560
HISTORY OF PRINTING.
in this respect of the general post, established an office for tiie conTeyance of letters to all puts of London, and the environs for ten miles (more or less) around, at one penny each; purchasing a great number of horses, and engaging stewly men, who it may be supposed, were in those times armed. Itiumast instantlyobtained gene- ral approval and acceptance. The soTemment soon cast an anxious eye on this powerful novelty, and finally took it into their own hands. What license or patent he had is not fully known, but it is understood that he had some, besides a moral right; but be unfortunately made no demand for compensation. The public expected that he would be appointed superintendent of the new institution, with some benefit to his descendants; but no reward or compensation was given; on the contrary, his family suffered injury.
1680. The Engluh Gazette.
1680. 7^ Lotfol Intelligence; or. News both from City and Country, No. 3, March 31, ac- cording to the old Julian, not the new Popish Gregorian Accompt.
1680, April 22. Mercnritu Libmriui; or a faithful account of all books and pamphlets, No. 2. " All booksellers that approve of the design of publishing this catalogue weekly, or once in fourteen davs at least, are desired to send in to one of the uuaertakersany book, pamphlet, or sheet they would have in it, so soon as pub- lished, that they mav be inserted in order as they come out : their books shall be delivered to them back again upon demand. To shew they design the public advantage of the trade, they will expect but 6d. for inserting any book; nor but 13<L for any other advertisement relating to the trade, unless it be excessive long."
1680, i4»ri/ 23. TJie true Protestant (Domee. tick) IfUeiligenee. No. 1.
1680. The Rotterdam Coterant.
1680, Matf 12. Mereuriu$ Civiciu, No. 241. In this paper first occurs a proposal to insure bouses from fire, at an office in Threadneedle- street. 1680, Jtfay 12. A Proclamation for mppretring
the printing and publithing vnlieemed Newt-
bookt and Pampkleti of Neia.
" Whereas it is of great importance to the state, that all news printed and published to the people, as well concerning foreign as domestick affairs, should be agreeable to truth, or at least warranted by good mtelligence, that the minds of his majesty's subjects may not be disturbed, or amused by hes or vain reports, which are many times raised on purpose to scandalize the govern- ment, or for other indirect ends : And whereas of late many evil -disposed persons have made it a common practice to print and publish pamphlets of news without licence or authority, and tnerein have vended to his majesty's people all the idle and malicious re]>orts that they could collect or invent, contrary to law; the continuance whereof would in a short time endanger the peace of the kingdom, the same manifestly tending thereto, as has been declared by all his majesty's judges unanimously; his majesty, therefore, considering
the great mischief that may ensoo upon loc licentious and illegal practices, if not timdj pn vented, hath thought fit by this his royal proclj mation (with the advice of his privy cooncii strictly to prohibit and forbid all persons whal soever to print or publish any news-books o pamphlets of news not licensed by his majesty' authority."
1660. 7^ Impartial London IntMigenter or Occurrences, foreign and domesticL Piinte for Thomas Benskin.
1680. Mercwriut PubUeu*; or domestick am foreign news.
1680, Oct. 7. Weekly Advertisement of Booh No. 1. Printed by K. Everingham, and an nexed to the city mercury, from the office of th Roval Exchange, No. 260.— In No. 6, Nov. II is the following caution : — ^ It is not unknow] to booksellers, that there are two papers of thi nature weekly published; which, for geoen satisfaction, we shall distinguish. That piinte by Thomas James is published by Mr. Vile, onl; for the lucre of 12d. per book. This ptintei by Robert Everingham is publidied by seven booksellers, who do more eye the service of tb trade, in making all boolra as public as ma; be, than the prolt of insertions. All men aif therefore, left to judge who is most likely t prosecute these ends effectually; whether i person that is no bookseller, nor hath any rela tion to that trade, or those who have equal end with all others of the trade, in dispersing th said papers both in city and country. All title to be inserted in this paper are either to be lef with Robert Everingnam, a printer, or to hi delivered to Mr. Orchard, a porter."
1680, iVov. 29. Votes oftlit House of Commons Printed for John Wright and Richard Chiswdl by authority of W. Williams, speaker.
1680, Dec. 22. The English Gazette, No. 1.
1680, Dec. 28. The True Protestant Meremry or Occurrences Foreign and Domestick, No. I Printed for H. T. and L. V. and sold by Lang ley and Curtis, Lndgate Hill; continued till 1 082 From No. 79 it was printed at the sign of sii Edmondbury Godfrey, near Fleet-bridge.
1681. May 27. "The Sweet Singro" of th< city of Edinburgh, renounce the printed Bible at the Canongate tolbooth, and all unchasti thoughts, words, and actions, and bum all stoi^ books, ballads, romances, &c.
I68I. An edition of the New Testament, h the Irish character, was printed at London, 4to at the expense of tiie Hon. Robert Boyle, whc mentions the circumstance in a letter to tlu rev. J. Kirkwood; " I, with much ado, procured a version of the New Testament; and finding il to have been many vean out of print, the copie having, as I have been informed, been bongfai up, from time to time, by some Romish ecdesi' aatic, I caused a fount of Irish letters to be cast and the book to be here [in London] reprinted : of which / sent over some hundreds, reatof Ixnmd, to be distrihuied gratis among those to wbom they should upon theplace be judged the most likely to do good." The press was corrected by
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