The treatise of Tyrannius Rufinus on the Apostles’ Creed, here ascribed to St. Jerome, was undoubtedly the first product of the Oxford press. It bears the date of 17 December, 1468, as the day on which the printing was finished. The colophon is clearly printed and bears no mark of haste, nor does it show the smallest trace of alteration in any of the copies seen by the present writer. Saturday is a reasonable day on which to conclude a work. A facsimile of the colophon is given in plate II.
Unfortunately for the peace of the bibliographer two spectres have haunted this book, one of which “pulveris exigui jactu” has been laid, but the other is not yet gone, although there is a prospect of ultimate eviction.
I. The Corsellis forgery.
In 1664 Richard Atkyns, a Gloucestershire gentleman of some position, and educated at Balliol, issued a book, the title of which sets forth with unusual clearness the object of the volume:—“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:” (London, printed by John Streater, for the Author, MDCLXIV: quarto: pp. [12] + 24). Atkyns’s object was to recommend himself to Charles II’s attention by proving that printing was a royal privilege: and for this it was very desirable that there should be evidence of the introduction of the art into England under royal protection. The testimony of Stowe—corroborated by Howell—that “William Caxton of London, Mercer,” introduced it in 1471, was unsuitable. Atkyns, however, came upon a copy of the “1468” Oxford book, and “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).” Then ensues the following story:—
Thomas Bourchier, Arch-Biſhop of Canterbury, moved the then King (Hen. the 6th) to uſe all poſſible means for procuring a Printing-Mold (for ſo ’twas 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 Workmen from Harlein in Holland, where John Cuthenberg had newly invented it, and was himſelf perſonally at Work: ’Twas 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.
’Twas 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 Tipographicæ Inventricem primam, though ’tis known to be otherwiſe, that City gaining that Art by the Brother of one of the Workmen of Harlein, 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. Albans, 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.
As no one believes in this story it is not worth while to do more than to point out that no corroboration of it has ever been found, (much less the original record discovered), that Henry VI was deposed 4 March 1460
1, and that the type shows no resemblance to that of Haarlem. Nor does the rest of the book concern us. The tale, however, in the absence of contradiction, obtained some vogue, so that we find for instance in Layer Marney church in Essex some such inscription as the following “Præ-missus, non amissus, Nicolas Corsellis Armiger Dominus hujus manerii hic requiescit, hâc vitâ ad meliorem commigratus Anno D 1674 Die Octobris 19o.
Artem typographi miratam Belgicus Anglis