OVEN, Henry ‹ LBT 03240 ›
floruit 1600 (B)—1600 (B); Male
Occupations (1)
| Occupation | Comment |
|---|---|
| Printer | McKerrow, R. B. &c. (1907) |
Further Notes
- printer of popish books
SOURCES & TRANSCRIPTIONS
Transcriptions
McKerrow, R.B. &c. (1910), p.209
OVEN (HENRY), printer in London, 1600-24. Amongst the Domestic State Papers (Jas. I, vol. viii., pp. 22, etc.) are two documents presented by William Jones, printer, of Red Cross Street, Cripplegate, to the Speaker of the House of Commons on May 15th, 1604. One of these consisted of information that had come to Jones's knowledge respecting the printing and dispersal of popish books. In it is this passage: "Henry Oven had often times been imprisoned for printing popish. books and after a six weeks imprisonment set at libertie; and being imbouldned by his easie imprisonment fell to printing againe, and was taken and put into the Clinke and there had a presse and printed diverse popish bookes till at last he was espied, yet notwithstanding he was released from prison. Afterwards againe he fell to the same worke of printing and for the same was committed to the White Lyon, where he broke prison and fled to Staffordshire where he was printing till Wrench and Warren were descried by Sir Edward Lyttleton and afterwards he the said Henry Oven was taken by a gentleman as he was flying with his presse and letters as it is said into Ireland." [Cf. Acts of the Privy Council, New Ser., xxxii. 85.]
Henry Oven was still at work in 1624, as John Gee in his Foote out of the snare mentions him as one of those who did "disperse, print, binde or sell Popish Books about London," and describes him as "brother to that Oven who ript out his owne bowels in the Tower, being imprisoned for the Gunpowder treason." No stationer of this name is mentioned in the Registers of the Company.