470
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
the Speaker, complaining, in reply to a petition of the influence possessed by certain "fiery, popular, and turbulent spirits" in the lower douse, forbidding their inquiry into the myste- ries of state, or to concern themselves about the marria^ of his son, or to touch the character of any prince his friend or ally, or to intermeddle with causes which were submitted to the de- cision of the courts of law, or even to send to him their petition, if they wished him to hear or answer the same ; desiring them also to recol- lect that the crown possessed and wduld exercise the right of punishing the misbehaviour of the members both in and out oi pai'liament.
James bestowed honours in so lavish a man- ner, and with so little distinction, that they ceased, in some sense, to be honours, as it fre- quently made those that possessed them the jest of the nation. Two hundred and thirty-seven persons received knighthood in the ust six weeks of his reign, and at the end of six months a pasquinade was fixed at the door of St. Paul's church, to teach the vulgar the names of the new nobility, which amounted to more than seven hundred. In May, 161], he created the dignity of BaroneU, (or lesser barons,) they engaging singly to maintain thirty foot soldiers in Ulster, for three years, at the rate of eight- pence English per <iav.
Lord Walpole, in his Anecdote* of celebrated Painter*, says, " it was fortunate for the arts that king James had no liking towards them, and let them take their course ; for he would probably have meddled to introduce as bad taste in art as he did in literature." Hayley says,—
James, both for empire and for arts unfit. His sense a quibble, and a pun his wit; Wliatever worlds he patronised, debased ; But happly left the pencil uodisgraced.
As a poet, James has already been mentioned. He commenced, but did not live to complete, a metrical ver*ion of the P*alm*. What he had written of it, was published in 1631, with the permission of king Charles. It it said to be " remarkable for its flat simplicity and unmean- ing expletives." The version or Psalm Ixxiv. II, may serve as a brief specimen.
"Why dost tboa thai wlthdnw thy hand
Even thy rig:ht hand restraine? Out of thy Imsom, for onr good,
Drawe baclE the same a^^iine.**
James also published Witty Apothegm*, of which the following is a curious specimen relat- ing to tobacco, which had become in very com- mon use, and which he called the image of hell: "the smoke he likened to the vani^es of the world; like them it caused a passing pleasure, made men's heads light and drunken therewith, and bewitched men's hearts, so that they could not quit the habit; besides that it was loathsome and stinking like hell, so that were he to invite the devil to dinner he would provide him a pig, a poll of ling and mustard, and a pipe of tobacco to help his digestion."
Of the colleges erected and endowed in tk reign of James, there were only two, which *at in the university of Oxford:
Wadham College, founded in 16I3,byKid». las and Dorothy Wcidham, for a warden, fiiUa fellows, and an equal number of scholars, «ii& two chaplains, and two clerks. It is pecnliaits this college that the fellows are obliged to reap on the completion of eighteen years from that becoming regent masters, if they have not been fortunate enough to have previously obuii»i preferment The building cost £10,816 7(. U. to which was added somewhat more thanjCMO for plate and the furniture of the kitchen. IV whole of this was paid by Dorothy Wadhui, who survived her husband, and devoted hersdf to fulfilling his benevolent intentions.
Pembroke College, originally Broadgate hiB, was converted into a college by the joint mmni- cence of Thomas Tesdale an({ Richard Wielil. wick ; for although in the charter, datea ii 1624, king James I. is called die founder, and the earl of Pembroke, then chancellor of tk university, the godfather, yet it does not appeu that either of these personages assisted the foun- dation otherwise than by their patronage.
1625, April. King iDharles I. commamy that the company of stationers in Londta should have monthly certificates of the works printed by the universities of Oxford and Can- bridge, signed by the vice-chancellor of ei(4 university.
1625. Mrs. Lownes, widow of Mattbkw LowNEs, gave £10 to the stationers' compas;, as a remembrance of her husband. Mattlie* was son of Hugh Lownes, of Rode, in Astboi;, Cheshire, and was born about 1568.
1625. In Ben Jonson's ]>lay, entitled tbe Staple of Newt, written in this year, we have > very curious and amusing description of an office of news manufacturers, which for tbe fit- tification of the reader it is quoted entire. Tht scene is laid at the west end of St. Paul's >-
Pnt-iof, Cymial, Fittun, Tho. Barter, Canter.
In troth they are dainty rooms ; what place is this !
Cymbal. Tills is the outer-room, wbeie my clerlu stt. And keep their sides, the Register 1' the midst ; The Examiner, he sits private there, within ; And here I have my several rowls and fylcs Of News by the alphabet, and all put up Under their heads.
P.jun. But those too subdivided?
CjmA. Into Authentlcall, and Apocryphall.
Fitton. Or News of doubtful credit ; as Barbers' News.
Cfmi. And Taylors' News, Porters', and Watenaat' News.
FUt. Whereto beside the Coraitti, and OaxetH.
Cymb. I have the News of the season.
Pit. As Vacation -news, Term-news, and Christmas-news.
Cpmb. And News o' the Faction.
Fiti. As the Reformed-news. Protestant news,
Cjfmb. And Pontifical-news, of all which several, The Dny-bocks, Characters, Precedents are kept. Together with the names of special Friends —
Fitt. And Men of Correspondence 1' the OooBtty—
Cfmb. Yes, of all ranks, of aU religions.—
FUt. Factors and Agents —
Cymb. Liegers, that lye out Through all the shires o' the kingdom.
P. JHn. This is fine I And bears a brave relation I bnt what says Mtreuritu Brittamtieu* to Uiis >
