Peter, illuminator (Deed of Elias Bradfoth, in Oxf. Univ.
Archives).
Ralph, illuminator (do.).
William, illuminator (do.).
Thomas, scribe (“scriptor”) (do.).
Reginald, parchment-maker (do.).
Roger, parchment-maker (do.).
c. 1190–1200. John, “illuminator”, in St. Mary’s[16] parish (Magd.).
c. 1190–1200. Roger, “pergamenarius”, in St. Mary’s parish (Magd.).
1190–1215. Peter, illuminator, in St. Mary’s parish (Magd.).
c. 1210–20 (?) Augustine, bookbinder, in St. Peter’s-in-the-East
parish (Magd.).
1212, Nov. A, scribe (“Explicit opus manuum mearum, quod compleui ego
frater A subdiaconus sancte Frideswide seruientium minimus, anno
... M^o CC^o ... xii^o ... anno conuersionis mee vij^o ...”:
Paris, Bibl. Nat. MS. fonds Français 24766).
In the first half of the 13th cent. occurs as a witness Reginald,
bookbinder, in an old deed in the Oxford Univ. archives between
Will. Burgey, and Nicholas “serviens Universitatis”, in one of the
mayoralties of Petrus filius Toraldi. (Twyne I, p. 52.)
c. 1232–40. John, illuminator, St. Peter’s (Magd.).
c. 1232–40. Walter, bookbinder, St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1237–8. Walter de Ensham, illuminator, St. Mary’s (Magd.).
1240–57. Roger, scribe, (“exemplarius”, alias “Saumplarier”,)
apparently dead in 1276: St. Peter’s (Magd.).
c. 1240–90. Simon Scoticus, parchment-maker (“parcamenarius”) in
Cattestrete, St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1242. Robert de Derbi, illuminator, in Cattestrete, St. Peter’s
(Magd.).
About the middle of the 13th cent. the following names occur in
Twyne’s transcript of a St. Frideswide record—a deed between
Petrus filius Toraldi and Adam filius Hugonis Ruffi about land in
the parish of St. Mary the Virgin:—Robert, illuminator; Simon,
parchment-maker; and as witnesses, Thomas, scribe; Peter,
parchment-maker (Twyne XXIII, p, 69).
1251–2. Stephen, parchment-maker (“percamenarius”), in Cattestrete,
St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1252–3. William, scribe (“le Samplarier”), St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1252–90. Stephen, bookbinder, St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1264–84. William de Pikerynge, bookbinder, (“laminator”), died before
1308: found both in St. Mary’s and St. Peter’s deeds: probably the
same as William the bookbinder of Oxford, the motto on whose seal
in 1275 was “Vivite innocue; lumen adest” (Magd.).
1266. Hugh, illuminator, St. Mary’s (Magd.).
1266–78. Symon and Yon, bookbinders, St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1267. Reginald, illuminator, St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1268–90. Martin, scribe (“Exemplarius” alias “le Saumplarier”): dead
in 1298: St. Peter’s (Magd.).
1290. In this year it is agreed between the University and City that
“Pergamenarii, Luminatores, Scriptores” were in the jurisdiction
of the Chancellor of the University (©Munimenta Academica©, ed.
Anstey, p. 52).
Before 1304. Geoffrey, illuminator (“alluminator”), St. Mary’s
(Magd.).
1308. Robert, notary and stationer in Cattestrete: St. Mary’s (Magd.).
In the first quarter of the 14th cent. William of Nottingham wrote
MSS. Merton Coll. 158, 166, 168, 169, 170 at Oxford (Coxe: see
Little’s ©Grey Friars in Oxford©, 1892, pp. 165–6).
1340/1, Feb. Adam, bookbinder, occurs incidentally as holding a
tenement in Schidyerd way (now Oriel St.), in the Bodleian Oxford
charter no. 125* (Turner’s Catal., p. 307). This tenement he left
to the altar of St. Thomas the Martyr in St. Mary the Virgin’s
church in 1349 (Wood’s ©City©, ed. A. Clark, ii. 22, from a copy
of the will).
1341. Symon Faunt and John Faunt, bookbinders, St. Mary’s (Magd.).
1342. In this year a MS. of William of Ockham’s Summa Logices now at
Bâle (F. ii. 25 according to A. G. Little’s ©Grey Friars in
Oxford©, p. 226: see Sir Tho. Phillipps’s Catalogue of MSS. at
Bâle, p. 7) was written at Oxford.
1344. John Joye, illuminator (“lumnour”), of Cattestrete: St. Peter’s
(Magd.).
1345. In this year the Chancellor of the University was acknowledged
to have jurisdiction over “quattuor stationarios ad hujusmodi
officium per ... Universitatem admissos et pro tempore admittendos
ac Universitati juratos vel jurandos, necnon in omnes et singulos
scriptores scholaribus in scriptorum officio servientes”
(©Munimenta Academica©, ed. Anstey, p. 150, cf. 176; Wood’s
©Annals©, ed. Gutch, i. 441).
1349. In I. B. De Rossi’s ©Codices Palatini Latini bibliothecae
Vaticanae descripti© (1886) in MS. no. 377 “adnotatur emptio
codicis ‘pro duobus Florenis cum dimidio Anno domini
M^o.CCC^o.XL^o nono in ciuitate oxoniensi.’”
XIVth cent. Roger, stationer (Oxf. Univ. Archives, box F, no 24).
XIVth cent. Adam de Walton, parchment maker (_ibid._, box F. no. 26).
XIVth cent. William, bookbinder (_ibid._, box F, no. 28).
c. 1350. MS. New College 134 was written at Oxford in about A.D. 1350
(Coxe).
In the 14th cent. in an undated deed in the Oxf. Univ. Archives
between John Pilat and Walter “filius Paulini de Eynsham” about
land in St. Mary’s parish, the following occur as
witnesses:—Ralph, Robert, James, illuminators; Walter, Augustine,
Adam, bookbinders (“liurs”); Simon, parchment-maker (Twyne XXIII,
p. 103; cf. Bodl. MS. Wood D. 2, p. 489).
1353. Thomas Hamme, bookseller (“Vetus quoddam inventarium de bonis
Thomæ Hamme bibliopolæ et stationarii ut videtur anno domini
1353,”) once in the Oxf. Univ. Archives, box K, no. 2; but this
most interesting document is noted by Gerard Langbaine as having
been stolen during the Civil War (MS. Twyne I, 278).
1358/9. Richard Lynne, stationer (“stacionarius Universitatis Oxun.”)
(Coxe): Richard the stationer occurs in Lent 1358 (Boase’s
©Registrum Oxoniense©, 1st ed., p. xi).
1364. MS. New College 173 was written at Oxford in this year (Coxe).
1370. Robert, bookbinder, St. Mary’s (Magd.): Robert Bokebinder and
Agnes his wife occur in 1377 (?) and 1380 (Oxf. City Doc., pp. 41,
47).
1373/4, Jan. 27. At this date “Quia, propter excessivam multitudinem
vendentium libros Oxoniæ Universitati minime juratorum, plerique
codices magni valoris ad partes exteras deferuntur” the University
decreed that no booksellers except the sworn stationers or their
deputies should sell any book exceeding half a mark in value.
(Anstey’s ©Munimenta Academica©, p. 233: see Appendix D. I, below,
p. 281).
1377? John, parchment-maker (“Parchemenor”), Holywell (Oxf. City Doc.,
p. 52).
1377? Richard, parchment-maker (“Parchemenor”), Holywell (Oxf. City
Doc., p. 52).
1377? Roger Somervyle, stationer, St. Peter’s (Oxf. City Doc., p. 52).
1380. MS. Corpus Christi College (Oxford) 151 was written at Oxford in
this year (Coxe).
1380. Roger, illuminator (“lymenour”), St. Mary’s (Oxf. City Doc., p.
41).
1380. John Madesdon, illuminator (“limenour”), St. Mary’s (Oxf. City
Doc., p. 41).
1380. William, illuminator (“Lymenour”), St. Mary’s (Oxf. City Doc.,
p. 41).
1380. John Hyrys, parchment-maker (“Parchemener”) (Oxf. City Doc., p.
41).
1380. Richard, parchment-maker (“Parchemener”) (Oxf. City Doc., p.
43).
1380. Edward, parchment-maker (“Parchemener”) (Oxf. City Doc., p. 44).
1380. John Langeport, once stationer (“quondam stationarius”),
north-east ward (Oxf. City Doc., p. 22).
1393. In Florence MS. Laurentian, bibl. S. Crucis, plut. xvii Sin.,
cod. x. “Explicit compilatio quaedam ... scripta per me F[ratrem]
I[acobum] Fey de Florentia Ordinis Fratrum Minorum in Conventu
Oxoniae anno Domini MCCCXCiii, die ... [xi Martii]” (Bandini’s
Catalogue, A. G. Little’s ©Grey Friars in Oxford©, p. 252).
1393. John Brother, illuminator (“limnator”), St. Mary’s (Magd.).
1403. John Brown, stationer, sold MS. Merton College 130 in this year,
(Coxe), cf. MS. New College 104: see A.D. 1440.
1410. In the record of a tax levied on the University in this year
occur the names of William and Roger, illuminators; Richard,
senior and junior, parchment-makers; and Thomas and Robert,
scribes (Twyne IV, p. 70).
1411. The University enacts that as the duties of the University
stationers are laborious and anxious every one on graduation shall
give clothes to one of the stationers (©Munimenta Academica©, ed.
Anstey, p. 253).
1419. See under 1490.
1423. “Finit Menon Platonis [Latine] scriptus per Fredericum Naghel de
Trajecto anno Domini MCCCC.XXiij ... in alma Universitate
Oxoniensi” (MS. Corpus Christi College, Oxford, no. 243: Coxe).
1424. “Guilermus Secomps venditor librorum” may possibly be an Oxford
bookseller in this year (see Coxe’s account of MS. Lincoln College
Latin 14).
1424/5 John Dolle, bookbinder: see under 1453.
First half of 15th cent. In Bodl. MS. e Mus. 155, p. 507 (written
perhaps in the first half of the 15th cent.) “Explicit liber
3^{us} de consideracione 4^{te} essencie secundum Rogerum Bacon
correctus et scriptus per Johannem Cokkes manibus suis propriis
Oxon.”
1426. John Wake, illuminator (“lymner”), St. Mary’s (Magd.): he
appears as a surety in 1434 (Univ. Register Aaa, fol. 1).
1427. “Explicit conflatus Francisci de Maronis finitus per manus
Nicolai de Bodelswerdia anno Domini 1427 ... tum temporis Oxoniæ
studentis” (MS. Merton College 133: Coxe). A similar inscription
dated 1429 is in MS. Oriel College 70 (Coxe). Kirchhoff mentions
Nicolas de Frisia alias de Bolswerdia as a bookseller in 1427–31.
1430. “Explicit conflatus Francisci de Mayronis ... finitus et
completus anno Domini 1430 ... per manus Johannis Jacobi Spaen de
Amsterdamis, tunc temporis Oxonie studentis” (MS. Magd. Coll.,
Oxf., 103: Coxe).
1434. John Clerk (Clericus) occurs as a stationer in this year and
1438 (Univ. Register Aaa, foll. 4*, 11).
c. 1436. “Stephanus ligator librorum de Oxonia” occurs at about this
date in Cambr. Univ. MS. Dd. xiv. 2, fol. 139 (information from T.
W. Jackson, M.A.).
1439. John Godsond occurs as a stationer (Oxf. Univ. Archives, Aaa,
fol. 15^v): he has a dispute in the same year with John Coneley a
“lymner,” his assistant (Anstey’s ©Munimenta Academica©, pp.
550–1): in 1458 he is paid for chaining some Exeter College books
(Boase’s ©Reg. Exon.©, 1st ed., p. 21).
1440. John Brown, stationer, in this year (cited by Heyner) may be the
same as the one noted under 1403.
1440. John More, stationer, occurs frequently: in 1440 he or a person
of his name sells MS. Lincoln College, Latin 109, probably in
Oxford (Coxe): on 7 Nov. 1444 he is mentioned in Anstey’s
©Munimenta Academica©, p. 741: in Apr. 1445 he values books in
Oxford (_ibid._, p. 544): also in 1447–48 (_ibid._, pp. 565, 579,
cf. 741) mentioned in the Treasurer’s accounts at Oriel, 1451–65:
on 12 Apr. 1454 or ‘55 he sold MS. Magd. Coll. (Oxf.) 4 in Oxford
(Coxe): in 1457 he values Exeter College books (Boase’s ©Reg.
Exon.©, 1st ed., p. lxviii): on 21 Oct. 1457 he sold MS. Magd.
Coll. (Oxf.) 134 in Oxford (“Mare,” in Coxe). A John More was
living in 1460–61 and 1468–9 on the east side of Cat Street,
probably in Lady Hall = Great St. Mary’s Entry, according to the
St. Mary the Virgin church accounts preserved in the Bodleian
(Oxford Rolls 13 &c.). He was also a binder (Oriel accounts).
1445. John Coneley, illuminator: see 1439: he is bound to work for
Godsond for one year from 8 Nov. 1445 for 4 marks and 10
shillings.
1446. “Thomas Bokebynder de Catys-street” was imprisoned by the
Chancellor for saying that the mayor and townsfolk were not under
oath to respect the rights of the University (Anstey, ©Munimenta
Academica©, p. 556).
1448. William Bedewyne, illuminator (“lymnour”), “late of Oxford,” St.
Peter’s (Magd.).
XVth cent. Willelmus Sengleton wrote MS. New College 127 (Coxe): he
may be the Will. Singleton who was admitted B.A. in 1566/7
(©Register of the Univ.©, vol. i., ed. Boase, p. 265).
XVth cent. “Expliciunt Questiones ... scripte per Johannem de Almania
sive de Kasterle, in usum ... Thome Grace, illic [sc. at Oxford]
in artibus graduati,” in MS. Magd. Coll. (Oxf.) 162 (Coxe).
1450–64. In these years Willelmus Salomon “Leonensis diocesis” wrote
the works of Hugo de Sancto Caro or Hugo Viennensis in Oxford for
Roger Keys, who in 1469/70 presented them to Exeter College, where
they are now MSS. 51–68 (Coxe).
1452. “Johannes Bokebyndere Oxoniæ” occurs in the will of dr. Richard
Browne (Anstey’s ©Munimenta Academica©, p. 648).
1453. John Delle or Dolle, stationer, mentioned (©Register of the
Univ.©, vol. i., ed. Boase, p. 20, “Delle”): and in 1454 (Anstey’s
©Munimenta Academica©, p. 741, “Dolle”). In 1454 his name occurs
in Bodleian Oxford Charters 491 (Turner’s Catal., p. 351). He may
be the same as John Dolle, bookbinder, who lived in Cat Street in
1424/5 (Boase’s ©Reg. Exon.©, 1894, p. 295).
1453. John Reynbold, a German, agreed at Oxford to write out three
books of Duns Scotus on the Sentences (Bodl. MS. Ballard 46, fol.
70). He wrote several MSS. now at Balliol and Merton between 1451
and 1464.
1459. June 17. Will. Bokebynder occurs as a witness in Oxford, when
MS. Merton Coll. 135 was given to the College (Coxe). In the same
year he is mentioned in Oxford Univ. Archives, box F, no. 28.
1467. British Museum MS. Royal 6 D II once bore the following
interesting inscription, before it was re-bound, “Iste liber
ligatus erat Oxonii, in Catstrete, ad instantiam Reverendi Domini
Thome Wybarun in sacra Theologia Bacalarii Monachi Roffensis, Anno
Domini 1467” (see Casley’s ©Catalogue of the Manuscripts of the
Kings Library© (1734), Dibdin’s ©Bibliographical Decameron©
(1817), ii. 449: the volume contains the Letters of St. Jerome,
and had been given to Rochester by Benedict, bp. of Rochester,
_d._ 1226).
“1468”–1486/7. Oxford printing, see Appendix A.
1473. Thomas Hunt, “universitatis Oxonie stacionarius,” sold Brit.
Mus. MS. Burney 11 (a Latin Bible) in this year (see the
Catalogue, printed in 1840). In 1477 and 1479 he was living in
Haberdasher hall in the parish of St. Mary the Virgin (Bodl. MS.
Wood F. 15, a collection of Oseney rentals: Wood’s “Thomas Howle,
stacioniar,” of Haberdasher hall in 1477 in Bodl. MS. Wood D. 2,
p. 587, from the above MS., is a mis-reading by Wood for Honte, i.
e. Hunte). In 1483 he appears as agreeing to sell certain books in
Oxford at fixed prices (the list, which is on a paper now forming
a fly-leaf of a French translation of Livy (Paris, 1486) now in
the Bodleian, is printed in the publications of the Oxf. Hist.
Soc. vol. v. (©Collectanea©, I), pp. 74, 141–3). In all
probability he is the same Thomas Hunt who in 1485 printed the
©Phalaridis Epistolae© at Oxford in conjunction with Theodoric
Rood (see pp. 4, 238).
1481–85. Theodoric Rood, printed at Oxford (see pp. 2, 4, 238).
1482. F. H., — Hawkins, J. Alexander (Alison) occur as
parchment-sellers: see p. 256.
1490. William Vavasour, scribe. MS. Corpus Christi Coll. (Oxf.) 228
was written “per manum fratris Wyllelmi Vavysur,” “Oxonie anno
1490” (the date and word “Oxonie” might possibly refer to the time
and place of the “determinationes physicæ”: but) MS. Corpus 227
was “scriptus per me fratrem Wyllelmum, studentem Oxonie anno ...
1419 [1491]” and “per manum fratris Wyllelmi Vavysur ejusdem
ordinis [sc. fratrum Minorum] ... 1491.”
1501. Sebastian Actors, bookseller of St. Mary the Virgin’s parish.
Record of a grant of administration after his decease, 23 April
1501 (Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
1501. Christopher Coke, stationer. A similar record with inventory, 13
Dec. 1501 (_ibid._).
1502/3. William Lesquier, bookseller. A similar record, 1 Feb. 1502/3
(_ibid._).
1506. Georgius Castellanus, bookseller (?): see p. 11.
1514. Henricus Jacobi. On Dec. 11, 1514 administration of the effects
of Henricus Jacobi, deceased, was granted (Oxf. Univ. Archives).
Two imperfect leaves of an edition of the ©Formalitates de mente
magistri Johannis Duns Scoti© by Antonius Syrretus were found in
New College Library at Oxford by R. G. C. Proctor, Esq., the first
of which bears the words “Venundantur in vniuersitate Oxoniensi
sub intersignio sanctissime Trinitatis ab Henrico Jacobi
bibliopole Londoniensis.” See p. 228.
1518. John Scolar and (1519/20) Carolus Kyrfoth, printers, see pp.
5–7, 263.
1521. John Dorne, bookseller. His day-ledger, showing what books he
sold and at what prices, from 19 Jan.-23 Dec. 1520, is MS. Corpus
Christi College, Oxford, no. 131; this and two leaves of a similar
day-book of about 1518–19, found in a binding in the same College
library, are printed in the Oxford Historical Society’s
©Collectanea© volume, no. 1 (pp. 78–139) and 2 (pp. 457–62), where
also it is shown that Dorne, who was certainly “a Dutchman,” and
as such paid with others an alien tax at Oxford in 1524 (see
Rogers’s ©Oxford City Documents©, Oxf. Hist. Soc. xviii, 1891, p.
56, as Johan Thorn), may be the Johannes Dorn who printed at
Brunswick in 1507–9. An ©Opus Insolubilium© printed by Treveris
was to be sold “apud I. T.”, which Mr. E. G. Duff thinks is
probably I. Thorne.
1524. William Howberghe (Howbert or Hubbert), Douchman (Dutchman: he
resigned his office as Stationer 11 Oct. 1532, see Boase’s ©Reg.
Oxon.©, p. 171). Gerard Pylegreme, Douchman (his will is extant at
Oxford, dated 7 Feb. “1537”: Oxf. Univ. Archives). Balthasar
Churchyard, Douchman. Harry Renkens, Douchman. All these pay taxes
as Dorne above, in 1524, in the capacity of Stationers or
Booksellers. Richard Alcoke, bell-ringer, Margarete Page, Rose
Cater, Henry Mancipull, and “Sir Person” are possible additions to
this list.
About 1525. Gressop, bookbinder. In Bodl. MS. Rawl. G. 47 (N. C.
14778) there is a note that the volume, which had been presented
to All Souls Library by bp. Goldwell, was “resarcitus per
Gressopum”: the date must be about 1525.
1531, Oct. A commission from the bp. of Lincoln to search the
booksellers’ stalls at St. Frideswide’s fair for heretical books
(Brit. Mus. MS. Lansdowne 938).
1532. David Pratt, B.A., of Cambridge, is stationer from 10 March
1535/6 to Oct. 1536 (Boase’s ©Reg. Oxon.©, p. 171).
1534. A patent is issued to Cambridge (where printing had been
exercised from 1521 to 1522) allowing the University to have three
licensed stationers and printers or sellers of books, and
authority to print books is granted to the Chancellor and three
Doctors. No similar patent was issued to Oxford.
1552. Henry Mylward, stationer (Boase’s ©Reg. Oxon.©, p. xx). He
retired on 11 Apr. 1597 from old age (Clark’s ©Register©, i. 262,
where it is suggested that his name appears as Miller in 1578/9,
living in St. Mary’s Parish). In 1583 (July 12) Beef Hall was
leased to him (Oxf. Univ. Archives, box O, no. 10. cf. A. no. 14).
1554, Nov. 14. Herman Evans admitted stationer, but pronounced
“contumax” in Oct. 1563 (Clark’s ©Register©, i. 261).
1556, Aug. 11. Nicholas Wayte, admitted bookseller (Clark, i. 321).
—— —— —— Richard Walles, do. (Clark, _ibid._).
—— Aug. 12. James à Wood, adm. parchment-seller (Clark, i. 322).
1564, Sept. 30. Thomas Wadloffe, adm. parchment-seller (Clark,
_ibid._).
1566, June 20. “Garbrande Harkes,” bookseller, licensed to sell wine
(Clark, i. 323).
1566/7, Jan. 27. Conrad Myller, adm. bookseller (Clark, i. 321):
licensed to sell ale in St. Mary’s parish, 16 Sept. 1572: living
in 1587/8 (Clark, i. 325).
1567, Apr. 3. Gilbert Burnet, alias Cornyshe, adm. parchment-seller
(Clark, i. 326).
1570, June 28. Nicholas Clyfton, adm. bookseller (Clark, i. 321).
—— Oct. 6. Christopher Cavye, do. (_ibid._): in 1574 the Chancellor
recommended that he should have a monopoly of second-hand books,
since he was in difficulties (_ibid._).
1570/1, Mar. 21. William Spyre, of St. Mary’s parish, adm. bookseller
on the Chancellor’s recommendation. Still bookseller in 1590
(_ibid._), and stationer in 1617 and 1619 (Clark, i. 321, 343).
Probably the same as Will “Spewe” of the Company of Stationers (C.
R. Rivington, ©Stationers Company©, 1883, p. 27). Died before 20
Nov. 1636 (Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
1573, Sept. 8. ¬Joseph Barnes¬, adm. bookseller (_ibid._). He was
licensed to sell wine from Oct. 1575 to at least Oct. 1596. He was
sole printer to the University from 1585 to 1617, resigned on 12
Feb. 1616/7, and died in 1618, being buried in St. Mary’s on Dec.
17 in that year. He lived (and printed) in a house at the west end
of St Mary’s, now St. Mary’s Entry (see ©Letters from the
Bodleian©, ii. 428).
1573, Sept. 8. Robert Cave, adm. bookseller (Clark, i. 321): still a
bookseller in 1693 (fragm. in C. C. C, Oxf., Library from M. XX.
II).
1573, Dec. 5. Richard Garbrand, or Harks, adm. bookseller: still
bookseller in 1599 (MS. Wood D. 3, p. 281, cf. 286, where it is
stated that he was churchwarden of St. Mary’s in 1569); he died
before 31 Jan 1603/4 (Clark, i. 323. compared with Griffiths’
©Index of Oxford Wills©).
1574, Mar. 25. Dominique Pinart, adm. bookseller (Clark, _ibid._): in
1583 he occurs as a bookbinder (Oxf. Univ. Archives, Reg. Y. 99);
still bookseller in 1616/7 (Clark, i. 321). Died before 18 Feb.
1627/8 (Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
1574. John Gore occurs as an Oxford bookseller in a lease summarized
in MS. Wood D. 3, p. 281, and lived in or near Cat St.
1577, Apr. 24. Humphrey Archer, adm. bookseller (Clark, i. 321).
Administration was granted after his death on 13 Feb. 1587/8 (Oxf.
Univ. Archives).
1577. Rowland Jenckes or Jenkes, a bookbinder, was condemned at the
Assizes at Oxford for sedition (Wood’s ©History and Antiquities of
the University of Oxford©, ed. Gutch, ii. (1796), p. 188: and
Webster’s ©Treatise of Witchcraft©, p. 245, quoted by Bagford in
Brit. Mus. MS. Harl. 5901, fol. 62).
1583. Carre occurs as a bookbinder (Oxf. Univ. Archives, Reg. Y. 99).
1584, Aug. 15. £100 is lent by the University to Joseph Barnes with
which to set up a press, to be repaid in six years (_ibid._ Reg.
L. 10, fol. 287, cf. 246). In Oct. 1592 the money had not been
repaid.
1585. For printers and publishers from 1585–1640, see also p. 311.
1585/6, Jan. 10. A Committee of Convocation at Oxford appointed to
consider ©De libris imprimendis© (Oxf. Univ. Archives, Reg. L. 10,
fol. 283).
1586, June 23. An Ordinance of the Star Chamber allows only two
presses outside London, one at Oxford and one at Cambridge, and
only one apprentice to each press (printed in full in Arber’s
©Transcript©, ii. 807).
1588. In about this year occurs an Inventory of the goods of John
Pigot, scrivener, implying his previous death (Oxf. Univ.
Archives—Wills).
1590, Nov. 27. Robert Foxon, adm. bookseller (Clark, i. 321): but on 7
Mar. 1590/1 an Inventory of his goods was taken, implying previous
death (Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
—— —— Thomas Middleton, adm. bookseller (Clark, _ibid._): he died
before 28 March 1604 (Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
—— —— Francis Peirce, do. (_ibid._): still bookseller in 1616/7
(Clark, i. 521): died before 4 Jan. 1622/3 (Oxf. Univ.
Archives—Wills).
—— —— Stephen Wilson, do. (_ibid._): in 1591 he is a bookbinder also
(Clark, i. 342).
1591, May 25. A patent was granted to Richard Wright of Oxford and his
assigns to print Tacitus’s ©History© in English, for life. (Patent
Roll 33 Eliz., part 17, Arber’s ©Transcript©, ii. 16). This partly
explains the peculiarity noticed in 1591, no. 5 (p. 31, above):
clearly it was printed nominally by Barnes, but published in
London and perhaps in part printed there. Wright appears as
belonging to both cities.
1593/4, Feb. 21. Thomas Gowre resigns the office of parchment seller
and is succeeded by William Jennings (Fenninge?) (Clark, i. 322).
1594, Sept. 3. John Barnes, son of Joseph Barnes, is apprenticed to
Rich. Watkins of St. Paul’s Churchyard, London, for seven years
from Mich. 1594 (Arber’s ©Transcript©, ii. 195: see the same work
under date 7 June, 1602, &c.).
1596, May 21. Application was made to Convocation for a licence to
Joseph Barnes to have a monopoly of printing inedited Greek and
Latin books (Oxf. Univ. Archives, Reg. Ma., p. 15).
1597, Apr. 11. Lancelot Waistiell or Waystayle adm. stationer of the
University: he resigned in 1608.
1598/9, Mar. 16. John Crosley adm. bookseller (Clark, i. 321):
stationer in 1611 (Clark, i. 342): died before 12 Feb. 1612/3
(Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills, where he is described as a citizen of
London).
1600/1. Robert Billingsley occurs as a bookseller (Clark, i. 342):
also bookbinder: he died before 17 Nov. 1606 (Oxf. Univ.
Archives—Wills).
1603. The Stationers Company in London obtain a monopoly of printing
Primers, Psalms and Almanacs.
1608, Apr. 18. Denis Edmonds adm. stationer.
1609. Nicholas Smith, bookbinder, died before 9 Aug. 1609 (Oxf. Univ.
Archives—Wills): his wife Anne was Rob. Billingsley’s widow.
1609, Oct 24. John Garbrand alias Herks, bookseller, was licensed to
sell wine (Clark, i. 323): he died before 29 Sept. 1617 (_ibid._),
and after 21 Mar. 1616/7 (Clark, i. 321).
1609, Oct. 20. William Davies occurs as stationer (Clark, i. 342):
still such in 1615 and 1621 and 1637 (Clark, i. 343–4): bookseller
in March, 1616/7 (Clark, i. 321).
1609/10, Mar. 13. A tenement in St. Mary’s parish was leased to John
Adams, stationer (Oxf. Univ. Archives, box A, no. 23): he was a
bookbinder from 1610 to 1620 (Magd. college deeds, cf. Clark, i.
343). In 1637, July 20, a house just North of the Schools
Quadrangle was “lately” in the tenure of John Adams, bookbinder
(Agreement between Magdalen and the University in Reg. R. 24, fol.
149^r). For his printing, see pp. 308, 312.
1610, Dec. Henry Blewet or Bluett occurs as a bookseller in St Mary’s
parish (Clark, i. 321): still such in 1616/7 (_ibid._): died
before 3 Jan. 1633/4 (“bookbinder”: Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
1611. Sampson Stronge alias Starkey, limner, died before 30 Mar. 1611
(Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
1615/6, Jan. 2. Robert Nixon alias Waie occurs as a bookseller (Clark,
i. 343): and in 1616/7 (i. 321).
1616/7, Feb. 12. William Wrench becomes a University printer, until 19
Jan. 1617/8: see p. 311.
—— John Lichfield, do.: see p. 311: created Inferior Bedel 20 Mar.
1616/7: resigned his offices Jan. 1634/5.
1616/7, Mar. 21. Richard Wylcocks is bookseller (Clark, i. 321,
_bis_).
—— —— William Turner, do. (_ibid._): is University printer from 1624
to 1644/5: see p. 312. In 1639 he was found to have abstracted in
1634 the Savile Greek type “under the pretence of printing a Greek
Chronologer (one Malala)”: and by Feb. 13, 1639/40 had brought
them back (Wharton’s ©Remains of Laud©, ii. 174).
1616/7, Mar. 21. Edward Forrest is bookseller (Clark, i. 321).
—— —— William Toldervey, do. (_ibid._).
—— —— John Westall, do. (ibid.): he occurs as binding for the Bodleian
in 1636–7 (Macray’s ©Annals©, 2nd ed., p. 77).
1617/8, Jan. 19. James Short do.: see p. 312.
1617, May 16. Roger Barnes, adm. bookseller (Clark, i. 321): see 1626,
below.
—— June 10. William Wildgoose, do. (_ibid._).
—— June 11. John Allam, do. (_ibid._).
The two latter with Christopher Barker, William Johnson and John
Chambers were reprimanded on 23 May, 1617, for setting up as
booksellers without the Vice-Chancellor’s leave (_ibid._).
1619, July 30. Edward Miles occurs as bookseller (Clark, i. 343): he
was Clerk of the University, and died before 1 May, 1637 (Oxf.
Univ. Archives—Wills).
1620/1, Jan. 6. Richard Parne adm. parchment seller, in place of Henry
Dochin, dead, who had succeeded John Cooke (Clark, i. 322).
1623, Apr. Thomas Huggins occurs as stationer (Clark, i. 343), also in
1627 (of St. Mary’s parish) and 1634 (_ibid._ and 344).
1625/6. William Webbe occurs as stationer (Clark, i. 343). See p. 312.
Still stationer in 1636/7 (_ibid._ 344), and binder to the
Bodleian (Macray’s ©Annals©, 2nd ed., p. 77: died in 1652).
1626, June 18. Roger Barnes and John his son occur as bookbinders
(Clark, i. 343), John is still bookbinder in 1630 (_ibid._) and
1636–7, (Macray’s ©Annals of the Bodleian©, 2nd ed., p. 77). Roger
died before 30 Nov. 1631 (of All Saints parish, bookbinder and
stationer: Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
1629, June 16. The University of Cambridge begs the loan of the Greek
matrixes given to Oxford by sir Henry Savile: the request was
granted on June 30 on Laud’s recommendation, and the matrixes
returned 24 June, 1631. The year in which Savile’s famous “silver”
Greek type (with which the ©Chrysostom© of 1610–13 was printed at
Eton) came to Oxford is not at present ascertainable.
1631. From the fine of £300 inflicted on the printer of the Wicked
Bible of this year a fount of Greek type was purchased by Laud
(not before 1634) for printing in London, Oxford or Cambridge, as
the editors of the books might prefer. As a fact the printing took
place in London, from 1637 on.
1632, Nov. 12. The first charter to Oxford allowing printing: printed
in App D. II., p. 281: confirmed and amplified, 13 March, 1632/3
(p. 283). Laud in a letter to the University mentions King and
Motteshead as two printers the University might well appoint out
of the three allowed.
1635. Leonard Lichfield succeeded his father John, as University
printer: died in 1657.
1636. Tit. xviii, sect. 5 of the Statutes of the University is framed
“De Typographis Universitatis”: printed in App. D. V., p. 287. The
Architypographus is here first mentioned.
1636. John Haviland of London is stated to have a press at London,
Oxford and Cambridge (Arber’s ©Transcript©, iii. 704).
1636–37. — Seale occurs as binding for the Bodleian (Macray’s
©Annals©, 2nd ed., p. 77).
—— — Bott, do. (_ibid._).
1636/7, Mar. 12. See p. 285 (agreement between the University and the
Stationers’ Company).
1637, July 11. A severe decree of Star-Chamber is issued, restricting
printing, but allowing the rights of Oxford: printed in Arber’s
©Transcript©, iv. 528.
1637. In this year Laud, who had in every way facilitated the
acquisition of good Oriental and other type by the University, was
able to write to the Vice-Chancellor (on May 5) “You are now upon
a very good way towards the setting up of a learned Press.”
1637, Oct. 14. The will of Hugh Jones of St. Mary Magdalen parish,
printer (apprentice?), was proved (Oxf. Univ. Archives—Wills).
1638, Apr. 12. The will of John Wilmot, stationer, was proved
(_ibid._).
1639. See under 1616/7 (Turner).
1639, Aug. 12. Agreement with the Stationers’ Company: see p. 287.
The following booksellers of Oxford are at present only known from their
imprints:—
Jackson, Simon, 1618.
Cripps, Henry, 1620–39.
Peerse, Elias, 1625–39.
Curteyne, Henry, 1625–40.
Butler, Thomas, 1628.
Bowman, Francis, 1634–40.
Allam, Thomas, 1636–39.
Godwin, Joseph, 1637–39.
Robinson, Thomas, 1639–40.
Hunt, Matthew, 1639–40.
Young, Robert, 1640.
[London booksellers who published for Oxford printers are here omitted:
see pp. 311–3.]
* * * * *
[The following discussion of the authorship of the ©Praise of Music©
(1586, no. 10) is referred to on p. 20 as occurring in Appendix C, and
is therefore here inserted.]
©The Praise of Music© (1586).
This work is probably not by John Case, although constantly attributed
to him. The facts of the matter may be stated as follows.
The book is strictly anonymous: all that can be gathered directly from
it is that the author was himself an enthusiastic musician, though not
necessarily of eminence; that he was a well-read scholar, as well in the
Fathers as in the Classics, and that his style and method point to a man
of imaginative mind, young in years, and with considerable elegance of
thought and expression. The printer writes a dedication to Sir Walter
Raleigh, alluding to the book as “an Orphan of one of Lady Musickes
children.” This can only be meant to convey the impression that the
author was dead: on the other hand the treatise can only have been
composed recently from the allusions to the controversy about Church
music: in fact the author was undoubtedly a Protestant in Elizabeth’s
reign, who approved of elaborate music in Churches, within certain
common-sense limits.
In 1588 John Case published at Oxford an “Apologia Musices” written in
Latin, and maintaining nearly the same view about Church music as the
book before us, to which Case makes no allusion. Case was elected
scholar of St. John’s College, Oxford, in 1564; and in 1568 fellow. “But
so it was,” says Wood (©Ath. Ox.©, ed. Bliss, i. 685), “that being
Popishly affected he left his fellowship and married [in 1574] and ...
read logic and philosophy to young men (mostly of the R. C. religion) in
a private house in St. Mary Magd. parish.”
The external evidence about the authorship in question may be put as
follows. In favour of Case is the important fact that Thomas Watson the
poet in a sonnet to Case does certainly seem to allude to the English as
well as the Latin treatise. Most of the expressions may, and more than
one must, apply to the ©Apologia©, but the allusion to Marsyas can only
refer to the “Praise,” which indeed is mentioned by name, “Mr. John Case
... his learned booke lately made in the prayes of Musick.” Again, the
fact that the ©Apologia© nowhere alludes to the former poem is itself an
argument that they were not independent of each other, while supposing
that Case was partly ashamed of so light and poetical a production and
desired to be judged rather by a more philosophical work, such as the
Latin treatise, we can understand a desire to ignore the former. To this
may be added that such considerations as the above were sufficient to
convince critics like Dr. Farmer, Mr. Joseph Haslewood and Dr. Bliss, as
well as almost all others who have considered the point. Against such a
conclusion the following points may be urged. Antony à Wood, who wrote
lives of all Oxford writers up to his own time, and who was born in
1632, will not even suggest that Case was the author, but on the
contrary declares that in all his searches he could never discover who
wrote the book. Richard Heber seems also to have argued against Case’s
connexion. With respect to Watson’s testimony it must be remembered that
he had left the University some years before either book was published,
and that it is quite possible that he wrote his sonnet with both books
before him and with little on which to form a judgment except an obvious
similarity of subject and point of view. Some catalogues are said to
have credited the printer with the authorship, and Lowndes ascribes it
to Barnaby Barnes!
The internal evidence is against the common authorship of the two books.
The style of E.[17] is light, poetical and imaginative, with numerous
digressions, apologized for and repeated: that of L. is more staid and
so to speak scholastic; the sentences and thoughts fall into a logical
form which are natural to Case. The latter passes by the mythological
part of the history of Music, the former finds it in accordance with his
taste. Both authors are learned: in E. the references to the Fathers are
as numerous as those from any other source: in L. the references to
secular authors predominate. Both draw from common sources, such as the
©Theatrum vitae humanae© of Beyerlinck and the classical authors: but in
the longest quotation common to both, one from Ornithoparchus’s
©Micrologus© (E. pp. 39–40: L. pref.), a treatise on singing and music
(afterwards, in 1609, translated into English), in which the imaginary
descent of Concentus and Accentus from Sonus is given, they differ
materially in one point of the account: nor are the explanations of the
kinds and effects of the Greek styles of music entirely in accord. So
too there are expressions peculiar to each book which could hardly have
been absent from the other, had the authors been the same person (as in
E. allusions to Mercury’s three parts of music; the Roman college of
minstrels; three causes of music, pleasure, grief and enthusiasm: in L.
to inanimate nature moved by music, Homer as a minstrel, the idea that
strings from wolves’ and sheep’s guts would not harmonize together, bees
not having ears, modern musicians). But lastly the personality of the
authors is different. Both indeed take up the same general point of
view, that music is lawful in a Church, and both entirely neglect the
_science_ of music though they profess to be ardent musicians: but in E.
there is a distinct purpose to oppose the attempt to exclude all mixed
and “exquisite” music from the public services: the author writes to his
equals for the purpose of interesting and convincing them: in L. we see
the dialectician addressing those trained in the schools and accustomed
to the subtle distinctions and formalities of scholastic logic, and also
the teacher of youth, indulging in moral and didactic reflexions (pp.
53–55). Once more, Case, according to Wood, was known before 1574 to
have proclivities towards the Roman Catholic religion, and accordingly
in L. we find no word of blame addressed to that Church, the nearest
approach being a note of triumph over the defeat of the Armada on the
last page. Could he then have written, as the author of E., the
following expressions, all used in contempt, “in the time of popery” (p.
129), “popish church Musicke” (ibid.), “the hypocriticall Monkes and
Friers sang their seuen canonicall houres” (p. 133), “rotten rythmes of
popery and superstitious inuocation or praying vnto Saints doth not giue
greater cause of vomit to any man than to my selfe” (p. 136)?
The author of the “Praise of Musicke” may one day be discovered, but he
will probably be found to be some other than Dr. John Case.
-----
Footnote 16:
“St. Mary’s” and “St. Peter’s”, without qualification, are throughout
this Appendix used for the parishes of St. Mary the Virgin and St.
Peter-in-the-East.
Footnote 17:
E., the English ©Praise of Musicke©: L., the Latin ©Apologia musices©.
APPENDIX D.
DOCUMENTS.