Xee 6 8604 On the south side of the church, above the gallery, is a a monument of white marble; inscription is: Near this Place lyeth the Body of DAVID KNIGHT, Citizen and Brewer, who lived uprightly and justly in all his Actions, charitable to the Poor, and in his Life and Conversation a true Chris tian, and so he died in March 1679. in the 45d Year of his Age, Manet post Funera Virtus. Within the altar rails, a lozenge of white marble, thus inscribed: "Infra jacit HENRICUS SACHEVERELL, S. T. P. Hujusæ Ecclesiæ Rector; Obiit 5to. die Junii, An. Dni. 1724" RECTORS OF EMINENCE. THOMAS DE COTTINGHAM, S. T. P. JEFFREY BARTON, LL. D. 1725. CUTTS BAR- SHOE LANE, is a long and narrow avenue from Holborn to Fleet Street, The whole ground from this place to Chancery Lane, was composed of garden grounds, trees, and shrubs, in the latter end of the reign of queen Elizabeth. It seems as though this, Fetter Lane, and Chancery Lane, were firm ground in the time of Edward III. On the east side still remains part of OLDBOURNE HALL, between Plumtree Court, and the workhouse. The cieling of the first floor is very curiously carved. This apartment was Jately used for a dissenting meeting. Edmund, son of Sir Robert Ferrars de Chartley, held eight cottages in Sho Lane and Faytur Lane, in the fourth year of Henry V. Nearly opposite is BANGOR COURT, in which formerly stood the palace of the bishops of Bangor, with consider able able grounds adjoining, which continued in the possession of the prelates till the year 1647, when Sir John Barkstead, knight, purchased it of the trustees for sale of bishop's lands, with the ground, "containing in length one hundred and sixty-eight feet of assize, and in breadth, from east to west, one hundred and sixty-four feet of assize, more or less, with a purpose to build thereupon, at the expiration of the lease. The building there being the chief advantage he expected to make by the purchase: this appears by the following proviso in an act passed under the dominion of Oliver Cromwell, 1656: "and in that respect, having given much more than otherwise he would have, the said place being at present both dangerous and noysome to the passengers and inhabitants near adjoining, to erect and new build such messuages, tenements, and houses thereupon, as he shall think fit. The said Sir John Barkstead, his heirs or assigns, paying for so much of the said buildings, as shall be erected upon new foundations, up to the Exchequer of his highness the lord protector and his successors, to the use of his highness and his successors, within two months after such building or buildings erected, one year's value at an improved and full rent." Upon the restoration of monarchy and the rights of the church, Bangor House reverted to that see, and it at present forms part of its revenues. The house has, however, sunk in value and reputation, and exhibits the ruin of former consequence, surrounded by a mean neighbourhood. LITTLE NEW STREET, contains the dwelling house, printing office, and warehouses, of Andrew Strahan, Esq. M. P. his majesty's printer. In the former part of our work, mention has been made of the introduction of Printing into England, by William Caxton. The utility of the art was evident from its extensive circulation, and the countenance it received from the government. In the act against merchant-strangers, in the reign of Richard III. there was a proviso for the encouragement of bringing books into the realm by strangers, and for the encourage *See Vol. I. p. 101. ment . ment of such as should print. It was provided, "That that act, or any parcel thereof, should not extend to the prejudice, disturbance, damage, or impediment, to any artificer, or merchant stranger, of what nation or country he be, for bringing into this realm, or selling by retail or otherwise, any book written or printed, or for inhabiting within this realm for the same intent: or any scrivener, alluminer, reader, or printer of such book, which he hath or shall have to sell by way of merchandize; or for their dwel ling within this realm, for the exercise of the said occupation." It appears that this indulgence was repealed by Henry VIII.; for the act passed in the twenty-fifth year of the reign of that monarch, expresses "that since the making of the former proviso, there came into the realm a marvellous number of printed books, and daily did. And that the cause of making the same proviso under king Richard was, for that there were but few books and few printers within the realm at that time, which could not well exercise and occupy the said science and craft of printing. But since, many of the king's natural subjects had so diligently learned and exercised the same art, that at that day there were within the realm a great number, cunning, and expert in the said science and craft of printing; as able to exercise the craft in all points, as any stranger." This was not above forty years after the introduction of the science. CAXTON was succeeded in this profession, which requires the abilities of the scholar, and the manners of a gentleman, by WYNKYN DE WORDE, a Dutchman, and RICHARD PYNSON, who both flourished during the reign of Henry VII. The reign of his successor, produced THOMAS GODFREY, RICHARD GRAFTON, and EDWARD WHITCHURCH, who had the honour of printing the translation of the Great Bible, from 1538-1540. These artisans continued during the next reign, to whom were added REGINALD WOLF, a Swiss, the learned JOHN DAY, and WILLIAM SERES. Wolf was printer to archbishop Cranmer, and printed his works, and those appointed for the public use of the church. He was was also a great collector of English history, which was afterwards digested and printed by RALPH HOLINGSHED. In this reign also flourished the eminent printers JUGGE and CAWOOD. RICHARD TOTIL, printed all the law books in the reign of Mary. The number of printers had so much encreased at the commencement of queen Elizabeth's reign, and some disaffected persons having published inflammatory bills against the queen, and the religion she was about to establish, that it was necessary government should interfere, and in consequence "Ordinances decreed for reformation of divers disorders in printing and uttering of books," came out in 1566. At this time JOHN JUGGE, besides being the queen's printer, obtained the sole privilege of printing Bibles and Testaments, which had hitherto been exercised by the rest of the profession. RICHARD TOTIL, in consequence of other printers selling law books at excessive prices, to the injury of students, was appointed the sole law printer. JOHN DAY, had a commission to print A. B. C. and the Catechism, and the sole sale of them. These were the only relief of the poor belonging to the Stationers' Company. JAMES ROBERTS, and RICHARD WATKINS, printed all almanacks and prognostications. The chief relief of poor printers. THOMAS MARSH had a "great" license for Latin books, used in the grammar schools of England; which was the general support of the Stationers' Company. THOMAS VAUTROLLER, a stranger, had the sole printing of the New Testament, and other books in Latin. Mr. BYRDE, one of the gentlemen of the queen's chapel royal, had a licence for printing all music books, and by that privilege claimed to print ruled paper. WILLIAM SERES had the printing of all prayer books, psalters, and primers, with a reversion to his son. FRANCIS FLOWER, a gentleman, had the privilege of printing the grammar, and other school books, which he farmed farmed to some of the members of the Stationer's Company for 100l. per annum, which sum was raised by en. hancing the prices to the public, which was considered a vast grievance; more especially as there were at that time no less than one hundred and seventy-five members of that company, of whom one hundred and forty had taken up their freedom since the accession of the queen. So much had printing and literature encreased under the Refor mation. But the above patentees were sadly molested by the invasion of their privileges by persons of other professions, who insisted upon printing certain publications in defiance of all authority; but the queen, at the instance of lord treasurer Burleigh, soon manifested a determination to resist the several encroachments upon her prerogative; and the printers continued unmolested during the rest of her reign. During the reign of James I. we do not find much alteration in the progress of the art of printing. But in the next reign, that of the unfortunate Charles L libelling and malignant measures against government, had risen to an alarming height, and the persons in power not possessing either moderation or prudence, instead of punishing the evil individually, published a tyrannical decree of Star Chamber, against the whole profession of Printers on the eleventh day of July, 1637. It is very scarce, and so curious, as exhibiting a true picture of the times, that not to insert an extract from such an important document, would be derogatory to the purpose of this History. After referring to the decree passed in the reign of Elizabeth, that of Charles I. is divided into thirty-three sections, expressive of the pains and penalties inflicted on those who should be guilty of violating the law set down for, what was called, the prevention of libellous and seditious printing. By the thirteenth section of this Decree it was ordered, that no person within the city of London, &c. should erect a press or printing house, without notice to the master and wardens of the Stationer's Company. |