The king's printer, was in all probability a foreigner by extraction, if not by birth. He commenced printing in 1542, but a great portion of his time was spent in collecting materials for an Universal Cosmography of all Nations, which, though undigested at his death in 1573, laid the foundation for Holinshed's Chronicles. His works are described as being 59 in number, and, as is always the case where any specimens from the presses of early English printers are concerned, are scarce and valuable. After the death of Reynold, his widow, Joan, printed three books, which bear her name. The last of these is dated in 1580, about which time, doubtless, the press ceased to exist.
Care must be taken that this printer is not confounded with others of the same name, who, for the most part, carried on business in France and Holland.
Next to Caxton and Wynkyn de Worde, this printer certainly ranks the highest in the opinion of bibliographers. Herbert says that Day first began printing a little above Holborn Conduit, and about 1549 removed to Aldersgate. He kept also at the same time several shops in different parts of the town, where his books were sold. Day was the first printer who used Saxon characters, and brought those of the Greek and Italic to perfection. He died in 1584 after having followed the business of a printer for nearly forty years.
The name of John Day will sometimes be found in conjunction with that of William Seres, but rarely, if ever, after 1550. This William Seres was a printer, who, on dissolving partnership with Day in 1550, carried on business by himself for some twenty or twenty-five years in London.
A Short Catechism, black letter, morocco extra, 1553, 16mo, £12.
Booke of Christian Prayers Collected out of the Ancient Writers, black letter, blue morocco extra, by Pratt, 1578, 4to, £26 10s.
Certaine Select Prayers Gathered out of S. Augustine's Meditations, 2 vols., 1575, sm. 8vo, £5 15s.
Psalmes in Metre with Music, black letter, 1571, sm. 4to, £140. This work was sold with another by Jugge and Cawood, and was bound in an exceptionally fine Elizabethan style.
Preces Privatæ in Studiosorum, first ed., 1564, 16mo, also another edition of 1573, 16mo, in two volumes (both printed by William Seres), £3.
WILLIAM COPLAND, 1548.
Probably a son of Robert Copland, though the relationship is very doubtful. It has been supposed that William was a younger brother of Robert, and worked in the office of the latter up to the time of his death, in the same manner as Robert worked in the office of Wynkyn de Worde. It is evident that both William and Robert used the same battered types, which they set up with an equal amount of carelessness. Notwithstanding the workmanship, however, these books are valuable, and always command high prices. The first book of William Copland's printing found with a date is the Understandinge of the Lorde's Supper, 1548, 8vo; and between that year and 1568, the time of his death, he is credited with over 60 different publications.