“He engaged workmen, which was the source of the mischief. Among these workmen was one Jan ⸺: whether his surname be that of Faust, or any other, is of no great importance to me, as I will not disturb the dead, whose consciences must have smote them sufficiently while living. This Jan, who assisted at the printing press under oath, after he had learned the art of casting the types, setting them, and other articles belonging to the art, and thought himself sufficiently instructed, having watched the opportunity, as he could not find a better, he packed up the types and the other articles on Christmas eve, while the family was engaged in celebrating the festival, and stole away with them. He first fled to Amsterdam, thence to Cologne, until he could establish himself at Mentz, as a secure place, where he might open shop and reap the fruits of his knavery. It is a known fact that within the twelve months (that is, in the year 1440) he published the _Alexandri Galli Doctrinale_, (a grammar at that time in high repute,) with _Petri Hispani Tractatibus Logicis_, with the same letters which Laurens had used. These were undoubtedly the first products of his press. These are the principal circumstances that I have collected from creditable persons far advanced in years, which they have transmitted like a flaming torch from hand to hand: I have also met with others who have confirmed the same.”—_Hadrianus Junius_, 1568. [2] The first copies of the Bible are not dated, and do not contain the printer’s name. Only a few impressions have been preserved to the present time; indeed, they were entirely lost to the world until the latter half of the last century, when a copy was discovered in the library of Cardinal Mazarin in Paris; hence, the few existing copies are generally spoken of as Mazarin Bibles. Some of these were printed on vellum, but the earliest copies were on paper. There are only six copies now extant; two of which are in the United States, one belonging to the collection of the late Mr. George Brinley of Connecticut, and the other owned by the late Mr. James Lenox of New York. These two copies are on paper. The Brinley copy is said to have a leaf or two in fac-simile, while the Lenox copy is perfect in every respect. This copy, together with his unequalled collection of rare Bibles, now enriches the magnificent Lenox Library, founded in New York, in 1870, by this excellent and wisely beneficent man. The four remaining copies are in Europe, two of which were sold in London at auction; one on vellum selling for $20,000, and the other, on paper, bringing $14,000.