented her company with a new table cloth and a dozen of napkins, after which there is not any memorial of her until 1569, when her son Humphrey paid £4. to the stationers, as " the bequeste of Mrs. Elizabeth Toye, widowe."
Hubert Toye printed fourteen works between the years 1541 and 1665.,
BALLADS,
Bp John WaUye and the Widow tf Robert Toy.
1. Women beatc whan they lie at Reste. s. I will baue a wydow yf eaer I marye.
3. The Daye of the lorde ys at hande.
4. Aballetofthomalyn. '
5. Betweoe a ryche farmer and his daughter. C. Of the talke betweoe 1) maydes.
7. The mumynge of Edwarde Duke of buckyngham.
8. A mayrte that wolde mary with a seraynge man.
Whan raging lone.
9. Who lyue so merry & make such sporte, as they that
be of the poorer sotte.
10. An Bpytaph vpon the dealbe of kyoge Edwarde ye
sexte.
11. A ballet of good wynes. IS. Of the loner and the byrde.
13. To morrow shall be my fathers wake.
14. Of the Ryche man and poor lazanu.
15. A ballyt of made by nycholas baltroppe.
16. Of wakefylde and a grene.
17. A taallett of a mylner.
18. God send me a wyffe that will do as I saye.
19. I will no more go to the plough. With another new
baUett annexed to the same. ao. Admonysslon to leaue sweiynge. SI. A baUett for my solas. ss. In wynten Juste retome. SS. Yf eaer 1 mary J will mary a mayde. 34. And in those dayes then I saye ttien, knaoes that be
now wilbe come honest men. as. Yt was a may in ago truly. St. The Rose is from my garden goone. 27. SS. ij baUets : Yf Care maye crye. The sorrowes that
doth increase. S9. Of a man that wolde be vnmaryed agayne. 30. TbeabcofaprestecaUedheughstoormy. SI. The aged mans a b e.
1556. John Reynes was an eminent printer, bookseller, and bookbinder, who dwelt at the sign of the George, in St. Paul's church yard, abiaut the year 1627, if not previous. A few hooks are said to have been printed by him, and oUiets for him ; but there are many more that
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