SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
541
shall have a paper set over your hats, declaring your offence, for printing and publishing scanda- lous, treasonable, and factious books against the king and state.
"You shall be committed till the next gaol- delivery without bail ; and then you shall make an open confession and acknowledgment of your offences in such words as shall be directed you.
" And afterwards you shall remain prisoners during the king's pleasure : And when you are discharged, you shall put in good security by recognizances, yourself £400 a-piece, and two securities each of you of jE2<iO a-piecc, not to print or publish any books, but such as shall be allowed of." And this is the judgment of the court.
1663, April 8. This is the date of the fint printed play bill that was issued from Drury lane theatre. The play was the Humoroiu Lieutenant, and commenced at three o'clock. The prices of admission were, boxes, 4i. pit, 2>. middle gallery, 1». 6d. gallery. Is.
Previous to this the announcement of the evening's or rather afternoon's entertainment, was not circulated by the medium of a diurnal newspaper, as at present, but broadsides were pasted up at the comers of the street to attract the passer-by. The puritanical author of a Treatise against Idleness, Vaine Playes, and Interludes, printed in black letter, without date, but possibly anterior to 1587, proffers an admi- rable illustration of the practice. — "They use," says he, in his tirade against the pluyers, " to set up their bills upon postes some certain dayes before, to admonish the people to make resort to their theatres, that they may thereby be the better furnished, and the people prepared to fill their purses with their treasures." The whim- sical John Taylor, the water-poet, under the head of Wit and Mirth, also alludes to the cus- tom. — ^"Master Nat Field, the player, riding up Fleet-street at a great pace, a gentleman called him, and asked what play was played that day. He being angry to be stay'd on so frivolous a demand, answered, that he might see what play was plaied on every poste. I cry your mercy, said the gentleman, I took you for a poste, you rode so iast."
It mav naturally be inferred, that the emolu- ments of itinerant players could not afford the convenience of a printed bill, and hence from necessity arose the practice of announcing the play by beat of drum. Will. Slye, who attended Kempe in the provincial enactment of his " Nine Men of Gotham," is figured with a drum. ParoUes, in Shakspeare's " All's Well that ends Well," alludes to this occupation of some of Will. Slye's fellows, "Faith, sir, he has led the drum before the English comedians."
In the "Twelfth Night," Malvolio says, " Hell stand at your door like a sheriff's post," &c. It was ibe custom for that officer to have large posts set up at his door as an indication of bis office, the original of which was, that the king's proclamations and other public acts might be affixed thereto. From these terms arc derived the modern name of pottxng-bills.
1663. An act was passed, which amongst other obnoxious clauses, directed that, in future, " Every printer should send three copies of every book new printed, or reprinted with additions, to the stationers' company, to be sent to the king's libraiy, and the vice chancellors of the two uni- versities of Oxford and Cambridge. The first entry of books on the stationers' records, took place on the 1st of December, 1663.
1663. A precept from the lord mayor was received, for sending ten membra^ of the company of stationers, substantially horsed, and apparelled in velvet coats and chains of gold, to attend his lordship, and wait on the king and queen, at their return from their progress. A court was accordingly called for their nomination.
1663. Jiov. 20. Mercurius Ruslicus. In this paper appears the following singular advertise- ment: Newly published, the second part of Hudihras, by the author of the former, which, if possible, has cut down the first. Sold by John Merlin and James Allestry, at the Bell, St. Paul's church yard.
Pepys, in his ikary of the date of Nov. 28, says, "To Paul's church yard, and there looked over the second part of Hudibras, which I buy not, but to borrow to read, to see if it be as good as the first, which the world cried up, though it hath a good liking in me."
1664, March 10. A Tryal of Witches,* at the Assizes held at Bury St. Edmund's, for the county of Suffolk. Before sir Matthew Hale, knt. Then lord chief baron of his majesty's court of exchequer. Taken by a person then attending the coutt. London : Printed for Wil- liam Shrewsbery, at the Bible, in Duck lane. 1682. This curious tract, with many others, have been lately reprinted, with an Appendix, at the private press of Charles Clark, at Great Totham, Essex. 8vo. 2s. 6d. Only one hun- dred copies were printed. London : Longman and Co. The reprints of Mr. Clark (author of Epsom Races, a poem) are very well executed, and do great credit to his typographical skill, as well as to his judgment and learning. They axe only printed upon one side the paper.
1 664 . Canvmon Prayer in the Welch language, black letter. London.
In the beginning of this book is wrote as fol- lows, viz. Memorandum, that "Peter BonvEL, the undertaker of this book was a Presbyterian bookseller at Chester, and oAen bragged of com- paring the king to an owl, the royal family to cranes, and the clergy and their followers to apes, by the capitals in the Moming and Evening ser- vice at the beginning of these prayers."
The black letter at this time began to give
- The Disconery of Witches, in answer to teneraU Que-
ries tatety delivered to the judges of Aatize for the county of Norfolk ; and now published hy Matthew Hopkins, of Manningltm, Essex, Witch Finder, for the benefit of the whole nation. London. 1617, Reprinted verbatim, with an Appendix from the original edition, with a portrait of Hopkins, from a print in the Pepysian library at Magda- len collefce, Cambridge. Printed at the private press of Charles Clark, Great Totham, Essex. London: Long- man and Co. svo. 28. U. Printed on one side the paper.
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