stationars and printers, a privilegial, not municipal companie or corporation, however their properties to bee individually conserved, humbly presented to the honorable committee for examination, &c. / william ball. ball, william this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription b of text r in the english short title catalog (wing b a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo b wing b a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) stationars and printers, a privilegial, not municipal companie or corporation, however their properties to bee individually conserved, humbly presented to the honorable committee for examination, &c. / william ball. ball, william sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london : ] place and date of publication taken from wing ( nd ed.) reproduction of original in: universität göttingen bibliothek. eng printing industry -- england -- th century -- sources. broadsides -- england -- london -- th century. b r (wing b a). civilwar no stationars and printers, a privilegial, not municipal companie or corporation, however their proprieties to bee individually conserved, humb ball, william a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion stationars and printers , a privilegial , not municipal companie or corporation , however their proprieties to bee individually conserved , humbly presented to the honorable committee for examinations , &c. having lately ( as far as i might ) discerned the subtle , yet ambiguous desires of som , ( not the soundest nor most able printers ) i finde their pretences to bee regulation , as in order to themselvs , but no way in relation to the common-wealth : and their chief ends to apply to themselvs communicatively the chiefest copies , being the proprieties of other men . wherefore that these innovating men should , if they would , better understand themselvs , i have directed these sequels . . a companie municipal is such an one which subordinately utitur regulis suis in ordine ad se ; useth their own rules and constitutions in relation to themselvs , as do mercers , drapers , fish-mongers , &c. also gold-smiths , brasiers , shoo-makers , &c. all of whom can buy , barter , sell , contract , work , &c. without any special privilege , order , or licence from any superior , superiors , supervisor or supervisors . but printers , book-binders , and book-sellers cannot by decrees and ordinances ( hitherto thought fit to continue ) print , binde , or sell a book ( imprinted within this nation ) but by special licence and allowance ; nor import from other nations , but with like regard . and in france , germanie , spain , and other countries , they cannot print , but for a certain determined time , such or such a book ; nor sell , but for such a price ( a convenience , which , i suppose , would bee useful in this common-wealth , ) especially for som books . so that albeit the printers , book-binders , and book-sellers , are a companie which subordinately utitur suis regulis , in som things ; yet they use such rules and constitutions in ordine ad alios , viz. their superiors ( or rather the common-wealth ) not ad se ; as the forementioned companies do ; and are therefore to bee accounted a privilegial , not a municipal companie . . and whereas the printers would not only invade other mens proprieties ( thereby endeavouring to null , as much as in them lie's , meum & tuum , and inducing , as far as may bee , an example of ill consequence to this common-wealth ) but they would also destroy ( as i am credibly informed ) patrimonial right ; that is , that the father of a free stationar shall not make his son free ; and consequently that his son shall not bee capable of having or enjoying the benefit of printing his father's copies ; this their endeavour i conceiv to bee most injurious ; for many a stationar ( including the printers ) have many times little or nothing to leav their wives and children , but their copies : which if they should , by the indirect device of these innovating printers , be deprived of ; then they cannot other way subsist . moreover , why should any free stationar bee debarred from such right , which by the rules and constitutions general of the honorable citie of london every free-man enjoyeth ; to wit , to make his son a free-man ? this i take to bee a device of the printers against matthew barker , and others , whose rights they would invade . so that ( in my opinion ) it would bee requisite , that neither the book-sellers , nor the printers , being ( as i have alreadie instanced , but privilegial , and not properly municipal ) debate nor draw any act or acts , on their own behalf , for regulating of printers & printing : but that such act or acts bee from henceforth debated by the honorable council of state , or by such as they shall appoint , and by them drawn up and recommended to the parlament , for the regulating of printing it self in a true decorum , as also of all proprieties individually . and if this of proprieties were but exactly considered and reported , these new ( and for the most part mean ) innovators , would ( in all probabilitie ) desist from further troublesom solliciting the honorable council of state , and apply themselvs to bee ruled and governed , as their honors , and high court of parlament should in their wisdoms think fit . if it should bee said , that none ought to exercise the art or mysterie of printing , but such as have served seven years to a printer , in regard that printing may be said to bee a manual occupation , and consequently to bee comprehended within the act of elis. . c. . i answer , that albeit printing may in regard of its labor , bee said to bee a manual occupation ; yet in regard of its end , it is a privilegial , and not a popular manual occupation , no otherwise then coyning . and that act of elis. &c . intend's onely manual occupations popular , not privilegial ; as the clauses thereof manifest . so that the privilege of printing , or right of copies , may reside in one or more , who are no artists ; and the performance of printing in such onely who are artists in printing . januarie . . william ball . a briefe treatise concerning the regulating of printing humbly presented to the parliament of england / by william ball, esq. ball, william. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing b ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing b estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) a briefe treatise concerning the regulating of printing humbly presented to the parliament of england / by william ball, esq. ball, william. [ ], p. [s.n.], london : . reproduction of original in thomason collection, british library. eng printing -- england -- early works to . a r (wing b ). civilwar no a briefe treatise concerning the regulating of printing. humbly presented to the parliament of england. by william ball, esq. ball, william f the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the f category of texts with or more defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - derek lee sampled and proofread - derek lee text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion a briefe treatise concerning the regulating of printing . humbly presented to the parliament of england . by william ball , esq . london , printed in the year , . a briefe treatise concerning the regulating of printing . amongst many temporall benefits which divine bounty hath in severall ages manifested to mankinde , the invention of the mystery , or art of printing may rightly be acknowledged one of the greatest , as an exact and exquisite instrument , opening to the understanding , not onely all naturall sciences , but even supernaturall mysteries ; by the meanes whereof the mindes of men have been endowed with many excellent gifts . yet even as the best things have been abused , so hath this beneficiall art been notoriously depraved by vaine , contentious , and seditious persons ; to the greatconfusion ' of doctrinall tenets , and disturbance of state-affairs : for prevention ( as much as may be ) of so dangerous extravagancies , the most regular christian potencies ( or republicks ) and illustrious potentates have thought fit to comprehend the liberty of printing , ( even as of coyning ) within the sphere of their severall powers : wherein ( amongst others ) the late q. elizabeth , and her successors have ( not without mature deliberation , and sage presidents in this point ) been most vigilant , well perceiving that the eye of understanding might be subject to be deceived by erroneous principles in print , as may the bodily eye by counterfeit coyne ; in regard whereof they propagated wholsome orders , and decrees for the regulating of printing , and printers ; which rightly considered , cannot be defaced , no not blemished by the notion of tyranny . moreover it is an axiom of state , that , acta legitima tyrannorum & hostium reipublicae rata esse oportere . [ bodin . de republicâ , l. i. c. . ] the lawfull acts of tyrants , even of ( over-lording ) enemies ought to be observed in a common-wealth : so that admitting oppression , or tyranny in some trans-actions of these later princes , yet their prudent , and just ordinances are not to be rejected , but rather ( mutatis mutandis ) to be carefully conserved . wherefore with all humble submission to the high representative of this nation , i have tendred these subsequent proposalls and clauses concerning the regulating of printing , and printers , unto their grave considerations , and censures ; part whereof i have collected out of former ordinances , and have partly proposed somewhat of mine owne ; as hereafter ensueth . i. that no person or persons whatsoever print , or cause to be printed any offensive bookes , pamphlets , papers , or ballads to the derogation of this present government , or seditious disturbance of this common-wealth , or of any dominion , member , or corporation thereof , nor shall sell , or dispose of any such bookes , pamphlets , papers , or ballads , upon paine that he , or they so offending shall forfeit for every such booke , &c. the summe of l . the one halfe to the use of the common-wealth , the other to the party discovering the same , and suffer such farther punishment as the demerit of the offence , or offences shall deserve . ii. that no person or persons whatsoever shall print , or cause to be printed any booke or pamphlet whatsoever , unlesse such booke or pamphlet , and all , and every the titles , epistles , prefaces , pro●●ems , preambles , introductions , dedications , tables , and all other matters , and things thereunto annexed , or therewith imprinted shall be first lawfully liensed , and authorised by such person , or persons as the parliament of england shall in their wisdomes constitute , and appoint ; and that all , and every such book , or pamphlet be also first entred into the register book of the company of stationers ; upon paine that every printer offending therein shall be hereafter for ever disenabled to exercise the art , and mystery of printing , and suffer imprisonment by the space of one whole yeare : provided that this extend not to the printers of the parliament of england , and councell of state , for or touching any booke which they shall command , or allow of . iii. that all the books concerning divinity , phylosophy , and poetry shall be printed by speciall allowance of the chaplaines in ordinary to the councell of state , or by one of them ; and in case of no such chaplaines in being , then by three divines for that purpose appoynted , or by one of them ; all books of state affaires , and history ( except diurnalls ) to be licenced by the secretary of state , with two more of the councell of state joyned unto him , or by one of them : all books concerning law to be licenced by the lords commissioners of the greate seale , lord cheif justices , master of the rolls , or by one of them ; all books touching phisicke to be licenced by three of the colledge of phisitians appointed for that purpose , or by one of them ; all books of mathematicks to be licenced be three professed mathematicians , being appoynted thereinto , or by one of them ; all books of military discipline to be licenced by three of the councell of war , or otherwise of the grand committee for the militia , or by one of them ; all books of heraldry to be licenced by the principall herald at armes with two other authorized heralds joyned unto him , or by one of them ; all books concerning forraigne languages to be allowed by three linguists for that purpose appoynted or by one of them . provided that the chancellors or vice-chancellors of the universities shall licence onely such booke , or books that are to be printed within the limitts of the universities respectively , but not in london or else-where , not medling with books of common law , matters of state , military discipline and heraldry . iv. that every person , or persons which are , or shall be appoynted , or authorized to licence books , shall have two severall copies entirely written ; one of which copies shall be kept in a publicke office , or registrie for that purpose to be appoynted , the which copy every such person , or persons who shall respectively allow of , or licence for printing shall send into the said office , or registry testified under his , or their hands , to the end that he or they may be secured , that the copy so licensed by him , or them , is not altered without his or their privity ; the other copy licensed shall remaine in his hands whose copy it is ; and all stationers , and printers that shall print , or cause to be imprinted any copy , or copies whatsoever differently from this rule , to incurre the penalties contained in the second clause . v. that every merchant of books , or person , or persons whatsoever who shall import any book , or books from beyond the seas into this common-wealth of england , shall before he , or they deliver , 〈…〉 cause to be delivered forth any such book , or books out of his , or their ●●nds , or expose them to sale , deliver ●n a true catalogue in writing of all and every such book , and books unto the master of the office , or registrie for copies aforesaid ; upon paine of forfeiture , and confiscation of all , and every such book and books , and twenty shillings fine for every such book delivered forth , or exposed to sale ; the one half to the use of the common-wealth , the other to the party discovering the same . vi . that no merchant of books , or person , or persons whatsoever shall import or cause to be imported from beyond the seas any offensive or scandalous books pamphlets , papers , portraitures , or ballads into any part of this common-wealth of england , upon incurring the penalties contained in the first clause . vii . that no person , or persons whatsoever shall within the precincts , and dominions of this common-wealth , or elswhere imprint , or cause to be imprinted , or shall import or cause to be imported into this common-wealth of england , or any part thereof , any copy , book , or books , or part of any copy , book , or books printed beyond the seas , or elswhere , which the company of stationers , or any other person , or persons have , or shall have right unto by order or entrance in their register-book ; or otherwise by speciall order of parliament , or by letters-patent , being un●●lled by this present parliament ; nor shall binde , stitch , or expose to sale any such book , or books , upon paine of forfeiture all the said books , and twenty shillings fine for every such book , to be ●●●led by writ , or action , bill , &c. by the person , or persons aggrieved . viii . that every person who shall hereafter print , or cause to be printed any books , ballads , charts , portraictures , or other thing , or things whatsoever , shall thereunto , or thereon set his , and their owne name , or names ; as also the name , or names of the author , or authors , maker , or makers of the same ; and by , or for whom any such book , or other thing is , or shall be printed , upon payne of forfeitute of all such books , &c. and having his , or their presses , letters , and other instruments for printing to be utterly defaced , and made unserviceable and twenty shillings fine for every such book , &c. the one half to the use of the common-wealth , the other to the party discovering the same . ix . that no person , or persons whatsoever shall print or cause to be printed , forge●● put , or counterfeit , in or upon any book or bookes , &c. the name , title , marke● or vinnet of the company of stationers or of any particular person , or persons which hath , or shall have lawfull priviledge , authority , or allowance to print the same , without consent of the said company , or of the party , or parties which shall be so priviledged , and authorized , first had , and obtained , upon paine of incurring the penalty in the seventh clause . x. that no tradesmen , shop-keepers , or any other person or persons whatsoever , not being a free stationer of the city of london , or not having served . years apprentice to the trade of book-seller , printer , or book-binder , shall within the city , or suburbs of london , receive , take , or buy , to barter , sell againe , exchange , or doe away any bibles , testaments , primmers , psalm-books , almanacks , or other book , or books whatsoever , upon paine if forfeiture of all such books , and twenty shillings fine for every such book , to be 〈…〉 by writ , or action , bill , &c. by the person , or persons aggrieved . xi . that no stranger , or forreigner whatsoever , be suffered to bring in for sale , barter , or rent , here , any book or books printed beyond the seas , in any language whatsoever , either by themselves , or their secret factors ; except such onely as be free stationers of london , and such as have been brought up in that profession , upon paine of confiscation of all such books so imported , and twenty shillings fine for every such booke to be sued by writ , or action , &c. by the master , and wardens of the company of the stationers . xii . and for as much as there may be great abuse committed by searchers , and other officers of the customes by seizure of books , who ( as i have heard credibly reported ) seize english bibles , testaments , & other books , printed in holland , and in other parts beyond the seas very erroniously , to the dangerous introduction of severall heresies within this common-wealth , and great injury to such , to whom of right the copies or originalls of such bookes belong ; and after such seizure ( having as it is said first enacted custome in grosse ) vent , and disperse the said bibles , testaments , and bookes , in england , ireland , and other dominions of this common-wealth : for prevention whereof , no searcher , nor other officer of the customes or excise whatsoever shall hereafter seize on any books ( if discovered before he first acquaint the master of the office , or registrie for copies aforesaid , together with the master , and wardens of the company of stationers , ( upon pain of forfeiture of his , or their places , and imprisonment ) who shall have power to accompany such searchers , and officers of the customes ; and shall forthwith upon discovery , take a true catalogue of such bookes , and present it to the honourable councell of state : and to prevent the farther venting , and dispersing of such erronious bibles , testaments , and other bookes as aforesaid , after notice given unto the honourable councell of state , the said master of the office , or registrie for copies , together with the master , and wardens , of the company of the stationers , or some of them , shall cut , or cause to be cut into waste paper , or otherwise utterly deface the said english bibles , testaments , and other bookes printed in holland , and in other parts beyond the seas , and deliver the said waste paper , or defaced bookes , to such to whom of right the copies , or originalls doe belong . xiii . moreover for farther prevention of importation , venting , and dispersing of seditious , schismaticall , and offensive bookes , as well as of the bookes aforesaid ; that no driefats , sacks , maunds , chests , or fardells of bookes whatsoever imported into this common-wealth be permitted by any officers of the custome or excize , to be opened or conveyed away before notice given unto the master of the office , or registry for copies , and also to the master , and wardens of the company of stationers ( upon paine of such officer , or officers forfeiture of his , or their places , and imprisonment . and the said master of the office , or registrie for copies , as also the master and wardens of the company of the stationers shall have power to accompany the searchers and other officers of the customs , and excise within . houres after such notice given ( sabbath-dayes , and dayes of publick thanksgiving , and of humiliation being excepted out of the sayd . houres ) and shall also have power to seize on all seditious , schismaticall , and offensive books , and forthwith take a true catalogue of such books , and present it to the councell of state ; and after that carry the said bookes into the stationers hall , there to remaine in safe custody , untill farther order taken by the councell of state ; and the said master , and wardens of the company of the stationers , if they cannot performe the same by themselves , shall have power to depute and nominate from time to time , sufficient persons in his , or their stead provided that at all times one of the said masters or wardens be present at every search : and the said master of the office , or registrie for copies , and the master , and wardens of the company of the stationers , shall have power to appoint some convenient place where searches shall be made ; and if the said master of the office , or registrie for copies , master , and wardens of the company of the stationers shall neglect , or omit on their parts any thing , or duty which they ought to performe herein , they shall incurre such penalty as the councell of state ( upon information of such their neglect , or offence shall in their wisdomes thinke fit , be it by fine , or imprisonment . xiv . that no person , or persons within the city of london , liberties thereof , or elsewhere , shall erect , or cause to be erected any presse , or printing house , or shall demise , let , or suffer to be held , or used any house , vault , seller , or other roome whatsoever to , or by any persons for a printing house , or place to print in , unlesse he , or they who shall demise , let , or suffer the same to be used , shall first give notice to the masters , and wardens of the company of the stationers of such demise , or suffering to work , or print , upon paine of forfeiture of l . for every such offence , the one halfe to the use of the common-wealth , the other to the party discovering the same . xv . and for the better discovering of printing in corners without licence , the master , and wardens of the company of stationers , or such whom they shall depute and trust , shall have power , and authority , to search what houses , shops , vaults , and rooms ( and at what time they shall thinke fit ) especially printing houses , and to view what is in printing , and to call for the licence to see whether it be licenced or no , and if not , to seize upon so much as is printed , together with the presses , and all instruments for printing , and to carry the offenders before the councell of state , or the l. president thereof for the time being , to take such farther order therein , as they shall in their wisdomes see cause . xvi . that no joyner , carpenter , or other person shall make any printing presse , nor smith shall forge any iron-worke for a printing presse , nor founder cast any letters for any person , or persons whatsoever , nor shall any person or persons bring in from any parts beyond the 〈…〉 any letters founded , or cast , nor buy any such letters for printing , unlesse he , 〈…〉 they respectively shall first acquaint the said master , and wardens , or some of them for whom the said presse , iron-works , or letters are to be made , forged , or cast ; upon paine of imprisonment , and such farther penalty as the councell of state shall think fit . xvii . whereas the multitude of printers is greatly increased by the late licencious and by-printing of unlicenced pamphlets , and other seditious and impertinent books , and papers , to the great scandall of this common-wealth , and their owne disgrace , ignominy , and want of good , and sufficient employment , and maintenance ; for present remedy whereof , the printers attempt a cure as bad , or worse then the disease , by petitioning the honourable committee for regulating of printing , that they would be pleased to report to the high representative of this nation , that the said printers , might be made a fraternity , or company distinct from the stationers ; against , and in opposition of such their not only unsound , but even dangerous petition , and desires , i have thought fit to insert these ensuing reasons , viz. that printing being of great concernment , and of important consequence , by meanes whereof this common-wealth may either enjoy benefit , or receive notorious detriment ; printers therefore ought to have some carefull , and exact supervisors over them , even as apothecaries ( who have the colledge of physitians , and doctors of physique over them , not only to prescribe , but also to peruse their medicines ) lest the first poyson the mindes of the people by erronious principles in print ; as may the last their bodies , by evil medicines , and also by self compliance in case they should be a fraternity , or company distinct 〈…〉 the stationers ) print undecently , 〈…〉 , and as they please according to ●●ter , and paper ( as do some printers 〈…〉 amsterdam and geneva ) to the dis●●●our of this common-wealth , dis●●●ent to the people , and pre-purposed ●●●iment of the stationers whom they aligne , and inveigh against , and would 〈…〉 regard of their present pressures occa●●●ned by themselves ) undermine by spe●●ous pretences : who notwithstanding 〈…〉 chiefly the men which this common-wealth can subordinately intrust ( in respect of their skill , abilities and long continued industry that waies ) to super●ise the art and mistery of printing , and printers . and if they should say that ●●e apothecaries seperated themselves ●●om the grocers , and became a company distinct , and why may not the printers doe the like ? i answere , that the case is not alike , for the apothecaries sell for the major part compounds for medicaments , and the grocers simples for nutriment , being things of a distinct nature , and quality ; but the printers , book-binders , and stationers make , and sell nothing but a booke , &c. howev●● the apothecaries are subject to the d●●ctors of physique as aforesaid , and if the printers should exempt themselves from the stationers , there would be non● found , who might subordinately regu●late , and reforme such abuses , and dis●orders which those innovating , an● meane undertakers may in all probability from time to time commit . xviii . moreover it is a maxime of policy , as well as of philosophy , that frustra fit● per plura , quod potest fieri per pa●ciora ; modo ita bene fiat : that thing is in vaine done by more , which may be done by lesse , in case it may be as well accomplished : the regulating of printing , and printers , may , not onely for the welfare of the publique , but even for the good of themselves ( if not exorbitant in their desires ) be subbordinately perfor●●●●l by the stationers , without any crea●●●l or making the printers a distinct company . if the number of the printing houses in london were stinted , and 〈…〉 l of them suffered to be without the ●●●lties of the citty of london . if the number of printing presses were ●●litted . if the number of apprentices were also ●●lited . if the master and wardens of the company of the stationers take good 〈…〉 l , that journeymen-printers ( who are 〈…〉 l of the company of stationers ) of ●lest behaviour , and able in the art or ●sterie of printing , be employed and ●●●on worke ; and in case such journey-men printers are in want of worke , apprentices to be removed from such employments as any journeymen-printers 〈…〉 good behaviour shall offer themselves ●o . lastly , if the printers themselves will 〈…〉 subject to the good orders and constitutions of the company of statione● concerning all which ( as also the pri● of usefull books ) i conceive the mas● wardens , and other able and experie●●ced stationers , are the fittest men to 〈…〉 consulted with . xix . but it may be greatly suspected , the the bible , testament , and some of t●● stationers copies and originalls , a● the baits which the printers wou●● catch , or compasse : as touching t●● bible , i take it to be a book of so hig● consequence , wherein the mysteries 〈…〉 salvation are contained , that it ought 〈…〉 be regularly , and exactly , and not comm●●nicatively printed , lest in a book of so hig● importance , not onely dangerous error● but even pernicious heresies be imprinte● and propagated , and the book it self be als● undecently printed in letter , and paper 〈…〉 and for as much as propriety ( rightly 〈…〉 considered is ) relatio legalis cujuslibet 〈…〉 〈…〉 temporale , a legall relation of ●ny one to a temporall good ; i con●●ive the sole printing of the bible , and ●estament , with power of restraint in others , to be of right the propriety of one mathew barker , cittizen and stationer of london , in regard that his father paid for the amen●ed or corrected translation of the bible●● . l . by reason whereof the translated copy did of right belong to him , and his assignes ; yet for the better carrying ●n of so important a work , and the regulating of an impression of so great con●ernment , in the fourteenth yeare of ●ing james his reigne , he continued letters patents granted to robert his sonne ; since when in the yeare of our lord . for the farther carrying on , & regulating of the said important impression , there hath beene payed by mathew barker aforesaid l. for a reversionary patent . if it be said , that mathew barker his father made , or might have made benefit enough by his sole impression of the bible , &c. for the costs , and charges which he was at for the amended , or corrected translation thereof , so that mathew barker himself neede not have a farther benefit thereby : i answere , so doth every one of the stationers who purchaseth a copy , or copies make benefit enough thereby , and yet he enjoyeth such copy , or copies for himself , and his assignes , and so ought to do , or else any other might invade his right : so also every one who purchaseth land at the valuation of . or . yeares revenew , be it more , or lesse ; make at or about the determination of such time sufficient benefit for his purchase , yet there is no law , nor any reason that himself , his heires , or assignes should be excluded , or debarred of the remainder , &c. that were to nul all law , violate all right . and certainely according to equity ( if not law ) mathew barker ought to succeede his father in the sole printing of the bible , &c. both in regard of his ●●thers costs & charges ; as also i● respect 〈…〉 his owne patent purchased dearely e●●ough , in regard it was for reversion . but it may be some will say , that di●●rs may make benefit by printing of the ●●ble , and testament , whereas if mathew ●●rker enjoy the sole printing thereof , himself will also enjoy the sole benefit thereby for him , or his assignes : to the which i answere , the same may be objected against miles flesher , and his partners , sole printers of all law-books against john f●●l● sole printer of all acts for this present parliament ; against 〈…〉 dugard sole printer for the councell of state , against richard cotes , sole ●●●●ter of all acts , proclamations , and ●●her matters for the city of london ▪ against the university-printers of oxford , and cambridge , who enjoy also the printing of the bible by patent ; against the company of the stationers themselves who enjoy by patent four severall books , viz. the psalter , psalmes , primmer , and almanack ; yea this may be objected against very many station●r● , and some printers , who notwithstanding ought not thereupon to be deprived , or debarred of their rights ; for it is , and ought to be held a maxime in law , and equity , as in divinity , that not any shall 〈…〉 had , that good may c●me thereof , and consequently not to violate any one of his propriety , or right , that thereby some or any benefit may accrew to others : moreover all well regulated politics ( especially republiques ) doe con●●● the partick●●● right of every pers●● individually , so farre at such right ●ppeseth not the generall good , and thereby preserve the generall good , without vi●●ing 〈…〉 ones particular right unjustly , 〈…〉 indirectly , according to which rule , neither mathew barker , nor other the stationer● , or printers nominated ought to be debarred , or deprived any their original●● , or copies . if any one should object ( as lately a stationer did unto my selfe ) that the bible cannot properly be called a copy , ●●cause it i● the written word of god : ●●hough , such objection be frivolous , 〈…〉 such i answers , that the severall ●●●●nslations thereof are properly copies , 〈…〉 the singing , or me●●red psalmes 〈…〉 belonging to the company of the 〈…〉 aforesaid , er●s●● his latine translation of the testament , and many others of the like nature . xx . peradventuee some greedy , and it may be needy printers , and stationers , will not be satisfied with reason , unlesse they may against reasonable equity , inwade other mens proprieties , and rights . ●ut i hope the high representative of this nation , at what time they shall in their wisdomes thinke fit to passe an act , or acts for the regulating of printing , will therein by expresse provisoes confirm , and ratifie not onely the propriety of mathew barker aforesaid , for him , and his assignes , but all such other propriety and proprieties which belong to the company of the stationers , to every free stationer respectively ; whereby the prudent care of the parliament will suppresse licencious incroachments upon many considerable copies , and avoyd therein future debate and controversy . william ball . ●●rtaine additionall answers 〈…〉 to such objections , as may peradventure be made . i. if it should be said that the penalties which i have proposed are too great , and also that penalty left to discr●●●● , in some cases may seeme rigor . ●●swer , that abuses are seldome reformed without great penalties ; and in 〈…〉 as great detriment may ensue to 〈…〉 common-wealth by scandalous , and 〈…〉 printing , as may by counter●●it and debased coyning , the penalty for the one , ought in some measure to aequalize the penalty of the other : and penalty in some cases left to the discretion of grave personages is not rigor , 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 terror , which may be regu●●●● by naturall equity . ii. if it should be said that the commissioners of the great seale , judges of the law , secra●tary of state , and some others whom i have nominated for licencing of bookes , may in regard of their great , and weighty affaires want 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 books , &c. i answer , that every one of the said persons and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 who shall have power to 〈…〉 may have power to en●●●● and depute 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 provided themselves will be responsible for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which such 〈…〉 shall commit ; and tha● such deputie● set their owne 〈…〉 and the 〈…〉 for whom they 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such bookes ▪ &c. which they shall licence . iii. 〈…〉 it should be said , that requiring double copies , and an office for registry thereof would be vexatious , &c. i 〈…〉 , that the abuses to licensers , as 〈…〉 to authors have been so great , ( as 〈…〉 selfe , amongst others can testifie in a 〈…〉 booke of mine owne ) that no safer 〈…〉 can be found ; moreover why should 〈…〉 those things which appertaine to the 〈…〉 be kept upon record , as are many 〈…〉 that appertaine meerely to lively●●●od ▪ and whether men write for the glory of almighty god , and good of ●thers ( which ought to be the chiefe 〈…〉 ) or the profit of themselves , let them take so much paines as to write the subject twice , or otherwise spare their paines for once . and if it should be said , that by that meanes fewer bookes will ●●me into the presse , i answer , not the ●●●merous multitude of bookes , but the solid validity of them will benefit a common-wealth . william ball . the original and growth of printing collected out of history, and the records of this kingdome : wherein is also demonstrated, that printing appertaineth to the prerogative royal, and is a flower of the crown of england / by richard atkyns. atkyns, richard, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the original and growth of printing collected out of history, and the records of this kingdome : wherein is also demonstrated, that printing appertaineth to the prerogative royal, and is a flower of the crown of england / by richard atkyns. atkyns, richard, - . [ ], p., leaf of plates. printed by john streater for the author, london : . includes bibliographical references. dedication and epistle to the parliament signed: richard atkins. first published anonymously as a broadside, without date. bm gives date, ? reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng printing -- history -- origin and antecedents. printing -- england -- history. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - andrew kuster sampled and proofread - andrew kuster text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion per me reges regnant iustitia stabilitur solium scriptura et leges sunt fundamenta coronae cedant arma togae the original and growth of printing : collected out of history , and the records of this kingdome . wherein is also demonstrated , that printing appertaineth to the prerogative royal ; and is a flower of the crown of england . by richard atkyns , esq ; white-hall , april the th . . by order and appointment of the right honourable , mr. secretary morice , let this be printed . tho : rychaut . london : printed by john streater , for the author , mdclxiv . to the kings most excellent maiesty . most gracious and dread soveraign , though i had the honour to be very well known to his majesty of ever blessed memory , your most royall father , and to be a sufferer in the loss of a considerable estate , for his most just cause , yet i may not be so well known to your sacred person : however , the same duty that moved me ▪ to fight for him , remains in me to write for you ; not out of any confidence in my pen ( for i am the first shall judge that my self ) but out of conscience and loyalty to my soveraign ; for whose sake , i resolve to hazard censure , rather than to be wanting in any discovery , that may tend to your majesties interest , and indubitate right . the least loss of power in a magistrate , is a great detriment to his government , and an advantage to his enemies ; the least creep-window robs the whole house ; the least errour in war not to be redeem'd ▪ and as that ever blessed late martyr said ( when he gave his watch of government ▪ to be cleansed by the too-long parliament ) the least pin of it being left out , would cause a discord in the whole : therefore might solomon well say , where the word of a king is there is power : the king and power being relatives . that printing belongs to your majesty , in your publique and private capacity , as supream magistrate , and as proprietor , i do with all boldness affirm ; and that it is a considerable branch of the regal power , will no loyal person deny : for it ties , and unties the very hearts of the people , as please the author : if the tongue , that is but a little member , can set the course of nature on fire ; how much more the quill , which is of a flying nature in it self ▪ and so spiritual , that it is in all places at the same time ; and so powerful , when it is cunningly handled , that it is the peoples deity . that this power which is intire and inherent in your majesties person , and inseparable from your crown , should be divided , and divolve upon your officers ( though never so great and good ) may be of dangerous consequence : you are the head of the church , and supream of the law ; shall the body govern the head ? men use to trust , when they cannot avoid it ; but that there may be a derivative and ministerial power in them , with appeal to your majesty , i do with all humility admit and propose . printing is like a good dish of meat , which moderately eaten of , turns to the nourishment and health of the body ; but immoderately , to surfeits and sicknesses : as the vso is very necessary , the abuse is very dangerous : cannot this abuse be remedied any other way , then by depriving your majesty of your antient and just power ? how were the abuses taken away in queen elizabeth , king james , and the beginning of king charles his time , when few or no scandals or libels were stirring ? was it not by fining , imprisoning , seizing the books , and breaking the presses of the transgressors , by order of councel-board ? was it not otherwise when the jurisdiction of that court was taken away by act of parliament , car. if princes cannot redress abuses , can less men redress them ? i dare positively say , the liberty of the press , was the principal furthering cause of the confinement of your most royal fathers person : for , after this act , every male-content vented his passion in print ; some against his person , some against his government , some against his religion , and some against his parts : the common people that before this liberty believed even a ballad , because it was in print , greedily suckt in these scandals , especially being authorized by a god of their own making : the parliament finding the faith of the deceived people to be implicitely in them , printed the remonstrance , the engagement to live and dye with the earl of essex , the covenant , &c. and so totally possest the press that the king could not be heard : by this means the common people became not onely statists , but parties in the parliaments cause , hearing but one side ▪ and then words begat blows : for though words of themselves are too weak instruments to kill a man ; yet they can direct how , and when , and what men shall be killed : in the statute of jac. printing keeps very ▪ able company ▪ as salt-peter , gun-powder , ordnance , &c. all which are exempted from being monopolies . not to be longer tedious , i too much fear , this late act for two years compleats all the former concessions of the late king : i know it was done in hast , and with a good intent ; but by your majesties gracious leave and pardon , even then very considerable persons in your house of commons , were of opinion they had nothing to do with it , the power of the press being so wholly in your majesty . indeed , necessity that hath no law , was the cause of this law , viz. to hinder the growth of scandalous books and pamphlets ; but it hath fallen very short of the end : for few or none , of many printed , have bin brought in by the stationers . i have now discharged my duty to your majesty , and if i find i have so far prevailed upon your royall goodness , as to ask unconcern'd councel what is best to be done , i have my end ; i hope your majesty will have the advantage . so prayeth , your sacred majesties most humble servant , and most obedient subject , richard atkins . to the right honourable , the lords ▪ and to the honourable , the commons assembled in parliament . may it please your honours , i have ever better understood mine own disabilities , then to desire to appear in print , where the author stands as a butt to be shot at , by the sharp arrows of every busie critick , and runs a most certain hazard , and most uncertain benefit : but having been above twenty three years in chancery , and other courts of justice ; and spent more then one thousand pounds , in vindicating the kings grant of printing the common laws of england , and his lawful power to grant the same , and kept his title alive even in the worst of times ( when 't was reputed unlawful , because the kings ▪ ) i cannot refrain from defending it , now the king is , or ought to be , restored to his rights again ; especially since all persons are invited by order to speak their minds freely concerning this subject : so that there is a necessity upon me to speak now , or for ever hereafter to hold my peace ; this being probably the last time of asking . 't is not unknown to every member of each house , how little benefit hath accrued to the kingdom , by the late act of parliament for two years , entituled , an act for preventing the frequent abuses in printing seditious , treasonable , and unlicensed books and pamphlets , &c. which act determines june next : nor can it be thought , but that there is cause enough for another act to take place , when this is expired . the reason why this present act hath operated so little is most apparent ; because the executive power is plac'd in the company of stationers , who onely can offend , and whose interest it is to do so : they are both parties and judges , and 't were a high point of self-denial for men to punish themselves : but they will wipe their mouthes with solomon's harlot , and take it very unkindly , if the same , or a greater power be not continued to them in the next act to be made : they will promise as fair as the long parliament did to the late king ( to make him a glorious king ) and perform it as certainly as they did too . jugglers seldome shew the same trick twice together ; and the italian proverb is , if a man deceive me once , 't is his fault ; if twice , it is mine own : that the great councel of this nation , should further trust those that have deceived them already , and believe fair pretences , contrary to reason and practice , would be a sad fate upon us all ; when wofull experience tells us , that if the king be taken from being head of the law , there will not want a law to take off his head in a short time . there were a sort of people in king david's time , which imagined mischief as a law ; as in the late king's time , that practised mischief by a law : which might incline the parliament to frame a strict law against this kind of mischief . but i hope the king's mercy in forgivin such , ( by which he imitates his maker ) will find so hearty a conversion , that ingratitude shall never joyn with rebellion , to provoke a tyrannical government over this kingdom : such men ( if i may so call them ) are worse then the gentiles , of whom st. paul saith , that having not the law , and doing by nature the things contained in the law , are a law unto themselves , which shew the law written in their hearts ; nay , worse then beasts , who by nature observe a law amongst themselves . shall sense and reason alone teach creatures willingly to confine themselves to certain rules for the common good , and shall professors of christianity break them ? shall the law of nature command men to be free from offending ; and shall the law of god be thought to command them to be free to offend ? let not our too-near neighbours the turks have that advantage against us. but whilest i declaim against others for breaking their bounds , i may be thought guilty of committing the same errour myself ; i shall therefore most humbly beg your honours pardon , and rest , your honours most humble , and faithful servant , richard atkins . the originall and grovvth of printing . reason is the great distinction between man and beast ; gusman calls the man of most knowledg , a god amongst men. and bishop hall divides the whole duty of man into knowledg and practice . in the infancy of the world ( especially before the sealing of the scripture-canon ) god revealed himself and his will frequently , either vocally by himself , as to moses in the mount ; or else by divers and sundry other manners , as by dreams , visions , prophecies , extasies , oracles , and other supernatural means : nor will i blow up the humours of these times so high , as to confine these his miraculous revelations to gods people onely ( though to them most frequently and especially ) , but sometimes also to hypocrites within the church , as to saul and others ; yea and sometimes even to infidels , as to pharaoh , balaam , nebuchadnezzar , abimelech , &c. but since the writings of the prophets and apostles , ( commonly called the scriptures ) and that the christian church by the preaching of the gospel , is become oecumenical , dreams and other supernaturall revelations , as also other things of like nature as miracles , have ceased to be of ordinary and familiar use ; so as now we ought rather to suspect delusion in them , than ●o expect direction from them : yet god hath no where abridged or limited himself from these supernatural wayes of revealing his will , in case his written word should be taken from us , or we from it : but we of this latter age have all these so lively represented to our view , by the benefit of printing , as if we our selves were personally present : for printing is of so divine a nature , that it makes a thousand years but as yesterday , by prèsenting to our view things done so long before ; and so spirituall withall , that it flyes into all parts parts of the world without weariness . finally , 't is so great a friend to the schollar , that he may make himself master of any art or science that hath been treated of for years before , in lesse than two years time . but virtue it self will not want opposers , and philosophy is ever odious to ignorant ears : nay , there are a sort of people in the world , that account ignorance the mother of devotion , and therefore out of conscience would not have even the scriptures printed in the mother tongue : but i shall not go out of my own way , to bring them unto it , further than by defending the theame i have in hand . concerning the time of bringing this excellent art into england , and by whose expence and procurement it was brought ; modern writers of good reputation do most erroniously agree together . mr. stowe in his survey of london , speaking of the th year of king henry the sixth his reign , which was anno dom. . saith , that the noble science of printing was about this time found in germany at magunce by one john cuthenbergus a knight , and that william caxton of london , mercer , brought it into england about the year . and first practised the same in the abby of st. peter at westminster ; with whom sir richard baker in his chronicle agrees throughout . and mr. howell in his historicall discourse of london and westminster , agrees with both the former in the time , person , and place in generall ; but more particularly declares the place in westminster to be the almory there ; and that islip abbot of westminster set up the first press of book printing that ever was in england . these three famous historians having fill'd the world with the supposed truth of this assertion , ( although possibly it might arise through the mistake of the first writer only , whose memory i perfectly honour ) makes it the harder task upon me to undeceive the world again : nor wouldi undertake this work , but under a double notion ; as i am a friend to truth , and so it is unfit to suffer one man to be intituled to the worthy atchievements of another . and as a friend to my self , not to lose one of my best arguments of intituling the king to this art in his private capacity . historians must of necessity take many things upon trust , they cannot with their own but with the eyes of others see what things were done before they themselves were , bernardus non vidit omnia ; 't is not then impossible they should mistake . i shall now make it appear they have done so , from their own , as well as from other arguments : mr. stowe his expressions are very dubious , and the matter exprest very improbable ; he saith printing was found in magunce , which presupposes it was practised some where else before , and lost : and further , that 't was found in the reign of henry the sixth , anno dom. . and not brought into england till eleven years in the succeeding reign of edward the fourth , being years after , as if it had been lost again . if this be true , there was as little rarity as expedition in obtaining it , the age of years time having intervened , and so indeed it might be the act of a mercer rather than a more eminent person : but when i consider what great advantage the kingdome in general receives by it , i could not but think a publique person and a publique purse must needs be concerned in so publique a good. the more i considered of this , the more inquisitive i was to find out the truth of it : at last , a book came to my hands printed at oxon. anno dom. . which was three years before any of the recited authours would allow it to be in england ; which gave me some reward for my curiosity , and encouragement to proceed further : and in prosecution of this discovery , the same most worthy person who trusted me with the aforesaid book , did also present me with the copy of a record and manuscript in lambeth-house , heretofore in his custody , belonging to the see ( and not to any particular arch-bishop of canterbury ) the substance whereof was this , ( though i hope , for publique satisfaction , the record it self , in its due time , will appear . ) thomas bourchier , arch-bishop of canterbury , moved the then king ( hen. the th ) to use all possible means for procuring a printing-mold ( for so 't was there called ) to be brought into this kingdom ; the king ( a good man , and much given to works of this nature ) readily hearkned to the motion ; and taking private advice , how to effect his design , concluded it could not be brought about without great secrecy , and a considerable sum of money given to such person or persons , as would draw off some of the work-men from harlein in holland , where john cuthenberg had newly invented it , and was himself personally at work : 't was resolv'd , that less then one thousand marks would not produce the desir'd effect : towards which sum , the said arch-bishop presented the king with three hundred marks . the money being now prepared , the management of the design was committed to mr. robert turnour , who then was of the roabs to the king , and a person most in favour with him , of any of his condition : mr. turnour took to his assistance mr. caxton , a citizen of good abilities , who trading much into holland , might be a creditable pretence , as well for his going , as stay in the low-countries : mr. turnour was in disguise ( his beard and hair shaven quite off ) but mr. caxton appeared known and publique . they having received the said sum of one thousand marks , went first to amsterdam , then to leyden , not daring to enter harlein it self ; for the town was very jealous , having imprisoned and apprehended divers persons , who came from other parts for the same purpose : they staid till they had spent the whole one thousand marks in gifts and expences ▪ so as the king was fain to send five hundred marks more , mr. turnour having written to the king , that he had almost done his work ; a bargain ( as he said ) being struck betwixt him and two hollanders , for bringing off one of the work-men , who should sufficiently discover and teach this new art : at last , with much ado , they got off one of the under-workmen , whose name was frederick corsells ( or rather corsellis ) who late one night stole from his fellows in disguise , into a vessel prepared before for that purpose ; and so the wind ( favouring the design ) brought him safe to london . 't was not thought so prudent , to set him on work at london , ( but by the arch-bishops meanes , who had been vice-chancellor , and afterwards chancellor of the university of oxon ) corsellis was carryed with a guard to oxon ; which guard constantly watch'd , to prevent corsellis from any possible escape , till he had made good his promise , in teaching how to print : so that at oxford printing was first set up in england , which was before there was any printing-press , or printer , in france , spain , italy , or germany , ( except the city of mentz ) which claimes seniority , as to printing , even of harlein it self , calling her city , urbem maguntinam artis tipographicae inventricem primam , though 't is known to be otherwise , that city gaining that art by the brother of one of the workmen of harlem , who had learnt it at home of his brother , and after set up for himself at mentz . this press at oxon was at least ten years before there was any printing in europe ( except at harlein , and mentz ) where also it was but new born . this press at oxford , was afterwards found inconvenient , to be the sole printing-place of england , as being too far from london , and the sea : whereupon the king set up a press at st. allans , and another in the abby of westminster , where they printed several bookes of divinity and physick , ( for the king , for reasons best known to himself and council ) permitted then no law-books to be printed ; nor did any printer exercise that art , but onely such as were the kings sworn servants ; the king himself having the price and emolument for printing books . printing thus brought into england , was most graciously received by the king , and most cordially entertained by the church , the printers having the honour to be sworn the king's servants , and the favour to lodge in the very bosome of the church ; as in westminster , st. albans , oxon , &c. by this meanes the art grew so famous , that anno prim . rich. . cap. . when an act of parliament was made for restraint of aliens , from using any handicrafts here ( except as servants to natives ) a special provisoe was inserted , that strangers might bring in printed or written books , to sell at their pleasure , and exercise the art of printing here , notwithstanding that act : so that in the space of or years , by the especial industry and indulgence of edw. the fourth , edw. the fifth , rich. the third , henry the seventh , and henry the eighth , the english prov'd so good proficients in printing , and grew so numerous , as to furnish the kingdome with books ; and so skilfull , as to print them as well as any beyond the seas , as appears by the act of the hen. . cap. . which abrogates the said provisoc for that reason . and it was further enacted in the said statute , that if any person bought forreign books bound , he should pay s. d. per book . and it was further provided and enacted , that in case the said printers and sellers of books , were unreasonable in their prices , they should be moderated by the lord chancellor , lord treasurer , the two lord chief justices , or any two of them , who also had power to fine them s. d. for every book whose price shall be enhanced . thus was the art of printing , in its infancy , nursed up by the nursing father of us all , and in its riper age brought up in monasteries of greatest accompt ; and yet were the instruments thereof restrained from the evil of enhancing the prices of books , to the detriment of their fellow-subjects , by the authority aforesaid . while they had this check upon them , they were not only servants to the king , but friends to the kingdom : but when they were by charter concorporated with book-binders , book-sellers , and founders of letters , and phil. and mary , and called the company of stationers , the body forgot the head , and by degrees , ( breaking the reines of government ) they kickt against the power that gave them life : and whereas before they printed nothing but by the kings especiall leave and command , they now ( being free ) set up for themselves to print what they could get most money by ; and taking the advantage of those virtiginous times , of the latter end of henry the . edward the . and queen mary , they fill'd the kingdom with so many books , and the brains of the people with so many contrary opinions , that these paper-pellets became as dangerous as bullets , to verifie that saying of tertullian , that lawyers gowns hurt the common-wealth as much as souldiers helmets . thus was this excellent and desireable art , within less than one hundred years , so totally vitiated , that whereas they were before the king's printers and servants , they now grew so poor , so numerous , and contemptible , by being concorporated , that they turn'd this famous art into a mechanick trade for a livelyhood . but here i must break off ( though abruptly ) and answer an objection ; for methinks i hear the critick say , how can that be a mechanick trade now , that the author allowes to be a famous art heretofore , being alwayes one and the same thing ? the matter of which before i answer , i must crave leave to give you the signification of the word mechanick ; the rather , because the several sorts of trades , of which the company of stationers are composed ( and more particularly the book-sellers who say they are of no manufacture ) do peremptorily deny themselves to be mechanicks . the word mechanicus , which signifies a handicrafts-man , doth in the strict sense comprehend printers , founders of letters , and book-binders ; and i believe , in the large sense , all trades-men whatsoever : but if that be deficient , let us go to the original greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies , a cunning contrivance of the head , as well as hand ; and this will certainly take in all trades , for as much as there is cunning in all trades : but if it should miss any , yet it cannot fail of the company of stationers , because they are denominated a mystery , and there the strict signification of the word comes in again . now for the matter of the objection , that a famous art cannot be a mechannick trade . i answer , this is so far from being true , that there is nothing in nature but is good or bad according as 't is us'd ; for the great creator of all things made nothing to no purpose ; even meat and drink ( without which we cannot live ) if abus'd , destroyes life ; twenty dye of surfets , for one that is starved for want of meat . but to give you an instance ad idem : musick is not onely an art , but one of the liberall arts practised by princes themselves , and made instrumentall to the glory of god ; yet what trade is there more despicable in the world both in name and nature , than a common fidler ; though he may draw as good a sound out of an instrument , and have as much art in playing and composing as any gentleman , yet if he get his living by it , and makes it his trade , he is still but a fidler : and herein i pity him more than any of other professions , because he perverts the creation , and turns day into night ; for most commonly when sober persons are in bed , he must play to please the humours of the lighter sort ; and though his heart be ready to break through melancholy , he must sing a merry song to delight the company , if commanded , or have his fiddle sing about his ears : is not this mechanick , think you ? but to return where i digrest ; printing became now so dangerous to the common-wealth , that there were more books burnt in ten years , than could be printed in twenty : and now it concern'd the prince altogether as much to suppress the abuse , as it was before to obtain the use of printing ; and had there not been a reserve of licensing such books as should be printed still remaining in the crown , they might have published the wickedness of their own imaginations with authority . but queen elizabeth at her very first entrance to the crown , finding so great disorders in church and state , by reason of the abuse in printing , secures in the first place the law and the gospel , of both which the kings and queens of england have inherent right as heads of the church , and supream of the law ; and not onely in their publique , but private capacity , as proprietors ; the power and signiory of this , under favour , cannot be severed from the crown : the kings being the trustees of the people , who have formerly taken an oath at their coronation , that they shall keep all the lands , honours , and dignities , rights , and freedoms of the crown of england , in all manner whole , without any manner of minishment ; and the right of the crown , hurt , decay'd , or lost , to their power shall call again into the antient estate . which oath , the said queen kept inviolably , and liv'd the more quietly for it all the time of her reign , and died in peace . true it is , they may , and do gratifie their friends and servants , in giving them the emoluments and profits that arise from printing ; but the power they cannot alienate from the crown , without losing the most pretious stone out of their diadem . to shew you one example for all , the said queen , the first year of her reign , grants by patent the priviledge of sole printing all books , that touch or concern the common-laws of england , to tottel a servant to her majesty , who kept it intire to his death : after him , to one yestweirt , another servant to her majesty : after him , to weight and norton ; and after them , king james grants the same priviledge to more , one of his majesties clerks of the signet ; which grant continues to this day ; and so for the bible , the statute-laws , the book of common-prayer , proclamations , as much as the grammer , the primer , &c. art all granted by kings and queens , not onely to gratifie their friends and servants , but to preserve the regal power and authority on foot , and these books from being corrupted . the truth of this the most impudent opponent will not deny , because the patents themselves give evidence against them ; nor will they deny in words ( though they do daily in fact ) that the king hath power to make such grants . but this they will object and say , that gentlemen being not printers by trade , nor free of the company of stationers , can never find out the abuses of printing themselves , nor understand the cheats of them , they being so many ; but they must be discovered either by the printers , or the company of stationers , or both together : this is the common objection . to which i answer ; the objection cannot properly lye against any man for being a gentleman , because the greatest nobleman will not deny himself to be one , nor can he with honour refuse a challenge from any gentleman : and the very mechanick is so willing to disguise his want of gentility , that when he arrives to a considerable estate , he is very forward to purchase honour . nor can i think any man the less knowing for being a gentleman , whose education is most commonly at school , at the university , the inns of court , travell , or both ; whereas the education of a mechanick is only at school , without any other improvements : this being the course that each of them generally runs , 't is strange if the gentleman should not get the start , and be better known to letters , manners , and men , than the mechanick . but this objection goes further . that though they may know letters , &c. better than the mechanick , yet they can never arrive to a full discovery of the mystery and deceitfull part of the trade ; that they must give handicrafts men leave to know best . to which i answer ; first , that there is no magick in this art ; jugglers they may be , but conjurers they are not . secondly , that gentlemen may and do know the mystery and deceipt of the trade as well as those that act it ; but their knowledg tends different wayes . it is the gentlemen or patentees part to detect and hinder this deceipt ; as 't is the stationers to promote and practice it : their profit blinds them so , that they resemble certain birds , who when they hide their heads , think none can see their bodies ; or like children , who after a fault committed , wink themselves , thinking thereby that none can find them out . to render this possible , i will give you an instance of a person , that none can deny to be a gentleman , though he were much more , ( i mean the late king ) who was not onely aliquis in omnibus , but singularis in omnibus . this excellent prince , hearing of a rare head , amongst several other pictures , brought me from rome , sent sir james palmer , to bring it to whitehall to him , where were present divers picture-drawers and painters : he ask'd them all , of whose hand that was ? some guest at it ; others were of another opinion ; but none was positive : at last , said the king , this is such a man's hand , i know it as well , as if i had seen him draw it : but ( said he ) is there but one man's hand in this picture ? none could discern , whether there was or not : but most concluded , there was but one hand : said he , i am sure there are two hands in it , for i know the hand that drew the heads ; but the hand that drew the rest , i never saw before . upon this , a gentleman that had been at rome , about ten years before , affirmed , that he saw this very picture , with the two heads , unfinished at that time ; and that he heard his brother ( who staid there some years after him ) say , that the widow of the painter that drew it wanting money , got the best master she could find to finish it , and make it saleable . is it not strange , that the king that was no picture-drawer himself , should see further into a picture , than painters by trade . but were the objection true ( as 't is much to be doubted ) yet were the patentees still the very fittest persons to be imployed , in redressing the evils of the press , wherein they are concern'd , because their interest leads them to it : and men will come to a soon discovery , even of obscure things , where their interest inclines them ; indeed , the printers argument against the booksellers , &c. being all of the company of stationers , doth hold in point of government amongst themselves , that 't is absurd and ridiculous for any , to have the rule and oversight of that which they have no insight in . but this is not at all applicable ( nor do they intend it to be so ) to the king's patentees ; who ( if they be not printers themselves , nor have a printer of their own ) agree with one to print such a book , whereof they have the propriety , which printer gives him security to print the same perfect , and with a fair letter ; it matters not whether the pattentee can set the letters , or have skill in the manufacture himself ; 't is sufficient for him to examine it with his copy when 't is done , ( which copy cannot erre , because it is under the publique licence ) and try whether it be as 't was agreed ; and if it be not as it ought to be in all respects , the printer loseth his labour and charge : 't is the printers interest then as well as the patentees , to print it perfect and fair ; without which , ( should they both joyn together ) they could not vend it , after 't was printed . i confess , it would argue an ill nature in me , not to be sorry for the just occasion the printers have to complain of their brethren the booksellers , were it not for this , that when some men fall out , others shall hear of their goods : yet i cannot but side with the printers thus far , as to declare , that they , with the founders of letters , are the onely instruments of absolute necessity in this art ; whereas book-sellers might be supply'd out of the she-shopkeepers in westminster-hall , if all the rest were higher promoted . in fine , these book-sellers are the drones that devour the honey , made by the laborious printers ; i cannot so sensibly express it , as themselves have done : therefore hear them ▪ and not me ; say they , so far were the stationers from redressing the printers wrongs , that some of themselves , took upon themselves , the exercise of their function , and gave a forreigner his freedom gratis , to inable him to usurp the exercise of the printers calling ; and to compleat the abuse , erect a printing-house of their own : so as it is become a question among the book-sellers , whether a printer ought to have any copy or no ? or if he have , they ( keeping the register ) will hardly enter it : or if they do , they and their accomplices will use all means to disparage it , if not down-right counterfeit it , that they tyrannize over printers . and further , that for want of a due establishment , transgressors never want incouragers to begin , or chapmen to vend such ware , when finished among the stationers . they desire , that such as are free of the trade , may be free indeed , and not manumitted ( as of late ) from the service of one master , to the slavery of many tyrants : that the stationers have usurped their callings , and incouraged , yea hired others so to do , and stand related to each other , as the buyer to the seller . upon all which , they refer their cause , to the same power that gave them theirs , who may resume , or abridge the same , upon mis-use , at their pleasure . this is a sad complaint of elder brethren against their younger ; if one dog will not prey upon another , what reason can be given , why men should devour men ? and if this be the usage those must trust to , to whom they profess friendship ; what is like to become of the patentees , against whom they profess enmity ? if such a power be continued to them , which i hope will be seriously considered of , before it shall be re-granted . success ( which usually gives confidence ) hath so hardned them , that having not felt the justice of the king's hand , for above twenty years last past , they now begin to swear him out of , and themselvs into , this part of his regal power : for they being lately examined upon interrogatories , between atkins et uxor . plaintiffs , and flesher and the stationers defendants ; some of them ( i am sure ) are so streight-mouth'd , that they do not declare the whole truth of what they know on our part , and seem to make a conscience of swearing at all ; as if st. paul had been in an errour , when he said , an oath for confirmation , is an end of strife . indeed , they strein'd at a gnat , but when they were to swear on the other part ( namely their own ) they open their mouthes wide enough to swallow a camel. say they , from the year . or . until the time of his majesties blessed restauration to his crown , any booksellers that listed , did print , or cause to he printed , such law-books as seemed good unto them , without restraint or prohibition , occasioned by the licence of the late times : and that such as had licence under the king 's grant to print law-books , were hindered to make the benefit of the said grant ; and that it was usual for such persons as printed law-books , to enter the same in the book of stationers-hall ; and that it was conceived and taken , that such person and persons , as entred a copy in the said hall-book to be printed , had the sole right to print the same ; and those that claim'd the right of printing law-books under the king's licence , were thereby taken to be excluded , and debarred to claim any benefit therein . observe what a sad time the kings patentees endur'd for almost twenty years together , confest by the oaths of these honest men , that joyn'd in dividing the spoyl : and shall it be so still , now the king is return'd again ? i dare positively say it shall ; witness a book called poulton's abridgment , particularly exprest in the law-patent , which they printed since the kings restauration , by vertue of an entry only in their hall-book , against the said patent ; the patentee's lessee flesher ( a principal member of the company ) finding the stationers like to be worsted at the council-board in the contest of their said entry against the kings grant , joyns interest with them , and also engageth the kings patentees trustee , and the kings printers ( who pretended some interest in the said book ) on their side ; as if severall bad titles could create one good one : by which means after four hearings , the cause ( seeming to be between party and party ) was dismist , but with the recommendation of the king and councill to the lord high chancellor , on the behalf of the said patentee ( who had the equitable right ) : the company to requite the lessees kindness in defending them from a contempt against the king , ( he being the person in law that ought to have defended the patent for the king against the said company ) like brethren — joyn with the lessee to defend him against the justice of the court of chancery , and combine together to defeat the patentee of his rent by covenant , and so bandy the legall interest from one hand to another , that it cannot be yet found where it vests ; and to enable him the better , make him master of the said company for two years together ( never known before ) , and choose wardens fit for the purpose , who engage the stock of the whole company on his behalf , against the king 's patentee : and being thus fortified , they published the said book with this title page , printed for the company of stationers , john bill and christopher barker his majesties printers ; and so make a mixt interest , to render the title the more questionable in the future ; but do not so much as mention the kings patent at all , by which the said book is granted by name : this serves the turn for the present occasion , and being so possest as aforesaid , flesher and the stationers give l. to the patentee's trustee to release the rent and covenants of the said lease , and the kings printers l. or l. for their assistance in so difficult a work as this , and then sell the impression for l. ( as appears by their own oaths ) which impression alone over-payes them all the moneys they are out of purse : and had they not been stopt in their full carrear at the council-board , or rather by injunction in chancery , ( which they complain of as a hinderance to their trade also by oath ) they had by this time altered the ancient law-books , and cast them into a new modell of their own invention ; that by degrees the state and truth of the good old lawes by which men hold their lives and estates , should utterly be lost and forgotten , and new laws fram'd to fit the humours of a new invented government ; which they little value , so they may have full rates for their books , and their goddess diana be safe . i have gone thus far upon mine own strength onely , without any publique or private assistance ; and because i am not willing to endure thefield much longer of my self , i think it my duty to state the case truly as it is , and implore the ayd of such neighbours ( who cannot probably prevent the burning down of their own houses , when mine is first set on fire ) : common experience tells us , a just cause signifiės little of it self , if it be not backt with diligence and friends : bonum apparens et bonum verum et absolute , are so like , ( though of a contrary nature ) that the credit of the best testimony gives either precedency ; 't is therefore not only hard , but impossible for one man to contend with a thousand , and not be conquered . hercules was most strong and valiant , and yet , ne hercules contra duos . i have no proper refuge but to his majestie in this case , which i do chiefly espouse for his sake , who like king david is worth ten thousand of us . i have not the power to impose , but rather to propose his majesties timely assistance : onely this i hope i may say without offence , that if the king suppose it not for his interest ▪ i shall more willingly lay down the cudgells , than i took them up at first : but if otherwise , i am as careless of their malice , as gallio , it being not the first time i have past upon the forlorne hope . by this time the impartiall reader may inclin'd to believe , the company of stationers are not the fittest persons to redress the evills of the press ; because 't is most certain , that none but themselves can offend : and 't would be greater self-denyall in them than can be expected , to punish themselves contrary to their interests . there are at least booksellers that keep shops in and about london , and two or three thousand free of the company of stationers ; the licensed books of the kingdome cannot imploy one third part of them : what shall the rest do ? i have heard some of them openly at the committee of the house of commons say , they will rather hang than starve ; and that a man is not hang'd for stealing but being taken ; necessitas cogit ad turpia . but this is not all , 't is not onely for their interest not to suppress them , but to maintain them : an unlicensed book bears treble the price of another ; and generally the more scandalous a book is , by so much the more dear : this hath inricht the wealthiest of them ; and when they fear losing their ill-got goods , they put their journy-men of the poorer sort , or their apprentices , upon the work , going shares with them , and taking their oaths or other security to be true to them , though false to all the world besides . thus do they breed up their youth like the lacedemonians , who allow'd their children little or nothing but what they could get by filching and stealing : that the printers are poor and numerous , can no body deny , for it hath lately been the great work of this parliament to lessen their number , and to provide for their poor . but because extream prices may be doubted by those that do not usually buy , i will give you one instance for all ; i was lately in a book-seller's shop , where i saw a book in quarto , entituled , killing no murder , it had but eight leaves in all , stitcht up without binding , he demanded s. for it , and would not take less : a book of the same bigness licensed , would have cost but d. or d. at the most . 't is not then the interest of the company of stationers to suppress unlicensed books : whose is it then ? i confidently affirm , it is the patentees , who derive from the king. i shall give you one similitude of the like nature ; the king , as belonging to the honor of windsor , hath a great quantity of ground of which he makes little or no benefit , because it lyes in common ; and the neighbours thereabouts , do not onely eat the herbage , but steal the kings deer , and destroy his woods , without giving any accompt or satisfaction whatsoever : to prevent which mischief , the king incloseth several parks , and gives the keeping of them to several persons by patent , reserving what he pleaseth out of them , the rest he gives the patentees : these are still the kings parks , though kept by the patentees ; for the king kills what deer he pleaseth , disposes of the venison , and fells the timber for repair of his houses , shipping , &c. what wrong doth he to his neighbours , by inclosing his own lands , which he denyes to none of his subjects ? yet his neighbours are troubled , because they cannot wrong him as before ; and upon every distemper of the common-wealth , destroy the fences , and make it common again . is it not ( think you ) the interest of the pattentees , to defend the kings right , and their own profit under him , and to prosecute the law against such offenders ? is not the interest of the king and his patentees so involv'd , that they cannot be divided ? just so is it by inclosing printing ; the king ( having the right thereof , as much as of any crown-lands ) grants all sorts of books , necessary for the education of youth , or the improvements of age , or whatsoever else is usefull for soul , body , or estate , to several persons by patent ; it will much concern these patentees , in honour and profit both , to see their several grants be not trespassed upon , nor corrupted by others : and so they have ever kept their copies intire , till the latter end of the late king charles his reign ; at which time ▪ the company of stationers , by fair pretences , ( as they did before to queen mary , to get their charter ) obtain'd a decree of star-chamber , to invest the executive power of printing in them , against the patentees ; and then libellous and scandalous books and pamphlets began to fly about like lightning : and when this was strengthned with an act of car. which took away the jurisdiction of the councel-board and the star-chamber ( at least between party and party ) , their mischief was compleated , and they impowred to vent the passions of all discontented minds in print , against monarchy and episcopacy ; which they persu'd with such diligence and success , that they did eradicate both root and branch : whereas the council-board , and the star-chamber , did usually fine and imprison such transgressors ▪ of which , i can shew several presidents , from the time of queen elizabeth , to this king's reign . but it may be said , scandalous , libellous , and heretical books may be printed of themselves , without any relation to the several kinds of books granted by patent . i answer , 't is very true ; but as long as the gospel , the lawes , and all other books for the advancement of learning , good manners , and education of youth , that are in grant , be kept intire , without any mixture of heresie , scandall , or schisme , 't will go a great way in preventing libells and scandalls ; and the parliament may do the rest with greater ease , by reducing the number of presses , and inflicting great penalties upon such as shall print and publish unlicensed books and pamphlets : which penalties cannot be too big , because it lyes in their own power whether they will offend or not . if the power this parliament hath given the company of stationers , had taken any good effect , they might have possibly continued it : but as a worthy gentleman notes , amongst other most true and ingenious observations , that not one person hath been fin'd , and but one prosecuted , by the company of stationers , since the late act , notwithstanding so much treason and sedition printed and disperst since that time ; but he himself ( being an active gentleman and loyall subject ) hath discovered more within this two years , than the company of stationers have done ever since they had a charter . to this give me leave to adde , that 't is not likely ( setting profit aside ) even in order to kingly government , they should suppress these books ; for a corporation being in it self a petit - state , is inconsistent with monarchy . wofull experience tells us , that very few , if any , went further with the king than their own interests led them ; which puts me in mind of a story of queen elizabeth , who being at quinborough upon an occasion , the maior of the town brought her onwards of her way so far , till the queen desir'd him to return back again , saying , he had brought her far enough : to which he replyed , madam , i 'le bring your majestie as far as my way lyes . for his worship , being a landed man , had a small tenement about a mile further . i wish corporations would do but as much as that , and not go out of their way to destroy monarchy ; for i must needs confess , that shining shooes and set ruffs were very forward to sit in judgment upon the late king's party , for doing but their duty to their prince , which they themselves ought to have done . and here i might take occasion to say , that though the lawes of god be infinite and everlasting , and fitted for all times and persons , yet the lawes of men are like themselves , finite , imperfect , and subject to infirmity , and death it self , as the makers are : hence it comes , that so many laws are repeal'd , and others made in their rooms ; and hence it may come , that all lesser governments under a monarchy may by misuser be wholly taken away , or else abated ; as was heretofore the barons power by their so often taking up arms against the king ; and the two hundreds of dudson and kings barton , who were by this very parliament taken out of the jurisdiction of gloueester , though enjoy'd by them ever since the times of richard the third , the grant being judg'd unreasonable ; our best lawes and constitutions by age losing strength and vigour , as our bodies do , either by the crafty evasions of the offendors , or by the alteration of their vices , or by the male-administration of justice upon the malefactors ; for the just performance of which last , none have greater encouragement than the reward of a good conscience to fortifie them against the malice of those they punish ; who though they act according to their best judgment , yet by reason of some doubtful penning of a law , offenders are also many times taken out of the hand of justice , to the very great encouragement of the delinquents , and discouragement of the punishers ; insomuch , as when twyn was lately arraign'd for printing treason , he was condemn'd by the old law , though there be a new one now extant for that very purpose . and so i return to the stationers again ; where i find them very sollicitous with the parliament to enlarge , or at least confirm , this power they have already , ( resolving to have it by hook or by crook ) and promising all care and diligence for the future , if they shall be once more trusted ; saying , with absolom , o that i were made judge in the land , &c. that every man might have justice : and what followes , but presently raising an army against king david , though his own father . let not the reader conjecture i lay an imputation upon every particular member of the company , ( for there are too many of them that groan under the like burthen , as i my self do , ) but against the whole corporation , as a body politique ( especially as 't is now governed . ) i have now shewed you the practices of the company of stationers , and some particular members thereof , against the king , and his patentees ; who , like painted sepulchres , appear glorious without , but within are full of rottenness and corruption : i have also opened , tented , and sering'd the sores of their body politique , and tryed them to the quick ( which i hope will not prove like the touch of a gall'd horse-back , to receive a kick for my labour and good-will ) . but because i am not so good a chirurgion , as to close and cure them again my self , i shall implore the help of the parliament , and shall most humbly recommend them to their cure , together with these ensuing observations and proposals . the reasons inducing queen mary to incorporate the stationers , are expressed in her charter in these words , nos considerantes quod seditiosi et heretici libri , rithmi , &c. indies sunt editi , excuss . et iuspressi per diversas scandalosas , malitiosas , schismatic . et heretic . personas , non solum movend . subditos et ligeos nostros ad seditiones et inobedientias , contra nos , coronam et dignitatem nostras , verum etiam ad maximas et detestabiles hereses , contra fidem , &c. et remedium congruum in hac parte providere volentes ; de gratia nostra speciali &c. the queen erects the corporation with powers and trusts , . to make lawes pro securo regimine of the members of the company . . to search for and seize books printed contrary to law. observ . . the erecting this corporation hath not proved remediall against the mischiefs recited in the charter ; but the queen was wholly deceived in the design aymed at in passing the charter . . the intrusting the stationers with the powers aforesaid , hath not only not remedied , but hath encouraged , encreased , and secured the printing sedition and treason . for , . the persons who are intrusted with the search and discovery of the offences to be remedied , are themselves the common offenders therein . the company , in their politique capacity , cannot execute the trusts , or merit or offend , but by their particular members ; divers principal members of the company have been actually convicted , some as privy and accessory , other as principals , in printing and publishing illegal books ; and many treasonable books have been printed , during the late troubles , for several principal members of the company . . the company of stationers have in other things exceeded the authorities granted by their charter , as by imposing and administring of oaths , &c. and by entring other mens copies in their hall-book as their own , and then printing and selling them , in opposition to the king 's grant ; and this by vertue of a law in the latė evil times : and have also assumed to themselves ( by colour of the said charter ) the whole right of priviledging and exercising printing , and have combined to oppose and overthrow the king 's just power and prerogative herein , and interest of his patentees . . from all which it appears , the crown hath been deceived in the end and design of erecting the said corporation . . that they have not proved remediall , but instrumental , to the increase of the mischiefs they should redress . . that they have broke and acted contrary to the trusts imposed in them by their charter . . they have , by colour of their charter , abused the favour of the crown , in exceeding the authorities granted them , and assuming to themselves the whole power of the crown , concerning the matter of printing . i therefore take the boldness , most humbly to propose to your honours ; i. that the king 's just power and prerogative , in the impowring and restraining printing , and in the hearing , regulating , and determining all differences touching the same ▪ as a matter of state , be declared and confirmed , as an antient and hereditary right of the crown ; and that all laws contrary thereunto be repealed . ii. that an act for regulating printing may establish propriety therein according to the kings grants thereof , and may direct rules for the licensing and management of printing , and inflict penalties for abuses therein , with legall means for the executing such penalties , and for settling and securing every man's propriety , ( saving the right of the crown ) to regulate or restrain any interest or right in printing , or other matter concerning the same , which by the king and councill shall be conceiv'd a nusance of state. iii. that the charter of the company of stationers , who claym thereby an unlimited power in printing , be examined , together with the unreasonablenesse thereof , and the abuses committed thereby , by testimony of witnesses to be summoned to that purpose ; and that the said charter , and the powers thereby granted , be limited according to reason and the true intent of the grant. iv. that the penalty for printing without licence , be forfeiture of the book or thing so printed , and treble the value thereof , one moyety thereof to the patenteé or party interessed in the right of printing such unlicensed book ( if any person be therein interessed ) , or otherwise to the king , and the other moyety to the informer : but that books once licensed , may be reprinted without licence , or so much of them as shall be without addition or alteration . v. that the king 's patenteé for printing law-books , be priviledg'd with a like priviledge , as the patenteés for the bible are , or shall be priviledged ; and with power to search with an officerfor unlicensed law-books , and to seize and carry away the same to some publique place . vi. that no disloyall or notorious criminal person for printing treasonable or seditious books in the late times of trouble , be admitted to keep a printing-presse ; and that such as be intrusted with a printing-presse , be sworn not to offend the act of parliament , &c. and give security for the same . vii . that the entry of other mens copies in stationers-hall , be declared to be of no validity , especially as to give them any title to such books as are granted by patent to others . and now it may be most truly said , that the author is very tedious , and yet hath made few or no propositions but such as concern the king and his patentees . to which i answer , that all other interests have not been wanting to make the best of their case , and their desires to be fully understood ; and as for the company of stationers , they were by this late act so amply provided for , as that at the committeé of the house of commons they had nothing more of substance to desire . the printers have also published a late book , wherein they desire to be incorporated and made a company of themselves , apart from the company of stationers , of which they now are ; and therein also have stated the best of their case . mr. l'estrange hath also published a book , wherein he treateth of the whole matter in generall , and shews the severall abuses of printing and printers , but hath not applyed himself to any particular interest : and therefore i have taken the boldness to say somewhat , though weakly , for the king and his patenteés ; hoping an ill pen shall not destroy a good cause ; but that the wisedome and loyalty of this parliament , which is exemplary for both , will supply all defects , and take the will for the deed ; the rather , because extream necessity enforceth me to say somewhat now before the act be past ; which makes me rather adventure to be ridiculous , than wanting to my duty . i shall add onely one word more , that in a business of so great intricacy and concernment as this of printing , your honours would not without very great consideration , make an act for perpetuity , in which all interests may be equally considered ; the rather , because the late act now in being , which was past in hast , is judg'd ( even by your selves ) to have many imperfections in it . and if the brewers , who at most can but steal away a flegmatick part of the king's revenue , deserve the serious consideration of the supreme council of england , how much more these , that do not onely bereave the king of his good-name , but of the very hearts of his people ; between whom there is as much oddes , as between a pyrate that robs a ship or two , and alexander that robs the whole world. finis . notes, typically marginal, from the original text notes for div a -e revelation not confined only to the people of god. the great benefit of printing . printing supposed to be brought into england in the year . page . page . page . printing first set up at oxford . printing depraved , by being incorporated with others none but the kings sworn servants permitted to be printers . the price of books not to be enhauced . object . . how and why the art is called a mechanick trade . answ . . answ . . a simile taken from musick . patents for printing , granted to several persons . object . . answer . . object . . answ . . answ . the king more skilfull than mechanicks in their own trade . patentees fittest to redress the evils of the press . a brief discourse concerning printing . page . printers and founders onely necessary to the art of printing . a brief discourse concerning printing pag. . pag. pag. . pag. . the dangerous consequence of power in the stationers . the stationers conscience . 't is against the stationers interest to redress the evills of the press . the unconscionable dealing of booksellers . crown-lands and printing , equally the kings right . the sad effects of the executive power of printing in the company of stationers . object . . answ . too great penalties cannot be inflicted for offences in printing . more treason and sedition discovered by a gentleman in two years ▪ than hath ever been by the stationers . humane laws subject not only to imperfection , but death it self . observations and proposals recommended to the parliament . principals and particular members of the company high delinquents . the proposals . object . ▪ answer . to the right honourable the knights, citizens, and burgesses, assembled in parliament the humble petition of the workmen-printers, freemen of the city of london[.] this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ ]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing t thomason .f. [ ] estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; : f [ ]) to the right honourable the knights, citizens, and burgesses, assembled in parliament the humble petition of the workmen-printers, freemen of the city of london[.] hawkins, george, fl. . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london : ] signed: george hawkins (and others). imprint from wing. protesting against the monopoly for printing bibles, at present possessed by henry hills and john field. annotation on thomason copy: "april. . ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng bible -- publication and distribution -- england -- early works to . printing -- great britain -- early works to . a r (thomason .f. [ ]). civilwar no to the right honourable the knights, citizens, and burgesses, assembled in parliament, the humble petition of the workmen-printers, freemen hawkins, george a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - aptara keyed and coded from proquest page images - angela berkley sampled and proofread - angela berkley text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to the right honourable the knights , citizens , and burgesses , assembled in parliament , the humble petition of the workmen-printers , freemen of the city of london , sheweth , that in the time of the late generall liberty of printing english bibles , and testaments at london , and untill the . of march . last past , there were above sixty workmen-printers imployed in constant work at severall printing-houses ; whereby the books were vended at very moderate rates , to the great accommodation and benefit of the common-wealth , and encouragement , and comfortable support of your petitioners ; but by means of an undue , and unlawfull entrance of the late translated copy of the bible , then made in the register of the company of stationers , and other unjust proceedings used by henry hills and john field printers , in reference to their monopolizing ever since of the sole printing of bibles and testaments , and suppressing all other master-printers in that good work ; ( whereby they themselves imploy not above ten or twelve persons in their service , and inhanse the prices of their books to excessive dear rates , ) the common-wealth is abused by an unreasonable necessity , and your petitioners are for the generality of them much prejudiced and abridged in their hopes of lively-hood and fortunes , and many of them reduced to extream want and poverty , to the great grief of themselves and their relations . may it therefore most graciously please your honours to hear and redresse your petitioners grievances with all convenience , being of such universall influence upon , and concernment to the good of the common-wealth . and your petitioners , as in duty bound , shall ever pray , &c. signed by george hawkins . iohn sporier . thomas webster . iohn richardson . iohn dever . bryan lambert . iames gray . henry barrow . roger vaughan . thomas milbourne senior . for themselves , and in the names of . workmen-printers in london . the case of william bentley printer at finsbury near london, touching his right to the printing of bibles and psalms. bentley, william, printer at finsbury. this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ ]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing b thomason .f. [ ] estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; : f [ ]) the case of william bentley printer at finsbury near london, touching his right to the printing of bibles and psalms. bentley, william, printer at finsbury. sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london : ] imprint from wing. annotation on thomason copy: "nouemb ". reproduction of the original in the british library. eng bible -- publication and distribution -- early works to . printing -- england -- early works to . a r (thomason .f. [ ]). civilwar no the case of william bentley, printer at finsbury near london, touching his right to the printing of bibles and psalms. bentley, william, printer at finsbury. a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - sarah allison sampled and proofread - sarah allison text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the case of william bentley , printer at finsbury near london , touching his right to the printing of bibles and psalms . that in . the late kings printers ( who before did solely print bibles at london ) were delinquents in arms , and no impressions of bibles then made : by means whereof the books became very scarce , and the prices very dear : which gave occasion to the dutch to print them beyond seas , and import them hither ; but so notoriously false , and erroneous , as that the then assembly of divines , taking notice thereof , and desiring to redresse so great a mischief ( for the better communication of the word of god to all sorts of people in its purity ) sent for the london stationers to know at what rates they would undertake to serve the common-wealth with bibles & psalms , who affirmed , they could not , under . s. . d. per book in quires , and so declined the work . that thereupon bentley gave over a very good trade in london , and sold above . l. per annum lands of inheritance , and for the publick good did , by the favour of the parliament , erect a printing-house on purpose , and undertake to furnish the common-wealth with bibles and psalms , ( better printed and corrected than any former editions ) in octavo ( with marginal references ) and in twelves , at . s. per book . and ( finishing five considerable impressions ) did accordingly afford the same . that in . upon the armies advance to ireland , bentley supplied them with of the said books in octavo bound up in leather , at no more than . s. . d. per book . and thereupon , and for his former services , the parliament in the act for regulating printing , dated . sept. . made an explicite proviso , that ( notwithstanding the particular restrictions thereby made ) that act should not extend to the printing presse at finsbury , for printing bibles and psalms : but that it should continue to all intents and purposes , as if that act had not been had , or made . that in . upon the armies advance to scotland , bentley furnished them with of his said books in octavo in quires , at no more than . d. per book . that in . robert barker the younger , claiming a title and interest to the sole printing of the translated copy of the bible , called the new translation , endeavoured to have it confirmed to him by act of parliament ; and to that end before the passing of the act . jan. . for reviving the former act for regulating printing , put in a proviso to the house : which being twice read , and after full debate put to the question was with a negative vote cast out ( the parliament no wayes intending to monopolize the printing of the bible . ) and the said . jan. upon reading bentley's petition to have a liberty according to his proviso in the act . sept. . the parliament passed the act , reviving and continuing all the clauses and things of the former . as by the records of parliament may appear . by which bentley's right is implicitely confirmed , both acts being relative and connexive , and now in force as a law . that bentley provided himself with letter and materials for several impressions of bibles and psalms , above twelve moneths since , to be afforded at reasonable rates , engaging himself and friends to a very great value . but by some irregular dealings , and upon misinformation , the company of stationers have been enforced the sixth of march last , to make an undue entry in their registry , contrary to their custome , to henry hills and john field ( his highnesse printers ) of that individual copy of barker , which the parliament rejected , and adjudged as a monopoly ; notwithstanding , that bentley and others had put in their caveats upon better grounds before hand , but never were heard , contrary to all right and equity . whereby hills & field have sought to appropriate to themselves by abusing the supream authority , that book , which is the common interest , and evidence of all christians indefinitely , and concern's the state no further than to have it well translated , and published by a prudential securing the doing of the work by able men in that mystery ; neither ought it to be restrain'd to the ceremony of an entry as any mans private copy , it being ( truely translated ) the word of god and infallible truth , and not to be conceived in the qualification of mens private works , though never so divine . that . march last , hills and field ( pretending good service to the common-wealth ) obtained deputations to themselves from sir john barkstead , and mr. foxcroft , ( his highnesse commissioners for regulating of printing ) in pursuance of his highnesse instructions of . august . onely to search for , and seize all scandalous , and unlicensed books and pamphlets : who unlawfully , and contrary to the purport of their deputations , abusing their power by prostituting it to their own private ends , suppresse all printing of the bible and testament , by those who were upon the work , or bring them to unreasonable compositions with them ; whereby the prices of bibles and testaments are very much raised : and in particular the . august last , hills and field assisted by some souldiers , and producing nothing , but the said deputations , did carry away from bentleys house the form and materials for printing part of the new testament , and seized the sheets to his highnesse use , as if the same were scandalous . and several times before , and since have otherwise wrongfully disturbed him ; so that he , his wife , and . children being debarred of their livelyhood , so advisedly provided , for by the parliament , are likely to be utterly ruined and undone . that bentleys bibles ( being for the fairnesse of the print , and truth of the editions generally approved of to be the best that ever were printed ) are now sold at . s. per book in quires , at the least , by the book-sellers : and field hath so far advanced the prices of his bibles , that he will get above . l. in one bargain , more , than otherwise he could have done , if bentley was not obstructed . and those singing psalms which bentley sold at . d. and . d. are now sold at . d. by the stationers company ; to the apparent charge and losse of the people as well of the three nations , as of all the forreign plantations . and moreover , bentley during the time that he printed his said impressions , did constantly keep an able , and judicious correctour in his house , and allowed him above marks per annum , for his care and pains . but in . field made an impression of the bible and psalms in o ; . which for the smalnesse to carry in a pocket , hath sold very much : but it is so egregiously and wilfully false printed , ( in which notwithstanding , field standeth peremptorily to justifie himself , upon this nugatory pretence ; that because a society of stationers having a great stock , did under-sell him , he could not bear the charges of the carefull , and well correcting , and printing his books ) that if these texts ( amongst many hundreds of other dangerous , and pernicious faults and errours ) viz. john . . ( wherein these words are omitted ) or who hath opened his eyes , we know not ) cor. . . know ye not that the unrighteous shall inherit the kingdom of god , rom. . . neither yield ye your members as instruments of righteousnesse unto sin , &c. rom. . . rom. . . cor. . . epist. joh. vers. . rev. . . ) be all of them severally compared with the true , & authentick translation , those bibles are worthy of some remarkable distinction , to prevent the danger of the losse of many poor ignorant souls , who ground their belief upon what they hear , or read , or of others , who being wickedly inclined , will found to themselves a doctrine of licentiousnesse , by avouching a corrupted text ; the very publishing whereof shall bear a kinde of allowance , and approbation of authority , being past over in silence . that hills never yet perfected , or published any impression of the bible ; and if his knowledge and experience in the art of printing be duely inquired into , he may perhaps upon some good grounds , be adjudged no proper qualified person for so serious employment . that his highnesse . july last , upon bentley's petition referred his right , and matter of fact to be examined , and certified by several honourable and reverend persons : who . sept. last , after a full hearing have reported in writing their opinion , as to his right to the printing of bibles and psalms by virtue of the said acts of parliament : but ( through the great affairs of the common-wealth ) bentley hath had no opportunity to present it to his highnesse . and whereas a bill is preparing to be offered to the parliament by hills and field , and the company of stationers , to have ( according to their pretences of several proprieties ) the sole power of printing bibles and psalms , and totally to exclude bentley's interest so provided for by the said acts of parliament . therefore least any thing should be done for regulating of printing in general , or particular , ( being of such grand concernment to this common-wealth ) to his prejudice for want of a true information of the premises , ( which he is ready to make good ) bentley doth humbly present this to your honour ; and prayes your noble favour and assistance , that he may be truely represented to his highnesse , and the parliament , and receive justice , as to their wisdomes shall seem meet . true copy of the paper delivered to the sheriffs of london and middlesex by mr. william anderton at the place of execution, which he designed there to have spoken, but being frequently interrupted by the ordinary, mr. samuel smith, desired the said sheriffs to publish or dispose of it as they should think fit, seeing a dying man was not suffered to speak anderton, william, d. . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) true copy of the paper delivered to the sheriffs of london and middlesex by mr. william anderton at the place of execution, which he designed there to have spoken, but being frequently interrupted by the ordinary, mr. samuel smith, desired the said sheriffs to publish or dispose of it as they should think fit, seeing a dying man was not suffered to speak anderton, william, d. . sheet ([ ] p.) s.n.], [london: june , . signed: william anderton. place of publication from catalogue of english broadsides, - , . reproduction of original in bodleian library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng anderton, william, d. . printers -- england -- biography. printing -- history -- th century. printing -- england -- history. broadsides -- england -- london -- th century -- rbgenr. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion true copy of the paper delivered to the sheriffs of london and middlesex , by mr. william anderton , at the place of execution , which he designed there to have spoken , but being frequently interrupted by the ordinary , mr. samuel smith , desired the said sheriffs to publish or dispose of it as they should think fit , seeing a dying man was not suffered to speak . to my countrey-men . liberty and property hath for some years made an hideous cry in these kingdoms , and nothing more than the rights and priviledges of the subject is the pretence of our present deliverers ; and doubtless it was for the sake of these that so many of my infatuated and blind countrey-men rebelled against their lawful and injured monarch , whilst religion ( rebellions umbrage ) was made the covert of the hidden designs of those who have now demonstratively shewn , that they sought nothing less than our ruine : and that these were only pretences to gain their ends , the very blind , although they cannot see , yet most certainly feel it . under the like pretences do our deliverers still continue to deliver us even from what they please , that they think will but in the least help to effect what they came for : under the notion of the necessity of a war they deliver us from our money , and from our traffick and commerce , by which so great a part of the kingdom is sustained : under the notion of carrying it on , they kidnap our young men , the flower of our kingdom , and directly contrary to law transport them ; and to save their own forreigners , put them in the first onsets of their battles , as the heathens did the christians of old , that their enemies swords might be blunted with killing them , before they came to encounter them : they exhaust all our stores both for sea and land , and carry away all our artillery ; and if any man seem but to disapprove of these their proceedings , under the notion of law they murther him : nay , if they do but so much as suppose him not to be on their side , he must be a traitor , and no matter what the law says , they say he shall die . can any thing be more plain to demonstrate this than my present case ? my supposed crime was printing , and all that the witnesses could personally say against me , was , that i was a man against the government , and had called the prince of orange hook-nose , though i protest i never did ; not one of them could say , nor did they offer to say , that i ever printed the books of which they accuse me , or procured them to be printed , or published any of them , or that the materials were mine , or that i hired the room where they were found ; but i was an ill man , and that was sufficient : by which 't is plain , that they were resolved right or wrong to have my life . that they designed not to try but to convict me is as plain ; for they refused positively to allow me counsel to such matters of law , as was never refused to any before ; and though i caused several statutes to be read , some to prove that there must be two witnesses at least to the fact , others , that though there had been two , as there was not one , yet positively declared that it was not treason : nay , the very last session of parliament was it enacted , that the printer of seditious and treasonable books should for the first offence be punished no otherwise than not to follow his trade for three years , and for the second offence never to follow it more , and such farther punishment as seemed fit to the court , not extending to life or limb. now though mine ( had it been proved ) had but been the first , yet you see contrary and in direct opposition to the law , they make it high-treason : and when the jury could not agree to find me guilty , and came down to ask the court whether the finding these things there , and supposing them to be mine , since it could not be prov'd that i printed these books , or had made any use of them , could affect my life ? i say , when the jury ask'd this question , and the lord chief justice treby told them positively , no , it did not ; yet withal he told them , that that was not their business , their business was to find me guilty of printing : and while they stayed , the court frown'd upon them to that degree , that the foreman told them , he was not to be frighted ; upon which they publickly reviled them , calling them , ill men , ill subjects , and a pack of knaves ; and so terrified them into a compliance . that this is true , those who were near know too well , although the partial writer of the trials hath most perfidiously publish'd not only an unfair , imperfect , and lame account , but hath also stuff'd it with downright untruths and falshoods , and left out whatsoever made for me ; not so much as mentioning the contradictions of the witnesses in what they did swear , their swearing to some things that made for me , and when i took hold of them they denied them , nor hath he in the least told the world of the judges over-ruling whatsoever i offered , without giving any other answer than that it should be so because they would have it so ; with many other such things , which the conscientious auditors can testify . and now i pray consider where is this liberty and property ? where the rights and priviledges of the subject ? nay , where the very laws themselves ? and consequently where is the security of any man ? why , even in the deliverers pockets , where your money is , and where also without all doubt , if you look not well to your selves , your estates ere long will be there likewise . what are these proceedings but arbitrary in a superlative manner , and such as no reign ever produced before ? these were they you were heretofore only afraid of , being jealous without just cause ; but now you see them actually come upon you . i hope you your selves will put a stop to them , by laying these proceedings before the parliament , for had it been sitting at this present these proceedings durst not have been practised ; and i pray god to put so speedy an end to them , that as i am the first , so i may be the last that may suffer by them . i have hitherto lived a member of the orthodox church of england as by law established , and i declare i now die in the unity of the same : therefore , according to its discipline , i hold my self obliged to ask pardon of the whole world , of every particular person whom i have any ways offended ; and i do freely and sincerely forgive every one that has offended me , particularly my most false and perjured witnesses , and among them more particularly robin stephens , my most unjust and unrighteous judges , and my repenting jury ; and i pray god may not lay this their sin of wilful murther to their charge at the general bar , where they shall appear as criminals , and not judges . may the almighty bless , prèserve , prosper , and restore our sovereign lord king james , to the just possesision of his indubitable lawful crowns , strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies here on earth , and crown him with eternal glory hereafter : and that he may never want heirs to inberit his crown , bless i beseech thee , o god , his royal highness the prince of wales , and give him such a numerable issue , that there may never want one of his loins to sway the scepters of these kingdoms so long as sun or moon endure ▪ amen . amen . june . . william anderton . the original and growth of printing this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (wing a ). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) the original and growth of printing atkyns, richard, - . broadside. s.n., [london? : ?] attributed by wing to richard atkyns. reproduction of original in chetham's library. eng printing -- great britain -- history. printing -- history -- origin and antecedents. a r (wing a ). civilwar no the original and growth of printing. atkyns, richard c the rate of defects per , words puts this text in the c category of texts with between and defects per , words. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - robyn anspach sampled and proofread - robyn anspach text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion the original and growth of printing . concerning the time of bringing this excellent art into england , and by whose expence and procurement it was brought ; modern writers of good reputation do most erroniously agree together . mr. stow , in his survey of london , speaking of the th year of henry the sixth his reign , which was in . saith , that the noble science of printing was about this time found in germany at mentz by john guttenberg a knight , and that william caxton of london mercer , brought it into england about . and first practised the same in the abby of st. peter at westminster ; with whom sir rich. baker in his chronicle agrees throughout . and mr. howell in his historical discourse of london and westminster , agrees with both the former in the time , person , and place in general ; but more particularly declares the place in westminster to be the almory there ; and that islip abbot of westminster set up the first press of book-printing that ever was in england . these three famous historians having filled the world with the supposed truth of this assertion , ( although possibly it might arise through the mistake of the first writer only , whose memory i perfectly honour ) makes it the harder task upon me to undeceive the world again : nor would i undertake this work , but under a double notion ; as i am a friend to truth , and so it is unfit to suffer one man to be intituled to the worthy achievements of another . and as a friend to my self , not to lose one of my best arguments of intituling the king to this art in his private capacity . historians must of necessity take many things upon trust , they cannot with their own but with the eyes of others see what things were done before they themselves were , bernardus non videt omnia ; 't is not then impossible they should mistake . i shall now make it appear they have done so from their own , as well as from other arguments : mr. stows expressions are very dubious , and the matter exprest very improbable ; he saith printing was found in mentz , which presupposes it was practised some where else before , and lost : and further , that 't was found in the reign of henry the sixth , in . and not brought into england till eleven years in the succeeding reign of edward the fourth , being twelve years after , as if it had been lost again . if this be true , there was as little rarity as expedition in obtaining it , the age of twelve years time having intervened , and so indeed it might be the act of a mercer rather than a more eminent person : but when i consider what great advantage the kingdom in general receives by it , i could not but think a publick person and a publick purse must needs be concerned in so publick a good . the more i considered of this , the more inquisitive i was to find out the truth of it : at last , a book came to my hands printed at oxford , in . which was three years before any of the recited authors would allow it to be in england ; which gave me some reward for my curiosity , and encouragement to proceed further : and in prosecution of this discovery , the same most worthy person who trusted me with the aforesaid book , did also present me with the copy of a record and manuscript in lambeth-house , heretofore in his custody , belonging to the see , ( and not to any particular arch-bishop of canterbury ; ) the substance whereof was this , ( though i hope , for publick satisfaction , the record it self , in its due time , will appear . ) thomas bourchier , arch-bishop of canterbury , moved the then king henry the sixth , to use all possible means for procuring a printing-mold ( for so 't was there called ) to be brought into this kingdom ; the king ( a good man , and much given to works of this nature ) readily hearkned to the motion ; and taking private advice , how to effect his design , concluded it could not be brought about without great secrecy , and a considerable sum of money given to such person or persons , as would draw off some of the work-men from harlem in holland , where john guttenberg had newly invented it , and was himself personally at work : 't was resolv'd , that less then one thousand marks would not produce the desir'd effect : towards which sum , the said arch-bishop presented the king with three hundred marks . the money being now prepared , the management of the design was committed to mr. robert turnour , who then was of the robes to the king , and a person most in favour with him , of any of his condition : mr. turnour took to his assistance mr. caxton , a citizen of good abilities , who trading much into holland , might be a creditable pretence , as well for his going , as stay in the low-countries : mr. turnour was in disguise ( his beard and hair shaven quite off ) but mr. caxton appeared known and publick . they having received the said sum of one thousand marks , went first to amsterdam , then to leyden , not daring to enter harlem it self ; for the town was very jealous , having imprisoned and apprehended divers persons , who came from other parts for the same purpose : they staid till they had spent the whole one thousand marks in gifts and expences : so as the king was fain to send five hundred marks more , mr. turnour having written to the king , that he had almost done his work ; a bargain ( as he said ) being struck betwixt him and two hollanders , for bringing off one of the work-men , who should sufficiently discover and teach this new art : at last , with much ado , they got off one of the under-workmen , whose name was frederick corsellis , who late one night stole from his fellows in disguise , into a vessel prepared for that purpose ; and so the wind ( favouring the design ) brought him safe to london . 't was not thought so prudent , to set him on work at london , ( but by the arch-bishops means , who had been vice-chancellor , and afterwards chancellor of the university of oxford , ) corsellis was carryed with a guard to oxford ; which guard constantly watch'd , to prevent corsellis from any possible escape , till he had made good his promise in teaching how to print : so that at oxford printing was first set up in england , which was before there was any printing-press , or printer , in france , spain , italy , or germany , ( except the city of mentz ) which claims seniority , ●s to printing , even of harlem itself , calling her city , vrbem moguntinam artis typographicae inventricem primam , though 't is known to be otherwise , that city gaining that art by the brother of one of the workmen of harlem , who had learnt it at home of his brother , and after set up for himself at mentz . this press at oxford was at least ten years before there was any printing in europe ( except at harlem , and mentz ) where also it was but new born . this press at oxford , was afterwards found inconvenient , to be the sole printing-place of england , as being too far from london , and the sea : whereupon the king set up a press at st. albans , and another in the abby of westminster , where they printed several books of divinity and physick , for the king , ( for reasons best known to himself and council ) permitted then no law-books to be printed ; nor did any printer exercise that art , but onely such as were the kings sworn servants ; the king himself having the price and emolument for printing books . printing thus brought into england , was most graciously received by the king , and most cordially entertained by the church , the printers having the honour to be sworn the kings servants , and the favour to lodge in the very bosom of the church ; as in westminster , st. albans , oxford , &c. by this means the art grew so famous , that anno prim . rich. . cap. . when an act of parliament was made for restraint of aliens , from using any handicrafts here , except as servants to natives , a special proviso was inserted , that strangers might bring in printed or written books , to sell at their pleasure , and exercise the art of printing here , notwithstanding that act : so that in the space of or years , by the special industry and indulgence of edward the fourth , edward the fifth , richard the third , henry the seventh , and henry the eighth , the english prov'd so good proficients in printing , and grew so numerous , as to furnish the kingdom with books ; and so skilful , as to print them as well as any ●●yond the seas , as appears by the act of the hen. . cap. . which abrogates the said proviso for that reason . and it was further enacted in the said statute , that if any person bought forreign books bound , he should pay s . d . per book , &c. but printing became now so dangerous to the common-wealth , that there were more books burnt in ten years , then could be printed in twenty : so that it concern'd the prince altogether as much to suppress the abuse , as it did before to obtain the use of printing ; and had there not been a reserve of licensing such books as should be printed still remaining in the crown , they might have published the wickedness of their own imaginations with authority . but queen elizabeth at her very first entrance to the crown , finding so great disorders in church and state , by reason of the abuse in printing , secures in the first place the law and the gospel , of both which the kings and queens of england have inherent right as heads of the church , and supream of the law ; and not onely in their publick , but private capacity , as proprietors ; the power and signiory of this , under favour , cannot be severed from the crown : the kings being the trustees of the people , who have formerly taken an oath at their coronation , that they shall keep all the lands , honours , and dignities , rights , and freedoms of the crown of england , in all manner whole without any manner of minishment ; and the right of the crown , hurt , decay'd , or lost , to their power shall call again into the ancient estate . which oath , the said queen kept inviolably , and liv'd the more quietly for it all the time of her reign , and died in peace . true it is , they may , and do gratifie their friends and servants , in giving them the emoluments and profits that arise from printing ; but the power they cannot alienate from the crown , without losing the most precious stone out of their diadem . to shew you one example for all : the said queen , the first year of her reign , grants by patent the priviledge of sole printing all books , that touch or concern the common-laws of england , to ●ottel a servant to her majesty , who kept it intire to his death : after him , to one yestweirt , another servant to her majesty : after him , to one we●●●t and norton ; and after them , king james grants the same priviledge to more , one of his majesties clerks of the signet ; which grant continues to this day ; and so for the bible , the statute-laws , the book of common-prayer , proclama●●ons , as much as the grammer , the primme● , &c. are all 〈◊〉 by kings and queens , not onely to gratifie their frien●● and servants , but to preserve the regal power and authority 〈◊〉 foot , and these books from being corrupted . to the honourable house of commons in this present parliament assembled the humble petition of the company of stationers of the city of london. stationers' company (london, england) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription a of text r in the english short title catalog (thomason .f. [ ]). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo a wing t thomason .f. [ ] estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (thomason tracts ; : f [ ]) to the honourable house of commons in this present parliament assembled the humble petition of the company of stationers of the city of london. stationers' company (london, england) sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london : ] imprint from wing. praying that the "new impression of the bible may be printed for the common benefit of the whole company" and not for the benefit of eleven of their number, "who now labour to gaine to themselves the sole printing of this bible." reproduction of the original in the british library. eng stationers' company (london, england) -- early works to . printing -- great britain -- early works to . great britain -- history -- civil war, - -- early works to . a r (thomason .f. [ ]). civilwar no to the honourable house of commons in this present parliament assembled. the humble petition of the company of stationers of the city of lon stationers' company a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - apex covantage keyed and coded from proquest page images - mona logarbo sampled and proofread - mona logarbo text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to the honourable house of commons in this present parliament assembled . the humble petition of the company of stationers of the city of london . humbly sheweth , that the committee for printing appointed by this honourable house , was pleased to direct the printing of a new impression of the bible , of the last translation , with notes in the margent , for the better exposition of hard places , and cleerer understanding of the scriptures . that diverse reverend and learned divines of this kingdome , were by sr. edward dearing ( then in the chaire of the said committee ) appointed for the making of the said notes , and have now very neare perfected the same for the presse ; yet so it is , may it please this honourable house , that a very few persons of the said company , but eleven in number , ( whereas the company consisteth of many hundred families ) labouring to acquier the printing and profit thereof to themselves , have privately gained some promise from some of the said divines , intending to exclude all others of the company , from having any benefit thereby . and your petitioners doe further shew , that they have not any common stock ( wherewith to pay the subsidies charged upon their said company by parliament ; nor to provide armes or corne , for the safety and provision of this city as they are assessed ; neither to maintaine their owne poore , which are very many : and hath cost them communibus annis , above lb . per annum , neare upon yeares last past ) excepting the benefit of printing a few small bookes , which now also by means of irregular printing , they are almost quite deprived of : and that all the free-hold they have , belonging to their corporation , together with their common seale , lies now ingaged for lb . which was borrowed at interest , for the use and service of this present parliament . and their poverty is yet the greater , in that they have not so much as a common hall of their owne to assemble in ; and that these eleven men , who now labour to gaine to themselves the sole printing of this bible and notes ; are now , and have bin , ( many of them ) pattentees , and monopolizers of printing the most vendable bookes of worth and quantity now in use ; to the great detriment of the kingdome , and to the ruine and destruction of this poore company . these premises considered ; and for as much as this is a publick worke , and was first moved from a committee of this honourable house ; that therefore you would be pleased to order that it may be printed for the common benefit of the whole company , which will much revive their languishing and miserable condition ; wherein they ( the aforesaid eleven parties ) together with the many hundreds others of the said corporation , may equally partake , both in the charge and profit thereof : which will be a means , that the same will be printed with the greater care and circumspection . and your petitioners shall ever pray . in the praise of typography f. v. (francis vaux) this text is an enriched version of the tcp digital transcription b of text r in the english short title catalog (wing v a). textual changes and metadata enrichments aim at making the text more computationally tractable, easier to read, and suitable for network-based collaborative curation by amateur and professional end users from many walks of life. the text has been tokenized and linguistically annotated with morphadorner. the annotation includes standard spellings that support the display of a text in a standardized format that preserves archaic forms ('loveth', 'seekest'). textual changes aim at restoring the text the author or stationer meant to publish. this text has not been fully proofread approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. earlyprint project evanston,il, notre dame, in, st. louis, mo b wing v a estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. b ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) in the praise of typography f. v. (francis vaux) sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [oxford : ?] in verse. caption title. imprint suggested by wing. signed at end: f. vaux. reproduction of the original in the bodleian library. eng printing -- poetry. english poetry -- early modern, - . broadsides -- england -- th century. b r (wing v a). civilwar no in the praise of typography. f. v a this text has no known defects that were recorded as gap elements at the time of transcription. - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion in the praise of typography blush not to see a virgin press'd arts fairest hand-maid , though she 's dress'd in sable and in argent , for her coat is nobler than of or : black makes her beauty spots , and white concenters to compleat delight : yet know unto her dowry 's due something for the interview : and if your liberall looks commend her feature , she 'l remain your freind , not unto death , for know that she can give you immortality . fo vaux . to the honourable house of commons assembled in parliament. an abstract of the generall grieuances of the poore free-men and iourney-men printers oppressed and kept in seruile bondage all their liues by the vnlawfull ordinances of the master and wardens of the company, which they fortifie only by a warrant dormant. stationers' company (london, england) approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page image. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a stc . estc s this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) to the honourable house of commons assembled in parliament. an abstract of the generall grieuances of the poore free-men and iourney-men printers oppressed and kept in seruile bondage all their liues by the vnlawfull ordinances of the master and wardens of the company, which they fortifie only by a warrant dormant. stationers' company (london, england) sheet ([ ] p.) s.n., [london : ] against the 'unlawfull', i.e. monopolistic, ordinances of the company; this and stc . presented before may --stc. imprint from stc. another issue, with heading altered, of stc . . reproduction of original in the guildhall library, london, england. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng stationers' company (london, england) -- early works to . printers -- england -- london -- early works to . printing -- england -- london -- early works to . london (england) -- history -- th century -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john pas sampled and proofread - john pas text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion to the honovrable hovse of commons assembled in parliament . an abstract of the generall grieuances of the poore free-men and iourney-men printers oppressed , and kept in seruile bondage all their liues by the vnlawfull ordinances of the master and wardens of the company , which they fortifie only by a warrant dormant . with their most humble petition , ffom the beginning of printing his maiesties progenitors by their prerogatiue royall did priuiledge such persons as they pleased soly to print some peculiar bookes , leauing the rest in generall to the printers . and for this art of printing was the key that opened the doore of knowledge and learning ( which is the honour and support of all states and kingdomes ) his maiesties progenitors were pleased to incorporate a selected number , and to indow them with a large charter and many great priuiledges which was graciously intended for the generall good of the whole company , but by the innouations brought in by the masters and their ordinances , the benefit is conuerted to them in particular , and the petitioners vtterly ruined thereby . the lawes of the kingdome authorise all persons , that haue serued an apprentiship according to the statute , lawfully to set vp and vse that trade to which they haue serued . but the petitioners are depriued of that benefit ( which all honest and loyall subiects inioy ) by ordinances of the masters of their company . and made perpetuall bondmen to serue some few of the rich all their liues vpon such condissions , and for such hire , and at such times , as the masters thinke fit : for their trade of printing ( but as seruants ) they must not vse , so as they take all possibiltie of aduancement ( be they neuer so exquisite in their qualitie ) from the petitioners , and make them vncapable of maintenance for them their wiues and posterities . the masters obtained a decree . eliz. prohibiting the petitioners to set vp any presse or presses wherewith to print vpon paine of sixe moneths imprisonment without bayle or mainprise , and his presses and other instruments to be defaced . the decree was obtained vnder colour of granting the petitioners diuers bookes in priuiledge to bee printed for their benefit , and diners ordinances for the petitioners continuall and full imployments , and other orders profitable for them . but the decree obtained , they obserued none of their contracts : those being instituted without penalty . but all that tended to the petitioners preiudice , and their masters particular profits , were inioyned vnder great and grieuous punishments . whereas his maiestie was graciously pleased to grant in priuiledge the printing of diuers bookes vnto the petitioners the poore printers ( they by their ordinances haue disposed them wholly to their owne particular benefit , the petitioners hauing no share or benefit of his maiesties most gracious and free bountie , intended chiefely to the poore petitioners . and with the profit of his maiesties gift , they haue purchased and drawne into their hands diuers other priuiledged bookes , conuerting them likewise to their owne ends . in like maner vnder a false pretence of relieuing the poore , they haue obtained almost al into their hands , what either his maiestie : or his progenitors euer granted in priuiledge , of which the petitioners and poore sort of printers expecting benefit , reape indemnity and preiudice , and his maiesties subiects in general are abused by their exactions . for they keeping multiplicity of apprentisies , ( who after their apprentiships , like the petitioners , become for euer more seruile then before ) print bookes most by their apprentises , whereby the petitioners haue not halfe imployment sufficient to worke as seruants ; but the petitioners are in worse case , then when the priuiledges were in strangers hands , which had no prentises . besides the masters of the company haue raised the prizes of bookes , print in worse paper , and with dimne and bad letters . the stationers to whom these priuiledges were neuer intended by his maiesties most gracious gift , or the grant of his progenitors , are the chiefe ingrossers of these priuiledged coppies , with some few printers . and further , the stationers by an agreement among themselues will retale no new copies , vnlesse they be of their owne . for be it neuer so religious , learned , or profitable , if it be a printers , either by purchase , or by free gift , they will not sell the same : but the printer must loose his labour , his paper and expence , if he will not sell them at their rate : by which meanes the stationer hath all the profit both by printing and booke-selling . if the petitioners infringe any part of the former decree , or any of their owne ordinances , or but seeme to question their right in the benefits graciously giuen them by his maiestie , or complaine of their vnconscionable and lawlesse proceedings , they by vertue of a warrant dormant , presently breake the petitioners houses , imprison their bodies , seize their goods , and deface their presses and printing instruments , without legall proceeding or euiction by information . and by this meanes dispose of all things amongst themselues , so a few are raised to great and infinite estates , and all the petitioners thereby made absolute beggers . reasons why the petitioners should be relieued in this high and most honourable court. the decree and their ordinances barre them all reliefe in any court of iustice , or any other court of equity , but this onely . the decree and their ordinances are absolutely contrary to the lawes of this kingdome , and against the lawes of god and nations . the masters haue in nothing performed their contracts made at the obtaining the decree . the petitioners are depriued of that freedome that all other loyall subiects inioy , and they ought to haue . his maiesties bounty extended to charitable vses , but is conuerted to their priuate endes and benefits . the petitioners most humble request is : that the decree may be dissolued . that the petitioners may inioy that liberty and priuiledge that euery honest and loyall subiect ought to inioy . that they may haue equall share of what his maiestie graciously gaue for their charitable vses . and such other priuiledges distributed amongst the whole company as of right belongs , wrongfully by them now vsurped . the petitioners shall beseech the iudge of all iudges , to crowne you all with eternall honour . regulæ trium ordinum literarum typographicarum, or, the rules of the three orders of print letters viz. the roman, italick, english capitals and small : shewing how they are compounded of geometrick figures, and mostly made by rule and compass, useful for writing masters, painters, carvers, masons, and others that are lovers of curiosity / by joseph moxon ... moxon, joseph, - . approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing m estc r ocm this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) regulæ trium ordinum literarum typographicarum, or, the rules of the three orders of print letters viz. the roman, italick, english capitals and small : shewing how they are compounded of geometrick figures, and mostly made by rule and compass, useful for writing masters, painters, carvers, masons, and others that are lovers of curiosity / by joseph moxon ... moxon, joseph, - . [ ], p., [ ] p. of plates : ill. printed for joseph moxon ..., london : . reproduction of original in huntington library. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng alphabets -- early works to . printing -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - jonathan blaney sampled and proofread - jonathan blaney text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion regulae trium ordinum literarum typographicarum : or the rules of the three orders of print letters : viz. the roman capitals and small . the italick capitals and small . the english capitals and small . shewing how they are compounded of geometrick figvres , and mostly made by rule and compass . useful for writing masters , painters , carvers , masons , and others that are lovers of curiosity . by joseph moxon , hydrographer to the kings most excellent majesty . london : printed for joseph moxon , on ludgate hill at the sign of atlas . . to the worshipful sir christopher wren , knight , surveyor of his majesty's buildings . sir , to you as to a lover of rule and proportion i humbly dedicate these my observations upon letters : if they prove acceptable to you i have my whole wish , and shall be careless of the sleightings or censures of the ignorant contemners of order and symmetry . sir , i am your most humble servant . joseph moxon . the rules of the three orders of print letters . among the many curious inventions of humane wit , the communicating conceptions by the complication of characters is worthily accounted the most ingenious , most necessary , and most admirable , that an high-flown fancy in its greatest sublimity could have produced into the world. but who those lucky persons were that first invented it , themselves and all other authentick authors have left succession in ignorance of ; and consequently their memories have lost those due celebrations that their merits have justly deserved . nor are we onely ignorant of the persons that first invented letters , but of the time wherein they were first invented . and though smaller matters of great antiquity stand recorded for the information of posterity , yet no other certainty have we of the time , than that they were invented before any history was writ . all the light we have of its original is among fabulous authors , who attribute it to several persons , and some of them no less than gods ; but their authority being denied , their say-so stands for no proof . i might amplifie this discourse by saying somewhat of the hieroglyphicks of the egyptians , and the several characters of other nations ; but they are largely handled by others , and are alien to my purpose : for my intentions are onely to insist upon three sorts of characters , which are commonly used in print among us , viz. the roman , the italick , and the english letters . nor are the originals of these three sorts of letters certainly known , but that we received the roman letters from the romans , the italick from the italians , and the english is that character which is handed down to us from our forefathers in their records and other manuscripts . how much printing has improved the regularity and beauty of these letters is visible by comparing printed with written letters ; but especially the curious printing of holland , which does indeed of all others merit the greatest applause , it being from the cutting of the steel punches to the pulling off at the press managed with greater rcuiosity than hitherto any nation hath performed it . neither is it strange it should be so : for , if i may be pardoned for the excursion , i will say , there is one general cause why they must , and several particular reasons why they may , out-do all other nations in this and other handicrafts which will yield them a profit . the general cause is the necessity of their countrey , which forces them to deal by whole-sale in all manufactures . and this cause draws in the particular reason ; for by this means manufactures are so improv'd , that most rare artists flock thither as to a market , where they are likely to find trading . and it must necessarily follow , that where so many curious artists meet , each , for his profit , or credit , or both , strives to out-do the other . and by this means art must needs be more improved there , than in those countries where the emulation of a competitor is no spur to perfection . i finding therefore that the holland letters in general are in most esteem , and particularly those that have been cut by the hand of that curious artist christofel van dijck , and some very few others , have elected them for a patern in romans and italicks , and have given you those proportions and dimensions they observed . even as vitruvius did by his columns ; for he finding , that among the many sorts of columns that were standing in his time , five onely were most acceptable , viz. the tuscan , dorick , ionick , corinthian , and composite , surveyed their exact dimensions , and called that survey , the rules of the five orders of arthitecture : which rules are followed to this day ; but had else doubtless ere now been lost or at least corrupted . the roman capitals have already been treated of by albert durer ; but he medled neither with the small letters nor italicks . nor were these proportions in mode in his time ; for he makes his stem one tenth of the length , when-as now the stem is made much fatter , for it is one sixth part of the length , which does not onely adde a great grace to the letter , but renders it more easie to the eyes in reading , and more durable either for inscriptions or records . it is possible my pains and endeavours may lie under the censure of detracting momes , who neither know , or are capable to learn the excellency of rule and proportion ; and account those fantasticks that either prescribe or follow them : for , say they , what needs all this ado about letters , when every painter or mason can make them well enough without these directions ? and if they are not so exact print hand , yet they may very well be read , and are as significant as if they were made by these rules . in answer i may say , that every carpenter can build a great fabrick ; but if he have not consulted the rules of architecture , it is very likely his building may be preposterous , his several offices unapt , and his whole structure deficient , ungraceful , and ridiculous . but since we all strive to make columns and other ornaments in architecture by rules , because they should be strong , beautiful , and graceful to the eye , 't is surely necessary that the inscriptions ( which are commonly placed in the architrave or some other eminent place ) should be likewise regular and beautiful , lest they disgrace both builder and building too . when the stadhouse at amsterdam was finishing , such was the curiosity of the lords that were the overseers of the building , that they offered c. van dijck aforesaid pounds sterling ( as himself told me ) onely for drawing in paper the names of the several offices that were to be painted over the doors , for the painter to paint by . now had these rules been published in that time , every painter might indeed have done them as well as van dijck himself . for where many figures are made by the same rules , every one shall be like every one , although they are made by several hands . so that i hope no artists will grudge either at the rules or price of the book , since by it they may easily arrive to the same perfection of letters , as he did who was worthily accounted the best . but this i will say too , that though these letters were doubtless first invented and contrived to be made with rule and compass , ( and now doubtless somewhat debaucht from their original invention ) yet after an artificer hath implanted these general rules in his memory , and used his hand to the making of these letters , he may be able to perform this work very well without running over all these prescriptions . besides , the very draughts of the letters will shew him what parts of a letter must be fat or lean , streight or circular . now before i begin with the particular rules of each letter , i think it fit to explain the meaning of some terms that will be convenient to be used in this practice ; and also to give you an account of the method to be observed in the making of letters . as , . among letters some are capitals , some are small . the capitals are the great letters , therefore called capitals : as a , b , c , &c. are capitals . . small are those letters that in long discourses follow the capitals : as a , b , c , d , &c. are small letters . . among the small letters some are long , and some are short. . the long are the ascendents and descendents . . the short are those that stand between the head and foot-line , such are a , c , e , m , &c. . all the capitals are ascendents , so called because they stand higher than the head-line of the short. and among the small letters some are ascendents , as b , d , h , i , k , l ; these reach up to the top-line . . descendents are those that stand lower than the foot-line : such as are g , p , q , y ; these reach down to the bottom-line . . long are those that stand as high as the ascendents , and as low as the descendents ; viz. reach up to the top and down to the bottom-line : such as are j , q , f , j , s. . the length is the distance between the top and bottom-lines : as the distance , in letter a is the length . . the head-line is the upper line that bounds the short letter : as parallel in romans and italicks , and parallel in the english , is the head-line . . the foot-line is the lower line that bounds the letter : as parallel in the romans and italicks , and parallel in the english , is the foot-line . . the top-line is the line that bounds the top of the ascending letters : as parallel is the top-line . . the bottom-line is the line that bounds the bottom of the descending letters : as parallel is the bottom-line . . the stem is the straight fat ▪ stroke of the letter : as in b the upright stroke on the left hand is the stem , and capital i is all stem , except the base and topping . . fat strokes . the stem or broad stroke in a letter is called the fat stroke , as the right hand stroke in letter a , and the great arches in letter b , are fat strokes . . lean strokes are the narrow strokes in a letter , as the left hand stroke in a letter a , and the right hand stroke in v , are lean. . the footing is the small arches the letter stands on , as the arches upon the feet of letter a is the footing of that letter . . the topping is the small arch above the letter , as the arches in the tops of the letter v are the toppings of that letter . . the divisions that are imagined to be made between the top and bottom-line are called parallels , and numbered upwards with , , , to in letter a at the left hand , and so of all other letters . . the divisions that are imagined to be made between the left hand and the right are called erects , and numbered from the left hand to the right with , , , , &c. . these divisions are all along throughout this book called parts : as when i say , set off , , , &c. parts , i mean set off so many of these divisions or parts , either in the imagined parallel or erect . . the distance between one word and another is called a space . . a space is parts of the whole length of the letter : as the whole length is , so a space is of , which is the sixth part of the length . some rules to be followed in the making of letters . . the length is divided into equal parts ; from the bottom to the foot is of them in romans and italicks , and in english , as aforesaid . . from the bottom to the head-line , as in letter a , is of them , and in letter a . from the bottom to the top is all the . so that a short letter of romans and italicks stands between parallel and parallel , and in english between parallel and . . the stem and other fat strokes of capitals roman is parts . . the stem and other fat strokes of capitals italick is parts . . the stem and other fat strokes of small roman is ½ parts . . the stem and other fat strokes of small italick is parts . . of english the short stand between parts at the bottom , and parts from the top , as aforesaid . . the stem of english capitals is parts . . the stem of english small letters is parts . . if these letters are made with a pen , this general rule is to be observed , that in making them you begin where the letter may be quickest made . as for example , if you would make m , you must begin at the bottom on the left hand ; for then without moving the pen off the paper you make the whole letter at once , all but the footings and toppings , and then you will find the course and progress of the pen will make those strokes lean which should be lean , and those strokes fat which should be fat. for as the pen goes upwards , its nib strikes a lean stroke ; but as it comes down its nib opens wider , and strikes a fatter stroke . so that whatever tool a letter is made with , you are to consider it as made with a pen , and to allow it its fat and lean strokes accordingly . but in this the copies of the letters themselves will more fully instruct you . . you must take special care that you allow the letter its full length : for because none of the capitals but the consonant j and q are descendents , you may be apt to think that in some cases , where the inscription is all capitals , you may drive up the top of the under-line above the bottom of the line above it ; yet if a consonant j or q should come in the matter , you must be forced to shorten it , and so lose its grace . but besides , the whole inscription will not shew so fair and beautiful , as if this convenient space be allowed it . and if any ascending letters should happen under the j or q , there would be no room for their heads . . when i direct you to set off , , or parts , &c. you are to understand it for , , or parts of the erect line or the parallel line . some considerations to be had in the ordering of inscriptions , &c. if your inscription be very short , and you have more room to draw it in than you need , you were best make your letters in roman or italick capitals , because you may allow to leave two spaces between every letter in the same word . but then you must remember to leave four spaces at least between each word ; for else there will not be distinction enough between word and word proportionable to the distinction between letter and letter . and you may allow parts void between line and line , besides the parts that are in all capital letters ( except q and j ) void between the foot and bottom-lines . but if you have not too much room , you may leave but one space between every letter in a word , and two or three spaces between every word . if your inscription must be capitals , and you are pinched for room , you may ( but it is not so graceful ) leave no space between letter and letter ; and then one or two spaces between a word will serve . this by printers is called getting in , or setting close . but by no means you must put spaces between small letters in the same word ; but you must put one or sometimes two between each word . if your inscription belong , you were best use the small roman letters , because they are much thinner , and are indeed more easily read , and more familiar than capitals . but you must be sure to use a capital letter in the beginning , and in all proper names either of persons or places , and many times of things if they bear emphasis . remember also , if your inscription be roman , and the names of persons or places fall in , you must make the names italick letters , beginning them with a capital letter , and sometimes as you would dignifie a person or place make the whole name in capital letters . if your inscription be italick , the proper names must be roman . if your inscription be latine , the small roman is the proper letter for it ; but the proper names must be italick , and sometimes italick capitals , as aforesaid ; unless it be the name of some vulgar place or thing , for which there is no latine name , then that name or word is to be in english letters ; but the first letter a capital , or ( for the reason aforesaid ) all english capitals . be sure to forecast , that in a large inscription of a continued series of discourse , each line be exactly of the same length ; unless it be where a break is proper to be made , for then you may end either in the middle or any where else of the line . or unless your inscription be in verse , for then also you may end at any length . yet take notice , that it is not graceful to end a break with a short word onely in a line , because it seems too like a white-line . but to remedy that inconvenience you may allow more spaces between the words in the former two or three lines , that so you may have a word or two the more in your break-line . when you begin new matter after a break , you must indent your line four spaces at least , and make the first letter a capital . when you draw a title over an inscription , you must consider the words of emphasis , and make those words to vary from the letter your discourse is in , as either roman , italick , or english , according as the words may properly require . but of this and several other observations of this nature i have written more at large in a book i intend to publish of the whole art of printing . yet for your present instructions i shall give you some examples of monuments , &c. therefore it will be very necessary you design and draw your inscription first on paper , and then either pounce or draw it through by redding or blacking the backside of your paper , and drawing pretty hard upon the out-strokes of your letter with the point of a needle , made blunt , smooth , and round , for then the red or black on the backside of the paper will deliver it self upon the wood or stone that it is to be engraven or painted on . but if the stone be so smooth and hard that it will not receive and take off the red or black , you may rub your stone over with a little bees wax gently , and it will take off the tracings very exactly . joannes seldenus heic juxta situs . natus est decemb. mdlxxxiv . salvintoniae , qui viculus est terring occidentalis in sussexiae maritimis , parentibus honestis , joanne seldeno thomae filio è quinis secundo , anno mdxli . nato ; & margareta filia & haerede unica thomae bakeri de rushington , ex equestri bakerorum in cantio familia , filius è cunis superstitum unicus , aetatis ferè lxx . annorum . denatus est ultimo die novemb. anno salutis reparatae mdcliv . per quam expectat resurrectionem felicem . rowlandus jewkes executorum testamenti magni seldeni è quatuor unus , spe certâ resurrectionis futurae per christum ad gloriam , exuvias carnis suae prope cineres ejusdem seldeni heic juxta reponi , vivens , curavit , excessit , anno aerae christianae mdclxv . anno aetatis suae lxxvii . cùm christus , qui est vita nostra , apparebit , nos etiam apparebimus cum eo in ●●●ia . if these following precepts do not exactly agree with all present practice , yet will i not determine whether practice ought or no to give way and comply with these precepts and paterns ; since 't is plain that these letters were originally contrived under these or some such rules . and though some of these letters may with greater study be reduced to shorter rules , yet because my leisure will not permit me to do it , i 'le leave it to those that have more time and better invention , and deliver these according to my observations on them . a divide the whole erect depth into equal parts , and set off the same divisions in the bottom-line ; then in the parallel of , viz. the foot-line , set off from the left hand towards the right , and from thence erect a perpendicular unto the top-line . from either side this perpendicular set off in the foot-line : then in this perpendicular at parallel make a prick , ( as at fig. . ) then by the side of a ruler laid to this prick , and the two tens set off in the foot-line on either side the perpendicular draw two straight lines for the insides of a , but continue the right hand straight line to parallel , ( as at fig. . ) then set your com●●●●es to , and set off that distance from the left hand the perpendicular in parallel , and set off the same distance in the foot-line from the left hand inside stroke of a towards the left hand , and draw a straight line through these two points to be the outer bounds of the bredth of the left hand stroke of a. the bredth of the right hand stroke is parts . therefore in the point where the two inside strokes of a meet , ( as at fig. . ) place one foot of your compasses ( being set to ) and with the other describe the occult arch , . then place one foot of your compasses at the right hand stroke of the inside of a in the foot-line , and with the other describe the occult arch , . then lay your ruler to the outer convex points of these two occult arches , and by the side of it draw a straight line from the top-line to the foot-line , for the outward bounds of the right hand stroke of a. set off in the top-line from the outer bounds of this right hand stroke towards the left , ( as at ) and draw a straight line in the top-line to that point ; set your compasses to , and placing one foot in this point , with the other describe an occult arch towards the left hand ; then place one foot of your compasses in the point where the inside of the right hand stroke meets with the outside of the left hand stroke of a , and with the other foot describe another occult arch towards the right hand , to cut the former occult arch , and the point where they cut each other shall be the centre , ( as at fig. . ) whereon you may describe the hollow arch in the head of a. draw two straight lines in parallel ¼ and ¾ between the two insides of a. lastly , from both sides each side of a set off in the foot-line or parallel of , then set your compasses to , and in the erects of those fives pla●● one foot of your compasses , and with the other d●●●ribe four arches to the out and insides of a for the footing . here you may see the fat stroke is parts broad , and the lean strokes are part broad , and each footing is parts in the foot-line from its respective side . the same rule and order is to be observed in all the roman capitals . a draw a parallel at for the foot , and at for the head. erect is the bounds of the head and belly of a. set your compasses to two stems , viz. parts ; and placing one foot of them in parallel ½ , and erect ( as at fig. . ) describe with the other foot the arch for the outmost bounds of the head of a. then set your compasses to one stem , viz. ½ , and placing one foot in parallel , and erect ½ , ( as at fig . ) describe with the other foot the inner arch of the head of a. remove one foot of your compasses to parallel ½ , erect ½ ( as at fig. . ) and with the other describe the arch for the outer belly of a. remove one foot of your compasses in the same parallel to erect , ( as at fig. . ) and with the other foot describe the arch for the inner belly of a. remove one foot of your compasses in the same parallel to erect ▪ , ( as at fig. . ) and with the other describe a semicircle for the outer bounds of the tail of a. joyn this semicircle by a straight erect line to the arch which makes the inside the head of a. then set your compasses to half the stem , viz. ¾ , and placing one foot in the same parallel , viz. ½ , erect ¾ , ( as at fig. . ) with the other foot describe the arch for the inside the tail of a. joyn this semicircle by a straight erect line to the arch , which makes the outside the head of a , your compasses being set as before to ¾ , place one foot in parallel ½ , erect ¾ , ( as at fig. . ) describe the arch for the dot in the head of a. make a prick in parallel , and in the erect of the inside of the stem , and from that prick draw a straight line to the convexity of the outer belly of a. work in the inner belly to this straight line ; joyn the lower part of the belly by a straight line drawn to the inside the stem in parallel ½ : so is a finished . here you may perceive , that the several arches whereof this letter is made , have their radius , stems , and parts of a stem : as the radius of the first arch is stems , the radius of the second , third , fourth , fifth arches are stem , the radius of the sixth and seventh , is half a stem . b divide the whole depth into , as afore in a. the topping and footing is erects , and the stem more . set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel ½ on the right hand side of the stem , ( as at fig. . ) describe with the other the inner arch of the upper belly of b. remove one foot of your compasses to erect in the same parallel , ( as at fig. . ) and with the other describe an arch for the outer bounds of the upper belly of b : set your compasses to ½ , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , ( as at fig. . ) describe with the other foot the arch for the inner bounds of the lower belly of b. remove one foot of your compasses in the same parallel to erect , ( as at fig. . ) and with the other describe the outer arch of the lower belly of b. set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , with the other describe the arches for topping and footing . joyn the arches of the bellies arches to the stem at the top , middle , and foot , by hand , ( as you see in the projection ) by strokes of half a part broad , but so as the lower belly have nothing of the stroke fall in it , because it must be half a part bigger than the upper belly . b the beak projects stem on the left hand , viz. ½ parts , as do all other projecting letters in the small roman . therefore in parallel erect , make a prick for the angle of projecture . then in parallel ½ erect ½ ; make another prick for the left hand bounds of the stem ; between which pricks draw a straight line . make another prick in parallel . erect for the right hand bounds of the stem , and draw another straight line between the first prick and this last ; so is the beak made . then in parallel erect , set off ½ and , and from erect ½ at the under side of projecture draw a straight line to ½ set off in parallel , and another straight line from erect at the upper side of projecture to erect in parallel ; so is the stem made . then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) describe with the other foot the outer arch of the belly . then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other foot describe the inner arch of the belly . set then your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe a small arch under the stem ; so is b finished . c set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe a circle : cut off half a stem , viz. ½ , of this circle on the right hand with a perpendicular line , which perpendicular must reach from the top-line the breadth of a stem below the circle , and from the foot-line the breadth of a stem above the circle , viz. parts . remove your compasses erects further , viz. the breadth of the stem in the same parallel to erect , ( as at fig. . ) and describe so much of a circle as will be comprehended between your left hand and the two perpendiculars , which cut off a part of the former circle . to describe the great arches of the buttings set your compasses to , and placing one foot in the parallels of the extreme inner points of the buttings at distance towards the left hand , ( as at fig. , . ) with the other point describe the arches of buttings . then set your compasses to half the breadth of a stem , viz. ½ , and one foot placed successively in the top and foot-lines at the buttings of c , with the other describe the small arches at the top and foot of the outside of c ; so is c finished . onely you must take care to work in the intersections of these circles by hand at the top and foot ; so must you also the small circles in the top and foot. c set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other foot describe a circle . cut off a whole stem , viz. ½ of this circle on the right hand with a perpendicular line . set off ½ from the left side this circle towards the right in the parallel of . then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) describe with the other foot an arch within the former circle and the perpendicular ; then set your compasses to half the stem , viz. ¾ , and placing one foot where the perpendicular intersects the circle in the head , ( as at fig. . ) describe with the other foot so much of a small circle downwards , as will be between parallel / , and ¼ , to make the dot. and the breakings of these circles you must by hand work into the head. d topping and footing is erects , the stem five more , both made as so much of letter b. set your compasses to , and placing one foot on the right hand line of the stem in parallel , with the other describe a semicircle towards your right hand . remove your compasses the breadth of the stem , viz. towards the right hand in the same parallel , and describe another arch towards the right hand ; work these arches by hand up to the stem , leaving the lean strokes at the top and bottom part ; so is d finished . d the belly of d is made like c , all but the dot in the head , which d hath not . the projecture or beak of the stem is made like b , but the bottom of the stem differs ; for d hath a tail which is as long as the stem is broad , viz. ½ , from the right hand line of the stem of d. this tail is a straight line proceeding from the bottom of the left hand line of the stem , whose end is raised two parts above the foot-line . the line of the tail that proceeds from the right hand line of the stem , is a straight line parallel to the foot-line . e topping and footing is erects , the stem more ; both made as letter b. the top-stroke is from the right hand line of the stem half the length of the stem , viz. ; the middle stroke is ⅓ of the length of the stem , viz. . the bottom-stroke is / , viz. parts . the bredth of the head and foot-stroke is thus made ; set off the bredth of the stem , viz. , from the end of each stroke towards the left hand in the parallel of each stroke , and in the erect line of these settings off set off ½ between the topping and footing , and draw a straight line from the lower point of the arch of topping on the left hand the stem , and from the upper point of the arch of topping on the left hand the stem to the ½ set off as aforesaid . then at the right hand ends of these lines set off by occult arches in their respective erects . and set off in the erects of the perpendicular ends of the top and foot-stroke , and placing one foot of your compasses successively at these , with the other foot describe occult arches to cut the former occult arches , and the point where these occult arches cut each other ( as in fig. , . ) shall be a centre , whereon you may describe arches for the buttings of the top and bottom-stroke of e. for the thickness of the middle stroke set off half a part upwards , and half a part downwards from the middle parallel at the right hand line of the stem ; and from thence draw parallel lines parts long , then set off upwards and downwards from the end of the middle stroke ; from these two and the ends of the parallels of thickness describe occult arches of circles to intersect each other , and the intersections ( as fig. , . ) shall be the centres whereon ( the compasses set to ) the arches of butting shall be drawn . e set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect . describe with the other the outer arch ; then in the parallel of set off ½ for the fat stroke . set your compasses to , and place one foot in this ½ , and pitch the other foot where it will leight , in the parallel of ½ towards the right hand , ( as at fig. . ) on this point describe the inner arch of e ; then in the parallel of draw a line for the eye , from the inside of e to the outside on the right hand . but the fatness of the eye must be half a part at the right hand side of e ; therefore in ½ from the outward right hand arch draw a line to the point where the former line touches the inside of e. then measure the fatness of the left hand arch of e in the parallel of , and set off that fatness from the right hand arch of e inwards , and setting your compasses to , place one foot in the measure of fatness so set off , and pitch the other foot where it will fall in the parallel of ¼ towards the left hand ; on this point describe the inner arch of the right side of e. the angles of the intersections of these arches make you must smoothen by hand . f is made like e , onely instead of the foot-stroke here is onely a footing , made as hath been taught in a , b , d. f the stem is ½ , and runs on the left hand straight upwards to parallel , and on the right hand it runs straight upwards to parallel . set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other foot describe an arch , for the top of f. the top of f must be half a part thick ; therefore set your compasses to ½ , and placing one foot in parallel , erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe the under arch of the head of f ; then set your compasses to ¾ , viz. the thickness of half a stem , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe the arch for the dot of f. the stroke is half a part thick , the upper line of it lies in the head-line , viz. parallel . it projects on the left hand half a stem , viz. ¾ , and on the right hand a whole stem , viz. ½ . the footing is made by setting your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , and in parallel erect ½ . with the other foot describe the arches of footing . the breakin gs and wants in the arches you must work in by hand . g is made like c till you come to the short stem whose right hand line lies in the erect butting , and its left hand line is made by setting off to the left hand . the foot of g is wrought in by setting your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel in the erect of butting , with the other describe an occult arch towards your left hand upwards in g , then remove one point of your compasses in the same parallel towards the right hand , where that parallel cuts the inner circle of g , and with the other point describe an occult arch to cut the former , ( as at fig. . ) and that point of intersection shall be the centre whereon you may describe an arch to work in the inner circle of the foot of g. to work in the outer circle place one foot of your compasses again in the parallel of , in the erect of butting , and with the other describe an occult arch as before . then remove one point of your compasses in the same parallel towards the right hand , where that parallel cuts the outer circle of g , and with the other describe an occult arch to cut the former , ( as at ) and that point of intersection shall be the centre , whereon you may describe an arch to work in the outer circle of the foot of g. the topping of the short stem lies in parallel ½ , being set off from both sides the stem , as hath been taught in b , d , &c. g set your compasses to twice the stem , viz. parts , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe a circle for the outer bounds of the head. remove your compasses in the same parallel to ½ on the right hand , and ½ on the left hand this centre , ( as at fig. , . ) and describe the arches for the inner bounds of the head. set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel ½ , erect ¼ , ( as at fig. . ) describe the outer arch between the head and belly of g ; set your compasses to ¾ , and placing one foot in the point where this arch touches the head , turn the other foot into parallel , ( as at fig. . ) and on that point as on a centre describe the inner arch between head and belly of g. then from parallel ¼ erect , and parallel erect , draw a straight line , and from parallel erect , and parallel erect ; draw another straight line , which two straight lines shall be the waste of g. then set your compasses to ½ , and placing one foot in parallel ¾ , erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) describe the right hand outer arch of the belly . set your compasses to ¼ , and placing one foot in parallel ¼ , erect , ( as at fig. . ) describe the right hand inner arch of the belly ; set your compasses to , and in placing one foot in parallel ¾ , erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) describe part of the left hand inner arch of the belly of g. set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , ( as at fig. . ) describe another outer arch on the left hand side of the belly ; set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel . erect , ( as at . ) with the other describe the outer arch under the waste of g on the left hand . remove your compasses to parallel ¼ , erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) and describe an arch for the upper bounds of the nose of g. remove your compasses to parallel ¾ , erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) and describe the under arch of the nose . set your compasses to half the stem , viz. ¾ , and placing one foot in parallel ½ , erect , ( as at fig. . ) describe the small arch for a dot on the nose . the intersections and breakin gs of the several arches you must work in by hand , as you may see by the letter it self . h has two upright stems with toppings and footings , which are made like the stems of other capitals . these two stems must stand the bredth of four stems asunder , viz. parts . they are joyned just in the middle between head and foot , with a straight parallel line half a part broad . h the stem of h is made like the stem of b , onely it has footing on both sides . the footing hath the bredth of the stem on either hand , viz. / ● parts , and is made like the footing of capitals . the width between the inside the two stems ▪ is ½ stems , viz. ¾ parts . to make the arches that joyn these two stems together , divide the distance between the inner stroke of the left hand stem and the outer stroke of the right hand stem into two equal parts , and set off that distance in the erect in the middle between them from the head-line , viz. parallel downwards ; and placing one point of your compasses there , ( viz. at ) with the other describe an arch to reach from the left hand stem to the right hand stem . then divide the distance between the two inner sides of the stem into two equal parts , and placing one foot of your compasses in the middle between the two stems and in the same parallel the former arch was strook , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe the under arch of h. the right hand side of the stem of h and its footing are made as before . i set off stems in the foot-line in parallel , one for the left hand footing , another for the stem , another for the right hand footing . do the like in the top-line , and between the topping and footing draw the stem . i the stem of i is made like the stem of h , but is not so long , for it stands between parallel and . the tittle stands right over the stem , half a stem lower than the top-line , and its diameter is one stem , viz ½ parts . j the stem and topping of this j is made like i , but halfway between the foot and bottom-lines the right hand stroke begins to fall away into an arch of a circle , which we call a tail in letters , whose semidiameter is two stems ; therefore your compasses being set to two stems , viz. . place one foot in parallel in the erect of the topping , which is two stems from the right hand stroke of j , ( as at ) and with the other foot describe an arch for the bottom of j. then set your compasses to one stem , viz. , and in parallel ½ , and the same erects , ( as at . ) describe another arch for the inner arch of the bottom of j ; then set your compasses to ½ , viz. half a stem , and place one foot in parallel , erect ½ , ( as at ) and with the other describe the dot of j. j the stem and tittle of this j is made like i. the semidiameter of the lower arch of its tail is two of its stems , viz. . whose centre lies two stems from the bottom-line , viz. in parallel in the erect of its beak , ( as at . ) the semidiameter of its inner arch is one stem , viz. ½ , and its centre lies in ¾ in the same erect , ( as at . ) the diameter of the dot is one stem , and its centre lies in parallel ¼ , erect / . k the stem of k is made like i. it branches upwards from the middle of the stem into parallel , viz. the top-line . the outside of the top of its branch is distant in the top-line from the inside of the top of the stem erects , viz. stems , and the inside the branch is erects from the top of the stem ; so that a straight ruler laid to these two points successively , and to the middle length of the stem , describes this upper branch . the lower branch is as broad as the stem , viz. parts , and hath its inner footing one stem , viz. parts , distant from the footing of the stem . therefore set your compasses to , and placing one foot in the middle of the inside the stem , with the other foot describe an occult arch , ( as at . ) then remove your compasses to the point in the foot-line where the inside of the lower branch cuts it , and describe another occult arch , ( as at . ) then lay a straight ruler to the convex points of these two arches from the upper branch to the foot-line ; then set off on either side these two branches for the topping and footing , and in the erects of these several settings off describe the topping and footing . k the stem of k is made like the stem of h ; its upper branch proceeds from the right hand line of the stem in parallel , which is equally between the head and foot-line . the outside the head of the branch is distant in the head-line ¾ from the stem , viz. two stems and an half ; and the inside of the head of the branch is distant from the stem in the head-line ; so that a straight ruler laid successively to these two distances , and to the point in the stem from whence this branch proceeds , gives the upper branch . the inside the lower branch is distant from the stem ¾ in the foot-line , and the outside the lower branch is distant ¼ from the stem in the foot-line . therefore draw a straight line from the point where the upper branch joyns to the stem ¾ in the foot-line , and that shall be the inside lower branch . draw another straight line parallel to this straight line at ½ distance , ( as the occult arches ( , . ) shew , and that shall be the outer bounds of the lower branch . the heading and footings are made as k aforesaid , onely instead of erects from the in and outside the branches you must now make but ●●● / . l is made like the stem and foot-stroke of e. l is made like the stem of h. m the left hand stroke is broad , and the right hand stroke is a stem , viz. . the insides of these shanks stand asunder , viz. stems . the rest is v all but the inside toppings , which are left out . and you must note , that the left hand line of the outer bounds stands at the top in the erect of the left hand line of the left hand shank . topping and footing hath been taught before . m the first stem is made like i. the second and third stem and their arches are made like the second stem and arch of h. n the two upright strokes are each broad , and their insides are asunder . the diagonal is made by setting off from the outer stroke on the left hand towards the left hand in the top-line , from whence a straight line drawn to the outer bounds of the right hand stroke in the foot-line gives the lower bounds of the diagonal . the upper bounds are made by setting your compasses to , and placing one foot successively in the lower line , ( as at fig. . ) with the other foot describe occult arches , to the convex points of which a straight ruler laid , and a line drawn by the side of it , shall be the upper bounds of the diagonal . the toppings are made as before . n is the two first stems of m. o the outer bounds of o is an exact circle . the fatning is made by setting off on either side the centre in the same parallel , for these settings off shall be the centres , on which you must describe arches for the inner bounds of o ; onely you must work in the intersections of the arches by hand . o is an exact circle , and hath its fatnings as o , onely the fatnings must be but ½ , because it is a small letter . p the stem is made like i , all but the right hand topping is left out . it s head is made by setting your compasses to ½ , viz. one stem and an half , and placing one foot in parallel ½ , which is ½ stem from the top-line ; erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) with the other foot describe an arch from the top-line for the outer bounds of the head. to describe the inner bounds set off in the parallel of ½ towards the left hand for the fatning . then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in the part set off for the fatning ; pitch the other foot in the parallel the former centre lies in , ( as at . ) and describe the inner arch. but because these arches reach not home to the stem , you must make up the top and underneath with straight lines drawn to the stem . p the stem of p is made like the stem of h. but h is an ascending letter , and therefore hath its stem reaching up to the top-line ; and p is a descending letter , and hath its stem reaching down to the bottom-line . the belly of p is made upon three centres . the arches of the belly of p are arches of a circle ; the centre of the outer arch lies in parallel , erect ½ , ( as at . ) the inner arch is made by the setting off a stem from the outer arch inwards in the parallel , and bringing this setting off and the two points where the outer arch joyns to the stem into an arch of a circle , as you were taught . for first the compasses set to , place one foot in parallel , erect ½ , ( as at . ) and with the other describe a circle for the outmost bounds of the belly of p. then set your compasses to , and place one foot in parallel , erect ¼ , ( as at . ) and with the other describe an arch that shall reach from the stem at the head to erect ½ ; then remove your compasses to parallel ¾ , erect , ( as at . ) and describe an arch for the remainder of the inner bounds of the belly of p. q hath its body made like o. the rump of the tail is made by drawing a straight line from parallel ½ erect , to parallel erect , and another straight line parallel to it , as you were taught in the lower branch of k , at the bredth of a stem from the body of q to erect . from this straight rump the tail arches and diminishes to the end . it is arched and diminished thus : in parallel erect , make a mark for the end of the tail ; then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect , describe an occult arch ; then remove your compasses to parallel , erect , and describe another occult arch ; then remove your compasses to the point made for the end of the tail , and describe an occult arch that shall intersect the two former occult arches , and those two intersections ( as at fig. , . ) shall be the centre whereon you may describe arches to finish the tail of q. q the belly of q is a circle to the stem . the fatning of the left hand side is made by setting off one stem in the parallel , that the centre of the outer arch lies in , ( as at ; ) then describe an arch to comprehend the part of fatning set off , and the two points where the outer arch joyns to the stem , as was taught . the rest of the stem and footing is made like several other letters before . r the stem , head , and footing of r is made like p. the inner side of the branch proceeding from the head stands at the head ½ distant from the stem , where make a prick ; and at the foot distant from the stem , where make another prick . between these two pricks draw a straight line , and draw another straight line parallel to it the bredth of a stem , as you were taught in the lower branch of k. r the stem of r is made like the stem of i. to make the small branch proceeding from the stem set your compasses to half the stem , viz. ¾ , and placing one foot in parallel ¼ , erect , describe the small circle for the dot of the branch . then divide the parallel distance between the centre of the dot and the left hand stroke of the stem into two equal parts , and placing one point of your compasses in the head-line , direct the other point on the erect of the division made before , between the centre of the dot and the left hand stroke of the stem , ( as at . ) and on that centre describe the upper arch to joyn the dot and stem together . to describe the under arch divide the distance between the dot and right hand side of the stem into two equal parts , and set that off from the stem in the parallel of the former centre , ( as at . ) and describe the under arch of the branch . footing is made as before . s here are four circles made to draw s , and the centres of them all lie in the same erect . to describe the first circle set your compasses to ½ , and placing one foot in parallel ½ , erect ½ , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe a circle . set your compasses to ¾ , and placing one foot in parallel ¾ , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe a second circle . set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel , erect ½ , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe a third circle . set your compasses to ¼ , and placing one foot in parallel ¾ , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe a fourth circle . i need not teach you how these circles are wrought into an s , because the letter it self shews you plainly . but the buttings at top and foot are thus made : set off at the intersection of the first circle with the erect of the third circle downwards , and from thence draw a straight line into the top-line ; from this straight line set off in the top-line towards the left hand , and by two occult arches made on these two points in the top-line you will find a centre , ( as at fig. . ) whereon ( your compasses set to ) you may describe the arch for the hollow of the head of s. for the butting and hollow at the foot draw a straight line through the left hand verge of the first circle into the foot-line , and in parallel , ( which is the parallel wherein the centre of the third circle lies ) make therein a prick for the upper end of the butting , from thence draw a straight line in the same erect into the foot-line for the whole butting ; from this point of butting in the foot-line ( your compasses set to ) measure into the third circle , and on these two points describe two occult arches , whose intersections shall be a centre , ( as at fig. . ) whereon you may describe the hollow at the foot of s. how the tail of s falls off from a circle towards the butting you may perceive by the letter it self , and accordingly work it in by hand . s draw an erect line , and on it set off half a part at the head , and half a part at the foot , for the thickness of the head and foot of s. then set your compasses to , and measuring in the same erect from the point set off at the head , you have the centre of the inner circle of the head of s ; from the bottom of this inner circle set off ½ , viz. one stem in the erect . then set your compasses to ¾ , and measure in the same erect from the point set off for the thickness of s , at the foot you have the centre of the inner circle of the foot. set your compasses to half the distance between the top of this circle and the head of s , and that half distance shall be the centre whereon you may describe the outer circle of the head. set your compasses to half the distance between the bottom of the inner circle and the foot-line , and that half distance shall be the centre whereon you may describe the outer circle of the foot. for the dots at head and foot set off one stem , viz. ½ , from the head and foot-line , that is , in the parallels of ½ and ½ ; and where that setting off the inner circles of head and foot , shall be the centre whereon the compasses set to ¾ , you may describe circles for the dots . s is made like f , onely instead of a stroke quite through the head-line , here is onely a beak proceeding from the left hand to the stem in the head-line . this beak or projecture is made like the projecture of other letters ; onely the line of the beak that runs into the head-line is drawn on the left head-line of the stem . t the stem and right hand top-stroke of t is made like the stem and top-stroke of e , and the left hand top-stroke of t is the same with the right hand top-stroke , onely the buttings must be made on the left hand . t hath the top of the right hand stroke of its stem reach ½ , viz. one stem above the head-line . the stroke through the head is half a stem broad , and projects on either side the stem stem . from the left hand end of the stroke draw a straight line to the top of the right hand stroke of the stem . both sides the stem run straight down to parallel . the arches of the tail are thus drawn : set your compasses to ¼ , and placing one foot in ¼ erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) describe an arch to reach from the left hand side of the stem through the foot-line into the parallel of , where the tail shall end ; then set your compasses to one stem , viz. ½ , and describe occult arches from the tail , and the lower end of the right hand line of the stem , and where these two occult arches intersect each other , ( as here at fig. . ) shall be the centre whereon you must describe the inner arch of the tail. v in erect ½ erect a perpendicular from the foot-line into the top-line . set off from this perpendicular in the top-line ½ towards the left hand , and ½ towards the right hand ; from these two points draw straight to the perpendicular in the foot-line for the outer bounds of v. set your compasses to , viz. one stem ; describe an occult arch upon some convenient point of the left hand line near the top , ( as at fig. . ) then remove your compasses to some convenient point near the foot-line , ( as at fig. . ) and describe another occult arch. from the outer verge of these two occult arches draw a straight line for the inner right hand stroke of v ; then set your compasses to , and on the right hand stroke describe two other occult arches , and draw a straight line by their verges for the inner line of the right side stroke of v. the toppings are made like the footings of a , and several other letters . v in erect , ½ erect a perpendicular into the head-line , and from it set off towards the left hand in the head-line , and towards the right hand ; from these two points draw straight lines into the foot-line . for the outer bounds set off from the left hand line one stem , viz. ½ towards the right hand in the head-line , and describe two occult arches upon some convenient points of the left hand line , ( as at fig. , . ) from the verges of these two occult arches draw a straight line for the inner line of the left side ; then set off / from the right hand line in the head-line towards the left hand , and describe other occult arches upon some convenient points of the right hand line , ( as at fig. , . ) and from the outer verges of these occult arches draw the inner line of the right side of v. the heading is made like the heading of k. u u is ½ wide in the top between the outer bounds . the left hand side is broad , and runs straight down to parallel ½ . the right hand side is ½ broad at the top , and at the parallel of ½ . set your compasses to ¼ , and placing one foot in parallel ½ , erect ½ . describe the outer arch : set your compasses to ¼ , and placing one foot in parallel ½ , erect ½ , describe the inner arch. the topping make as you have been taught before . u the first stem is made like i , but it rounds at the foot as h , m , n , do at the head. the second stem is sometimes made straight without a beak , as it is here ; sometimes with one made like the former . it s tail is made like the tail of d. w is vv , onely the left side of the second v lies over the right side of the first in the top-line . w the same with w , onely you must observe the dimensions of v. x set off in the top-line , and in the foot-line , and draw a straight line between these two points . draw another line towards the right hand parallel to it by occult arches the bredth of a stem . then set off in the top-line , and in the foot-line , and draw a straight line between these two points , draw another line parallel to it towards the right hand , by occult arches the bredth of . the toppings and footings are made as before . x set off ½ in the hend-line , and , viz. four stems , in the foot-line , and draw a straight line between these two points ; draw another line parallel to it towards your right hand , by occult arches the bredth of a stem , viz. ½ ; then set off ½ in the head-line , and ½ in the foot-line , and draw a straight line between these two points ; draw another line parallel to it towards the right hand , by occult arches the bredth of half . the toppings and footings are made as before . y erect a perpendicular from the foot-line into the top-line , and set off in the top-line on either side . then in parallel make a prick in the perpendicular from these two settings off in the top-line draw straight lines to the prick in the perpendicular for the inner bounds of y. set your compasses to , and on the ends of the left hand line describe two occult arches , through whose convex points draw a straight line from the perpendicular into the top-line for the outer bounds of the left hand side . then set your compasses to , and on the ends of the right hand line describe two other occult arches , through whose convex points draw another straight line into the top-line , for the outer bounds of the right side . then set off in the foot-line and top-line on the right hand the perpendicular , and on the left hand the perpendicular , and by a ruler laid to the settings off on either side the perpendicular draw straight lines from the body of y into the foot-line . the footing and topping is made as before . y erect a perpendicular from the foot-line into the head-line , and set off on the left hand ½ , and on the right hand in the head-line , from the setting off on the left hand describe an occult arch of stem , draw a straight line from the foot-line at the perpendicular through the convex point into the head-line , for the bounds of the left side of y ; draw another line parallel to this line , the bredth of stem for the inner bounds of the left side , from set off on the right hand the perpendicular in the head-line set off half , and from thence draw a straight line into the foot-line at the perpendicular for the outer bounds of the right side of y. draw another straight line parallel to it ½ part towards the left hand for the inner bounds of y. the tail is an arch which you may thus make : under the outer left side heading in the same erect on the bottom-line describe a circle for the dot of the tail , whose diameter shall be stem ; then set your compasses to , ( the whole depth of a letter ) and placing one point almost at the bottom of the right side the dot , describe with the other foot an occult arch ; then place one foot of your compasses at the lower angle of the body of y , and with the other foot describe another arch to cut the former arch , and where these two arches cut each other shall be the centre whereon an arch described from the dot to the angle aforesaid shall be the outer bounds of the tail. the inner bounds are made by describing an arch concentrick to the former . the headings have been taught before . z set off in the top-line ; from thence draw a straight line into erect in the foot-line ; then by occult arches , , made towards the right hand , draw a line stem , viz. parts , between the top and foot-line for the right hand line of z. the top and foot-line are each part thick . the butting at the top is made by setting your compasses to , and drawing a straight line in erect from the top to this setting off ; then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in this setting off , with the other foot describe towards the right hand an occult arch , ( as at . ) the remove your compasses to parallel , erect , and with the other foot describe another occult arch to cut the former , and where these two occult arches cut each other is the centre , whereon you may describe the hollow of the buttings . the buttings of the foot-line is made by setting your compasses to , and placing one foot in prallel erect ; with the other foot describe an occult arch , ( as at . ) in that occult arch in erect ½ make a prick , and laying a straight ruler to this prick and the right hand end of the foot of z , draw a straight line for the butting . then set your compasses to and ; at the end of this straight line place one foot of your compasses , and with the other describe an occult arch towards the stem , ( as at . ) then remove your compasses , and place one foot in parallel , part from the end towards the left hand line of butting , and with the other foot describe another occult arch to cut the former , and where these two occult arches cut each other shall be the centre , whereon you shall describe the hollow of the butting of the foot. z set off in the head and foot-lines ½ . set your compasses to ½ , viz. stem , and towards your right hand describe in the foot-line an occult arch , ( as at . ) lay your ruler to ½ ; set off in the head-line and to the convex point of this arch , and draw the right hand line of the stem ; then remove your compasses to / ; in the head-line , and towards the left hand describe another occult arch , ( as at . ) lay your ruler to erect in the foot-line , and the convex point of this arch , and draw the left hand line of the stem . the head and foot-lines are half thick . the butting at the head is half above the head-line ; therefore set off half in the erect , and hollow it to the head-line , as you were taught before by two occult arches , ( as at . ) the other buttings are made as the head butting of z ; but onely the butting of the foot is straight upright in this letter , and in that it runs up aslope towards the right hand , as you may see by the letters themselves . & of all the characters yet made this is the most troublesom , it having no less than centres in it , and consequently as many arches . but thus it is made : set your compasses to ¾ , and placing one foot in parallel ¾ erect ¾ , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe the under part of the arching belly from parallel ½ to parallel ; then set your compasses to ½ , and placing one foot in parallel erect ¼ , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe the upper part of the arching belly . then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel erect , ( as at . ) with the other foot describe an arch for the inside of the belly . then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel erect ½ , ( as at fig. . ) with the other foot describe almost a circle for the outside of the head ; through this circle draw a perpendicular diametral line , ( as a , b ) and from the point a set off in the circle towards the left hand parts , ( as at c ) and set off parts towards the right hand from b to d through the diametral c , d , draw another diametral line at right angles , as e , f. then in the point where this diametral line cuts the circle of the head , as at the point e , set off on the diametral line ½ , viz. one stem , and with your compasses set to , ( as before ) place one foot in the point set off , and extend the other on the diametral line , and placing it there , with your first foot describe the inner arch of the head on the left hand . then set off also ½ , viz. stem on the right hand from the intersection of the diametral and the circle , and place one foot of your compasses ( being set to ) there , extending the other on the diametral towards the left hand , and on that point with the other foot describe the other inner arch of the head , which meeting of the two arches at the top and bottom you must work into an oval . then set your compasses to , and placing one foot in the point where erect cuts the under part of the outer circle of the head , with the other foot describe towards the bottom-line on your left hand an occult arch. and removing one point of your compasses to erect parallel , with the other foot describe another occult arch to intersect the former , ( as at . ) and on this point as on a centre describe an arch for the inside the diagonal stem . then draw a straight line from the middle part of this diagonal stem , and set off on it from the centre , ½ , viz. stem , and placing one foot of your compasses as before , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe the outer arch of the diagonal stem . the tail of the diagonal stem is made by setting your compasses to ½ , and placing one foot in parallel ½ , erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe the under arch of the tail as far as parallel erect . the upper arch of the tail is made by setting your compasses to ½ , and placing one foot in parallel erect , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe it ; onely the end of the tail must be wrought into a sharp point . the arch above the diagonal stem is made by setting your compasses to , and placing one foot in parallel erect , ( as at . ) with the other describe the outer arch. then remove your compasses to parallel erect half less than , ( as at fig. . ) with the other describe the inner arch. ae oe ct st sh and other double letters , i need not discourse on , because by these paterns you may see how they are joyned together . having given you such full instructions upon the roman capitals and small letters , i think it needless to give you copious rules upon the italick or english letters , the paterns being so large that every member in them are distinct and intelligent , and the manual operations so much the same in all , that the scales down the side and in the bottom-line serve for an ample discourse upon every one of them . of italick letters . italick letters seem to be derived from the roman , because its shape is so like the roman , that its members differ in very few letters from it ; onely the stems of the roman are perpendicularly upright , and the bellies are circular , but in the italick the stems are aslope , and the bellies are oval . the slope of the stems are ¼ of the whole depth of the letter , viz. ½ parts set off from a perpendicular on the left hand in the top-line , and a line drawn from the same perpendicular in the foot-line to the ½ in the top-line , as in letter a , f from to is the slope of the letter . those letters that have bellies , as a , b , c , d , e , q , have the inside of their bellies ovals , whose greatest diameter is parts , viz. the whole length of a small letter , and its least diameter parts ; which oval is so set aslope , that half a part lies below the head-line , and ⅔ parts above the foot-line ; so that working above the oval into the head-line , and below the oval into the foot-line , you may make the fatness of the head and foot of the belly ; but how the belly fattens downwards , you may best see by the paterns themselves . the beaks of letters project parts , viz. stem from the stem towards the left hand , and lie at the point of the beak part below the top-line ; so that a straight line drawn from the top of the right hand line of the stem to the point of the beak is the upper bounds of the beak ; and set off in the left hand line of the stem under the lower bounds of the beak is the thickness of the beak , so that a straight line drawn from that point to the end of the beak is the lower bounds of the beak . the nose of small letters project also parts , viz. one stem from the stem of the letter , and the point of it lies three parts below the head-line . the tails are made just like the beaks , if you imagine the foot were turned into the head-line . of the english letters . this sort of letters by the fatness of the stems seems to be first invented for durable records : for from these letters seems to proceed the several court-hands of law , chancery , &c. although the most parts of these letters , but especially the small , are straight lines , which are to be drawn by the side of a ruler , yet are few of the arches of the capital letters arches of circles , and therefore cannot well be described with compasses , but are made without geometrical considerations , onely by judgment and good command of hand ; because the inventers contented themselves to be directed rather by the humours of the pen ( which oft differs according to the temper of the quill and shape of the nib , and a traditional observance , which cannot be equal in all hands or wits ) than those nice symmetrical proportions which would have preserved them in all ages in the same youth and beauty they were in at the first ; whenas now not onely manuscripts , but many printed books differ in the shape of their letters among themselves . therefore it is that these paterns cannot be exactly agreeable with all english letters ; yet have i elected them which are now most in mode , and in my judgment the best . onely i have in some few parts ( where i think all ingenious contrivers would acknowledge error ) corrected them . the fatnings , returnings of angles , distances of joynings , and other niceties , are better seen by the paterns , than learnt by many words of descriptions on them . and therefore i have divided ( like the roman ) the plain they stand on into equal parallel parts of the depth , and through every sixth part you may draw a small straight line ; and also divided the bredth or thickness of the letter into so many equal parts called erects , parallel to each other , as is requisite ; for each letter you may also draw a small straight-line downwards , so that the parallel lines and these erects may cut each other at right angles , which will divide the plain into so many squares as each letter is made on . and by these squares you may observe how every member and part of a member in a letter passes from the top to to the bottom-line , and from the right hand to the left , and by making a plain with the same number of squares , you may carry on the several strokes from square to square , as you find them in your paterns . but as i have given you full instructions for the making the roman letters , so shall i give you some few directions , which may serve to inform you in all the rules that belong to these letters , but especially of the small , because they consist almost wholly of straight lines . the stem of the capitals ( as was said before ) is parts , the stem of the small letters parts . the foot-line lies in parallel , the head-line lies in parallel . the return angles of those straight lines that proceed from the head-line and from the foot-line are parts , viz. one stem below the head-line , and parts above the foot-line . the fatness of the stem is made by occult arches placing one foot of your compasses on the return angles , as in a at and , and with the other foot describing the arches and ; so that a straight line drawn through the convex points of these two arches shall give the fatness of the return angle . the like in all other letters , as you have been taught in roman letters . the beaks of the small letters , as v , h , k , l , s , are part broad and long , and end in a point . the upper stroke of these beaks proceed from the head-line . the cloven tops of v , h , k , l , project on the left hand part over the stem , and the point where it divides in the stem lies in ½ below the top-line , at ½ distance from the right hand side of the stem , as you may see in the paterns . the strokes of f , t , & , lie in the head-line and part below it , projecting over the stem part on the left hand , and parts on the right hand . more observations i think needless , because the letters themselves are so demonstratively laid down on the plain . onely some have made all these small letters with little beaks on the angle of every return , because the humour of the pen may be made to give them ; but i account them needless , troublesom , and affectatious . therefore i deliver them plain as they lie in the squares , whereby they will stand more close , become more regular , be quicker made , and more distinct and intelligent to the eye ; yet such as affect them so may make them at their own discretion , by projecting on the angles part , as you are taught to do the beaks . finis . an appeal of murther from certain unjust judges, lately sitting at the old baily to the righteous judge of heaven and earth; and to all sensible english-men, containing a relation of the tryal, behaviour, and death of mr. william anderton, executed june . . at tyburn, for pretended high treason. grascome, samuel, - ? approx. kb of xml-encoded text transcribed from -bit group-iv tiff page images. text creation partnership, ann arbor, mi ; oxford (uk) : - (eebo-tcp phase ). a wing g estc r this keyboarded and encoded edition of the work described above is co-owned by the institutions providing financial support to the early english books online text creation partnership. this phase i text is available for reuse, according to the terms of creative commons . universal . the text can be copied, modified, distributed and performed, even for commercial purposes, all without asking permission. early english books online. (eebo-tcp ; phase , no. a ) transcribed from: (early english books online ; image set ) images scanned from microfilm: (early english books, - ; : ) an appeal of murther from certain unjust judges, lately sitting at the old baily to the righteous judge of heaven and earth; and to all sensible english-men, containing a relation of the tryal, behaviour, and death of mr. william anderton, executed june . . at tyburn, for pretended high treason. grascome, samuel, - ? , [ ] p. s.n., [london : ] by samuel grascome. caption title. discusses the trial of william anderton, tried for high treason, after being accused of printing two pamphlets: "remarks upon the present confederacy and the late revolution in england" and "a french conquest neither desirable nor practicable". he was sentenced to death and executed at tyburn on june th, . -- cf. plomer. includes "to the right honourable sir john fleet, lord mayor of the city of london, and the rest of the commissioners for the goal delivery of newgate. the humble petition of william anderton a convicted prisoner in newgate.". reproduction of the original in the christ college library, oxford. created by converting tcp files to tei p using tcp tei.xsl, tei @ oxford. re-processed by university of nebraska-lincoln and northwestern, with changes to facilitate morpho-syntactic tagging. gap elements of known extent have been transformed into placeholder characters or elements to simplify the filling in of gaps by user contributors. eebo-tcp is a partnership between the universities of michigan and oxford and the publisher proquest to create accurately transcribed and encoded texts based on the image sets published by proquest via their early english books online (eebo) database (http://eebo.chadwyck.com). the general aim of eebo-tcp is to encode one copy (usually the first edition) of every monographic english-language title published between and available in eebo. eebo-tcp aimed to produce large quantities of textual data within the usual project restraints of time and funding, and therefore chose to create diplomatic transcriptions (as opposed to critical editions) with light-touch, mainly structural encoding based on the text encoding initiative (http://www.tei-c.org). the eebo-tcp project was divided into two phases. the , texts created during phase of the project have been released into the public domain as of january . anyone can now take and use these texts for their own purposes, but we respectfully request that due credit and attribution is given to their original source. users should be aware of the process of creating the tcp texts, and therefore of any assumptions that can be made about the data. text selection was based on the new cambridge bibliography of english literature (ncbel). if an author (or for an anonymous work, the title) appears in ncbel, then their works are eligible for inclusion. selection was intended to range over a wide variety of subject areas, to reflect the true nature of the print record of the period. in general, first editions of a works in english were prioritized, although there are a number of works in other languages, notably latin and welsh, included and sometimes a second or later edition of a work was chosen if there was a compelling reason to do so. image sets were sent to external keying companies for transcription and basic encoding. quality assurance was then carried out by editorial teams in oxford and michigan. % (or pages, whichever is the greater) of each text was proofread for accuracy and those which did not meet qa standards were returned to the keyers to be redone. after proofreading, the encoding was enhanced and/or corrected and characters marked as illegible were corrected where possible up to a limit of instances per text. any remaining illegibles were encoded as <gap>s. understanding these processes should make clear that, while the overall quality of tcp data is very good, some errors will remain and some readable characters will be marked as illegible. users should bear in mind that in all likelihood such instances will never have been looked at by a tcp editor. the texts were encoded and linked to page images in accordance with level of the tei in libraries guidelines. copies of the texts have been issued variously as sgml (tcp schema; ascii text with mnemonic sdata character entities); displayable xml (tcp schema; characters represented either as utf- unicode or text strings within braces); or lossless xml (tei p , characters represented either as utf- unicode or tei g elements). keying and markup guidelines are available at the text creation partnership web site . eng anderton, william, d. -- early works to . lawton, charlwood, - . -- french conquest neither desirable nor practicable. anderton, william, d. . -- remarks upon the present confederacy and the late revolution in england &c. trials (treason) -- england -- early works to . execution and executioners -- early works to . sedition, england -- early works to . printers -- england -- biography -- early works to . printing -- england -- history -- early works to . - tcp assigned for keying and markup - spi global keyed and coded from proquest page images - john latta sampled and proofread - john latta text and markup reviewed and edited - pfs batch review (qc) and xml conversion an appeal of murther from certain unjust judges , lately sitting at the old baily , to the righteous judge of heaven and earth ; and to all sensible english-men , containing a relation of the tryal , behaviour , and death of mr. william anderton , executed june . . at tyburn , for pretended high-treason . were all men truly good , publick laws would be of little or no use . for all political laws are the good daughter of a bad mother , as being preventionally or occasionally the off-spring of ill manners ; but without them there is no living in any comfort or security : hence all civilized nations have ever gloried in their laws , as their honour and safety , and heretofore none more than the english , and perhaps none with greater reason ; for it may be a difficult task for a well-read historian to find out a kingdom under the cope of heaven , where the lives , liberties , and properties of subjects are more cautiously and critically secured ; but especially in case of life ( the foundation of all humane blessings ) wherein no conjectures or presumptions are allowed , but the law requires at least two credible and positive witnesses , and if any thing be doubtful or controverted , always judgeth in favorem vite , and makes even the judg himself of councel to the prisoner , that he may by no means miscarry through any error , ignorance , passion , or inadvertency . but after all , the law is a dead letter , and cannot execute it self ; and when it so happens , that the laws , which were made against offences , are seized by the offenders , and turned against those whom they were designed to protect , the sins of any nation can scarce draw upon them a more heavy curse and judgment : for then the sheep are daily dragg'd to tryal before the wolf , and nothing but villany is maintain'd , encouraged , and promoted ; and an honest man had a thousand times better fall into the hands of a confederacy of high-way-men , who will rob and dispatch him with some kind of generosity , than under the clutches of a corrupt minister of law , who after a swinging mortification in a nasty prison , shall at length in a great deal of state , with mighty formality , and tedious ceremony , proudly doom him to death , and all under colour and pretence of those laws , which , if they could speak for themselves , would acquit the prisoner and hang the judge ; and whether the following case be not a fresh and lamentable instance of something too like this , i shall leave wholly to the readers judgment , after an impartial perusal . mr. william anderton knowing himself to be mortally , though caulesly hated , by some persons , had absconded of late for a considerable time , as it has been the hard fortune of divers great and good men to do in these difficult times ; but being by a parcel of false villains betrayed to mr. robert stephens , messenger of the press , and his sworn enemy , he was apprehended on the second of may this present . and stephens ( whose malice much out-weighs his brains ) not content with his person , plainly plundered the house , carrying away goods to a considerable value , which there was no colour of law for him or any man else to seize ; and this i suppose might be one great motive , to make him swear so desperately at the tryal , that he might take away a man's life , who otherwise might come upon him for robbing him of his goods ; the booty secured , away he goes , in triumph with his prisoner , to my lord chief justice holt , where he railed against him in a very indecent manner ; the judge was very calm , and said very little to the matter , but , upon the accusation , committed mr. anderton to newgate , not for high treason as is falsely alledged , by that lying pamphleteer , licensed according to order , who published that malicious account of his conversation , behaviour and execution which was cryed about streets immediately after his death ; that judge knew the law better , and i believe is not in himself so very forward to overstrain it . whilst he thus stood committed for misdemeanour , he was bailable ; and accordingly very sufficient bail was offered for him ; but aaron smith , who wisely weighs what advantage is to be made of every prisoner , and considers not only the person himself , but the interest he is engaged in , and the friends he may be supposed to have , thought too few guineas were offered ; and therefore still kept off the bail endeavouring to make a better market ; but while things hung thus between the bail and the bail-master , on a suddain the controversy was ended by the coming of a fresh warrant upon the former , which committed the prisoner for high treason . this way of proceeding being somewhat unusual gave occasion to divers censures ; some said , it was only a trick to prevent his being bayled : others said , that the fact , though never so fully proved , could not amount to high treason , and that they could not touch his life ; and that they had hereby done him a kindness , because upon his tryal he would be discharged without any further imprisonment or corporal punishment : but these , i suppose , were more conversant among the lawyers than the politicians , and could better tell what ought to be done , than what some men were contriving to do . others judg'd this fresh commitment to be the result of new councels , and a plain evidence , that they had taken new measures ; and therefore did hence conclude , that he was thought a person not only dangerous , but fit to make an example , and that therefore it was resolved he should be hanged right or wrong : and the event proved these to be in the right . now such illegal proceedings and bloody councels very ill becomes those who complained of smaller failings in others , and have turned all things upside down under a pretence to mend matters and reform abuses ; but there is nothing more sanguinary , than a pretending state-reformer ; nothing more cruel and savage , than a moderation-man got into power . but these doings being naturally so odious to english men , i hope they will consider , that the difference is not great , whether they be hanged with popish or protestant halters ; and will see at last , that they have a very ill security for their lives , liberties , and properties , when those who take upon them to guard them from popery , become more lawless and cruel than papists . there were indeed some even in the councel who did dislike these proceedings : but others prevailed ; and it would not be forgotten , that there is a certain sly plump divine , who perhaps is as good at hocus pocus tricks , as any man in europe ; he can cut a man's throat so neatly , that he shall never know who hurt him ; he will put at his pleasure all into confusion and hurry , make men so mad that they know not where they are , nor care what mischief they do ; and all the while , as if he had gyges's ring , shall walk invisible , and shall not be so much as suspected to have had any hand in the matter : to this crafts-master robin stephens made haste over the water to set forth his great services , and to receive ample praises , if not a reward . but his expectation was sadly baulk'd ; for the oracle fell foul upon him , telling him , that now he was threatened to be turn'd out of his place he could find these men , and that it might justly be thought that he had been confederate with them all this while , and false to the government ; and that if he did not give better testimony of his good affection to the government , and that he was an enemy to such kind of men , he might lose his place for all this . now all this is only an use of instruction to a messenger who was malicious enough of himself ; for the plain english of it is this ; 't is true you have taken a printer , but what of that ? for unless you go through with your work , and swear him out of his life , you do the government no service , and had as good have done nothing at all : guilt is ever merciless and bloody , a man is got into the head of a schism , has seiz'd on n●bath's vineyard , and there wanted not much but they had kill'd to secure the possession ; for had not fuller's plot miscarried we had had a jezebel's fast , and sons of belial had been set up to testify , that the poor old innocent gentleman did blasphemy god 〈◊〉 the king ; now the prisoner was of a trade that told tales , and the wicked mufty strongly presum'd that this was the man , who had not only often refresh'd his memory with the mention of his guilt , but did give him some disturbance in the possession of his ill-gotten goods , and therefore he was unpardonable , such a man he could not endure should live . but though he knows not how to forgive , yet i heartily wish he may repent , that god may forgive him , lest he find hell a more difficult place to get out of than of late he imagin'd . i shall pass by several circumstances , which perhaps some would think material , that i may avoid tediousness and come to the tryal itself , which was begun on thursday june , but respited till saturday following , that this bloody scene might be acted with the greater solemnity . the court being set , several appeared on the bench , but his real and effectual judg was treby , one of the old republican strain , and as fit a person as could have been pickt out for such a murderous design ; this man being recorder of the city of london , when the lord russel was condemned for high treason , and by his place being to pass sentence upon him did declare himself exceedingly troubled in mind and mightily dissatisfy'd because there was only one positive witness , and other circumstantial evidence against his lordship , and not two positive evidences to the same fact , as he said the law required : but see how mens consciences can face about , when their malice is to be gratified ; he could now brow-beat , revile , and in effect force a jury to bring in a verdict of high treason , when there was not one positive evidence to any matter of fact , nor indeed any evidence at all , that could directly affect the prisoner as to the matter in his indictment . the lord deliver me and all honest men from trebyan justice . herodotus relates of cambyses , that he took an unjust judge and caused his skin to be slead off , and tann'd , and therewith the seat of justice to be lined , and then put his son in the place , who sitting upon his father's hide , could not want a monitor to make him careful to pronounce righteous judgment ; and for my part i cannot give a reason why christians should not be as sollicitous to have justice duly administred as heathens . mr. anderton made it his request , that he might have a copy of his indictment , but it would not be granted ; and indeed so great care was taken , and so strict a charge given , that neither before nor after his tryal could any copy be obtained , so long as he lived ; whether it may be had now i know not . the crime laid to his charge was the composing , printing and publishing two malicious treasonable libels : the first intituled , remarks upon the present confederacy , and late revolution in england ; the second , a french conquest neither desirable nor practicable . as to the later of these it is now certainly known , that he had no hand in it , and that it was printed at a press which he never saw , and by persons with whom for a long time he had no communication : and it must be allowed to be a reasonable supposal , that his judge knew this at the time of his tryal . for the government had at that time in their custody those persons , who knew when and where it was printed ( and as it was said ) had made a discovery of all ▪ perhaps of more than they knew : the papers of that sort taken upon the prisoner were sent to him the day before he was seized ; and some have a vehement suspicion , that it being resolved he should be taken the next day , those pamphlets were sent before hand that something might certainly be found upon him : but his innocence in that matter hath since been made evident to all the world by an irrefragable testimony ; for this september sessions at the old baily , price in open court made oath , that he and the prisoners then at the bar , newbolt and butler , printed the french conquest . this was both a surprise and a choak-pear to some there , and a murmuring noise ran through the court , whilst some whisper'd , and was anderton then hanged for that which othes have done ? and the attorney general , a man who need not be taught to speak , was struck dumb and look'd blank , i suppose in anger and indignation that he should be impos'd upon to accuse a man of a thing for which he lost his life ; and the same man in the same court proved innocent . for this i do think of him that he would not knowingly prosecute a false accusation against an innocent man , tho this is more than i would say of the judge . upon the tryal the principal evidence against the prisoner was robin stephens the messenger : now all courts of judicature use to have a particular regard to the credibility of the witnesses , and not to throw away any mans life upon the testimony of infamous malicious persons ; and such as care not what they swear . now the man is yet living to bear witness of it against whom robin stephens in malice made oath before a justice of the peace , that he was a busie , troublesome dissenter , came not to his parish-church , nor had received the sacrament there , for the space of twelve months then last past , and the gentleman being brought before the justice of peace to satisfy the law in that case , he gave such convincing evidence to the said justice that he was a constant churchman , and for eleven of the said twelve months had received the sacrament at his own parish-church , that the justice gave him his warrant to take up stephens for making a false oath ; and the warrant he lately had to produce , and i believe hath still . but what a rare fellow this is for honest mens lives to depend on , you shall farther perceive by the testimony he gave upon the tryal . one thing whereof mr. stephens made oath was , that at the time of mr. anderton's apprehension , he did in words disown the government , and call'd k. w. hook nose , not submitting himself . now as to the words this is absolutely false ; for some scuffle there was but not a word spoken . mr. anderton in the time of his health and liberty was a man of integrity , and so far from being given to lying , that he particularly hated a lyar , and such a person no one can think would persist in a needless lye at his death ; and to the very last he denyed the speaking any such words ; but for a further evidence he told to several persons the very reason of his silence . for he said he knew robin stephens to be short-sighted , but withal that he knew his voice , and that while he did not discover himself by speaking , he was in some hope to give him the slip . but if robin stephens be pleased a little better to recollect himself , he may then perhaps remember that another person about three days before that time had said such words to him ; but he ought to have a care how he transfers matters from one man to another ; for that is the way not only to condemn the innocent , but to acquit the guilty : but after all , suppose it true , that he had spoken that unhandsome word ; a disrespectful term it might be , but treason it was not , neither was it any thing to his indictment ; and why then should a judge make such a bustle about it , and exercise his wit thence to prove the prisoner disaffected to the government ? what hath a judge to do with a man's affections ? if a jury will be prevail'd on to find a man guilty of high treason for saying a man has a hook-nose , who really has a hook-nose , they will hang a man for speaking truth ; and that is an ill country for an honest man to live in . another part of mr. stephens's evidence was , that he there took an old trunk fill'd with papers and pamphlets , and that he had seen the said trunk formerly , and knew it to be mr. anderton's , and lest the poor old trunk should not be sufficiently taken notice of , it is put into the ordinary's paper , and also into that which was cry'd about on the day of his execution . now the reason of swearing to the knowledge of the trunk was , because it was not found in any of the rooms that could be proved to belong to mr. anderton : but if robin stephens had never seen that trunk before , then he must make a false oath in swearing that he had seen it before , and that he knew it to belong to mr. anderton : and indeed he had never seen that trunk before , nor did it belong to mr. anderton . for i can name the gentlewoman to whom the trunk did belong ; and in whose constant use it hath been for these ten years last past and upwards , in whose house robin stephens never was that she can tell , nor doth she so much as know him ; and some weeks before mr. anderton's apprehension she innocently lent the said trunk to a person who said she had occasion for such a thing for a little time , and did expect it to have been returned but now she must lose her trunk , and dare not own it , lest she should bring herself into a great deal of trouble for doing a common neighbourly kindness . but the evidence which was principally relyed on , and which seemed most strongly to affect the prisoner , was the matter of the desk , as to which robert stephens made oath , that he took out of the said desk or of a sort of the remarks and french conquests . now herein lay the great master-piece of robin stephens's villany , for he had seen the desk formerly , and might well remember and swear to the knowledge of it , and moreover the desk was taken in a room , which was owned to belong to mr. anderton ; but all this comes short ; for it is no treason to have a desk , yea even a notoriously known desk ; and therefore to do the feat it was requisite , that some books should be found in that desk , and then it would be reasonably supposed , that the books did belong to the owner of it ; though this is no infallible reasoning . for mens books , moneys , and other commodities , are often laid up in other mens desks ; every thing is not a man 's own , which he has in possession . but the truth is , there was not so much as one of the remarks or french conquests in the said desk ; and if after mr. anderton was apprehended , robin stephens or any of his gang did steal the said desk , and put such treasonable papers into it , i would ask of any indifferent person , whether he , or they , or mr. anderton ought to be hanged for it ? i could name the person who hath more than once told me , that when-ever he could appear with safety , he would be ready to make oath , that about an hour before mr. anderton was seized he had occasion to look for something in the said desk ; and that at that time there was nothing in it , but two quires of clean white paper , and some bound books ( i.e. such as the bible , common prayer-book , whole duty of man , and books commonly used in families ) and not any stitcht books , and that he was with mr. anderton to the very minute that he was taken , and is as sure , as it is possible for man to be , that neither he nor any other did put any such books into the said desk from the time he had occasion to search it , to the time of mr. anderton's apprehension , for which he gives many convincing matters in evidence , too long to be here inserted . he had no occasion to speak of this till after the tryal ; for he could not foresee such a malitious contrivance , nor know before-hand what stephens would swear ; or if he had , he durst not appear to give evidence , lest he himself should fall under the same sate ; but it is well known , that the prisoner peremptorily denied any such books to have been there , though he own'd the desk ; and he used an argument to convince the bench of the truth of what he said , drawn from the very evidence given against him , viz. that the desk was small and not able to contain half so many books , as were sworn to be taken out of it ; and for proof hereof desired that the desk might be brought into the court for the juries , and all others satisfaction : but his righteous judge would not allow it , but shuffled off the matter , saying , that the number of books was only matter of supposal . but then is blood with him so cheap , and can he be satisfied in conscience to hang a man for a supposal , and that supposal false ; and such a supposal , that he himself durst not suffer to be examined , lest it should have made it apparent , that their grand evidence was a perjured rogue ? this was the only piece of evidence that did in the least seem to affect the prisoner ; and therefore ought to have been fairly and fully canvassed , and not so lightly huddled and sham'd over ; all the other evidence was nothing to the purpose ; and if even this had been true , it could not have cast him . for the having books in a desk is neither compossing , printing , nor publishing , which is the crime charged in the indictment . the substance of the aforesaid testimony concerning the books being taken out of the desk was seconded by the evidence of hooper beadle of the hall , and the constable and his beadle . now though the falshood of the thing is already made manifest , yet i shall retain some charity for these persons , till i find cause to the contrary ; because it is very probable , that they might be deceived . for if stephens , or any agent of his , in the time of the huddle , and removal of things , did put such books into the desk , and afterwards examine it before the said constable and beadles , they might ignorantly swear to his contrivance ; and they might truly say such books were taken out of the desk , and not know that stephens and not mr. anderton put them in . but there is one thing , which shews them to be too loose and heedless in the matter of an oath , in that they alledged so many of the french conquests to be there , when it is certain there was not the fourth part of so many in the house , which ( as i have already told you ) were sent him the day before , and which the government it self now ( if it did not then ) well knows were not printed by him . and yet after all this multitude they were content to fall to one of each , that they might be particularly sworn to ; and when mr. constable was asked , how he knew those to be the books , and was desired by the prisoner to read the titles of those books whereof he accused him , truly it appeared , that the learned gentleman had been bred to no such dangerous things as writing or reading . now could a more unquestionable witness have been produced to printed books , and their titles , than a man that cannot read ? but for a help at a dead lift , it was said that he had made his private mark on the said books ; but then it ought to be considered . that his private mark was made to the two books at the lord chief justice holt's chamber , which robin stephens produced out of his pocket , when the prisoner was brought to be examined . now what did his mark set on two books at the lord chief justice's chamber , which were all the while before in another man's custody , signify to prove that those were the books , which were about four hours before taken out of a desk in s. james's ? robin stephens might have produced what books he pleased , and in all likelihood this man would have set his private mark on them ; but if he would have been sure , he ought to have set his private mark at the time of their being taken out of the desk ; but if there were not villanous treachery in the case , there was no such book to be marked . would any judge , who had either a grain of sense or conscience , hang a man upon such evidence as this ? i suppose it is for a blind , that stephens swore , that coming to the door ( i. e. scudamore's ) and asking what lodgers they had , turning his head aside , he saw the prisoner's mother in the yard , who crying out murther , the prisoner came out of the house , and fell upon him . for i cannot imagine what should make him swear such a needless lye , unless it were to cover the treachery , whereby the prisoner was betray'd , and to bear the world in hand , that he accidentally discovered him by espying his mother . for his mother was not in the yard , but in the common room , which they used for their kitchen ; and stephens came into the yard , and directly to the door , which by chance at that time was bolted ; and when he could not by force get in ( for the prisoner's wife and mother spying him out at the window would not open the door ) he took down a pane of glass , and was striving to come in that way , whereupon they opened the door , and at the out-cry of his mother and wife in that room , the prisoner mr. anderton came upon him , who had escaped the buzzard , had it not been for the strong guard he had set . this piece of evidence also admirably well agrees with another , that he saw him shoving up a bed , which ran upon wheels . now the bed stood in a room , from which you must come thorough two doors into the yard . in short , mr. anderton did not shove up the bed , nor was he first seen to stephens at this time of his apprehension , either in that room , or in the yard , but in their kitchen or common room lying between both . and indeed as to this matter the prisoner convinced him of the falshood of it in the open court ; but however it was taken no notice of . the witness must not be disparaged or discouraged , though some men will be apt to wonder at his wit , how he could contrive to forswear himself in so many particulars . besides stephens , the constable and the beadles , there were also two printers sworn , viz. roberts and snowden , the substance of whose evidence was , that they had seen the characters in the hall , together with the &c. and that they did believe it was the letter that printed that book , ( i. e. the book then shewed in court ) as also that the two books were printed with one and the same letter or character . now if this evidence be true , it ought to have acquitted him ; if it be false , it ought not to have hurt him . for the government well knows where and by whom one of the books was printed , and that it was not printed by mr. anderton , nor had he any manner of hand in it , or any communication at that time with those printers ; and if both the books were printed with the same letter or character , then i think it is a pretty fair and clear inference , that he printed neither of the said books , and consequently ought upon this evidence to have been discharged . but be the matter true or false , what signifies believing in this case ? is one man to be hanged for anothers believing ? malice is put to its shifts , when without any colour of legal evidence it is forced to believe a man out of his life . but if such evidence as this shall be looked on as good and satisfactory in matter of life , i think the whole society of printers are deeply concerned in it , and that they are all in very dangerous circumstances ; for i am assured by a very understanding printer , that there is not a printing-house in town , but hath of the same sort of letter or character , so that upon such an oath as this , any or all the printers of the town might have been taken , and whom they thought fit hanged . for there is none of them but had characters as suitable to the book , as that which was sworn to ; and if it had been seized , and thus sworn to , they were as lyable to be hanged as anderton . at this rate the government need not give themselves the charge of a messenger of the press , nor the trouble of such frequent searches ; but as soon as any seditious or treasonable pamphlet comes abroad , it is but going to the next printers and seizing his letter , and having found some of the same sort of character , to get a couple of rattle-headed fellows to swear to it , and hang him ; and thus they may pick and chuse what printers they please to hang. was ever such a wise oath made by two printers ? but snowden was made choise of , for his notoriously known malice against the prisoner , and no doubt but his fellow was endued with some excellent quality or other . there was brought in another witness , who made oath , that about three quarters of a year before , he had sold the prisoner paper by the name of williamson . now what is the crime of buying paper ? the stationers would have an ill trade , if every man should make himself a traytor , who becomes a customer to any of them . whatever they conjectured , no body offered to prove , that he made any ill use of his paper ; and then if he had bought half the paper in the town , i know not what harm had been in it , provided that he had honestly paid for it . what need was there to have troubled such a witness as this ? there can scarce be thought any other reason , but that they were resolved to run a man down with noise and number , against whom they wanted sufficient evidence . thus i have examined the witnesses , and i do not know that i have omitted any thing material spoken by them ; their business was to fix the press , letter , and pamphlets upon the prisoner , to prove he worked there , but particularly , that he printed the two books laid in the indictment ; which if their evidence did not amount to , it signified nothing . now if a man carefully consider the whole evidence in relation hereto , he will plainly perceive , that it was either false , inconsistent , or impertinent , and after all nothing to the purpose . for he stood indicted for composing , printing , and publishing two particular pamphlets , viz. the remarks and ●●●●●h conquest . i suppose they themselves did not think him the composer , that word was put in for formality's sake ; but however if they did , there was no offer in the least to prove it ; nor was there any proof , that he printed both , or either of the books laid in the indictment , or any other book , or that he printed at all ; nor was it proved , that he published the said books , or any other books ; nay , there was not the least thing , that looked like an evidence towards any one of these things ; so that there was not one tittle of his indictment proved . let us now see what art this reverend judg could use to condemn him ? for any man who had known the laws of england would have thought he had been safe enough . the prisoner with a great deal of calmness and clearness had all along made appear the insufficiency of the evidence ; but the judg , he as much crys it up , strains all his rhetorick to set glosses upon it , over-rules all , and though for fashion-sake he leave it to the jury , yet he perswades them , that they could not but see in it , what no body else could : and now like a knavish disputant , who begs the the question , he takes for granted , that the matter of fact was proved , though the contrary was as clear as noon-day . but then from this false supposition of the proof of matter of fact , there arose matter of law , viz. whether printing were treason ? and in consequence hereof , whether it were within the purview of the statute of the edw. ? as to this , the prisoner desired he might have the benefit of councel , and pleaded his right to it , urging not only the privilege of every english-man , but that it was the practice of all our courts of justice , and that no man was denied councel where any matter of law arose , and instanced in the case of sydney and others , to whom the judges freely and readily assigned councel as to matter of law , and own'd it to be their right . but the business of our tender judge was by any means whatsoever to cast the prisoner , and to make several new presidents in this one man , nor durst he trust so plain a case with the meanest lawyer : or that had been to expose their own malice and weakness , an 〈…〉 and whole court would easily have seen through the business ; but as for the prisoner himself they thought he might easily be dealt with , and the matter veiled ; for either by the advantage of their skill in law , or the awe of their authority , such a person might be easily quelled , and therefore they peremptorily deny to him , what was ( as the learned in the law tell me ) never denied to any man before , councel as to matter of law. being thus shamelesly over-ruled , he was constrained to be his own councel . a hard case , and a very discouraging part to plead law against a judg of law , who improved his art and authority , against him to the utmost , and appeared resolutely bent to have his blood right or wrong . nevertheless not to be wanting to himself , he undertook that part , and made such a plea as stunn'd his jury , and gave satisfaction to the whole court , except such as came thither with a resolution to murther him . the things which he principally insisted on , as to matter of law , were three . . that printing ( though even that was not proved ) was not treason . . that the crime laid to his charge came not within the purview of the edw. . . that if it did , yet by the said statute he ought to be discharged ; because there was not such witness against him as that statute requires , and without which it condemns no man. and these he proved fully and clearly by several cases in law , by several authorities from that great oracle of law the lork coke , and from our plain laws and statutes themselves , he argued from the statute whereon he was indicted , that whereas that made two things treason ; conspiring the death of the king , and levying war. the printer , who worked for hire , could not be guilty of this what-ever the author might ; and further that the books contained nothing of such matter , but the contrary , of which he produced an instance full and plain ; he also urged , that that statute allows no conjectural presumptions , inferences , or strains of wit , but direct and manifest proof by , at least , two witnesses , whereas there was not one against him , that spoke to the purpose , or any thing like it ; he pressed and explain'd the statue mo marie , even to a demonstration of his case . for whereas that statute saith , no act , deed or offence , shall be adjudged treason , but such as are declared and expressed to be such by the of edw. . it is absolutely impossible , that printing should be any ways declared or expressed in that act , it not being known in england till eight kings reigns after , and not long invented , before it travail'd hither . any man that had but a grain of sense , reason , or conscience , would have thought this should have struck the matter dead ; but he still urged further an act of their own ; and where men will not so much as stand to their own acts , happy are they who have nothing to do with such . in the reign of king charles the second , an act was made to prevent abuses in printing , &c. by which the printer upon the first offence is disabled to follow his trade for three years , and upon the second disabled for ever with fine , imprisonment , or other corporal punishment not extending to life or limb ; this is pretty severe , and yet a great way off treason ; but this being in favour of that king was made only for his life , and consequently expired with him ; but no longer since then the last sessions of parliament was this very act revived , and the present government obtain'd it not without great strugling : but to what purpose ? or i would fain know what favour was done it , if there were more effectual remedies before ? and i think it may be worth while for the parliament when they sit next to consider for what reason they revived that law , or whither it be to any purpose for them to make that or any other law , if even whilst they are fresh made , and in all mens view and knowledge , a judg shall dare openly not only to set them aside , but to violate them , and judge contrary to them . but i shall trouble the reader no further with his plea , which had been here inserted , but that some thought it would be too tedious , and not so proper for all sorts of persons , as being fraught with much latin and french , which he was necessitated to use as to the matters he cited . in short , he acquitted himself so well , that all indifferent persons were abundantly satisfied , and yet it proved to no more purpose than a wall-lecture . the reason is , the tryal was only a piece of pageantry , and the man was condemned long before ; but to over-rule this without more ado , had been a down-right affront both to law and reason , and therefore mr. judge must needs make a flourish ; and now a man would expect , that he should have gon through all the cases , statutes , and arguments used by the prisoner , and fairly and fully confuted him ; but i thank you , no such matter ; if the man had but little honesty , yet he had more wit ; he warily leaves it all in the lurch , and to put a blind upon the matter , makes a bluster with two or three old musty impertinent presidents , which had not seen the sun for many ages , the chief of which was that of sir john oldcastle lord cobham , and he might as well have urged the case of the man in the moon . for what was my lord cobham's case to printing ? that famous wicklevite lived in the reign of richard the second , some scores of years before printing was thought on , which came not into england till the reign of henry the seventh ; and the prisoner had very well observed , that what is not expressed in the statute edw. . ( and it is impossible printing should be expressed there ) is barr'd from being any ways adjudged or interpreted treason , by the statute mo marie . in short , in summing up the evidence to the jury , the judg acted not the part of a judg , but rather of a keen malitious councel or accuser , and mustered up all his arts to insnare and impose upon the jury ; he aggravated to the utmost every little punctilio , which he thought might be any thing servicable to beget in the jury an hard opinion of the prisoner ; he could not let the bed with wheels alone , but whipt it up and down like a top ; he could not forbear brushing the poor man's night-gown ; he rambled from st. james's to hoxton , and fetcht in every little trifle with all the witty malice imaginable ; nay , if you will believe him , he lookt into the very soul of the man , and told the jury what was within him ; he was an ill-minded man , a disaffected person , he was no lover of the government ; and in my conscience i cannot tell how he should , the government had not used him to well , that he should be passionately fond of it ; but above all he took mighty pains to beat it into their heads , that printing was an overt act : but on the other hand , of there being two witnesses to the proving the fact ( alas , he knew there was not one ) or of any thing the prisoner had pleaded though plain and substantial law , or of any thing that did make for the prisoner , not a word did he speak ; and when he had thus disguised the business with all the skill he had , the jury were sent out to consider of their verdict . whilst the jury were withdrawn all sorts of people were big with expectation , what would be the issue of the business ; many , who who were very well affected to the government , thought he could not be found guilty , and do not stick to say still , that he had very hard measure ; nay , even robin stephens , who thirsted for his blood , was fearful he would escape ; for as he was passing along the streets coming up to three gentlemen , one of whom asked what they thought would become of mr. anderton , stephen's laying his hand on mr. m — sh 's shoulder said thus , the rogue pleaded bravely , and i believes hopes he hath friends among the jury to get off ; but if such as he are acquitted , the government must give us orders to stob them whereever we find them . i think this is a faithful servant of the government indeed , a man who will go through stitch with his work ; but then , my dear country-men ! what would become of the laws , if every rogue should have a license to murther whom he pleaseth ? after two hours debate the greater part of the jury became very well inclined to have found not guilty ; but there was a true trojan amongst them , one who loved mischief and the government in his soul ; and he was for hanging men for being jacobites , not for being guilty : and being since told of the severity of their verdict , he readily acknowledged , that the evidence did not amount to the proof of the fact , but , saith he , what of that ? i believed he was guilty , and i will hang a hundred of them for half so much evidence . a very useful man , and certainly deserves a pention , if he have not one already . when the jury appeared , the question was asked , whether they were agreed of their verdict ? a zealous man answered , no. whereat the court fround , and shew'd themselves much displeased , when the fore-man of the jury ( who is a man well affected to the government , but withall a sensible man , not malicious , and desirous that all men may have fair play for their lives ) put this question to the bench , whether the having those things by him , without making any further use of them , did affect the prisoner as to life ? now this question was very pertinent . for all that was proved against the prisoner , was that such things were found there , and it ought to be taken notice of , that though the thing was call'd in question , yet it was not proved , that the room , where the things were found , did belong to him ; and there was a person present in court , and brought thither by means of robin stephens , who offered to make oath , that the room was hired by one williams , and that the said williams had paid the last quarters rent for it ; whereupon stephens and others gave her very ill names , and with great threatnings drave her out of the court , and both she and her husband have been somewhat scurvily used since . the question , though very proper , was nothing pleasing ; but after some frowning and pouting , treby arose and answered , no. in which answer he plainly acknowledged , that all that was offered in proof against the prisoner , did not affect him ; but then he further said , that was not their business , they were to find it printing , and that was a sufficient overt-act . but then is printing treason ? if so , then we have a trade that is treason , at which men work every day , and are allowed by law , which is not more severe against any thing , than treason . but perhaps he will say , he meant the printing these books ; but with his good leave , there was no such thing proved , nay , not so much , as that he printed at all . and must a jury find a matter of which no manner of evidence at all is given ? he might as well have bid them find it conjuring , for any proof that was offered of it . but if the thing were supposed , yet i believe his lordship is the first , that ever declared printing as such , to be an overt-act of treason ; and i shall leave it to the learned in the law to declare , when they shall think fit , what crime that is , and how to be punished , when a judg takes away a man's life by declaring that to be an overt-act of treason , which the law doth not so account . but i cannot omit it , as seeming to me a thing of sad and dangerous consideration , that when some of the jury-men , as by way of complaint , said thus . my lord , our fore-man is of opinion , this fact is not proved . he presently replied , whether it be proved or no , you ought not to determine ; the bare finding the books in his custody would not be treason ; but the case is , gentlemen , here is a man that has a printing-press , to which no man has admission but himself ; and this man is found with errata and &c. ( not a tittle of all this proved ) so that he must needs print the treason . to this a pert jury-man answered , 't is a very strong presumption , my lord ! and then baron powel clenched the nail with this grave saying . a violent presumption is as much as if a man had been there and done it himself . what blessed times are these ? would not a man think , that astrea were come down from heaven again , and sat in court ? for was ever such brave justice known ? the jury are sworn to proceed according to their evidence , but the judg tells them , they are not to determine whether the thing be proved or no. i. e. they are brought thither to be forsworn , and to hang men contrary to their oath upon the bare say-so of a lying corrupt judg. the law says there shall be positive evidence in case of life , but a great lawyer says , a violent presumption is the same thing . in plain terms , ( country-men ) this is not to murther a single man , but to murther the laws ; and the most innocent english-man breathing has no security of his life against a presuming judg. these answers , or rather shams , being returned to the questions , after some other ill words , and ill looks , the jury were sent back again , where almost three hours more were spent in debating the matter before they could come to a conclusion , and then part complied , rather tired and frighted than convinced ; the last , who came in , was the foreman ; and it is besitting the times , for the head to follow the tail ; nor were they arguments , but terrours , which shock'd his judgment , and brought him off at the last ; some of his fellow jury-men used him rudely , gave him very ill language , and threatned him high with the government , and thus all being awed into a compliance , away they come with their wicked , but to the court welcome , verdict , and bring in the prisoner guilty . and now the judg , to shew how acceptable it was to him , falls a stroaking the jury ; and endeavours to make them some amends for the hard words he had given them before , telling them , that they had done like honest and good men , and had brought in a verdict agreable to their evidence . the most impudent lye that ever was spoke from a bench ; for there was not one tittle of evidence either as to his composing , printing , or publishing , which was the crime laid to his charge in the indictment . but the foreman , when he came to have the liberty of his thoughts , was not pleased with what was done ; and that he might prevent the mischief , what in him lay , he did declare his dissatisfaction , and that also was made known , and at another time , had been enough to have staid judgment : but they had gained their wicked point , and would not depart from it ; sentence according to course was put off to the last day of the sessions , in the mean time the prisoner , that he might either save his life , or leave those who sought his blood without excuse , had a petition drawn and delivered , which is as followeth . to the right honourable sir john fleet , lord mayor of the city of london , and the rest of the commissioners for the goal delivery of newgate . the humble petition of william anderton a convicted prisoner in newgate . sheweth , that whereas your petitioner has been by the jury found guilty of printing the books laid in the indictment , and thereby is concluded from questioning the legal evidence they had for it , though your petitioner humbly appeals to your lordships observations and consciences , whether all that was sworn came up to more , than bare circumstantial evidence , of his bare printing them ; which in cases of treason , as your petitioner is informed , has never been allowed . and whereas your petitioner was advised , that bare printing these books ( admitting the same proved ) could not by the laws be construed as an overt-act of treason in the bare printer ; and your petitioner requested the court again and again , that this matter might be argued by his counsel , which the court were pleased not to permit . your petitioner yet notwithstanding , not doubting of your lordships inclinations , not only to do him all justice , but to shew him all the mercy and favour you can that may consist with your lordships justice ; and humbly conceiving , that this court , by further considering your petitioner's case , may , even yet , be capable of relieving your petitioner , especially , if upon hearing what your petitioner can say , your lordships shall be satisfied , that your petitioner hapned to be convicted through any errour or mistake , ( as no man was ever exempt from errour , and the best of men are always readiest to confess it ) your petitioner therefore humbly beseecheth your lordship's patience seriously to read and consider some few ( of many ) reasons which your petitioner hath heard from others , which he herein has set down as briefly as he can as followeth . ) first , they lay down , that the treason laid in the indictment , being that of the intent of the heart , ( expressed in the statute by compassing and imagining the king's death ) requires by law two proofs , the one of the fact , the other of the inference , and that both these must be plain ; that of fact called the overt-act ) must be proved by direct and positive evidence , by two witnesses at least , and not by circumstantials only ( as this of printing was against your petitioner , there being no positive proof at all , not so much as by one witness given of his printing either of the books laid in the indictment . ) and then , that of fact being thus proved , must by necessity of inference as evidently and certainly prove , that the party in doing such overt-act could intend or imagine thereby nothing less than the king's death ; and if either of these proofs fall short of such necessary certainty such indictment must fail , the law , for great reasons , regarding only such plain and direct proofs in these great charges . now can a printer , quatenus only the printer of these books , be thereby inferred to assent to and approve of the matters and things contain'd in these books , and that necessarily too , quatenus the printer ? by the same legal logick every printer may be proved to have in his heart and approve of all the opinions , notions and imaginations contained in all the books he ever printed : for , a quatenus ad omne valet consequentia . 't is true ( say they ) writing and speaking have , in some instances , been accounted as overt-acts , and there might be good reason for it , as a man expressing his own mind by his own writing , and by his own words , which , according to the manner of his writing or speaking , may evidently appear to come from his own heart ; and your petitioner doth not doubt but that the writing a book , as in cardinal pool's case , and the signing the warrant for the execution of king charles the first , as in the case of the regicides , which cases were urged by some of the court against your petitioner , were sufficient overt-acts , to prove the compassing and imagining the king's death . but can these instances be any thing to the case of a printer ? whose business it is , as a printer only , to print the thoughts of others , being accounted in law only as a meer mechanick , and whose end thereby is to get money for his work. and for further reason in this matter , they observe , that as it doth not appear that bare printing was ever pretended to be an overt-act within stat. edw. . so when the parliament of car. . carried up treason to the highest , for the preservation of the king's person during his life , and ( among other things ) particularly therein took notice of printing , yet would they not thereby lay so great a penalty upon the printers , as , no doubt , considering the unreasonableness of comprising such tools and mechanicks within an act intended for persons of higher designs : but this parliament kept the printers in their remembrance , as intending to consider them by themselves in another act , as they very soon after did ; for the very same parliament in and car. . make an act which they stile , an act for preventing abuses in printing seditious , treasonable , and unlicensed books and pamphlets , and for regulating printing and presses ; and therein , as they fix them their rules and bounds , so they allot them their punishment : which , for the first offence , is disability for three years ; and for the second , perpetual disability , fine , imprisonment , or other corporal punishment at discretion . wherefore , the premises throughly weighed and considered , your petitioner humbly implores your lordships , that , in favour of life , in a new and extraordinary case , and that too , of treason , your lordships would be pleased to extend so much mercy to your petitioner as to suspend your judgment and pronouncing sentence upon on him untill your lorships shall have heard what can be further offered by counsel on his behalf . and your petitioner shall ever pray , &c. here is no need of a comment ; this petition speaks for it self , and doubtless will continue to speak to their everlasting shame , who answered it only with neglect and scorn . when the last day of the sessions came , and the prisoner was asked in course what he had to say , why sentence should not be passed upon him ? he desired that his petition might be read ; but the court not being willing to take notice of the knowledge of any such petition , thereby to elude his request , he foreseeing it , had provided one ready , and offered it to be read , but no man daring to take and read it , he took the freedom to read it himself , and then offered these things further in arrest of judgment , which he drew up by way of queries . . whether if a jury not being competent judges of the matter of fact whereof they are to judge , and bring in their verdict against the defendent contrary to law ; i say , whether judgment ought to pass upon the defendent because of that verdict ? . whether if a judg , ( who is counsel for the defendent , and therefore indispensibly bound to take particular cognizance of what the defendent urgeth in his own behalf , as well as what is alledged against him ) in summing up the evidence , doth omit ( out of forgetfulness or otherwise ) the only material point upon which the whole indictment is founded , and which the defendent so much urged in his own behalf ; and also which inevitably led the jury into this mistake of their verdict ; whether , i say , this be not sufficient to stay judgment ? . whether any judg , &c. can construe printing to be a sufficient overt-act , till it be so declared by parliament ? . whether the stat. of car. . does not plainly intimate the contrary ? and likewise the and car. . lately revived . these queries , and this petition , will some time or other be thought considerable ; and the rather for that the prisoner did make it his humble and last request , that these things being matter of law , he might be allowed counsel to plead them , or any other matter of law in his case . and he backt his request with this modest reason ; that being matter of law , he thought the satisfaction of the judg's conscience concerned in it , as well as his life ; but if his counsel could be satisfied or fairly over-ruled in it , he would acquiesce without more ado . the matter now lay wholly before the city recorder salathiel lovel ; and some persons perhaps will wonder how the soppish tool could so easily get over these matters ; but he is mounted into a station above himself , and now thinks himself above all sense , reason or law : thus much he knew , that his business was to doom the man to die , not to expose the matter by disputing the case , and therefore after a flourish or two of empty rhetorick , he in a bravery proceeds to pronounce that dreadful sentence , which the law allots to treason ; which is not barely death , but to have the heart and bowels torn out and burnt , and the body dismemb'red , and the quarters set up or disposed as authority orders . thus innocence falls before the guilty ; and it is the triumph of a hardned sinner to wash his hands in blood . whilst mr. anderton was preparing for his death , his friends were struggling for his life : he had many friends upon the account of his known ability , industry , and integrity ; others were taken with his manly behaviour , and clear pleading upon his tryal ; and others were more forward to move in his case in pity or indignation at his lawless usage . those who were concern'd in it , might have observed the activity and zeal of charitable and pitiful christians , the fair and open dealing of some generous noble persons , the pretty fetches and tricks of little courtiers to hook in a prize , but above all the artifices of a council in declining what was before-hand resolved should not be granted . the queen ( as still upon occasion it was answered ) could do nothing without the council , nor the council without the queen ; if the council was met , the queen was not there , or if she was there , there wanted such and such of the council , without whom nothing could be done ; and thus things at every turn were shuffled off : but where the danger is imminent , and time short , persons are willing to watch hard and look out sharp ; taking this course his disconsolate wise had at last so fairly set the council , that it was thought they could not avoid giving her a direct answer ; for though they were resolved he should not live , yet ( the matter being so warmly debated amongst all sorts of persons ) they were not willing to say peremptorily he should die : to put her by now , this artifice served effectually ; a number of waiters attending about the council chamber fell foul upon the poor woman , in no very courtly language , reproaching and reviling her , that she did not bring her husband to confession : in short , they so teazed and plagued her , that they drove her away , and an old hag followed her , persecuting her , and all that came near her as friends , with such vehement and bitter language , that they were forced to quit the place . but of these things there is a worthy pious gentlewoman , who never spares any pains to promote a work of charity or mercy , can give a better account than i ; and they being too long to be inserted here , with her , and to her careful observation , i leave them . it did at last plainly appear , that the reason of caiaphas prevailed , it was expedient one should die . ( pardon the expression , for the very words were used , ) and therefore no matter whether the law was strained , or not ; they had caught a man whom they thought fit should die , if not for his crimes , yet for example : and thus we have bravely secured our lives , liberties and estates , when men are hanged for reasons of state , not for offences against law. i now draw near to his last exit , only i crave leave to premise a very short account of his life . mr. will. anderton was born at wakefield in yorkshire , sept. . . his father's name was also william anderton , an eminent clothier in that town , his mothers elizabeth , the daughter of mr. maximilian topham , she is yet living , a woman of a masculine spirit , yet as pious as couragious : for though in this man she lost the son both of her love and support , ( for she is fallen into poverty ) and would readily have given her own life in exchange to have saved his , yet she bore it with such a christian magnanimity , that she did not stick to say , that she thanked god , that he had singled out one of her children to dye in so good a cause . he was brought up in the grammar-school there , till he was fit for the university , for which he was designed by his father , whose desire was to have made him a clergy-man ; but he , considering with himself , that since his father's death , by many losses and crosses , the estate had been very much impaired , and that there were others beside himself to be brought up , and disposed of in the world , so that a tolerable university-maintenance could not be allowed him without crushing his mother , and brother and sisters , he resolved to betake himself to a trade . when his school-master heard of this , he was extreamly troubled ; for he looked on him as a boy of as great hopes as any he had taught ; and to divert him from his resolution , did promise and undertake , that amongst his friends and acquaintance he would procure him a maintenance , but the boy being unwilling to depend on such uncertainties made haste away up to london , in the year . where he was unfortunately bound apprentice to one thomas snowden a printer , and withal a furious bigotted fanatick ; who using to pray ( after his fashion ) every night in his family , never failed in one part of his prayer to blother out most malitious invectives and venomous imprecations against the church of england , and its members , especially the clergy . his new apprentice , who had been bred by his loyal parents in the doctrine and practice of the church of england , could not endure this ; but when his master fell to praying backwards , would get up on his feet , and manifestly shew his dislike . at first his master reproved him , and thought to have perswaded him with argument , but at that weapon the apprentice was too hard for him , which made his angry master have recourse to the argumentum bacillinum , thinking he would at least be able to cudgel his young man into fanaticism : but still as often as the master came to the malicious part of his prayers , so often the apprentice arose , though he was as often beaten for it ; till in the end his master perceived his immoveable resolution , and knowing that he could not justifie his own proceedings , gave him leave to pray his own way , and to go to church : but withall bore him such an eternal grudge for it , that he laid hold on all advantages imaginable to use him ill ; and by the silly oath he made against him at the tryal , any man would think , it stuck by him still . such doings made the apprentice so very uneasie , that about half of his time being served , after complaint made to the chamberlain , he was turned over to one miles fletcher , with whom he lived very comfortably the rest of his time , he respecting and faithfully serving his master , and his master entirely loving his apprentice . it is a trade wherein some excel in one part , and some in another ; but mr. anderton had attained to that perfection in it , that several skilful persons now give him the character , that take him for all parts of his trade together , he hath scarce left his fellow behind him in england . when this unnatural revolution was brought about , wherein men in the face of heaven forsoook and renounced those principles which before they had valued themselves upon , against and above all the world ; our sufferer chose the better , not the stronger side , adhereing to the orthodox not the apostate church of england , and being for true not sham-loyalty , which became the occasion of his glorious though untimely end . from the time of his commitment to the very moment of his death he was of a very even and sweet behaviour , being modestly couragious , chearful without lightness , and devout without ostentation . he made it his particular request , that some minister or ministers would be with him every morning and evening to read the prayers of the church , and perform such other offices as in such case as his did belong to that function , which except one day in the week was duly observed , and sometimes oftner ; for when any clergy came accidentally to visit him , if they did neglect to offer , he commonly requested them to pray with him . he gave little or no entertainment to any hopes of life , as being sensible that it was rather malice than matter against him ; and that a crime may be pardoned , but malice is not to be satisfied without the destruction of its enemy , if he once come in its power . he often express'd a great satisfaction in the cause for which he suffered ; saying , that it ministred to him both comfort and courage , and that he doubted not but that god would acquit whom the court had condemned . as to the ordinary , he indeed in point of conscience refused to communicate with him , yet mildly and modestly telling him that he was desirous to give him no trouble , and requested of him that he would not any ways concern himself with him or about him ; at which mr. smith fell into such an unseemly intemperate fit of rage , that he reviled the prisoner with bitter words , and very generously damned both him and all the ministers that came at him to hell : but he took it patiently , and returned not the least word that might seem to sound harshly . as his wife once laid her hand on his fetters and wept ; he intreated her to forbear , saying , he was less than a man that could not bear that , but that her tears were more grievous to him than his fetters : another time as he was hanging a link on the chair thereby to ease himself somewhat from the weight of his fetters , and perceiving his wife to look very heavily at it , he said chearfully to her , my dear , these are my arms alluding to the arms of their family , being sable , two single shack-bolts , and one-double argent , which if the criticks will give me leave ) i take to be very honourable bearing , as being originally given to such , who having behaved themselves valiantly in the holy wars , yet had the misfortune to be for some time made prisoners by the infidels ; or to such who did either by their prowess fetch off , or by their charity redeem such prisoners . but it would be endless to insist on these small matters , i will therefore hasten to the great and last act of this sad tragedy . when tucker told him that the dead warrant was come , and that he was in it ; he gave him thanks for giving him notice of it , that he might be sure he had now nothing else to do , but to prepare to dye ; saying further , the lord's will be done . he received the holy sacrament twice during his imprisonment ; but whether it be customary , or that they had particular order , the keeepers all ( except walker , who was all along not only civil , but even compassionate towards the prisoner ) the evening and morning before he suffered became exceeding rugged and harsh not only to him , but to all that came to him ; insomuch that his mother and brother coming that morning to receive the communion with him could neither beg nor buy admission ; and the poor old woman was forced to depart without joyning in the last act of christian communion with him , or so much as taking her intended last farewel of him ; which looks as if some persons took a pride in baseness and cruelty , and studiously set themselves to add to the sorrows of the afflicted . other very unbecoming actions towards him i could mention , which i shall forbear , being unwilling to set forth that barbarity which some delight to act . when he was brought down to go to the place of execution , he entred into the sledge , and rode along in it with that calm behaviour and decent courage , as stroke the beholders with remorse and amazement , and made his enemies gnash their teeth with indignation , to see him triumph over their malice even in his death . in his passage all the way the people rather seem'd sorrowful , than inclinable to offer any abuse , except near s. giles's church , where a rude fellow treated him with very spiteful language , to which he made no return , but lifting up his eyes to heaven , said , o sweet jesus ! how much more hast thou suffered for me and for mankind ? and shall not i learn of thee patiently to bear the undeserv'd reproaches of this inconsiderate man ? as he was coming up to the place of execution , a clergy-man , got up into the cart to be ready to receive him ; at which the ordinary seemed to be much incensed ; for he gave him very ill words , bidding him get him down , and saying , he ought not be there , nor should he be suffered ; the minister replyed little , but stayed still , till ( see how one ill nature helps another ) major richardson came up , and with threatnings and his cane lifted up forced him to come down , who immediately thereupon applied himself to the sheriffs ( for by this time they were come up ) when some ill person suggested that he was a papist , to which the prisoner presently answered , mr. sheriff , upon the words of a dying man he is not , but a minister of the church of england . i mention this purposely that people may take notice what ill use is made of the words papist and popery ; and how necessary it is that they were better understood : for to be called a papist is dangerous , but to be one or to teach the worst of popish doctrines is advantageous ; heretofore the power of deposing kings and equivocation , either as to oaths , promises , or any transactings were accounted popish doctrines , and those who owned them were universally condemned ; but now you have those very doctrines in every pulpit in the town , and the persons by all applauded . what preposterous doings are these , to hate the name and love the thing ? to knock an honest man o' th' head , for being maliciously and falsely called a papist , and to admire him for a saint who really acts upon popish principles , whilst he raiseth these scandals , and rails against popery ? whether may not people be led , who will suffer themselves to be thus deluded ? i pray god open their eyes , that they may see the things that belong to their peace , before they be hid from their eyes . due to return to our business , the ordinary made all the opposition he could ; but the sheriff granted the prisoner's request , bidding the ordinary hold his peace , and saying it was a thing never deny'd to a dying man. being in the cart , and also the prisoner's brother , he used an office which seemed to be collected out of several offices in the common-prayer book , with such small alterations as might serve to adapt them to the present occasion ; being since asked the reason , he said that he did it both for the authority of the thing , and also to avoid any cavils that might be made at , or any snares that might be laid for , any of his own conceptions . but but when he came to mention the creed he put these particular questions to the prisoner . do you believe these articles which you are now about to rehearse with me , to contain that faith which hath all along been received by the church of christ ? and particularly by the church of england ? and is this the faith wherein you die , and wherein you hope for salvation ? the prisoner making answer , i do so believe , and am now ready to die in that faith , and in that faith hope for salvation . then said the minister , if so , say after me : then they repeated the creed , raising their voices somewhat higher than ordinary ; after that the minister asked him several questions concerning his repentance , his charity , his endeavours o● restitution for any wrongs by him done his forgiving of others any wrongs done to him , and the like . and then , at the earnest request of the dying man he denounced the absolution , then proceeding to divers other prayers they concluded with that sentence in the office for the burial of the dead : o holy and merciful saviour , thou must worthy judge eternal , suffer me not at my hast hour for any pains of death to fall from thee . this being over , the minister ( whether that he could not endure to see the man die , or that he would not communicate with the ordinary , or for some other reason best known to himself , ) after he had particularly embraced mr. anderton , fervently recommended his soul to god , and taken his last farewel of him , went down out of the cart : the sheriffs civilly commanded a way to be made , and were readily obeyed , he passing through the crowd , not only with ease but respect . during the time the prisoner was at his private devotions , an order came to remit the quartering of his body , which being by some thought a reprieve , it was handed to him , and having read it , and finding it no more , he returned it , saying , i thank you mr. sheriff , the will of the lord be done . having leave from the sheriffs to speak his mind if he had any thing to say to the people ; he began to speak , but being troublesomely interrupted by the ordinary , and also finding he could not be heard , he desired a speech he had prepared might be taken out of his pocket and given to the sheriffs , to be by them printed , or disposed as they thought fit , which hath been since printed , and is as followeth : to my countrymen , liberty and property hath for some years made an hideous cry in these kingdoms , and nothing more than the rights and privileges of the subject is the pretence of our present deliverers ; and doubtless it was for the sake of these that so many of my insatuated and blind countrymen rebell'd against their lawful and injur'd monarch , whilst religion ( rebellions umbrage ) was made the covert of the hidden designs of those who have now demonstratively shewn , that they sought nothing less than our ruin : and that these were only pretences to gain their ends , the very blind , although they cannot see , yet must certainly feel it . under the like pretences do our deliverers still continue to deliver us even from what they please , that they think will but in the least help to effect what they came for : under the notion of the necessity of a war , they deliver us from our mony , and from our traffick and commerce , by which so great a part of the kingdom is sustained : under the notion of carrying it on , they kidnap our young men , the flower of our kingdom , and directly contrary to law transport them ; and to save their own foreigners put them in them first onsets of their battles , as the heathens did the christians of old , that their enemies swords might be blunted with killing them , before they came to encounter them : they exhaust all our stores both for sea and land , and carry away all our artillery ; and if any man seem but to disapprove of these their proceedings under the notion of law they murther him : nay , if they do but so much as suppose him not to be on their side , he must be a traitor , and no matter what the law says , they say he shall die . can any thing be more plain to demonstrate this than my present case ? my supposed crime was printing , and all that the witnesses could personally say against me , was , that i was a man against the government , and had called the prince of orange hook-nose , though i protest i never did ; not one of them could say , nor did they offer to say , that i ever printed the books of which they accuse me , or procured them to be printed , or published any of them , or that the materials were mine , or that i hired the room where they were found ; but i was an ill man , and that was sufficient : by which 't is plain , that they were resolved right or wrong to have my life . that they designed not to try but to convict me is as plain ; for they refused positively to allow me counsel to such matters of law , as was never refused to any before ; and though i caused several statutes to be read , some to prove that there must be two witnesses at least to the fact ; others , that though there had been two , as there was not one , yet positively declared that it was not treason : nay , the very last session of parliament was it enacted , that the printer of seditious and treasonable books should for the first offence be punished no otherwise than not to follow his trade for three years , and for the second offence never to follow it more , and such farther punishment as seemed fit to the court , not extending to life or limb. now though mine ( had it been proved ) had but been the first , yet you see contrary and in direct opposition to the law , they make it high treason : and when the jury could not agree to find me guilty , and came down to ask the court , whether the finding these things there , and supposing them to be mine , since it could not be prov'd that i printed these books , or had made any use of them , could affect my life ? i say , when the jury asked this question , and the lord chief justice treby told them positively , no , it did not ; yet withal he told them , that that was not their business , their business was to find me guilty of printing : and while they stayed , the court frown'd upon them to that degree , that the foreman told them , he was not to be frighted ; upon which they publickly reviled them , calling them , ill men , ill subjects , and a pack of knaves ; and so terrified them into a compliance . that this is true , those who were near know too well , although the partial writer of the tryals hath most perfidiously published not only an unfair , imperfect , and lame account , but hath also stuff'd it with down-right untruths and falshoods , and left out whatsoever made for me ; not so much as mentioning the contradictions of the witnesses in what they did swear , their swearing to some things that made for me , and when i took hold of them they denied them , nor hath he in the least told the world of the judg's over-ruling whatsoever i offered , without giving any other answer than that it should be so because they would have it so ; with many other such things , which the conscientious auditors can testify . and now i pray consider where is this liberty and property ? where the rights and privileges of the subject ? nay , where the very laws themselves ? and consequently where is the security of any man ? why , even in the deliverers pockets , where your money is , and where also without all doubt , if you look not well to your selves , your estates e're long will be likewise . what are the proceedings but arbitrary in a superlative manner , and such as no reign ever produced before ? these were they you were heretofore only afraid of , being jealous without just cause ; but now you see them actually come upon you . i hope you your selves will put a stop to them , by laying these proceedings before the parliament , for had it been sitting at this present these proceedings durst not have been practised ; and i pray god to put so speedy an end to them , that as i am the first , so i may be the last that may suffer by them . i have hitherto lived a member of the orthodox church of england as by law established , and i declare i now die in the unity of the same : therefore , according to its discipline , i hold my self obliged to ask pardon of the whole world , of every particular person whom i have any ways offended ; and i do freely and sincerely forgive every one that has offended me , particularly my most false and perjured witnesses , and among them more particularly robin stephens , my most unjust and unrighteous judges , and my repenting jury ; and i pray god may not lay this their sin of wilful murther to their charge at the general bar , where they shall appear as criminals , and not judges . may the almighty bless , preserve , prosper and restore our sovereign lord king james , to the just possession of his indubitable lawful crowns ; strengthen him that he may vanquish and overcome all his enemies here on earth , and crown him with eternal glory hereafter : and that he may never want heirs to inherit his crown , bless i beseech thee , o god , his royal highness the prince of wales , and give him such a numerable issue , that there may never want one of his loins to sway the scepters of these kingdoms so long as sun or moon endure . amen . amen . william anderton . june . . several sorts of men have their several objections against this poor man's speech , which he wrote the day before he dyed , between the hours of eight and one , being fourteen times interrupted in the writing of it , and forced to convey a copy of it through a key-hole to a friend , least it should be taken from him . some complain , that he did not pray for the queen ; but these surely forget what man they have to do with . formerly in such cases men used to pray for their king ; and when they were acquitteed used to say , god bless the king , without any further notice of other persons , unless there were particular reason for it : but since a joint regency hath been set up , it hath followed in course that they pray'd for the king and queen ; but he was a man who would not countenance this , or take any notice of it , and therefore used the old form and way , not caring who excepted against it . but if any honourers of their queen by mistake except these , they may know , that he honoured her as much as they ; and doubtless she will believe no less of him , who prayed so heartily for the prince of wales , the son of her womb , his majesties care , and all their good subjects hopes . others alledge , that it hath too much levity in it for the speech of a dying man , and for that reason quarrel with the word kidnapping in it , and that is the very term now by all used , and by which all men express and understand the fact signified by it ; and he that would speak to be understood by all , should speak in the language used by all : when words are new and fresh , they carry along with them somewhat of the lightness , quaintness , or other particular humour or quality of the first deviser , but when they are once appropriated and naturalized by use , that humour is lost , and they become in some measure necessary ; and he that will find fault with a man for speaking as other men do , perhaps will find in the end , that more will find fault with him . on the quite contrary , there are others who are as much displeased with the sharpness and severity of it ; so difficult a matter it is to please all palats . but this is only in that part of his speech , where his subject matter plainly engaged him to speak somewhat after that manner ; and therefore the objectors ought to consider , that there are some things in their own nature so harsh and ungrateful , that a man cannot mention them without seeming to grate or bite ; but then how evil and severe are those things themselves ? and if a man must necessarily speak of such matters , they ought to lay the blame on the things , which extort from a man such severity of language , not on the man , who speaks properly and according to the nature of the things , which was always esteemed a virtue and commendation . some persons can find fault with the excellencies of a man , as i remember it was one objection against mr. ashton's paper , that he reasoned too logically : the same crime i am apt to think will never be objected to him , who pick'd the quarrel . were any of these smooth men to suffer in the same manner with such kind of justice as mr. anderton had , perhaps it might set their tongues and pens on edge to speak and write as severe truth as he did . there are others , who employ time , which might be better spent in seeking or making exceptions against this brave man ; but i will leave them with trinculo to mutiny by themselves ; i wish all of them had seen him and conversed with him in the time of his confinement ; they then would rather have admired him , than disparaged him ; a man upon whom the terrours of death made no impression ; no man that came to him could ever discover any the least sign of fear , or perturbation of mind in him , but found him always in the same sweet even temper , excepting only in his devotions and exercises of religion , wherein he was very fervent and vehement , as powring out all his soul to his god. to carp and cavil is no hard matter , but to die is not so very easie ; and i hope i shall be thought to make no ill wish , if i wish that those who are so ready to censure , may be able to make as brave and as christian an end , as this poor man did , who is persecuted both living and dead . during the time that the ordinary busied himself , he was observed not to mind him , but to imploy himself in his private devotions , and after the delivery of his speech to the sheriffs , his cap pulled over his eyes ready for execution , he prayed thus ; most great and most merciful lord god! do thou look down upon me thy poor unworthy servant in this hour of my great extremity , and have mercy upon me . sweet jesus , receive my soul into thine everlasting kingdom , for into thy hands do i commend my spirit , because thou hast redeemed it , o lord god of truth ! come lord jesus , and receive my pretious soul , father of mercy have mercy upon me ; o god the son , redeemer of the world , have mercy upon me ; lord , comfort and support my soul in these my last minutes , come sweet jesus , come quickly , and save me sweet jesus by thy most pretious blood , by thy agony and bloody sweat , and by the coming of the holy ghost , o lord , do thou deliver me . here the ordinary put in saying , you must give a sign when you are ready ; whereupon the sheriffs charged him not to interrupt them ; and as he was proceeding his sister desired to speak to him , which was granted ; who kissing him and weeping over him said , be of good comfort though there is no pardon for you here yet there is above . so when they had taken a christian leave of each other , he returned to his devotions , when after a short pathetical prayer constantly calling upon his saviour the cart drove away . his body was conveyed to a house near , till the dusk of the evening , and then brought to town , both for quietness sake and to prevent giving offence ; but as privately as it was done , that blood-hound stephens pursu'd him dead , and was observed to walk several times by the house , and to give notice to the mob ; so that he who was designed to have been stollen to his grave by a few friends late in the night , was follow'd by a very numerous train , but without any manner of incivility , and now lies interr'd in little s. bartholomew's church-yard , expecting a joyful resurrection , and the coming of the righteous judge , before whom william and mary , anderton and treby shall appear without any other difference or respect , than what their sins or their virtues shall make ; and from whom they shall receive according to what they have done in the flesh , be it good or evil . finis .