Whose lawful title France would ne'er oppose, Paris. What has my prince against his treaties done? That's all he gives him, and that gift's no more, London, Think not of peace, nor, with expecting eyes, To hide the irreligion of his place; And H- puff'd up with pride, and praise, Rais'd from a party-poet to a lord. War is their theme, though peace is their delight; • He promised this to James the Second, upon his death-bed. ↑ Parliament, Thus pilf'rers pass with undistinguish'd names, Paris. I see too plainly that your thoughts are true, And our old enmities break out-anew; Like wounds skinn'd o'er, a-fresh they rage and bleed, Who timely can the patients lives insure, Since war's the gen'ral cry, let war be chose, Troops join'd with troops, and states with states combin'd, London. To be but what he is, is all the claim, • The French Ambassador. Look on thy sons, so daring and so brave, That plead prescription from their father's pride, Nothing like this is by my prince ‡ design'd, For the reward of empire and of love, Weary'd with fight, his head declining lays, While his tir'd foe alike contented lies, And views, what he can't seize, with longing eyes, Paid fully for the dangers he has run, Since neither does possess what neither won. • As before at the battle of Pavia, where Francis the First was taken prisoner. The Author of this little Piece was Mr. Francis Burges, a Printer, who first carried that Art and Mystery to Norwich. But, meeting with small Encouragement, and great Opposition, as if he had brought an additional Expence to the City, he published this, by way of Apology: In the first Place, shewing, that he broke not in upon any other Persons Property, that his Trade was of great Use in a trading Place, a great Means to promote Piety, and a certain Method to do Good to several other Trades; because, under the Printer, the Bookseller, Bookbinder, Joiner, Smith, &c. may hope to reap Advantage. Concerning the Usefulness of Printing. Tin HIS (says a late author) is so plain to all discerning men, that I need say the Jess; this illustrious art being sufficiently known to be the great propagator and diffuser of all useful knowledge. For, since the art of printing was found out, which is not yet three-hundred years, all sorts of learning have been more diffused and cultivated, than in a thousand years before. And what great advances, and mighty progress is daily made, in finding out abstruse secrets, and discovering the hidden mysteries of art and nature, those that are conversant among books do very well know. And all this is justly to be attributed to this incomparable art, which gives men such an advantage of communicating their thoughts to each other, in so plain and easy a manner, as the ages, before this invention, were ignorant of. And therefore erudition and learning, the improvement of all the works of nature, and the perfection of all arts and sciences, are the genuine effects of this noble mystery, and an evident demonstration of its usefulness, as well as its excellency. It is by the art of printing, that we come to know the lives and actions of the renowned worthies of the first ages of the world; whereby those things that were transacted some thousand years ago, are as familiar to us, as if they had been done but yesterday. It is printing that does immortalise the memory of ancient and modern heroes, and transmits their worthy deeds and actions to the end of time. This was the first book that ever was printed at Norwich, which was published on the 27th of September, 1701. Octavo, containing seventeen pages. And it is in respect of its usefulness, that Polydore Virgil stiles it, A divine benefit afforded to mankind; and therefore Cardan tell us, that it is an art inferior to none, either for usefulness or wit; far out-doing the most dextrous writer, both for neatness and expedition: For one press can dispatch more business in one day, than the swiftest writer can transcribe in a year or two. On this account also, Petrus Scriverius calls it, Palladium, præsidium, & tutelam musarum, & omnis doctrine; that is, the fortress, garison, and defence, not only of the muses, but of all literature whatsoever.' This noble mystery has illustriously shewn its usefulness in the assistance it has given to the propagation of the true religion; having banished that Cimmerian darkness that had overspread the face of the earth, and caused the glorious light of the gospel to shine forth with a resplendent lustre, by the printing that incomparable treasure of a Christian The Holy Scriptures.' 6 Before the finding out of this illustrious art, the Epistle of St. James was thought a mighty penny-worth, when purchased for a load of hay; whereas now, both the Old and New Testament may be bought for five shillings. But it is not by printing of the Holy Bible only, that this noble art and mystery (for so it was stiled by Queen Elisabeth, when she did it the honour to go and see it) has been serviceable to religion, but also by emitting many other good books and useful tracts into the world, whereby the errors of Popery have been discovered and confuted, and the way of truth made known. Hence says N. Billingsley, in his Brachy-Martyrologia. 'The gospel-light appear'd not very clear, And another ingenious author to the same purpose says: 'The noble art of printing found Lastly, this art of printing was first brought into England by Simon Islip, in the year 1471, at the charge of King Henry VI. Whence printing was for may years accounted the King's prerogative as much as coining: But in process of time it became a free trade. The first printing-press, in England, was set up by the fore-named Simon Islip, in Westminster-Abbey, London; and printing first used there by William Caxton. And its being first set up in a church, occasioned all printing-houses in England to be called chapels which name they retain to this day. |