Saturday, 10 August 2013
in the year 1638. for one Peake a Stationer
To put this out of question, we shall only adde one irrefragable evidence more con|cerning Images and Pictures. We have proved formerly that the Archbishop had in his own private Study a Book of Popish pictures of the Life, Passion, and Death of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of the Virgin Mary, printed by Boetius à Bolswert in forein parts, Anno 1623. These very Pictures were all licensed by the Archbishops own Chaplain Doctor Bray; printed by his own printer and Kinsman Badger, in the year 1638. for one Peake a Stationer (now in armes against the Parliament) and publickly sold and bound up in Bibles; as was testified by Mr. Walley Clerk of Sta|tioners Hall, and Michael Sparke Senior. Master Willingham likewise attested upon oath concerning these Pictures and Crucifixes put into the Bibles: that Captain Peak at Holborne Cundit, Bookseller, who printed these pictures for Bibles, did affirme, that he printed them with the good liking, and by the speciall direction of the Arch|bishop, and his Chaplaine Dr. Bray: which Dr. Bray, as he said, carried him divers times to the Archbishop, to shew him the prints thereof, as they were cut and finished, who liked them all well, and gave his consent for the binding them up in Bibles; say|ing, That the Bibles wherein these pictures were bound up, they should be called THE BISHOP OF CANTERBURIES BIBLES; (stiling them after his own name, so much did he owne this fact, not the Bibles and Book of God, who abhorres such Images:) and further deposed, That he found two Bibles bound up with these Pictures in them, the one among Secretary Windebanks, the other among Sir John Lambes and Dr. Ducks chiefe papers and treasure (two of the Archbishops bosome friends and favourites) who highly esteemed them: both of which Bibles seized by Mr. Willingham, and richly bound up with these pictures in them, were then produced and shewed to the Lords. Master Walley further deposed, that these pictures bound up in Bibles giving great offence and scandall to many well affected people, himselfe with some other Stationers repaired to Lambeth to the Arch|bishop and complained against these pictures, and the binding of them up in Bibles, demanding his Graces direction therein; whether they should seize such Bibles with pictures which gave offence, or suffer them to be sold? To which the Arch|bishop answered, That they might doe well not to lay them out publickly upon their stals to be sold as yet, lest they should give offence; but if any come to ask for them or to buy them in your shops, in Gods name sell them freely to them, without
any scrupple; adding the second time, sell them to such in Gods name, but lay them not upon your stals in publick view. Upon which testimony the Archbishop deman|ded of Mr. Walley, who it was that gave him this direction concerning the sale of those Bibles with pictures? To which he readily replyed; Your Grace with your own mouth, as you may well remember. Whereunto the Archbishop answered, it was true, he did so; but the pictures were printed & bound up with Bibles before he knew of it; and that the first time he saw one of these Bibles, was in a Ladies hand in the Chappell at Whitehall; which he looking upon, when he came to Lambeth, sent for one of those Bibles himself; after which, the Stationers comming unto him about the sale of them, he gave them such directions as aforesaid, not to sell them openly for fear of giving offence, but only privately in their shops to such as asked for them: As most evident confession of guiltinesse. For if such pictures in Bibles were good & usefull, why should they not be exposed to open sale, & the view of all men? if ill and unlawfull, why should any of them be printed, or sold to any in private, and not totally suppressed, demolished, burnt? being contrary to our Statutes, Ho|milies, Writers, and the received Doctrine of our Church? These directions then of his, shewes his good affection to popish and idolatrous pictures: he had polluted his own English Bible with an embroydred Crucifix on its cover, before these Pictures printed; and now he would corrupt, pollute all our Bibles and New Te|staments with these Romish Images bound up in them, to which they are most re|pugnant. He would suffer no English Bibles to be printed or sold with marginall Notes to instruct the people, all such must be seized and burnt, as we shall prove a|none: but himself gives speciall approbation for the venting of Bibles with Popish pictures taken out of the very Masse book, to seduce the people to popery and idolatry.
Labels:
book,
iconoclast,
robert peake
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