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[? 1520]    John Bill's representation of the History op Doctor Fulke's
Answer to the Rhemish Testament.

[We give this vahiable paper here as demonstrating the great importance that has always been
attached to the Stationers' Registers in respect to the proprietorship of books ; as showing the kind
of expenses publishers were put to in Elizabeth's reign ; as being a memento of G. Bishop who was a
prominent member of this London guild ; and as giving a short history of an important book.
. Doctor Fulke's Ansv)er to the Rhemish Testament was licensed on the 9th December 1588 (see
II., 510) to 0. Bishop ; who died in 1610. This unsigned statement was therefore written by John Bill
about 1620.   The document is torn at an upper corner.]

' ASTER Doctor Fulke about 30. yeares since made a treatise called ye
confutacon of. ye Rhemish Testament with a defence of ye Mnylish
translacon of ye Bible against Gtreoory Martin

Doctor Fulke being not sufficiently stored with bookes to performe
it cam [e] to London to master Bishop a stationer where he and two of
his men with their horses were mayntained by Bishop for 3. quarters of
a yeares space and of Bishop he had such bookes for ye makeing of the
treatise as he wanted. When it was finished Bishop in consideracon
of his former charge and for ye diett Doctor Fulkes fri[e]nds likewise had of
Bishop when they cam[e] to visit Doctor Fulke as also for 40^^ which Bishop gaue
to Doctor Fulke and for diuers bookes giuen him he had ye printing of yat copie to
him and his Assignes. and this appeares by witnesses as also by ye Registry of ye
Stationers hall [see II., 510] where this was entred before ye master and wardens of ye
Stationers at a Court the[n] holden as all copies which are bought by Stationers are
And this entry in ye hall booke is the commun and strongest assurance yat Stationers
haue, for all their copies, which is the greatest parte of their Estates.

Doctor Fulke did afterwards make some few further annotacons to ye sayd worke,
intending at ye next impression to sett it forth with his sayd tractat[e], but being
preuented by death and ye same notes coming to ye hands of Doctor Fulkes Executor
ye same notes were sold to the sayd Bishop and others for x^^ and diuers bookes. and this
is likewise entred in the hall booke. Bishop enioyed the printing of this booke almost xx
yeares after ye death of Doctor Fulke without any interruption or claime

After Bishops death by diuerse mesne conveyances this copie of Fulkes workes
(amongst diuerse others of smale value) was [on 14th March 1611, see fol. 205] for
very great [and] valuable consideracon sold to master [Bonham] Norton my self and
one master [Thomas] Adams [see also p. 278] who haue neuer printed it but on[l]ie
bestowed vpon it about 1000^. and sold but few of the bookes, most being yet in quiers,
[and] bound diuers [of them] fayre and giuen them as our manner is of bookes of worth
to diuers great personages.

Mistris Ogden a mar[r]ied woman one of Doctor Fulkes daughters did lately [sue]
his Maiestie to haue ye printing of her fathers workes, which his [Maiestie] not
knowing ye premises granted, and ye same being first referred [to the] [G-eoroe Abbot]
Archbishop of Canterbury. [J. King] ye Bishop of London their Lordships had
h[e]ard the cause deliuered their opinion against her, since which she hath gotten a new
reference to ye Lord Chancellor [Lord Bacon] and master Secretary Na[u]nton who
not examining yej title vpon oath and the Stationers being not then able to produce those
materiall proofes} which now they can their honors  certified   for  her. wherevpon her

III, 39