482
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
htm at the decease of his father, in 1583; from which period he continued to exercise the pru- fession with extraordinary zeal and dilip^nce almost thirty-four years. He had possession of his father's residence, tn eta Jacolxta ; and instead of the Mulberry Tree, his father's usual mark, he sometimes distin^ished his title-pages with the " insigne Fontis:" sometimes he used the device common to the " Impressores regii," with or without the motto : sometimes he ex- hibited the arms of France and Navarre, or of France only : occasionally the arms of those to whom he inscribed his impressions, or the heads (or portraits) of the authors, or some medallion relating to the subject of the volume.
As a commentator, he particularly distinguish- ed himself by very learned notes on Libimiut, and on the Sylvee of Statius; nhich include corrections and illustrations of various Greek and Latin authors. He was the author of a Latin tragedy, entitled Alexander Severm, and translated into Greek metres several portions of different Latin poets.
It is related that whilst Frederick Morel was attentively engaged upon his Latin version of Libaniusyhe was informed that his wife, Isabella Duchesne, daughter of one of the professors of the College Royale, was very ill. He answered, I have only two or three periods to translate, and will then go to see her. The messenger re- turned to inform him she was dying. I have but two words to write, said he, and will be with you presently. At length they came to announce to him that his wife had expired. I am very sorry for it, he replied — she was an ex- cellent woman. In the early p.irt of his career, he seldom connected himself with any other of the Parisian printers ; but about the year 1600, Frederick availed himself of the subsidiary press, and professional assistance of his brother Claude. Maittaire observes, that from this time, the care of many impressions was left wholly to Claude, though some continued occasionally to exhibit the name of Frederick. The same author thus notices this illustrious family: — ^"Late viguit Morellorum nomen ; quorum Typographeum ah anno 1567, ad 1646, celebratum...diutms quam ullum aliud, si Stephanos excipias, literaris republicte operam suam indefessam consecravit."
1631, Jan. 9. The Swedish Intelligencer,viith a portrait of Gustavus Adolphus, of Sweden, half-yearly, by N. Butter.* In the preface, in 1632, he says, " Now the third time revised, corrected, and augmented." We are assured that " very good use have also been made of the Weekly Currantoes, which if a mau of judg- ment read, he shall find very true and very punctual; whosoever will be cunning in the places and persons of Germany, and would understand her ware, let him not despise her currantoes." Butter had for his compiler, Wil.
- In the catalogue of the Oordonstonn library is ile.
scribed a cvirioaa copy of the Sweiah InteUigenctr, vith a great variety of tracts relating to Onstavus Adolplms, liing of Sweden, 1733-9, which was sold for iei6 lOs.
liam Watts, of Caius college, of whom it may be said, that he was educated for other labours; and «f whom Vossius speaks as doctissimut et claristimw Wattiut, que optime de HUtoria meruit. He was born at Lynn, in Norfolk, and educated at Oxford and Cambridge. He travelled into many countries,* and on his return was made chaplain to Charles I. He suffered much in the royal cause, and was
S resent at many engagements in the field. He ied on hoard prince Rupert's fleet, in the har- bour of Kinsale, in Ireland, in the year 1649. Watts began several numbers of Newt books, in the English tongue, (more than forty) contain- ing the occurrence alone in the wars between the king of Sweden and the Germans. William Watts may, therefore, says Mr. Chalmers, be deemed the Gallo Belginu of England.
1631. LvcRETiA Easte, widow of Thomas Easte, (noticed at page 448 ante,) gave a legacy of j£20 to the stationers' company, for a piece m plate.
1631. Mr. Busby gave the stationers' com- pany £5 "for a meedng." At that time the fixed sum of £5 was frequently given by in- dividuals for the attendance of the livery on the funerals of their husbands and wives.
I63I. Thomas Harper printed the play of Catar and Pompey, a Roman tragedy, declaring their wars, out of whose events is erected die proposition, only a just man is a freeman. By George Chapman. At London, for Godfrey Edmonson and Thomas Alchome.
1631. A tragi-comedy, called Match mee tn London. As it hath beene often presented; first at the Bell in St. John-street, and lately at the private house in Drury-lane, called the Phoenix.
Si non his ntere mecnm.
Written by Tho. Dekker. London : printed by B. Alsop and T. Faucett, for H. Serie, at the Tyger's head, in St. Paul's church-yard.
All this writer's plays are remarkably scarce, as well as those which he wrote himself, as those written in conjunction with Webster.
Thomas Dekker exceeds most of his cotempo- raries in whimsical drollery; but yet in the midst of all his humour, glances at the deepest and most touching of human emotions. He was satirized by Ben Jonson in his Poetatter, under the name of Crispanus, but Dekker retorted in Satyromaslix ; or, Untrusing of the Humourous Poet. He died in 1638.
1631. If the benefactors of mankind deserve to be remembered with gratitude, no apology will be necessary for inserting in this work the name of sir Hugh Middleton, who died in this year. He was the projector of that gigantic undertaking for supplying London with water, which has since been incorporated under the
- In the books of the privy council, December 23, l6te»
there is a pass for William Watts, who was going, as chaplain, with sir Albert Moreton, then appointed envoy to the united province of Germany ; but (Aii paa mu nat to alUno him to go to Borne.
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