SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
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clerks of the signet, died at his bouse at Soun- burie, the 25th day of April, anno 1595; and was buried in the church of the same parish, the 5th day of May next following. He married Jane Elkin, and had issue Frances, who died February 15SM. The funeral was solemnized by York Herald (deputy for Clarencieux king of arms) and Portcullis officer of arms.
Subscribed by {TJ^-|hoJj|'«*-
1595. Jane Yetsweirt, widow of the above, continued exercising; the art of printing and selling, some time after the decease of her hus- band, but met with a great deal of trouble from the stationers' company, as appears from two or three letters found among the manuscripts of the late lord Oxford, complaining of her hard usage.
1595. Abel Jeffs dwelt at the Golden Cup, in the Old Bailey, in 1561, and in 1584 at the sign of the Bell, in Philip-lane. He put his sign at the end of his books, and this motto, With harp and song praise the Lord.
Though the first work of Jeffs's printing is dated 1561, no other occurs with bis name until 1584, which has raised a doubt if it was one and the same person. In 1589 he printed the third edition of Roger Ascham's Toxnpkihts, in 4to.* and in the same year he reprinted Ascham's Schoolma»ter.-\
Peirce PtTiiieue hi* tupplicntion to the Diuell. Barbaria grandis habere nihil. Written by Thomas Nash, gent.J Printed by Abel Jeffs, 1595. 4to. In Uiis very curious production may be seen the cause of toe celebrated dispute be- tween Nash and Gabriel Harvey.
- Tojmphilut : the sckoote, or partitioru of Mhocli»g, con-
tained in tteo booktat, written by Roger Aaehanit 1M4. And now newly peniaed. Plement for all gentlemen and yomen of England, for their pastime to rewie, and prqfit- ahte for their tue to follow both in warre and peace. By the oonaent of Henry Marsh. The fint ediUon was pub- liataed in I54S, the last In 1571.
t The tchole master, or plaine and perfite way of teachyng children to understand, write, and speak the Latin tung but apeeialiy purposed for the private brynging up of youth, in jenitemen and noblemens houses, and commodious also foraU such as forgot the Latin tonge, and would, by them- selves, without a scholemaster, in short tyme, and with smalt ptthtes, recover a sufficient habilitie to understande, write, and speake Latin. By Roger Aacbam. Dedicated to sir William Cecil, *ta. IS70.
llie last day saving one of this year, (istfs,) says Camden, was the last day of sir Roger Ascham's life. He was born in Yorkshire, and bronght up at Cainbiidge ; was one of the first of our countrymen that polished the Latin and Greek, and the pureness of his style not without commendations for eloquence. He was for a while school- master to queen Elizabeth, and her secretary for the Latin tongue. Nevertheless, being too much ^ven to dicing and cock-fighting, he lived and died a poor man, leaving behind him two most excellent books, as monuments of his wit in the Knglish tongue, whereof he entitled the one TtsopAUus, and the other Scholarcha.
Qoeen Bisabeth was taught to write by the celebra- ted Roger Ascham. Her writing is extremely beaatifol and correct, as may be seen by examining a little manu script book of prayers, preserved in the British Museum. Her first writing book is in the Bodleian library at Oxford. The gradoal improvement of her m^esty's hand- writing is very honourable to her diligence ; but the most cuiious thing is the paper on which she tried her pens ; this she osoally did by writing the name of her beloved brother Edward, a proof of the early and ardent attachment she formed to that amiable prince.
t A copy of tills work was lately oBiercd at iSi St.
The contests, squibs, and pamphlets, between Nash, and Greene, and Harvey, at one time occupied no small share of public attention and curiosity. They proceedea finally to such extremities that the arm of power interfered, and they were seized and prohibited.
1595. The first digested list of publications in the English language, was compiled by An drew Maunsell, printer and bookseller, under the following title : —
Thefirtt part of the CaUdogve of English printed Bookes. Which concemeth luch matlert of Divinitie at have bin either written in oure tongue, or translated out of some other language ; and have bin published to the glory of God, and edification of the Church nf Christ in Eng- land. Gathered into Alphabet, and stich method as it is, by Andrew Maunsell, bookseller. Lon- don: printed by John Windet, for Andrew Maunsell, dwelling in Lothburie, 1595, in folio, with the device of a Pelican and its offspring rising out of the flames, round which is, " Pro lege, rege, et grege. Love kepyth the lawe, obeyeth the kynge, and is good to the common- welthe."
Tlie seconde Parte of the Catalogue of English printed bookes ; eyther written in our oume tongue, or translated out of any other language; which concemeth the sciences Matliematicall, as Arith- metick. Geometric, Astromrmie, Astrologie, Mu- stek, the Arts of Warre, and Navigation ; and also, of Phisicks and Surgerie. At London : printed by James Roberts. 1595.
The third part of the catalogue, which he promised, and which to us would have been the most interesting of Rhetoric, History, Poetry, and Policy, never appeared. In the preface, such was the temper 01 the times, and of Eliza- beth, we discover that he has deprived us of a catalogue of "the books written by the fugitive papists, as also those uriMm against the present government, (meaning those of the Puritans.) I do not think meet for me to meddle withall."
In one part of his catalogue, however, he contrived to insert the following passage; the burthen of the song, seems to have been chorused by the ear of our cautious Maunsell. He is noticing a Pierce ploughman in prose. " I did not see the beginning of this booke, but it endeth thus: —
God save the King, and speed the Plough, And send the prelates cares inongh, Inough, inough, inough. — Page 80."
An analysis of Maunsell's catalogue is given in the Athetutum, vol. i, pp. 43-45.
The progress of sale catalogues in England, is copiously treated of in Mr. Nichols's Literary Anecdotes, vol. iii. pp. 608, 69:).
Andrew Maunsell dwelt at the sign of the Parrot, in St. Paul's Church yard. He com- menced business about 1570, and continued near thirty years. He printed but few books himself, four only bearing his imprint, but he was a great publisher.
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