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<DATE>2009-03-17</DATE>
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<NAME>Taryn Hakala</NAME>
<RESP>MURP</RESP>
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<ITEM>Proofed text and revised markup.</ITEM>
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<VID>174795</VID>
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<HEAD>The Ca&s;e of the Printery at Finsbury, concerning Printing of the Bible, <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span">.</HEAD>
<P>_WHereas the <HI>holy Bible,</HI> (being the revealed Word of God,) is the pure <HI>fountain</HI> of true <HI>Religion,</HI> &s;o it hath been con&s;tantly defended by no other Pa+tronage in <HI>England,</HI> than of the Supream Magi&s;trates, and Authorities thereof, ever &s;ince the fir&s;t Renunciation of the <HI>Popes</HI> Supremacy in <HI>H.</HI> 8 time, and the ble&s;&s;ed Reformation of Religion by <HI>Ed.</HI> 6. and Q. <HI>Eliz.</HI> The primitive Tran&s;lation whereof into Engli&s;h was made in <HI>H.</HI> 8. time&punc; Which being revi&s;ed afterwards in the Reign of <HI>E.</HI> 6. was appointed to be printed only <HI>cum privilegio Regali;</HI> being the Nationall and common Evidence of our Religion; and &s;uch a &s;acred Book, and of that Univer&s;all concernment, and honorable e&s;timation, that it cannot properl<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> and politically be printed or divulged under any other inferiour Title, than of the Royall and Supream Authority it &s;elf, in any Dominio<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> what&s;oever.</P>
<P>In <HI>Q. Eliz.</HI> time <HI>(propter emendatiorem verborum proprietatem)</HI> another Review was made of the Bible, and the printing thereof <HI>(inter alia)</HI> granted b<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> <HI>Patent</HI> 8. <HI>Augu&s;t.</HI> 31. <HI>Eliz.</HI> to <HI>Chri&s;topher Barker</HI> for his life: which was al&s;o renewed and confirmed to him, 10. <HI>Maii</HI> 1. <HI>Jac.</HI> After which, a ne<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> Tran&s;lation, (publi&s;hed in 1611.) was made by that Kings &s;peciall command; The charges whereof (as it is probable) were &s;olely defrayed by <HI>Chri&s;topher Barker.</HI> Fo<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> a full compen&s;ation whereof the King 11. <HI>Febr.</HI> 14. of his reign, did royally grant al&s;o to <HI>Robert Barker</HI> (after <HI>Chri&s;topher</HI>'s death,) the &s;ole Liberty to print Bibles <HI>(int<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="2 letters"> alia)</HI> for his life; and to his A&s;&s;igns for 30. years in rever&s;ion, the &s;ame being a mo&s;t noble and Prince-like Conce&s;&s;ion, and Remuneration.</P>
<P>All which Patents and the benefit thereof were afterwards, in con&s;ideration of a valuable &s;umme of money, a&s;&s;igned by <HI>Barker</HI> to <HI>Bonham Norton,</HI> and <HI>John Bill;</HI> wh<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> with their A&s;&s;igns enjoyed the priviledge thereof, till the Grants and Limitations of the Patents, were either forfeited to the State by default of the Patentees, or expire<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> in time about the year 1643. And &s;o the Authority of printing Bibles reverted to the State, as their ab&s;olute, and originall Right to order and direct the &s;ame for t<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="2 letters"> future.</P>
<P>However, not onely the Orthography of that la&s;t Tran&s;lation, but al&s;o the propriety of many Texts, being impeached by &s;everall learned men, to be different from t<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="2 letters"> Original Tongues, a Revi&s;e was made at <HI>Cambridge,</HI> in 1628. <HI>Mandato regio,</HI> and upon &s;olemn debate at the Council-table, and an Edition thereof in <HI>Folio,</HI> publi&s;hed a<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter"> printed in 1629. by the Univer&s;ity Printers, with very much correction and amendment; But the mo&s;t exact and authentick Edition printed there, was &s;et forth in <HI>Fo<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="3 letters"></HI> in 1638. being various from the <HI>London</HI> Bibles in many Thou&s;and places of the Text, be&s;ides the Addition of above 500. Parallel-places of the Old and New Te&s;tament <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> the Margin, with generall approbation of our Orthodox Divines. In honour whereof the Bibles and Te&s;taments printed &s;ince at <HI>London,</HI> or <HI>Cambridge</HI> have been chiefly <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> not altogether, corrected and revi&s;ed thereby.</P>
<P>In 1643. Bible-printing cea&s;ing at <HI>London</HI> by the ab&s;ence of the late Kings Printers, and the prices of the Books being advanced to very dear rates, to the great di&s;commo+dity of the Common-wealth, the Dutch thereupon printed in, and imported from <HI>Holland</HI> great numbers of Engli&s;h Bibles, &s;elling them for cheaper prices; but &s;o cor+ruptly and bla&s;phemou&s;ly printed, that upon report of three faults therein only, made to the Parliament by the A&s;&s;embly of Divines, the Books were then &s;eized, and pub+lickly burnt; and the future Importation of Engli&s;h Bibles, (for due encouragement of our own native Printers,) prohibited with greater &s;everity, than by any form Statutes or Provi&s;ions, by Order of the Lords and Commons 14. <HI>Jun.</HI> 1643.</P>
<P>For remedy of which Inconvenience, and better &s;upply of the Common-wealth, the &s;aid A&s;&s;embly by direction of the Parliament, treated with divers of the m<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> eminent Stationers of <HI>London,</HI> to undertake the future printing of Bibles and P&s;almes at moderate rates; who alledging they could not vend them under 4^s. 6^d. <HI>per</HI> b<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> in quires, declined that honourable work: Whereupon they engaged <HI>William Bentley</HI> Printer, and his Partners to erect their Printery at <HI>Finsbury</HI> for that &s;ervice; wh<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> they printed five con&s;iderable Impre&s;&s;ions of Bibles (corrected by the <HI>Cambridge</HI>-Bible only) in 1646.48, <HI>&amp;c.</HI> affording them with P&s;alms at farre cheaper rates than forme<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> they were &s;old, and furni&s;hing the Army, by &s;peciall Order of the State, as appears by the Title-pages, upon their Advances to <HI>Ireland</HI> and <HI>Scotland</HI> in 1649. and 50. w<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> 9000. Bibles (with References) and P&s;almes in 8^o. (part bound in leather, and part in quires,) for le&s;&s;e than 2^s. <HI>per</HI> book.</P>
<P>In the Act of 20. <HI>Sept.</HI> 1649. for the better regulating of Printing in generall, and encouragement of <HI>Bentley</HI> and his Partners, there is an expre&s;&s;e and explicite Prov<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> made by way of exception of the Printing-pre&s;&s;e in <HI>Finsbury,</HI> then and now u&s;ed for printing of Bibles and P&s;alms, from all the re&s;trictions and clau&s;es of that Act, a<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> it had never been had or made; Which being but temporary, was revived and continues in force by the Act of 7. <HI>Jan.</HI> 1652. Before the pa&s;&s;ing whereof, <HI>Robert Barker</HI> <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> younger put in a &s;peciall Provi&s;o for the &s;ole printing of the Bible, upon pretence of having the tran&s;lated Copy thereof (made in 1611.) in his hands; which was t<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> read and debated, and being put to the Que&s;tion, was (after the reading of <HI>Bentley</HI>'s Petition to pre&s;erve his priviledge) ca&s;t out with a Negative vote; the Parliament <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span">+terly rejecting the de&s;ign of &s;uch a Monopoly.</P>
<P><HI>Barker</HI> being thus di&s;appointed in his Project, procured afterwards a pretended, &s;uperannuated Licencers hand, to warrant and authorize that Copy, as if it were a p<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="2 letters">+vate Copy of &s;ome particular mans works, and thereupon attempted to enter it under that qualification in the Regi&s;ter-book of the Company of Stationers, according <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> a formall u&s;age among&s;t them for other books, and by pretence of a Clau&s;e for due Entries of &s;uch common books in the Act of 20. <HI>Sept.</HI> 1649. But his late Highne&s;&s;e <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> Warrant, &s;igned by Mr. Secretary <HI>Thurloe,</HI> 22. <HI>Martii</HI> 1654. inhibited the Ma&s;ter and Wardens of that Company from admitting thereof, upon ju&s;t ground of &s;ecuring <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> Right of the Common-wealth, claimed by his Highne&s;&s;e in the Bible.</P>
<P>Then <HI>Barker,</HI> by the mediation of Mr. <HI>Marchamont Needham,</HI> &s;old the &s;everall Tomes of K. <HI>James</HI>'s tran&s;lation to <HI>Henry Hills</HI> and <HI>John Field</HI> Printers, by &s;uppo&s;ition <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> an ab&s;olute and private title and Intere&s;t therein; (when as in truth they were but concredited to his father in K. <HI>James</HI>'s time, in order to the fir&s;t compo&s;ing and print<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> thereof by the King's priviledge, and never afterwards regarded other then as loo&s;e &s;heets, blurred and defaced, till they were pa&s;ted and collected together by Mr. <HI>R<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> Norton,</HI> and by &s;ome ca&s;ualty hapned into <HI>Barkers</HI> po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion out of his hands:) And then in <HI>Febr.</HI> 1655. <HI>Hills</HI> and <HI>Field</HI> in&s;inuated to make an Entrance al&s;o in that Reg<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> thereof, as their private Copy; but were denyed upon admi&s;&s;ion of &s;everall Caveats of <HI>Bentley,</HI> and others put in again&s;t them, upon ju&s;t and legall grounds. Where<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> on (notwith&s;tanding the former proceedings of Parliament, the Interdiction of his Highne&s;&s;e, the &s;aid Caveats never decided, and the common Cu&s;tome of the Stat<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="2 letters">+ners Company to the contrary,) a Warrant dated 4. <HI>Martii</HI> 1655. &s;igned in his Highne&s;s's name by Mr. Secretary <HI>Thurloe,</HI> was directed to the &s;aid Ma&s;ter and Warden <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> taking off the &s;aid Re&s;traint, and commanding them duly to enter for <HI>Hills</HI> and <HI>Field</HI> that Copy, being in their actual po&s;&s;e&s;&s;ion, as the lawfull owners thereof: Upon wh<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> they demurred, and drew up rea&s;ons for prevention thereof. But being threatned with Impri&s;onment, and upon receipt of another Warrant, dated 6. <HI>Martii</HI> follow<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> (procured under his Highne&s;&s;es Privy Signet) to the &s;ame effect, an Entry was po&s;itively made accordingly; Whereby the Bible hath been ever &s;ince, and &s;till is, n<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> irrationally and by u&s;urpation, claimed by <HI>Hills</HI> and <HI>Field,</HI> as their private and peculiar Copy; which to none of the <HI>Barkers</HI> was ever permitted, nor any of them da<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> &s;ingularly to challenge in the late Kings reigns. From whence it may be well inferred, that his Highne&s;&s;e and the Secretary were &s;urprized, and abu&s;ed in the &s;ub&s;tances <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> circum&s;tance of the bu&s;ine&s;&s;e; but however the Common-wealth in generall, and <HI>Bentley,</HI> and many others in particular have been notoriou&s;ly injured, and oppre&s;&s;ed <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> &s;ince; as &s;hall plainly be demon&s;trated.</P>
<P>For that <HI>Hills</HI> and <HI>Field</HI> 7. <HI>Martii</HI> 1655. by pretext of Deputations from Sir <HI>John Bark&s;tead</HI> and Mr. <HI>Foxcroft,</HI> giving them power onely to &s;earch for &s;candalous and u<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 letter">|cen&s;ed newes-Books and Pamphlets again&s;t the State, did not onely &s;uppre&s;&s;e all others then commonly engaged in printing Bibles and Te&s;taments; but contrary to <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> expre&s;&s;e purport of their Deputations and Judgements of tho&s;e Commi&s;&s;ioners, (which they have &s;ince 28. <HI>Martii</HI> 1657. declared under hand and Seal, in pur&s;uan<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> the &s;aid Acts of Parliament, and revoked and annulled tho&s;e Deputations,) violently then, and 28. <HI>Augu&s;t,</HI> and &s;everall other times in 1656. with Souldiers armed, <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> without any civil Officer, break open and enter <HI>Bentley</HI>'s Printery, and di&s;&s;eize him of &s;everall In&s;truments and materialls imployed in work upon Bible-printing on<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> carrying them to Stationers Hall, and fal&s;ely and &s;candalou&s;ly reporting, they were at work upon the Parliament of <HI>Ladies:</HI> And &s;ince the death of the late Protector <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 word"> 9. <HI>Sept.</HI> la&s;t, by pretext of a Warrant under the Privy Signet to &s;earch for &s;candalous and unlicen&s;ed News-Books and Pamphlets onely, dated 1. <HI>Julii</HI> al&s;o la&s;t pa&s;t (in it <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> then ab&s;olutely void and ineffectuall by his Highne&s;s's death,) <HI>Hills</HI> and <HI>Field</HI> (with 8. or 10. Souldiers armed and &s;words drawn, no re&s;i&s;tance being made,) entred again<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> to <HI>Bentley</HI>'s Printery, and forcibly carried away other like Materialls u&s;ed in Bible-printing onely. Which Actions are not onely contrary to the ancient and fundame<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> Laws and Liberties of the people, but an expre&s;&s;e Judgement in Parliament 27. <HI>Octob.</HI> 1641. (in the Ca&s;e of <HI>William A&s;ton</HI> Printer, again&s;t the Company of Station<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> and the &s;aid Acts for regulating of printing; and yet do they not &s;urcea&s;e their menacing threats, out of their confidence in their great friends and pur&s;e, (as is cred<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> reported,) as if they were lawle&s;&s;e, and above the correction of all Authority.</P>
<P>This being the Ca&s;e in fact, and the Common-wealth &s;o much damnified and abu&s;ed by <HI>Hills</HI> and <HI>Field</HI>'s monopolizing, and inhan&s;ing the prices of their Bibles (tho<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> fal&s;ely and bla&s;phemou&s;ly printed,) to exce&s;&s;ive rates, &s;uppre&s;&s;ing and ob&s;tructing <HI>Bentley</HI> under pretext of his printing their private Copy.</P>
<P>It is humbly propo&s;ed for redre&s;&s;e,</P>
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<ITEM>I. <HI>That the future printing of Bibles may no longer be tollerated to re&s;ide in the hands of</HI> Hills <HI>and</HI> Field <HI>onely, as &s;ole Proprietors thereof, &s;ince that it intends &s;o much to the di&s;ho<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> and dammage of the Common-wealth.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>II. <HI>Nor let loo&s;e to the extravagant liberty of all, or any of the Stationers Company (being Book&s;ellers or Binders, and no Printers,) as of late yeares it was, and is again by <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> of them de&s;igned, and attempted; It being profit in exchange or &s;ale, and not the well-printing of a book, that they familiarly re&s;pect.</HI></ITEM>
<ITEM>III. <HI>But that</HI> Bentley <HI>and his Partners, and &s;uch other hone&s;t, able and careful Ma&s;ter-Printers, as merit the favour of his Highne&s;&s;e and the Parliament, (not exceeding &s;ome com<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> number) may be hereafter delegated, and permitted, under their priviledge onely, to print the Bible, as in their grave wi&s;domes (for good correction, workman&s;hip, and price,) <GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> be requi&s;itely held meet. Which as is humbly conceived, will be the be&s;t method for the future ordering and accompli&s;hing that honourable and con&s;iderable work notwith&s;tanding a<GAP DESC="illegible" EXTENT="1 span"> &s;pecious pretences of any per&s;ons to the contrary.</HI></ITEM>
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