SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
997
giMt aeal of England, dated September the 14th, 1547, the following notices occur : " A Masse- boke covered with black velvet, a little boke of parchement with prayers covered with crymson velvet Also in one deske xxxj bokcs covered with redde ; and in another deske, xvj bokes covered with redde." A folio in the librarj- of the late Mr. Heber formerly belonged to Hcnrj- VIII. Aisplayed a great variety in the binding, with the portrait of the monarch painted in the (xntre of each side, all in good keeping and well executed. Several books in the British museum, but particularly those once the property of arch- bishop Craniner, prove that as books became mure namerous from the progress of the art of printing slowly but steadily made, the degree of labour and expense shown to have been lavished on early bindings, was only adopted for rare speci- mens of the works of ancient writers, or the books of the noble and the wealthy. Cranmcr's books already alluded to, are bound in a plain brown calf, with the simple addition of a mitre, gilt on the back, in an extremely uneven and careless manner. Many presentation copies would be bound in a superior manner, but this shows that the generality of bindings were at this time, without much ornament with clasps. Stamped calf bindings gave place to almost as great a variety of styles in calf as are common in the present day ; and of the superior kind still remain to attest the skill of the artists employed, wlicn the cost necessary for the execution was allowed. The foundation of the royal library, may justly be attributed to Henry V III. enriched as it was bv manoscripts and books collected by Leland. "the number of bookspreserved, and the cost and state of their embellishment, go far to clear the king firom the charge of knowing of, and caring less for fine books. That his predecessor Henry VII. collected a magnificent librar)-, the various splendid specimens that exist, bearing his arms on the bindings, is full evidence ; but there can be no doubt it was considerably augmented by his son, under the skilful direction "of Leland, whom Henry had appointed his librarian, and who, in his visit to the various monasteries, must have become possessed of many rare manuscripts and fine books. This is borne out by Hcutzner, a German traveller, who describing the royal library of the kings of England, originally in the old palace at Westminster, but now in the British museum, which he saw at Wliitehall in 1598, says, that it was well Aimished with Greek, Latin, Italian, and French books, all bound in velvet, of difiierent colours, yet chiefly red, with clasps of gold and silver ; and that the covers of some of them were adorned with pearls and prc- cions stones. — Wurton.
1547. Among the early specimens of Welsh literature m^ be reckonea A Dictionary of Englythe and Welske, by Wyllyam Salesbury, London, 1547, 4to. Strype, in his annals, calls him William Salisbury, of Llanrowst, gent, and says he was joined with John Waley the printer, in a patent for seven years, to piint the bible in Welsh. The Dictionary appears to hare been
reprinted, without date by Edward Whitchurch ; and again, in 1551 , by Robert Crowley. A copy of the first edition is in the British museum. His Introduction teaching how to pronounce the letters in the Brytishe louguc, was twice printed ; in 1550, by Robert Crowley, and in 1567, by Henry Denham. In the latter year he published the New Testament in Welsh, dedicated to queen Elizabetli.
1547. William Middlf.ton seems to have succeeded Redman in the business of printing, after his widow was married to Ralph Chol- mondley; and kept the sign of the George, next to St. Cunstan's Church.
Middleton printed in the whole thirty-eight works, amongst which was John Heywood's* Four P's, a venj merry Enterlude of a Palmer, a Pardnner, a Poticary, and a Pedler, brings in the Palmer relating that in his pilgrimages he Jias been at different parts of the world, ar ' 'n enumerating them he says, ^
At Saint Botulphe and Saint Anne of Buckstone
Prayine to them to pray for me Unto the lileaed Trinilie.*
This wa.s cither the priory of the Holy Trinity of St. Botolph without Aldgate, or our Brethe- rcn of the Holy Trinity of St. Botolph without Aldersgnte. Heywood, though a stem Roman catholic, exposes with the humour of Uliespie- gel the tricks played on the credulous fondness of the ignorant for reliques, and ridicules the greediness and craft of the preaching friars in their pious frauds. He makes the Pardoner produce ' the bles.sed Jawbone of All-halowes,' on which the Poticary swears
— by All-halowc, yet methlnketh That All-halowc's lirealh stinkith.
Pardoner.
Nay sirs, beholde, heer may ye see
The g:reat toe of the Trinitie.
Who to this toe any money Towth,
And once may role it bis mouth,
All his life after, I undertake,
He shall never be vext with the tooth ake.
By the turn given to the Poticary's answer,
- John Heyw'ood, commonly called "The Epigram-
matist," was beloved and rewarded by Henry VIII. for his buffooneries. To his talents of jocularity in converaation, he Joined a skill in music, both vocal and instrumental. His merriments were so irresistible, that they moved even the rigid muscles of queen Mary; and her sullen solem- nity was not proof against his songs, his rhymes, and his Jests. One of these is preserved in the Cotton MS. Jul. F. X. " When Quecne Mary told Heywoode that the priestea must forego their wives, he merrily answered, 'Then your grace must allow them temmans (mistresses,) for the clcrgic cannot live without tauce.' "
•• One of Heywood's works is a i)oem in long verse, with the following curious title : A Dialof^e, ronttitninff in Effect the Number of alt the Proverhes in the English Tonfftte, compact in a Matter concerning Two Marriages. All the proverbs of the English language arc here inter- woven into a very silly comic tale : — the idea is in^'enious, and the repertory, though iU-exccuted, is at least curious.
But the neatest replication of this professed court-wit, seems to be recorded in Catnden's Jtffmains. 1605. p. 2114. Heywood being asked by Queen Mary " What wind blew him to the court ?" he answered, "Two specially ; the one to see your majesty." " We thank you for that," said the queen; "but, I pray you, what is the other.'" — "That your grace," said he, "might sec mc." He died 1566.
