acoording to Mr. Chalmers, in his curious and entertaining Life of Ruddiman, p. 114. Mr. Chalmers obferves, that it may gratify our national pride to be told, that we owe to the wildom of Elizabeth, and the prudence of Burleigh, the circulation of the first genuine newfpaper, "The English Mercurie," printed during the time of the Spanish armada. The first number, preferved ftill in the British museum, is marked 50; it is dated the 23d of July, 1588, and contains the following curious article: "Yesterday the Scotch ambaflador had a private audience of her majefty, and delivered a letter from the king his mafter, containing the moft cordial affurances of adhering to her majefty's interefts, and to thofe of the Proteftant religion; and the young king faid to her majefty's minifter at his court, that all the favour he expected from the Spaniards was, the courtefy of Polyphemus to Ulyffes, that he fhould be devoured the laft." Thefe publications were however then, and long after, published in the fhape of fmall pamphlets; and fo they were called in a tract of one Burton, in 1614: If any one reads now-a-days, it is a play-book or pamphlet of newes," for fo the word was originally spelled. 66 From 1588 to 1622, and during the pacific reign of James I. few of thefe publications appeared; but the 30 years war, and the victories of the great king Guftavus Adolphus, having excited the curiofity of our countrymen, a weekly paper, called "The Newes of the prefent Week," was printed by Nathaniel Butter, in 1622, which was continued afterwards in 1626, under another title, by Mercurius Britannicus; and they were fucceeded by "The German Intelligencer" in 1630, and "The Swedish Intelligencer" in 1631, which laft was compiled by William Watts, of Caius college, who was a learned man, and who thus gratified the public curiofity with the exploits of the Swedish hero, in a quarto pamphlet. The great rebellion in 1641 was productive of abundance of those periodical tracts above-mentioned, as well as of all thofe that have been published fince the firft newfpaper that appeared in the prefent form, "The Public Intelligencer," published by fir Roger L'Etrange, Aug. 31, 1661. Mr. Chalmers fubjoins to these curious refearches the account of the firft paper printed in Scotland, in February, 1622, "The Edinburgh Gazette," which was accompanied afterwards, in 1705, by "The Edinburgh Courant;" and, at the period of the Union, Scotland had only three newlpapers. The publication of "The Caledonian Mercury," by Ruddiman, April 28, 1720, led this curious and entertaining bicgrapher to this minute and laborious inveftigation; from which it appears, that England had, in 1792, 35 town and 70 country papers; Scotland, 14 newfpapers, publifhed at Edinburgh and in the country. practifed the art of printing five centuries before his time. Count Terre Rezzonico found at Lyons plates with words and names engraven by a Nuremberger, 1380. The Chinese way of flamping a whole page with one intire block, Coftar uled at Harlem, about the year 1480. He ufed fingle types of wood before the year 1440; when thefe characters were fpirited away to Mentz, either directly or by degrees; probably by the elder Genfleifch; who, with his brother John Gutenberg, cut metalline types under the patronage of John Fauft, whofe fon-in law, Scheffer, caft the types. Coftar's earliest known impreffions were, a book of eight pages, containing an alphabet, the Lord's prayer, and three other prayers; a little Catholicon, or vocabulary; confeflionals; Donatus printed before 1440; and, probably, the Art of Memory, and a Treatife of Antichrift; both with figures: likewife, Chrift's Hiftory, and the Speculum Salutis, kept in a filver cheft at Harlem; that, in Dutch, has (like the Donatus) capitals; fee Meerman. The Latin Speculum (at Wilton) was partly printed with fixed types, partly with moveable. John Naucler and Olric Zell, who printed at Cologne, 1467, the book De Singularitate Clericorum, now at Blenheim-houfe; and the Bible, 1458, in Daly's late collection; wrote that "printing was invented at Mentz, 1440, and improved till 1450, when a Latin Bible was printed; yet the Donatus at Harlem led the way." The Latin Bible was printed, with cut metalline types, at Mentz, 1450. The Chronicon of Mat. Palmer, of Pifa (born 1423) afferts, that printing was invented 1440, and gene The rally propagated 1457. Seiz tells us, that John Baptift Fulgonius Dux Ianuenfium 1487 dixit, Literar' imprimendar' Artem 1440 inventam." That Laurence Coftar, 1436, cut fingle letters of lead; and, 1438, invented a method of cafting fingle types; and printed the Dutch Speculum, allo Donatus. Gutenberg printed an alphabet; alfo Alexandri Galli de Villa Dei Doctrinale five Grammaticam, and Petri Hifpani Logicalia, with wooden types, 1442. Gutenberg and Mentel, 1446, printed Biblia Latina. An edition of the Bible by Faufi's Artifts appeared 1462, price five marks; fee Fenn's Letters. Peter Scheffer, 1452, Matrices formandi Artem excogitavit. Palms were printed, by Fauft, at Mentz, with the date 1457; but many of the earlief books were not dated. He printed the Oficiale Durandi with caft types, 1459. The Clementine conftitutions are at Neuftift, in Tyrol, 1400. At an eminent London bookfeller's in Fleet-ftreet, was on fale, Dec. 1790, the Latin Lexicon, ftyled Johannis de Januà Summa, Catholicon dicta, impreffa Moguntiæ, 1460. Peterfheim printed at Francfort, 1459, when Hen. Bourcher, archbishop of Canterbury, introduced the art into England. Mariangel Accurfius faw with Aldus a Donatus by Fauft, printed with copper types (lays Fabricius) in 1450; as was the Confeflional. Accurfius wrote thus: Joh. Fauft et Joh. Schæffer admoniti ex Donato Hollandiæ prius impreflo Donatum et Confeffionalia, 1450, imprimebant. The Chronicon of Cologne, printed 1490, informs us, "the art of printing was cultivated at Mentz, on the Rhine, from the year 1440." But although the the prefent method was invented there, yet the fample of printing was obtained from the Dutch editions of Donatus. Polydore Vergil wrote thus: "Joh. Gutenberg Teutonicus, equeftri vir dignitate, ut ab ejus civibus accepimus, primus omniu' in Monguntio Germaniæ oppido imprimendar' Literar' artem excogitavit; decima fexto deinc anno (qui fuit A. Sal. 1458). Conradus, homo itidem Germanus, arte in Italia' attulit." Hadrian Junius mentions printing at Mentz, 1442; but with Coftar's types. Caxton (as Meerman notes) 1482, fet the invention of the art in 1455; about that time, indeed, it became public and general; as Palmer of Pifa, Polydore Vergil, and Werner's Fafciculus Tempor' evince. It enfued on the feparation of Fauft's Artifts. But John Mentel exercifed the art at Strafburg about 144. Wintpheling (who died 1528) fays, that Gutenberg had an imperfect know ledge of printing at Strafburg; though Peter Scheffer's fon John afferts, that "Gutenberg invented (rather founded) printing at Mentz, 1450; where his father and John Fauft improved it." Elfewhere, he explains this of types. John Scott, 1531, attributes the invention to John Mental 1444. And Spiegel, the emperor Maximilian's fecretary, wrote, that "John Mentel, at Strafburg, in the year 1444, invented the art of printing;" fee Seiz. About the year 1458, both Gu tenberg and Mentel could ftamp 300 theets daily. But I think that Gutenberg's eldeft brother was a workman with Coftar, and fled to his brother at Strafburg, but afterwards repaired to Mentz. This accounts for the report that the art was brought from Strafburg thither. How elfe could Gutenberg, who refided at Strafburg, from 1434 to 1444, learn the art from his elder brother? except, indeed, he vifited him at Harlem, or both brothers ferved Coftar, and about 1434 removed with the types first to Strafburg; for Seiz quotes an old manufcript, that fays, they refided there, 1444; whence the eldest brother retired to Mentz about 1440. John Dun, a goldtmith, attefted that he fold to Gutenberg, articles ufeful in printing about 1436. Thus at Harlem were invented wooden types, both fixed and moveable, about 1430; cut fingle letters of lead about 1436; and caft leaden types about 1438. Gutenberg introduced the art at Strasburg about 1433. His elder brother at Mentz about 1440; he printed under Fault's aufpices in 1142. Afterwards Gutenberg came thither; and metalline types were cut for the Bible, 1450; and ufed for the Pfalter, 1457; when the art as aforefaid became general. Scheffer, Fauft's fon-in-law, invented, or at leaft improved, caft types; with which Durandus was printed, 1459. Therefore, confidering the early account of printing at Strafburg, given by Scott and Spiegel, and that the book De Miferià Lothari was dated 1448, why doth Blainville (who recites an epigram, dated 1454, attributing the invention of printing to Germany) fufpect, after Miffon, the date of the book on Predeftination, at Spire, which is 1446; the date of the Leonard de Utino; a book whofe type greatly refembles the fpecimens of Mentel's prefs, in Meerman; and bears every mark of a most ancient performance in that art. The large introductory capitals are not print ed. ed. Neither pages nor folios are numbered, even though the e is a table referring to the folios. The fheets have no marks; nor are there any catch-words, or cufiodes, at the bottom of the pages; the finall capitals are in a very fimple ftyle. The letters are of unequal fize; and the lines are uneven. The fentences have no diftinguithing marks, except quadrangular points. No labels adorn the heads of the pages, as in the Nuremberg Chronicle, 1493. It is probable, a religious fociety would have embraced the earliest opportunity to honour a member of their own body by committing his book to the newly invented prefs, which muft have been much admired as foon as understood. Therefore, Leonard's work appears as old as its date, maugre any opinionated Frenchman's positive ipfe dixit to the conThe admirable Tully afforded a plain hint towards the invention; where (on the nature of the gods) he fpeaks of collecting and arranging a great number of feparate letters; which, fays he, could never fortuitoufly compofe any intelligible or coherent treatile. trary. caufe of just fucceffion, refufing to fet your hande to the booke, among others that were against hir grace in that beholfe; fo now, through your owne late defertes, aga nft certain hir highnes dooinges, ye ftande not well in hir graces favour. And therefor, before ye take anie othe, it thal be neceffàrie for you to make your purgation. Hales. I praie you, my lorde, what is the caufe? Chaunelor. Information is given, that ye have indicted certain priftes in Kent, for faiing of maffe. Hales. Mi lorde, it is not fo. I indicted none; but, indede, certaine indicaments of like matter wer brought before me at the laft affiles there holden, and I gave order therein, as the lawe required. For I have profeffed the lawe, againft which, in cafes of juftice, will I never (God willinge) procede, nor in anie wife diffemble, but with the fame fhewe forth mi confcience, and, if it were to do againe, I would do no lefle than I did. Chauncelor. Yes, mafter Hales, your confcience is knowne wel ipough. I know ye lacke no con fcience. Hales. Mi lorde, ye maie do wel to ferch your owne confcience, for mine is better knowne to mieself than to you; and to be plaine, I did as well ufe juftice in your faide mafie cafe bi mi confcience as bi the lawe, wherein I am fulli bent to ftand in trial to the uttermost that can be objected; and if I have therein done anie injuri or wrong, let me be judged bi the lawe, for I will feek no better defence, confidering chiefli that it is mi profeflion. Chauncelor. Whi, mafter Hales, although ye had the rigour of the lawe lawe on your fide, yet ye might have hadde regard to the quene's highnes prefent dooinges in that cafe. And further, although ye feme to be more then precife in the lawe; yet, I thinke, ye wolde be veri loth to yelde to the extremitie of fuche advantage as might be gathered againfte your procedinges in the lawe, as ye have fome time taken uppon you in place of juftice. And, if it wer well tried, I believe ye fhud not be well able to ftond honeftlie thereto. Hales. Mi lord, I am not fo perfect but I may erre for lacke of knowledge; but, both in confcience, and fuch knowledge of the law as God hathe given me, I wil do nothing but I wil maintain and abide in it. And if mi goodes, and all that I have, be not able to counterpoife the cafe, mi bodie fhal be redi to ferve the turnc, for thei be all at the quenes highirelle pleasure. Chauncelor. Ah! fir, ye be very quicke and floute in your anfwers; but as it fhoulde feme, that which ye did was more of a will, favouring the opinion of your religion against the fervice nowe ufed, then for ani occafion or zcale of juftice, feinge the quenes highneffe doeth fet it forthe, as yet wifhinge all hir faithful fubjects to imbrace it accordingli; and where ye offer both bodie and goods in your triall, there is no fuch matter required at youre handes, and yet ye fhall not have your owne will neither. Hales. My lord, I feke not wilful will, but to fhew myself as I am bound in love to God, and obedience to the quenes majeftie, in whofe caufe willingly, for juftife fake, al other refpectes fet apart, I did of late (as your lordship knoeth), adventure as much as I had. And as for my religion, I truft it to be fuch as pleafeth God, wherein I am redy to adventure as well my life as my fubitaunce, if I be called thereunto. And fo in lacke of mine owne power and wil, the Lordes wil be fulfilled. Chauncelor. Seing ye be at this point, matter Hales, I wil prefently make an end with youe. The quenes highnes fhal be informed of youre opinion and declaration. And as hir grace fhal therupon determine, ye hal have knowledge; until which tyme ye may depart as ye came without your oth, for, as it appeareth, ye are scarce worthi the place appointed. Hales. I thanke your lordship, and, as for my vocation, being both a burthen and a charge, more than ever I defired to take upon me; whenfoever it fhall please the quenes highnes to cafe me thereof, I fhal moft humbli, with due contentation obei the fame.-And fo this upright judge departed from the bar. MISCEL |