year he published Thomas Heywood's True Description of His Majesties Royall Ship Built this Year 1637 at Woollwitch in Kent. 4to.; and a satire on women called A Curtaine Lecture, 1637. 12°. In 1641 he was imprisoned for a short time for printing the Preamble with the protestation made by the whole House of Commons, 3 May, 1641. [b.m. 669, f. 3 (2), Commons Journals.]
ATKINSON (HENRY), bookseller in London; Staple Inn Gate in Holborn, 1642–59. Took up his freedom October 3rd, 1631 [Arber, iii. 686]. Amongst his publications was Richard Kilburne's Brief survey of the County of Kent, 1657.
ATKYNS (RICHARD), patentee of law books, 1639-77. The printing of books of common law was created a monopoly by letters patent, granted by King Edward VI to Richard Tottel, and renewed to him by Queen Elizabeth (January 12th, 1 Eliz.). After his death, i.e., on March 20th, 15934 it was granted to C. Yetsweirt for thirty years. He only enjoyed it for a short time, and at his death, in 1598, the reversion was granted to Thomas Wight and Bonham Norton, for the remainder of the term. They, however, surrendered it in consideration of a new grant which was made on March 10th, 15989, for thirty years [Patent Rolls, 41 Eliz., 4th part]. That patent expired on March 10th, 1628. It was no doubt put up to the highest bidder, and was next granted by James I (January 19th, 15 James I) to John More, Esquire, for forty years. A few months afterwards More assigned his printing rights to Miles Fletcher, q.v., and his partners, John Haviland and Robert Young, for an annuity of £60 and a third of the profits. John More died August 17th, 1638, leaving this annuity, etc., to his daughter Martha, then the wife of Richard Atkyns, who thus became patentee by right of his wife. Miles Fletcher attempted to evade paying this legacy, and in 1639 purchased the stock and premises of Charles More, son of John More, for a sum of £930, and subsequently sold his rights to the Company of Stationers. But Atkyns and his wife brought an action against Fletcher and the Company in the Court of Chancery. The outbreak of the Civil War stopped the case, but at the Restoration they re-commenced proceedings, and were successful. Miles Fletcher being held to have bought of Charles More wrongfully, and being compelled to pay up all arrears up to 1643, and since the Restoration, to Richard Atkyns and
