Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/D'Ewes, Gerrard
D'EWES or DEWES, GERRARD, GEERARDT, or GARRET (d. 1591), printer, was the eldest son of Adrian D'Ewes (d. 1551), descended from the ancient lords of Kessel in Guelderland, who settled in England about the beginning of the reign of Henry VIII. Adrian D'Ewes married Alice Ravenscroft, a gentlewoman of good family, who bore to him Peter, James, and Andrew, besides Gerrard. A woodcut of a glass window and inscription erected by Sir S. D'Ewes to the memory of Adrian and his wife in the old church of St. Michael Bassishaw is given by Weever (Ancient Funerall Monuments, 1631, p. 698). The first book which bears the name of Gerrard D'Ewes is ‘Epitome troporum ac schematum, Io. Susenbroto collectore,’ 1552. He was made free of the Stationers' Company 4 Oct. 1557. In 1562 he printed a broadside, ‘The Description of a Monstrous Pig,’ reproduced by Huth (Ancient Ballads and Broadsides, 1867, pp. 163–5). He was taken into the livery of the Stationers' Company in 1568, served renter in 1572 and 1573 and under-warden in 1581. His house was at the sign of the Swan in St. Paul's Churchyard, and his device a rebus mentioned by Camden: ‘And if you require more, I referre you to the wittie inventions of some Londoners; but that for Garret Dews is most remarkable, two in a garret, casting dews at dice’ (Remaines, 1629, p. 142). Between 1552 and 1587 he only printed about thirteen pieces. He married Grace Hynde of Cambridgeshire. She died in 1583, and was buried in St. Faith's Chapel, under the old cathedral of St. Paul's, London. He left the city and retired some years before his death to South Ockendon in Essex, where he also purchased the manor of Gaines, chiefly in the parish of Upminster. Here he lived as a country gentleman and bore coat armour. He died 12 April 1591, and was buried at Upminster Church, where a brass still exists (Weever, Funerall Monuments, p. 653). His only surviving son was Paul (1567-16His only surviving son, Paul (1567–1631), one of the six clerks in chancery, was father of Sir Simonds D'Ewes [q. v.] He had also a daughter, Alice, married to William Lathum of Upminster, Essex.
[Autobiography of Sir S. D'Ewes, 1845, i. 6–18; Ames's Typogr. Antiq. (Herbert), ii. 940–2; Morant's Hist. of Essex, 1768, i. 108; Cat. of English books in the British Museum, printed to 1640, 1884, 3 vols.]