york00orns

220 YORK.
ceased to be the only places where books were transcribed
and multiplied. Numbers of lay persons became
engaged in the copying of MSS. So numerous, in
fact, had they become, that they obtained the privilege
of incorporating themselves as a separate company or
society, with their own ordinances and bye-laws.
Records of their bye-laws occur in the city archives
as early as the beginning of Richard II.'s reign.
They carried on a flourishing trade during the
fifteenth century, under the name of Text-writers. The
craft included several classes of workmen,— the
limners, or illuminators of capital letters in the more
choice MSS. ; the " notours," who put in the musical
notation in the missals and other service books ; the
'• tumours " and the " flourishers," who added the
graceful and delicate ornamentation which so often
adds a singular beauty to the wide margin of some
choice specimen of the Text-writer's skilful pen.
The establishment of a printing-press in York dates
from about 1496, the year when a Dutchman named
Frederic Freez probably settled in that city. At all
events we find that in the following year his name
was enrolled upon the register of freemen under the
designation of " Bokebynder and Stacyoner." It is
clear that printing was included under the latter term.
Wynkyn de Worde in his will, dated 1534, describes
himself as "citizen and stationer"; and we have
definite proof as regards Freez.
In a legal proceeding
to which he was a party a few years after his settlement
in York he is styled a " buke prynter." No
book issuing from his press is however known to be
now in existence.