A History of the Cambridge University Press, 1521-1921Roberts, S. C. (Sydney Castle)
History
A History of the Cambridge University Press, 1521-1921
Roberts, S. C. (Sydney Castle)
Cambridge University Press -- Bibliography; Cambridge University Press -- History
Between 1650 and the year of Field's death (1668) there was, as
may be seen from Appendix II, a considerable output of books from
the press. Not many are of intrinsic importance, but the titles
show considerable variety and a further point of interest is that
the printer's copies of a large number of _imprimaturs_ of books
printed between 1656 and 1692 have been preserved[64]. Orders "for
the better government of the presses and Printers" were reaffirmed
by the Vice-Chancellor and Heads in 1655 and it is clear that
the university at this time exercised a closer supervision over
its press than in the days when Buck conducted his independent
negotiations with the London Stationers. The specimen _imprimatur_
which is reproduced overleaf shows the care with which Field
preserved his authority for printing any particular book.
One of the first books printed by Field was _The History of the
University of Cambridge_ by Thomas Fuller (1655), who, in spite
of his Royalist convictions, appears to have raised no objection
to his work being printed by one who styled himself "one of his
Highness's Printers."
[Illustration: _IMPRIMATUR_ FOR A BIBLE, 1662]
Cromwell's death in 1658 called forth the customary _Musarum
Cantabrigiensium Luctus & Gratulatio_, containing a Hebrew poem by
Cudworth; whilst two years later Field, with fine impartiality,
printed _Academiae Cantabrigiensis ΣΩΣΤΡΑ_, as well as two editions
of the speech delivered by Richard Love in honour of the return of
Charles II and a sermon by John Spencer on the same happy theme.
Several bibles were printed during this period, including a folio
"with Chorograph Sculps by T. Ogilby" (1660)[65]. Field, however,
did not (in the earlier years of his career, at any rate) maintain
the high reputation of Cambridge bibles established by Buck and
Daniel; for in 1656 William Kilburne presented a statement to the
Vice-Chancellor showing a long list of errata in bibles printed
by Field in 1653, 1655, and 1656. These errata were based upon an
examination only of a few sheets and in a note at the end of the
list it is stated:
If those severall Bibles were read over throughout, they would
be found egregiously erroneous, without all question; And of
the severall Impressions, there were about fower score Thousand
printed, And all, or the greatest part of them sold by Mr Field
and dispersed, to the great scandall of the Church[66].
Amongst the editions of classical authors printed during this
period may be noted Statius (1651), Poetae Minores Graeci (1652,
1661, 1667), Terence (1654), Cicero, _de Officiis_ etc. (1660),
Homer (1664), Sophocles (1665, 1669), Sallust (1665).
Editions of Euclid appeared in 1655 and 1665, the former by Isaac
Barrow, afterwards Lucasian Professor and Master of Trinity College.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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