Richard Grafton
Encyclopedia
Richard Grafton was King's Printer under Henry VIII
and Edward VI
. He was a member of the Grocers' Company and MP for Coventry elected 1562-63.
, a member of the Haberdashers' Company, Grafton was interested in the printing of the Bible
in English, and eventually they became printers and publishers, more by chance than by design. They published the Matthew Bible
in 1537, though it was printed abroad. In 1538 they brought presses and printers from Paris to print the first edition of the Great Bible.
Whitchurch printed for a time in partnership with Grafton, who set up his press in the recently surrendered house of the Grey Friars, and in 1541 they obtained a joint exclusive privilege for printing
service books including the Prayer-book
; a little later they were granted a privilege for printing primers in Latin and English.
Also 1541 Grafton was committed to Fleet Prison
for printing a "sedicious epistle of Melanctons" and was also accused by the Privy Council
of printing ballads defending the late Thomas Cromwell. In April 1543, he and seven other printers, among them Whitchurch, were sent to prison "for printing such books as were thought to be unlawful." In Grafton's case it was for having printed the Great Bible
. He spent six weeks in prison and was bound in £300 neither to sell nor to print any more Bibles until the King and clergy should agree upon a translation.
, in which he signed himself "Printer to the Queen." For this he was cast into prison by Mary I
. John Cawood
became Queen's Printer, and Grafton's career as a printer ended.
In prison Grafton compiled an Abridgement of the Chronicles of England, which he published in 1563. To this he added in 1568 A Chronicle at Large. Neither holds a high place as authorities, as they lack original material. John Stow
and Grafton had a running battle over their rival chronicles after Stow justifiably accused Grafton of copying his own work. In the Chronicle at Large, he is the earliest writer known to refer to Prince Edward of Woodstock (Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine) as "The Black Prince
". The reason for this remains unknown: Grafton said he had found the name in other writers, and gives no further explanation.
Grafton was instrumental in the establishment and maintenance of the London hospitals. He died in 1573, leaving four sons and one daughter, Joan, who married the printer Richard Tottel
. Grafton's device was a tree bearing grafts issuing from a tun or barrel of the kind in which books were packed for transport.
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
and Edward VI
Edward VI of England
Edward VI was the King of England and Ireland from 28 January 1547 until his death. He was crowned on 20 February at the age of nine. The son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, Edward was the third monarch of the Tudor dynasty and England's first monarch who was raised as a Protestant...
. He was a member of the Grocers' Company and MP for Coventry elected 1562-63.
Under Henry VIII
With Edward WhitchurchEdward Whitchurch
Edward Whitchurch , was an English publisher of Protestant works.Whitchurch published the first complete version of the Bible in English. Other published works included The 1547 A Treatise of Morall Phylosophie, contayning the Sayinges of the Wyse, authored by William Baldwin.-References:Attribution...
, a member of the Haberdashers' Company, Grafton was interested in the printing of the Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
in English, and eventually they became printers and publishers, more by chance than by design. They published the Matthew Bible
Matthew Bible
The Matthew Bible, also known as Matthew's Version, was first published in 1537 by John Rogers, under the pseudonym "Thomas Matthew". It combined the New Testament of William Tyndale, and as much of the Old Testament as he had been able to translate before being captured and put to death...
in 1537, though it was printed abroad. In 1538 they brought presses and printers from Paris to print the first edition of the Great Bible.
Whitchurch printed for a time in partnership with Grafton, who set up his press in the recently surrendered house of the Grey Friars, and in 1541 they obtained a joint exclusive privilege for printing
Printing patent
The printing patent or printing privilege was a precursor of modern copyright. It was an exclusive right to print a work or a class work of works....
service books including the Prayer-book
Book of Common Prayer
The Book of Common Prayer is the short title of a number of related prayer books used in the Anglican Communion, as well as by the Continuing Anglican, "Anglican realignment" and other Anglican churches. The original book, published in 1549 , in the reign of Edward VI, was a product of the English...
; a little later they were granted a privilege for printing primers in Latin and English.
Also 1541 Grafton was committed to Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
for printing a "sedicious epistle of Melanctons" and was also accused by the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
of printing ballads defending the late Thomas Cromwell. In April 1543, he and seven other printers, among them Whitchurch, were sent to prison "for printing such books as were thought to be unlawful." In Grafton's case it was for having printed the Great Bible
Great Bible
The Great Bible was the first authorized edition of the Bible in English, authorized by King Henry VIII of England to be read aloud in the church services of the Church of England. The Great Bible was prepared by Myles Coverdale, working under commission of Sir Thomas Cromwell, Secretary to Henry...
. He spent six weeks in prison and was bound in £300 neither to sell nor to print any more Bibles until the King and clergy should agree upon a translation.
Under Edward VI and later life
On the accession of Edward VI, Grafton was appointed King's Printer and this gave him the sole right to print all Acts and Statutes. He had held the appointment for six years, when on the King's death, he printed a proclamation of the accession of Lady Jane GreyLady Jane Grey
Lady Jane Grey , also known as The Nine Days' Queen, was an English noblewoman who was de facto monarch of England from 10 July until 19 July 1553 and was subsequently executed...
, in which he signed himself "Printer to the Queen." For this he was cast into prison by Mary I
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
. John Cawood
John Cawood
John Cawood came of an old Yorkshire family of some substance and was apprenticed to John Reynes, who is best known as a bookbinder and who died in 1543 or 1544. In 1553 Cawood replaced Richard Grafton as Royal Printer. For his official salary of £6. 13s. 4d...
became Queen's Printer, and Grafton's career as a printer ended.
In prison Grafton compiled an Abridgement of the Chronicles of England, which he published in 1563. To this he added in 1568 A Chronicle at Large. Neither holds a high place as authorities, as they lack original material. John Stow
John Stow
John Stow was an English historian and antiquarian.-Early life:The son of Thomas Stow, a tallow-chandler, he was born about 1525 in London, in the parish of St Michael, Cornhill. His father's whole rent for his house and garden was only 6s. 6d. a year, and Stow in his youth fetched milk every...
and Grafton had a running battle over their rival chronicles after Stow justifiably accused Grafton of copying his own work. In the Chronicle at Large, he is the earliest writer known to refer to Prince Edward of Woodstock (Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall, Prince of Aquitaine) as "The Black Prince
The Black Prince
-Personal nicknames:* Edward, the Black Prince, English prince in the Middle Ages* Naresuan, King of Siam* Junio Valerio Borghese, Italian noble and military leader* Kostas Davourlis, Greek footballer* Peter Jackson , 19th century bare-knuckle boxer...
". The reason for this remains unknown: Grafton said he had found the name in other writers, and gives no further explanation.
Grafton was instrumental in the establishment and maintenance of the London hospitals. He died in 1573, leaving four sons and one daughter, Joan, who married the printer Richard Tottel
Richard Tottel
Richard Tottel was an English publisher and influential member of the legal community. He ran his business from a shop was located at Temple Bar on Fleet Street in London...
. Grafton's device was a tree bearing grafts issuing from a tun or barrel of the kind in which books were packed for transport.
See also
- Robert CrowleyRobert Crowley (printer)Robert Crowley also Robertus Croleus, Roberto Croleo, Robart Crowleye, Robarte Crole, and Crule , was a stationer, poet, polemicist and Protestant clergyman who was among the Marian exiles at Frankfurt...
- Edward WhitchurchEdward WhitchurchEdward Whitchurch , was an English publisher of Protestant works.Whitchurch published the first complete version of the Bible in English. Other published works included The 1547 A Treatise of Morall Phylosophie, contayning the Sayinges of the Wyse, authored by William Baldwin.-References:Attribution...
- Miles Coverdale
- William TyndaleWilliam TyndaleWilliam Tyndale was an English scholar and translator who became a leading figure in Protestant reformism towards the end of his life. He was influenced by the work of Desiderius Erasmus, who made the Greek New Testament available in Europe, and by Martin Luther...
External links
- http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=wr4_AAAAcAAJ&source=gbs_navlinks_sGrafton, Richard, A chronicle at large: and meere history of the affayres of Englande, and kinges of the same, deduced from the creation of the worlde, vnto the first habitation of thys islande: and so by contynuance vnto the first yere of the reigne of our most deere and souereigne lady Queene Elizabeth: collected out of sundry aucthors, whose names are expressed in the next page of this leafe, vol. 1, London, (1809)]
- Grafton, Richard, A chronicle at Large, vol. 2, London, (1809)