Our Statute Books and Public Records do not throw any very important light on the early history of English letter-founding. Although a busy import trade in type appears to have been maintained by the earliest printers, and although as early as the days of De Worde, as we have seen, there were English printers who not only cast types for themselves, but are supposed to have supplied them to others, we search in vain for any definite reference to letter-founding in the decrees and proclamations which, prior to 1637, had for their object the regulation or repression of printing. It is true that the term printing was at that period wide enough to cover all its tributary arts, from paper-making to book-selling. At the same time, it is noteworthy that, whereas in many of the early decrees paper-making, book-binding and book-selling are distinctly mentioned, letter-founding is invariably ignored. If any inference is to be drawn from this fact, it is that type was one of the latest of the printer’s commodities to go into the public market. A printer’s type was his own, and no one else’s; and if occasionally one great printer was pleased to part with founts of his letter to his brother craftsmen, either by favour or for a consideration, it was not till late in the day—that is, not for about a century after the introduction of printing into England—that English-cast types became marketable ware in the country. It is not our purpose here to review in detail the various decrees and {124} proclamations which regulated printing in this country[203]; but it will be interesting to notice such of them as appear to have special reference to letter-founding. The earliest Statute relating to printing was made in 1483, before the art had well taken root in the country; and proclaimed free trade in all printed matter imported from abroad. In 1533 this enactment was repealed, on the ground that “at this day there be within this realm a great number of cunning and expert in the said science or craft of printing.”[204] More direct control was assumed in 1556, when the charter was granted to the Stationers’ Company, constituting that body the “Master and Keepers, or Wardens and Commonalty, of the Mystery or Art of a Stationer of the City of London.”[205] Under this comprehensive term, there is little doubt, founders of type, had any at that time been practising in London, would be included; and such being the case, it would become necessary for them, as well as for paper-makers, printers, binders, booksellers and others, to become members of the Stationers’ Company, and subsequently, in compliance with the enlarged powers conferred on the Company in 1559 and 1556, to give surety to that body for the due observance of the ordinances by virtue of which they held their privileges.