The Invention of Printing.: A Collection of Facts and Opinions, Descriptive of Early Prints and Playing Cards, the Block-Books of the Fifteenth Century, the Legend of Lourens Janszoon Coster, of Haarlem, and the Work of John Gutenberg and His AssociatesDe Vinne, Theodore Low
History
The Invention of Printing.: A Collection of Facts and Opinions, Descriptive of Early Prints and Playing Cards, the Block-Books of the Fifteenth Century, the Legend of Lourens Janszoon Coster, of Haarlem, and the Work of John Gutenberg and His Associates
De Vinne, Theodore Low
Incunabula -- Bibliography; Printing -- History -- Origin and antecedents
Barbel von Zabern, the mercer, testified that on a certain night she
had talked with Andrew Dritzehen about various matters, and that she
had said to him: “But will you not stop work, so that you can get some
sleep?” He replied to her, “It is necessary that I first finish this
work.” Then the witness said, “But, God help me, what a great sum of
money you are spending! That has, at least, cost you 10 guilders.”
He answered, “You are a goose; you think this cost but 10 guilders.
Look here! if you had the money which this has cost over and above 300
guilders, you would have enough for all your life; this has cost me at
least 500 guilders. It is but a trifle to what I will have to expend.
It is for this that I have mortgaged my goods and my inheritance.”
“But,” continued the witness, “if this does not succeed, what will you
do then?” He answered, “It is not possible that we can fail; before
another year is over, we shall have recovered our capital, and shall
be prosperous: that is, providing God does not intend to afflict us.”
This dialogue puts two of the partners in a clear light: the domination
of Gutenberg and the faith of Dritzehen are perfect. Unmoved by the
cold distrust of shrewd Madame Zabern, Dritzehen persists in his work,
trusting confidently in the genius of Gutenberg and the success of the
process. “It is not possible that we can fail.” In the testimony of the
next witness we find the first clue to the secret.
Dame Ennel Dritzehen, the wife of Hans Schultheiss, dealer in wood,
testified that Lorentz Beildeck [personal servant to Gutenberg] came
on a certain day to her house, where Claus Dritzehen, her cousin,
happened to be, and said to the latter, “Dear Claus Dritzehen,
the late Andrew Dritzehen had _four pieces lying in a press_, and
Gutenberg begs that you will take them away _from the press_, and
that you will _separate them_, so that no one can see what it [the
tool or implement made of four pieces] is, for he does not wish that
anyone should see _it_.” This witness also testified that when she was
with Andrew Dritzehen, her cousin, she had assisted him night and day
when he was on this work. She also said that she knew very well that
Andrew Dritzehen, her cousin, had, during this period, mortgaged his
capital; but as to how much of it he had devoted to this work, she
knew nothing. [p384]
The nature or the purpose of this tool of four pieces lying in the
press is not explained by any of the witnesses. It seems that Gutenberg
feared that it would, when fitted together, be readily understood, and
would reveal the secret. His inquietude about it is also set forth by
Hans Schultheiss.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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