In Strype’s _Life of Parker_, already quoted, is preserved an interesting account of Day’s business, with which we close this short notice: “And with the Archbishop’s engravers, we may joyn his printer Day, who printed his _British Antiquities_ and divers other books by his order . . . for whom the Archbishop had a particular kindness . . . Day was more ingenious and industrious in his art and probably richer too, than the rest, and so became envied by the rest of his fraternity, who hindered, what they could, the sale of his books; and he had in the year 1572, upon his hands, to the value of two or three thousand pounds worth, a great summ in those days. But living under Aldersgate, an obscure corner of the city, he wanted a good vent for them. {101} Whereupon his friends, who were the learned, procured him from the Dean and Chapter of St. Pauls, a lease of a little shop to be set up in St. Pauls Churchyard. Whereupon he got framed a neat handsome shop. It was but little and low, and flat-roofed and leaded like a terrace, railed and posted, fit for men to stand upon in any triumph or show; but could not in anywise hurt or deface the same. This cost him forty or fifty pounds. But . . . his brethren the booksellers envied him and by their interest got the mayor and aldermen to forbid him setting it up, though they had nothing to do there, but by power. Upon this the Archbishop brought his business before the Lord Treasurer, and interceded for him, that he would move the Queen to set her hand to certain letters that he had drawn up in the Queen’s name to the city, in effect, that Day might be permitted to go forward with his building. Whereby, he said, his honour would deserve well of Christ’s Church, and of the prince and State.”—P. 541. Day died in 1584, aged 62, and was buried at Bradley Parva. He published about 250 works. “He seems indeed,” says Dibdin, “(if we except Grafton) the Plantin of Old English Typographers; while his character and reputation scarcely suffer diminution from a comparison with those of his illustrious contemporary just mentioned.” [Illustration] {102} [Illustration] CHAPTER IV. LETTER-FOUNDING AS AN ENGLISH MECHANICAL TRADE.—1477–1830. It will be convenient, now that we have reached a point at which letter-founding enters upon a new stage as a distinct trade, to take a brief survey of its progress as a mechanical industry; availing ourselves of such records and illustrations as may be met with, to trace its development and improved appliances during the period covered by this narrative.