SIXTEENTH CENTURY.
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the bonoars of Robert were confined to the title of King's printer in Hebraicis et Latinis.
Thus distinguished, he speedily commenced aa imprewion in Hebrew of the Twelve PropkeU, witlt the commentaries of R. David Kimchi, win^ in less than four years he completed.
The piofeanonal exertions of our distinguished ty poK (apher were now arrived at their final period; and b« nad the satisfaction of concluding them by tb« commencement, if not the completion, of three impresaons, which are said to exhibit the date of 1560. In the fifty-sixth year of his age, Robert died : — ^rich in mme, says De Thou, abroad and at home, and in flourishing circum- stances.
Jaossonins ab Almeloreen ascribes to Robert a nomerons offspring : but in addition to Henry and Robert, he names only a third son, Francis; who, to distinguish him from Francis, the brother of Robert, is denominated Francis Stephens the Second. All the three sons of Robert became more or less conspicuous. He also left a daugh- ter, Catherine. She was a learned woman, and bad acquired the Latin language, not indeed graxnatically, but by the babit of speaking it, and hearing it spoken. She was surviving in the year 1586. De Thou ascribes to R. Stephens the praise of excelling in seveial respects, both Aldus Manutius of Venice, and John Froben of Basil. Justly celebrated as those artists were, he considers our typographer to have surpu%ed them, both in judgment and accuracy, and in technical skill and elegance. With regard to the charge made against Robert Stephens of his taking the types from the royal founorr at Paris, went he settled at Geneva, both Almeloveen and Maittaire consider it an absurd calumny.
The obligations of France, and the christian world in general, to this learned French printer, will be b^ appreciated as it respects the services rendered to Cnristianity, by consulting his bibli- cal publications in Maittaire's Hutoria Stepha- nomm, and also Greswell's Paritian Greek Preu. 1559. The eamplaynt of Veritie,madebyJohn Bradford. An exhortation of Matheice Jiogen toilo Aw children. The complaynt of Raulfe AUerton and othert, being prisoners in Lollars tower, and wrytea vith their bloud, how God was their eomforte. A song of Caine and Abell. The taieng of maister Houper, that he wrote the night before he suffered, vpon a wall with a cole, in the newe Inn at Gloceter, and his saying at his deathe. Twelves.
1559. Thomas Geminie is said to have been the first person who engraved upon copper in this country; as his name appears to the first edition of Compendioso totius anatomie delineato, in 1545. He was once fined xijd. by the com- pany for calling a brother a false knave. The lord mayor and court of aldermen having ordered a contribution for Bridewell, Geminie subscribed xxd. few members having advanced more. He afterwards became a printer, and resided in Blackfriars. He printea Leonard Digge's Prog. ttoslication, 1556. 4to. Geminie's Anatomie, 1559. FoUo. Many plates.
1559. Dr. Heath, archbishop of York, sent this year, at the expense of queen Elizabeth, a large English Bible, to the dean and chapter of St. Patrick's, Dublin, to be placed on a reading desk, in the middle of the choir. He conferir^ the like favour on the cathedral of Christ's church. It was very observable upon this occa- sion, says Ware, how mnch all the people of the city were pleased with the prospect of having free use of the Scriptures, for they came in vast crowds to both cathedrals, at the time of divine service, to hear it read, and the curiosity of the people herein could not be satisfied until the year 1666, when John Dale, a Dublin book- seller, imported some small Bibles from London, of which, in less than two years, he sold 7000 copies.
1660, Feb. 1. The fellowship of the company of stationers were permitted, by the court of aldermen, to wear a livery gown and livery hood, in such decent and comely wise and order as the companies and fellowships of the city; and ordered to prepare them to attend the lord mayor on public occasions; and in 1664, " The lyvery new begone and revyved agiyne, in the colors of skerlett and browne blew, worn on the feast daye, beinge the Sondaye after saynt Peter's daye.
1660. An abridgment, href abstract, or short sume of these bookes following, taken out of the bible, and set into Stemold s meter, by me, William Samuell, minister of Christ's chircbe (1 Gen. 2 Exod. See. to the 4th book of kinges inclusive.)
Snch iUtct as ron herein •ball Had,
I vnj yoa be content; And do the Mune witta will uut mynd,
Tbat wu then our intent.
The printen were oatlandish men.
The ftJtes they be the moret Which are escaped now and tnto,
Bat hezeof are no store.
1560. Edward Whitchurch appears to have been brought up as a merchant, and is said to haveexchanged niscommercifd emploYment,from the circumstances which have already been de- tailed at psige 266 ante. It was supposed by Ames, on the authoritity of Humphrey Wanley, as cited in Lewis's History of the translations of the Bible, that the names of Richard Grafton and Edward Whitohurch were sometimes printed separately in the same books : but Herbert con- ceived, that if the copies of the Great Bible, in which work only he found their names so to appear, were closely examined, they would be found to be of different editions. Until 1540, or 1541, in all their joint productions, their names are printed together; but after that time,a]though they were still connected by some exclusive pri- vileges, they printed each for himself, even those books for which they were united in the same patent Few particulars of the life of Whit- church are now known. He was presented with Grafton for an infringment of the six articles, but they were fortunate enough to escape; and at various times they received royal patents for the printing of the church service books, and primers, both in Latin and English. Ames
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