1533. About this time, a cunning friar who resided at Coventry, asserted that any person who said over the Blessed Virgin's Psalter every day, could not possibly be damned. This bold and irreligious assertion was eagerly swallowed by the ignorant multitude, and all opposition to it was treated with virulence and violence.— Sir Thomas More, though somewhat bigotted and superstitious, could not entirely assent to this proposition, published a letter on the subject, in which he reasoned and ridiculed such an absurd idea ; the effect was, that the friar gained the applause ; while Sir Thomas was derided as a fool. Such was the conquest of superstition and credulity over learning and common sense.
1533. A statute was passed at this time to fix the price of beef, pork, mutton, and veal. Beef and pork were ordered to be sold at a halfpenny a pound ; mutton and veal at a halfpenny half a farthing, money of the time. The preamble of the statute says, that these four species of but- cher's meat were the food of the poorer sort. Fat oxen were sold for 26s. 8d. each ; a fat lamb for one shilling.
1533. Died Lucas Van Leyden, the friend and rival of Albert Dnrer. Inferior to Durer in de- sign, his engravings have more harmony, and his heads more expression — he finished very highly. The great number of his works, which consist of one hundred and sixty-six engravings on copper, twenty-eight on wood, and six etchings, and the shortness of his life, is, of itself, little short of miraculous. SeveraJ of Uie finest and the most highly finished works of Leyden were executed b«aore he had completed his fifteenth year. He was born at the end of May, or the begining of June, 1494 ; and he said to hare astonished the artists of his time by a picture of St. Hubert, painted when he was only twelve years of age. His print of Sergiut, killed by Makomet, as it is called, is dated 1508 ; and his Convertion of St. Paul, one of his largest and most esteemed prints, is dated 1509.
V. Gemberlein, or Gamperlein, of Strasburg, executed many excellent wood-cuts, from 1507, to about this time.
Hans Schaeufelin, a German, executed wood- cuts in the manner of Albert Durer ; his principal work is Christ's Passion, in twenty-four pieces. He flourished from 1507, to 1520. Albert Glockenthon executed Chrisfs Passion in twelve plates — 1610.
Hans Burgmair,of Nuremberg, was one of Du- ret's best scholars. He engraved a set of Histo- ries in thirty-six pieces, and sometimes used his master's mark, sometimes H. B. I. B. &c. From 1510, to 1620.
Albert Altorffer, of Switzerland, 1511. His works both on wood and copper, are excellent for the time.
*It was not till the end of this reign that any sallads,
carotts, turnips, or other edible roots were produced in
England. These were generally imported born Holland
and Flanders. Queen Catherine, when she wanted a
sallad, was obliged to dispatch a messenger thither on
purpose. The use of hope, and the planting of them, was
introduced from Flanders about the begining of this reign.
1533. In the 25th of Henry VIII, was passed the following act, touching the importation and binding of books, and for providing against en- hancing their prices.
Whereas by the provision of a statute made in the first year of the reign of king Richard III, it was provided in the same act, that all strangers repairing unto this realm might law- fully bring into the said realm, printed and written books, to sell at their liberty and pleasure. 2. By force of which provision there hath come into this realm, sithen the making of the same, a marvelous number of printed books, and daily doth; and the cause of making of the same provision seemeth to be, for that there were but law books, and few printers, within this realm at that time, which could well exercise and occupy the said science and craft of printing : neverthe- less, sithen the making of the said provision, many of this realm, being the king's natural subjects, have given themselves so diligently to learn and exercise the said craft of printing, that at this day there be within this realm a great number of cunning and expert in the said science or craft of printing : as able to exercise the said craft in all points, as any stranger in any other realm or country. 3. And further- more, where there be a great number of the king's subjects within this realm, which live by the craft and mystery of binding of books, and that there be a great multitude well expert in the same, yet all this notwithstanding there are diverse persons, that bring from beyond the sea great plenty of printed books, not only in the Latin tonge, but also in our maternal English tonge, some bound in boards, some in leather, and some in parchment, and them sell by retail, whereby many of the king's subjects, being binders of books, and having no other faculty wherewith to get their living, be destitute of work, and like to be undone, except some re- formation be herein had. Be it therefore enacted by the king our sovereigne lord, the lords Spiritual and temporal, and the commons in this present parliament assembled, and by authority of the same, that the said proviso, made the first year of the said king Richard the third, that from the feast of the nativity of our Lord God next com- ing, shall be void and of none effect.
II. And further, be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, that no persons, resiant, or inhabitant, within this realm, after the said feast of Christ- mas next coming, shall buy to sell again, any printed books, brought from any parts out of the king's obeysance, ready bound in boards, leather, or parchment, upon pain to lose and forfeit for every book bound out of the said king's obey- sance, and brought into this realm, and brought by any person or persons within the same to sell again contrary to this act, six shillings and eight- pence.
III.* And be it further enacted, by the autho- rity aforesaid, that no person or persons, inhabi- tant, or resiant, within thys realm, after the said feast of Christnas, shall buy within this realm, of any stranger born out of the king's obedience.
