496
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
Among this clamour of contradicUon, this actirity of ridicule, this tumult of laughter, Scotland and Ireland were not neglected- De- voted to political purposes, they soon became a party nuisance, by serving as receptacles of partT malice, and echoing to the farthest ends of the kingdom the insolent voice of all factions. They set the minds of men more at variance, inflamed their tempers to a greater fierceness, and gave a keener edge to the sharpness of civil discord. Mercurius was the favourite name, with another word, to indicate the character of the
Earty from which it emanated. When any title, owever, grew popular, it was stolen by the antagonist, who, by this stratagem, conveyed his notions to those who would not have received them had he not worn the appearance of a friend. It is clear, however, that they occupied no great share of public attention, till that war had fully aroused the national mind. AVhoIe flights of DiumalU and Mercuria, in small 4to., uen began to be disseminated by the different par- ties into which the state was divided. Nearly a score are said to have been started in 1643, when the war was at its height. Peter Heylin, in the preface to his Cotmographie, mentions that "the affairs of each town or war were belter presented in the Weekly Newibooh.*"
1640, Nov. Diurnal of Ocemreneet in Par- liament.
1640. The several companies were required to lend £50,000 to the king ; of which the stationers' quota was £500 — and in 1642, in like manner, £100,000, towards which they paid £1000. In 1643, they were called on to pay £5 a week for three months, besides £32 for a royal subsidy. To defray these heavy charges, all their plate was sold, except Mr. Uulet's standing cup — the white plate at 4». 9d. an ounce— one parcel of gilt plate at 4s. \0d. — and another at 5i. 3d.
1640. A Certaine Relation of the Hog-faced Gentlewoman, called Mistriss Tannakin Skinker, who was borne at Wickham, a neuter toune betweene the emperour and the Hollander, situ- ate on the river Rh^e, who was bewitched in her mother's womb, in the yeaie 1618, and hath lived ever since unknoune in this kind to any but her parents and a few of her neighbours ; and can never recover her true shape until she be married, &c. Also relating the cause, as it is since conceived, how her mother came so be- witched. London, 4to. With a wood-cut of the lady and her suitor.f
1640. The first book that was published in England with an appendix, or collection of
- A (CuRiODS) Series of the Diumali or Weeklf Intel-
ligencert, ic. of the periM from 1541 to 1646, compriting two hundred and eeventp varioua piece*. LondoD, 1041, 4to., £\i lis.
+ This very me tract sold at the Oordonstomi sale for ^ 17<. 6d. It has however been reprinted witbio these few yein. As we have never been able to ascertain whether the contents of this singular tract are a translation, or merely the composition of an Englishman, it Is impos- sible for us to say what degree of credit may be attached to the recital. On one point, however, we are decided, namely, that this tale has served as the basis for all the ^ faced ladieM, both in this conatry and In France.— Bibliographical Mitcellang.
original papers ; a practice which has nncebeen often followed by our antiquaries and historians very laudably, was Mr. Somnen's Aniiqvitia tf Canterbury. 4to. — Dr. Pegge.
1640. Collection of Smechet in Matter of Re- ligion. By sir Edward I)eering. London, 4to.
" House of Commons. — Die Mercnrii, '2 Feb. 1641. Resolved, that this book of sir Edwud Deering (entitled a Collection of Speechtt, &c) is against the honour and privilege of this house, and scandalous to the house ; and shall be bamt by the hands of the common hangman, in West- minster; Cheapside, and Smithfield, the author disabled from sitting as a member, and ordered to be committed to 3ie tower."
- " Friday, 4 Feb. 1641.— Ordered that the
stationer that printed sir £. Deering's book should be sent for, and the books to be seized on, and burnt according to the order of the bouse, and to prohibit uie sale of them." — Diumall of the Pauagei in Parliament.
1640. John Jannon, a celebrated printer at Sedan, in France, printed some very diminutive volumes, well known to collectors of books by the name of Sedan editiom ; they are 'highly valued, and in much request, on account of thie smallness and neatness of the type, which cor- responds with our diamond tjrpe; the Virgil, 32mo., dated 1625 ; the Horace at 1627, 32mo.; the Greek Testament of 1626, 32mo.; and the Great Bible, (the Geneva version) of 1633, two vols. 12mo. These editions are remarkably cor- rect ; but copies in fine condition are not oitea to be obtained. They are frequently either stained, or cut down in binding.
1640. Died, 3omi Ford, a poet and dramatic writer. He was designed for the legal professicHi, but, while a student in the Middle Temple, began to write plays and poems, of the former of which nine have been preserved. His chief play is the tragedy of the Brother and Sitter, which, though in the highest degree objectionable on account of its subject, contains some scenes of striking excellence. The passion which Ford most successfully delineates is that of love : he excels in representing the pride and gallantry, and high-toned honour of youth, and the en- chanting, or mild and graceful magnanimity of the female character. He "was born in London, April 17, 1586.
1641. Printing introduced at Kilkenmv and Watertord, Ireland, by Rinuccini, the pope's legate, for the purpose of disseminating those doctrines which he conceived to be essential to the interests of his master, and which his own violent disposition was but too ready to adopt. Dr. O'Conor {Columbanut, letter' II. page xvi.) relates that " the nuncio's presses at Waterford and Kilkenny teemed with those vile publications which maintained that a papal ex- communication, whether just or unjvst, must be obeyed; and preachers were every where em- ployed to assure the illiterate rabble, the bloody, and plundering, and desolating mob of the country, in their own language, that all the calamities of plague, famine, and war, which
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