LAURENTIUS, one of the first printers, and, according to some, the inventor of the art, was born at Haerlem about the year 1370, and executed several departments of magistracy of that city. Those writers are mistaken who assign to him the surname of Cofer, or assert that the office of editius was hereditary in his family. In a diploma of Albert of Bavaria in 1389, in which, among other citizens of Haerlem, our Laurentius's father is mentioned by the name of Joannes Laurentii filius," Beroldus is called editius, who was surely of another family; and in 1396 and 1398, Henricus à Lunen enjoyed that office; after whose resignation, Count Albert conferring on the citizens the privilege of electing their editius, they, probably soon after, fixed on Laurentius; who was afterwards called Cofer from his office, and not from his family-name, as he was descended from an illegitimate branch of the Gens Brederodia. His office was very lucrative; and that he was a man of great property, the elegance of his house may testify. That he was the inventor of printing, is inferred in the narrative of Junius. His first work was an Horarium, containing the Letters of the alphabet, the Lord's prayer, the apostle's creed, and two or three short prayers; the next was the Speculum salutis, in which he introduced pictures on wooden blocks; then Donatus, the larger size; and afterwards the same work in a less size. All these were printed on separate moveable wooden types fastened together by threads. If it be thought improbable, that so ingenious a man should have proceeded no farther than the invention of wooden types; it may be answered, that he printed for profit, not for fame; and wooden types were not only at that time made sooner and cheaper than metal could be, but were sufficiently durable for the small impressions of each book he must necessarily have printed.—His press was nearly shaped like the common wine-presses.—He printed some copies of all his books both on paper and vellum.—It has been very erroneously supposed, that he quitted the profession, and died broken hearted; but it is certain, that he did not live to see the art brought to perfection.—He died in 1440, aged 70; and was succeeded either by his son-in-law Thomas Peter, who married his only daughter Lucia; or by their immediate descendants, Peter, Andrew, and Thontas; who were old enough (even if their father was dead, as it is likely he was) to conduct the business, the eldest being at least 22 or 23. What books they printed it is not easy to determine; they having, after the example of Laurentius (more anxious for profit than for fame), neither added to their books' their names, the place where they were printed, or the date of the year. Their first essays were new editions of Donatus and the Speculum. They afterwards reprinted the latter, with a Latin translation, in which they used their grandfather's wooden pictures; and printed the book partly on wooden blocks, partly on wooden separate types, according to Mr Meerman, who has given an exact engraving. graving of each sort, taken from different parts of the same book, which was published between the years 1442 and 1450. Nor did they stop here; they continued to print several editions of the Speculum, both in Latin and in Dutch; and many other works, particularly "Historia Alexandri Magni," "Flavii Vedatii [for Vegetius] Renati Epitome de Re Militari," and "Opera varia à Thomas Kempis." Of each of these Mr Meerman has given an engraved specimen. They were all printed with separate wooden types; and, by their great neatness, are a proof that the descendants of Laurentius were industrious in improving his invention. Kempis was printed at Haarlem in 1472, and was the last known work of Laurentius's descendants, who soon after disposed of all their materials, and probably quitted the employment; as the use of fysile types was about that time universally diffused through Holland by the settling of Martens at Alkmaar, where he pursued the art with reputation for upwards of 60 years.

See (History of) Printing.