Bibles for Churches new Translation large Folio. Kings Printers Patent of London.
CHurch Bibles sold in former times in quires at 1 l 10 s sold now (in quires) 2 l, so raysed in every Book 10 s. If they Print 3000. of an Impression, raised 1500 l. In former times these were bought in quires at 1 l 5 s.
Church Bibles of a thinner sort have been sold at 1 l in quires: Partners have bought them cheaper, buying a quantity, and those Partners sold them severally at 17 s 6 d, not stocking or combining as now they doe, these Bibles were excellent for poore Parishes.
Large Folio Bibles of a Roman Print, with the Notes, sold in former times in quires at 12 s 6 d: The same sort now without the Notes be raysed 7 s 6 d in a Book: 1500. of an Impression so raysed in every Book, amounts to 562 l 10 s.
Large Folio English Letter with Notes, be sold at 13 s 4 d in quires. And small Folio English, sold 12 s in quires: none of this sort Printed now. Cambridge Bibles Folio of long primer letter, vide Cambridge Charter.
2In the yeare 1629, the want of these sorts of Folio Bibles caused Cambridge Printers to print it, and they sold it at 10 s in quires: upon which the then Kings Printers set six Printing-houses at worke, and on an instant Printed one Folio Bible in the same manner, and sold with it 500. This Folio would not have bin sold under 12 or 14 sh. if it had not bin that Cambridge had Printed it: but, now they sold it at 5 sh, which would have bin 12 sh at least, and the 4 to at 5 sh, which was before 9 sh. Scot [...] Printers. Quarto Roman Bibles, and 500. Quarto English, at 5 s a Book, to overthrow the Cambridge Printing, and so to keep all in their own hands. It were well if they would alwayes sell at this price.
In former times our Kings Printers did agree with Mr. Andrew Hart, and after with Mr. John Hart Book-sellers of Edenburg to serve them London Bibles at lower rates then they sold them at here: so that they would not Print whereby they might keep all the priviledges to themselves, since which Robert Young and Miles Flesher, most cunningly combined [Page 2]with the Kings Printers here, and so sunke the Printing-house there, so that now Scotland is destitute; and by this means Books are raysed to greater rates here, and there likewise.
2The Kings Printers and others here being interessed in the Irish stock, Ireland Patent, sold Mr. William Bladon of Dublin their Stock there, and Pattent, and have so Bound him, as he shall not Print but what they list of their priviledge, so that Scotland and Ireland must grind at their Mill. Observe in what a case these be: for Bibles, especially if the last Decree in Star-chamber had held, concerning Printing: for all must be bought at one place to serve three Kingdomes.
Cambridge Bible Folio.
Cambridge Large Folio Bible Roman, It is judged that the price Raised in these three sorts, is not lesse in the totall sum then 200 li. And the Monopolists have compounded with them that they shall print no more Bibles, but for the Monopolists. of the best paper, sold at 1 l 10 s, in quires, or cheaper, they raysed it 10 s on a Book, and sold it at 2 l.
Cambridge Medyum Folio Bible Roman, sold at, or cheaper then 1 l 2 s 6 d in quires; the Monopolists raise 7 s, 6 d and sell it at 1 l 10 s.
Cambridge thinne paper Folio Roman, sold at, or cheaper then 16 s in quires; the Monopolists raised it 4 s, and so sell it at 1 l in quires.
See the errors cortected in the Cambridge Bibles, which were Printed in the London.
Cambridge Quarto Roman Letter Bibles, with Psalms, sold at 7 s. They have raised on a Book 3 s, and so sell it with Psalmes at 10 s in quires, which if the Monopolists should buy but a 1000. it would be raised 150 l.
Cambridge Quarto English Letter, with Psalmes sold in quires at 6 s. raysed on a Book 2 s 4 d. now the Monopolists sell it at 8 s 4 d: if 3000 be ingrossed by them, it would raise 350 l.
2Observe, they have not only bought in al those Bibles with Psalmes, Oxford Charter, and Grammers, and Schoole Books, but have for everagreed for what shalbe printed both there and at Oxford Books Priviledge: and where they were there Printed bravely, true, and in good paper, now look for other.
London Bibles in Quarto.
London Bible Quarto English Letter, with the Notes and [Page 3]Concordance of the old Translation in times past was sold at 7 sh. in quires, and then it was 139. sheets, and now but 116. and no Notes, and sold at 9. sh. 2 d with Concordance: 3000. raysed makes 350l.
London Quarto Roman with Notes, sold in times past at 7s. The Quarto Roman now with no Notes sold at 10. sh. in quires, so raysed in an Impression of 3000 500 l.
There hath been at least 12000. of these Bibles Quarto with Notes Printed in Holland, and sold very reasonable: and many brought from thence hither, and they have been seised by the Kings Printers, and the parties that Imported them, not only lost them, but were put in* Purgatory, The High-Commission. and there glad to lose their Bibles and all cost to get off; and then the Monopolists sold them again, and so kept al others in awe.
Great pitty our Printing should be forced to be carryed to Strangers, in my judgement: I have known divers punished for selling Bibles, but none for Masse Books better to have our own Nation set at work. More punishment for selling a 4 to Bible with Notes, then a 100. Masse Books in the High Commission.
In former times Bibles in Octavo sold at 3. sh. 4 d in quires, London Octavo Bibles. are now sold at 4. sh. in quires, though then 9. sheets more then now. There have been 10000. printed in a year, which might have been afforded at 3 sh. a Book, so that there might have been saved to the Subject in an Impression 500 l.
Bibles 8 to of a Large paper, London Bibles of a little Larger paper. not 3 d in a Book more then the other, and sold at 6. sh. 2 d in quires: are raysed 2. sh. 2 d in a Book, which makes in that Impression of 6000. the summe of 650.
Scottish Bibles,
Printed of excellent paper and print at Edenburg, Scots Bibles Octavo, Scots Patent 3 London. sold in London 26. to the quartern, and London Bibles but 25. to the quartern at our rates, notwithstanding the charg and hazard of importation. London Bible in 12 sold at 4. sh. in quires, stands not them in 1. sh. 8 d: there may be saved to the Subject in an Impression 500 l, and they great gainers.
Scottish Bible 12. sold 26 other quartern, better paper, Scots Bible Edenburg. and better print then those here: now al Scots printing of Bibles is taken-away by Young and Fletcher, two main proj [...]ctors. Holland vide 1639.
Holland Bible in 12 sold at 2. sh. in quires, better then the London one of 1639 sold at 4 sh. pitty the manufactory should be carryed thither by deare selling here.
Latin Bibles 12 of Amsterdam, Lattin Bibles. printed well, and sold at 2 sh in quires, and good paper. London Latin Bible 12 printed with a popish Index, sold at 4 sh. in quires, and not under.
Observe London Stationers that bought of the Lattin Holland Bibles, punished in the High Commission for buying Lattin Bibles from Holland, a yeare before ever any were printed in London; observe what a but of Sack might doe.
London Testament octavo, sold at 10 d in quires, raised to 1 sh. which 2d upon a Bock makes in 12000 impression a year 100 l.
Scots Testament at Edenburg, sold here in London at 10 d better paper and print than ours here.
London Testaments in 12, at 7 d raysed 3 d in a Book, sold now at 10 d, make in 6000. the over prise, rated 75 l.
Cambridge Testament 24. were sold at 6 d in quires. London Test. 24 sold at 8 d a Book, 2 d a Book raysed in 4000, is 30 l.
London Common prayers in 24. raised ob upon a Book 4000 of them is 8 l 6sh 8 d.
London Common prayer Books in folio, sold at 3sh in quires, raysed 1 sh. on a Book, now sold at 4sh. comes to in 3000 an Impression 150 l.
Common prayers 4 to sold at 1 sh 6 d a Book: raysed 6 d on a Book, sold at 2 sh 3000. the Impression is raysed 57 l.
Common prayers for quarto Bibles raysed 2 d on a Book.
Common prayers in 16, raised 1 d on a Book, comes to 12 li 10 sh 3000 of the Impression.
4Observe I pray now, Law Books. Law Pattent. I come to the Law Books, I had need to break two lights into the Warehouse: but I perceive then this would rise too bigge. I will only nominate 3 Books in 3 severall Volumes, so by the 3 you may conceive the rest.
The Monopolist have not only gotten all the Gospel, Law Books. but also the Law as followes.
Poltons Statutes sold at 1 l 10 sh in quires, Folio, in former times, now raysed to 6 sh 8 d a Book; the Impression of 1500 so raysed by the Monopolist amounts to 500 li.
Edward the 4 th Quarto, sold at 13 sh 4 d, now raysed 8 sh in a Book, comes to in a 1000 Books to 400 li.
Compleat Iustice sold at 2 sh 2 d a Book, Octavo, I will sell every Impression cheaper by a 100 li. And here have they ingrossed the Scoole Books Patent.
Grammer of Oxford and Cambridge sold at 5 d a Booke: Schoole Books Patent 5, Lylies Grammer but these the Monopolists buy in, and sell them, and theirs at 8 d a Book, q s which in an yearely Impression of 20000 is raysed 250 li.
Camdens Greek Grammer sold at 8 d. a Book in quires alwayes, Camden Greek Grammer, now sold at 1 sh. 2 d. Raysed 6 d on a Book. The same Printed in France, is sold here at 4 d ob. a Book, and so Raysed in 3000 to the summe of 75 li.
Accedence, Accedence, this Book by chance a yeare a goe broke loose from the Stake of the Monopolist, and was sold at six shillings in the pound cheaper then they sell them: but they have by Combination tyed him to the Stake again: for observe, if the old Partners cannot agree together, the Young will, though never so Indirect.
The Monopolist keep all others from Printing Concorances by their Pattent, Concordance Pattent, 6, and these being Printed in another Volume beyond Sea, and brought over, and sold at half their prise, they seise and take them from others, and sel them again themselves, although theirs be not to be had here: So have they likewise seised other Books Printed beyond the Seas, when not any Printed here were to be had.
But a touch of this: for it is too tart, Geneology pattent, 7, and I verily beleeve picks the Subjects pockets, that eats brown bread to fill the sleeping Stationers belly with Venison and Sacke, and robs the Common-wealth in too still away; and when the Sellers by Retale get not a ob: these Monopolists get a shilling: for the Octavo Geneologie, and the twelve, of every 4li. they make 15li. and for the 12. what the Retalers give 4li. for, they will not of they were to be returned again give fix shillings for it.
I hope when the Honourable Assembly of Parliament sees this, as I shall be ready to make proof of all; they will put an end to these crying grievances, and help the calamities of the poore pinshed Subjects.
Here I could open another window, but I see many poore stand within to keep it shut, and I will not adde misery to their affliction.
Lastly, some few observations shall serve for the Errata, which the Honourable House of Parliament may correct in the Society of Stationers, by taking order that the Statute of 25 H. 8. c. 15. concerning the prises of Bookes may be duly exercised; that there may be at least 20 or 24 Assistants to the Company, and none of those to be above twice Master, for now s [...]x or 8 of the Eldest Combining, carry all to their own mark, and ay me alwayes at their own end: and that if they wil not Print such Coppies as are there entred to the Company, it may and shallbe free for any to imprint or Import them, untill such times they Print them here to furnish the Kingdome.
This may serve in part for should I make a whole Errata it would be farre bigger then this Breviat, and here look but into a window of the Monopolists Law-Warehouse: and there behold a free discovery as here followes.