The Early Oxford Press / A Bibliography of Printing and Publishing at Oxford, '1468'-1640; With Notes, Appendixes and Illustrations - Falconer Madan

Impr. 153: 1636: (twelves) 16^o: pp. [12] + 256 + [40] + 136: pp. 11 begg Cruciatus, and hæc nostra, 111 Cap. vi, and tur. Paulus: Pica and (2nd part) Long Primer Roman. Contents:—p. (1) title: (3–10) “Veritatis evangelicæ studiosis ...”, dated “Lug. Batav. in Collegio Theolog. Ill. DD. Ord. Holl & Westf. 8. Kal. Sept. An. Chri. CIↃ IↃ cxviı. Ger. Ioannides Vossius, Coll. Regens”: (11–12) “Lectori” by the unnamed editor: 1–219, the Defensio: 220–256 Testimonia veterum: (1–16) an index in order of contents: (17) a bastard title to the second part, with impr. 87 a, and date: (19–35) “Præfatio”, signed “Ger. Ioannides Vossiun ...”: (37–40) “Lectori” by the editor: 1–136, the Responsio.

The two previous editions of Grotius’s work were issued at Leyden in 1617, while Vossius’s Responsio was published at the same place in 1618. Words underlined in the above title are in red ink, as are also “Oxoniæ,” and “MDCXXXVI” in the imprint. N is omitted in the series of signatures.

Impr. 158: 1636: (eights) sm. 4^o: pp. [20] + 808 + [4]: p. 11 beg. 1. First then, 701 dates, or Vindelici: Pica Roman. Contents:—(precisely as 1633 H, except that the title is within double lines, instead of an arched border, and that every leaf has been seen.)

See 1621 H. This is a reprint, almost line for line, of 1633 H. The copy seen had a folded table of climes as in the 1625 edition, after p. 228.

Impr. 68 d: 1636: (eights) 12^o: pp. [74] + 130 + [36]: p. 11 beg. comprehenderunt, 111 Sic Ovid: Long Primer Roman and English. Contents:—p. (1), title: (2) royal arms, with “C.R.”: (3–8) “¶ To the Reader, &c.”: (9) about letters: (10) two prayers: (11–70) a Latin grammar in English: (71–2) Latin poem by Will. Lily: (73) a title within a line and border:—“Brevissima | institutio, | Seu | Ratio Grammatices | cognoscendæ, ad omni-|um puerorum utilita-|tem præscripta: Quam solam Regia Majestas | in omnibus Scholis do-|cendam præcipit. | [line, woodcut, line]”, with impr. 72 c: (74) arms of the University, &c.: 1–130, a Latin grammar, syntax and prosody, in Latin: (1–30) “Omnium nominum ... ac verborum interpretatio ...”: (31–3) four Latin poems, including graces: (34) woodcut picture of the tree of knowledge, and students gathering the fruit.

This is the first Latin grammar printed at Oxford since 1518, and is issued “Cum Privilegio.” The grammar itself was already, in its Latin form, more than a hundred years old, and many editions of it had been printed. Other Oxford editions were issued at least in 1651, 1672–3, 1675, 1679, 1687, 1692, 1699, 1709, 1714, 1733. For William Lily see Wood’s Ath. Oxon., ed. Bliss, i. 32. The signatures connect the two parts of the book.

The importance of this issue is considerable. In consequence of disputes between John Lichfield and Turner, archbp. Laud’s attention had been called to the state of printing at Oxford, and the absence of any such printing privileges as were possessed by Cambridge. A charter of privileges was accordingly obtained, dated 12 Nov. 1632, confirmed and amplified by another dated 13 March 1632
3. These allowed the University to print Bibles, Prayerbooks, Grammars, Almanacs, &c., which had till then been the monopolies of the London Stationers’ Company and the University Press at Cambridge. No Bibles or Prayerbooks were issued at Oxford till 1675, but this Grammar and three Almanacs (see 1637 B, C, and W.) raised the standard of revolt against monopoly. On 20 March 1636
7 the Stationers’ Company agreed to pay the University £200 a year, if it would agree not to issue the classes of books in question, and no further difficulties arose till after the Restoration.