SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
449
were probably employed without any specific authority.
1606. 'The following extract of a letter, writ- ten by a guest at the table of Robert Cecil, earl of Salisbury, at Theobald's, will shew, that at this time, ebriety was indulged in the highest circles : Cecil gave a grand entertainment to honour the presence of Christian IV. of Den- mark, who was then on a visit to James VI. " Those whom I never could get to taste good liquor, now follow the fashion, and wallow in beastly delights. The ladies abandon sobriety, and are seen to roll about in intoxication. After dinner the representation of Solomon, his temple, and the coming of the queen of Sheba was made, or (as I may better say) was meant to
have been made The lady who did play
the queen's part, did carry most precious gifts to both their majesties ; but forgetting a rising to the canopy, overset her caskets into his Danish majesty's lap, and fell at his feet, though I ratber think it was in his face. Much was the hurry and confusion ; cloths and napkins were at hand to make all clean. His majesty then
tot up, and would dance with the queen of heba; but befell down and humbled himself before her, and was carried to an inner chamber, and laid on a bed of state, which was not a little
defiled with the presents of the queen... The
entertainment and show went forward, and most of the presenters went backward or fell down ; wine did so occupy their upper chambers. Now did appear in rich dress, Hope, Faith, and Charity. Hope did assay to speak, but wine did render her endeavours so feeble that she with- drew. Faith was then all alone, for I am cer- tain she was not joined with good works, and left the court in a staggering condition. Charity came to the king's feet, and seemed to cover the multitude of sins her sisters had committed: in some sort she made obeisance, and brought
gifts She tlien returned to Hope and Faith,
who were both sick and spewing in the hall." — '■ Lingard.
1606. A copy of a treatise by J. Cheironius, On the dUtemper which vuited the city and neigh- bourhood of Nismet, a town in France, was printed at that place on white tilk, in this year. In 1620, Joan Vaguenar, who calls himself printer to the town and university of Nismes, executed here a French account of the Judg- ment of the Synod of Dort upon the five arliclet.
1607. Lingua, or the Combat of tlie Tongue and the five Senset for tuperiority. A pleasant comedy. At Loudon. Printed by George Eld, for Simon Watersou. This is a very memorable performance. Oliver Cromwell performed in it, and in the character of Tactus, which is said, though perhaps without sufficient reason, to have first inspired him with sentiments of am- bition. — Beloe.
George Elo dwelt in Fleet Lane, at the .sign of the Printers' Press.
1607. Thomas Creede dwelt at the sign of the Catharine Wheel, near the old Swan, in Thames-street, and frequently put to his books
an emblem of Truth, with a hand issuing from the clouds striking on her back with a rod, and this motto Toundit, Veritas virescit vulnere. He appears to have been a considerable printer, and Vo have cai-ried on business for about fifteen years. In 1597 he printed the following work in 4to. The wil of wit, wits will, or wiU wit, chuie you whetlier. Containing five discourses, the effects whereof fiiUmn. Reade and judge. Compiled by Nicholas Breton, gentleman.
In 1607 lie printed the Ancient history of the destruction of Troy. Translated by William Caxton, and corrected by William Piston. 4to.
Nicholas Briton or Breton, here mentioned, was a celebrated writer at this period, and his works are now considered as objects of much curiosity and research, by the collectors of early English literature. — Beloe.
Barly-breake, or a Wamiiig for Wantons. Written by W. N. Gent. London, 1607, 4to., pp. 32. Dedicated to " Mistris Eliz. C." This work is attributed to Nicholas Breton. Bibl. Anglo-Poe:, JBIO 10».
1607. Printing introduced into the college of Eton, a town of Buckinghamshire. In John Bagford's manuscript papers, occurs the follow- ing account of the introQuction of printing into this place: "Sir Henry Saville,* meditating an edition of St. Chrysostom, prepared a fount of curious Greek letters, which in those days were called the silver letter, not behig cast of silver, but for the beauty of the letter so called. He then made a provision of presses and other ma- terials for the undertaking, and resolved to print in Eton college, and there set up his presses, and about 16(^ he printed some small pieces in Greek before he went in hand with the great work of St. Chrvsostom : and John Norton was the printer. These Greek letters came after- wards into the hands of one Turner, a printer at Oxford." See Wharton's Life of iMud, vol. ii. page 174. The earliest Eton specimens observed by Dr. Cotton are some pieces of Gregory Nazi- anzen in Greek and Latin, which were edited by R. Montague, and printed under sir Henry Saville's own care and inspection, in 1610.
• Mr. afterwardi air Henry Savile, Kot., whose learn- ing and liberal benefactions placed him among the most emdnent characters of the seventeenth century, was born at Bradley, near Halifax, Yorkshire, November sotta, 1540; and educated at Oxford, where he was chosen fellow of Merton. In isgfl, he was chosen provost of Eton college, and increased the fame of that society by filling it with the most learned men j thon,^h he incurred the dislike of some of the scholars, by liis preference of diligence to wit: "Give me," he used to say, "the plodding student. If I would look for wits, I wonld go to Newgate, there be the wits." James I. upon his accession to the crown of England, expressed his great regard for him, and would have preferred him eithqr in church or state, but he wonld only accept the honour of knlghtliood, which he received at Wind .or, September 21st, 1604. Beside giving vaiioua sums of money for the advancement of mathemalical and other sciences, he contributed several rare books and manascri|ita to the Bodleian library, and a nomber of Greek types and matrices to the printing press at Oxford. He also published many valuable works at great expense; and his beautiful edition of Chrytoatum's Works, In Greek, of which one thousand copies were printed. In I6l3, In S vols, (olio, cost him no less than .^8000. He died at Eton college, February ig, 1S22; and was burled in the chapel there. He was one of the translators of king James's Bible.
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