Archbishop Parker concerned himself much with literature, and wrote several valuable books. He had much to do with the Book of Common Prayer, and also with the revisal of the then existing translation of the Bible, the edition finally issued by him being known as the "Bishop's Bible." He founded the Society of Antiquaries of London in 1572, and bequeathed a large number of books and manuscripts to the University of Cambridge and to his old College.
Archbishop Parker had a staff of workmen in his own house, part of which was fully equipped for their use. His work De Antiquitate Britannicae Ecclesiae, of which it is said no two copies are alike, as the Archbishop made some alterations in the proofs every time they were submitted to him, is said to have been printed at the Archbishop's press by John Day. Some of his books are beautifully bound in embroidered velvet, also supposed to have been done in his own house. In one of his letters to Lord Burghley, he says that he has in his house "Paynters, Lymners, Wryters, and Book-Bynders." It is possible that several of the fine bindings made for Queen Elizabeth and for Lord Burghley were really made in the Archbishop's workshop.
PEPYS, SAMUEL, SECRETARY TO THE ADMIRALTY
Arms.—Quarterly.
1st and 4th; sa., on a bend or, between 2 nags' heads erased arg., 3 fleurs-de-lys of the field. Pepys.
2nd and 3rd; gu., a lion rampant within a bordure engrailed arg. Gray.
Crest.—A camel's head erased or, bridled, lined, ringed, and gorged with a ducal coronet or.