Commerce and Print in the Early Reformation (The Northern World)

Focusing on print culture and links between propagandists, typographers, and northern Europe's merchant milieu, this book investigates dispersal and suppression of religious innovation in the 152s and expands the interpretative scope for Reformation studies beyond national, political, or religious contexts. List of Maps and Illustrations .. viiAbbreviations .. ixPrologue .. 1Chapter One: Commerce, Books, and Decrees .. 9Communications and the Merchants' Domain .. 10Commercial Typography-Paris, Antwerp, and Paternoster Row .. 19Mercantile Networks and Printing-Germany and Beyond .. 27Jurisdictions and Censorship-The Empire and the Baltic region .. 37Heresies and Institutional Response-France, the Low Countries, and England .. 58Chapter Two: Bonfires and Threatening Words .. 75Penance at Paul's Cross .. 76Steelyard Merchants and their Books .. 82Commercial Contacts and the Tides of Reform .. 88A Surreptitious Trade? .. 107Brokers of Ideas .. 115Chapter Three: Diplomacy and Espionage .. 129A Town Marvellously Corrupt .. 130Vernacular Scriptures and Scurrilous Propaganda .. 139Fugitives and Entrepreneurs .. 150Ambassador Hackett and the Lords of Antwerp .. 164Timely Intelligence and Doubtful Resolve .. 172Chapter Four: Subversion and Prosecution .. 183Contraband, Scholars, and Christian Brethren .. 184Young Men of Virtue and Good Letters .. 197Law, Judgement, and Punishment .. 206Circles of Diffusion .. 220Coercion and Betrayal .. 225Exiles .. 233Epilogue .. 245Bibliography .. 257Index of Books and Pamphlets .. 273Index of Persons .. 275General Index .. 283 "Communications and the spread of nonconformist views were key to the spiritual upheaval that gripped many parts of northern Europe in the 1520s. Emphasising economic and cultural hegemony, this book explores the transmission of innovation through networks of trade. Interrelated themes include commercial typography, legal and illicit book distribution, espionage, and censorship. These are elaborated through a series of episodes involving printers and patrician oligarchs, spies and fugitives, and pamphleteers and entrepreneurs. The accent on commerce and print broadens the interpretive scope for study of the early Reformation beyond national, political, or exclusively religious contexts. It also leads to a reassessment of some conventional assumptions about merchants as distributors of Scripture texts and reformist propaganda."--BOOK JACKET

Communications and the spread of nonconformist views were key to the spiritual upheaval that gripped many parts of northern Europe in the 1520s. Emphasising economic and cultural hegemony, this book explores the transmission of innovation through networks of trade. Interrelated themes include commercial typography, legal and illicit book distribution, espionage, and censorship. These are elaborated through a series of episodes involving printers and patrician oligarchs, spies and fugitives, and pamphleteers and entrepreneurs. The accent on commerce and print broadens the interpretive scope for study of the early Reformation beyond national, political, or exclusively religious contexts. It also leads to a reassessment of some conventional assumptions about merchants as distributors of Scripture texts and reformist propaganda.

Communications and the spread of nonconformist views were key to the spiritual upheaval that gripped many parts of northern Europe in the 1520's. Emphasizing economic and cultural hegemony, this book explores the transmission of innovation through networks of trade. Interrelated themes include commercial typography, legal and illicit book distribution, espionage, and censorship. These are elaborated through a series of episodes involving printers and patrician oligarchs, spies and fugitives, and pamphleteers and entrepreneurs. The accent on commerce and print broadens the interpretive scope for study of the early Reformation beyond national, political, or exclusively religious contexts. It also leads to a reassessment of some conventional assumptions about merchants as distributors of Scripture texts and reformist propaganda Communications and the spread of nonconformist views were key to the spiritual upheaval that gripped many parts of northern Europe in the 1520s. Emphasising economic and cultural hegemony, this book explores the transmission of innovation through trade networks, including themes such as commercial typography, espionage, censorship, and others