Early years '' Pynson was
Norman by birth. According to the antiquarian
Joseph Ames, the official document (now lost) recording Pynson's subsequent English naturalisation, in about 1493, describes him as
Richardus Pynson in partibus Normand oriund ("... originating in Norman parts"). The earliest presumed reference to him is in 1464, in a list of students enrolled at the University of Paris. Where and with whom Pynson learned the craft of printing is unknown. Possibilities suggested by scholars over the years include apprenticeship to Guillaume Le Talleur in
Rouen, or Jean du Pré in Paris, or
John Lettou and
William de Machlinia in London, or
William Caxton in
Westminster. Pynson had begun his printing career by 1492, the year in which he printed
Alexander Grammaticus's
Doctrinale, his first dated book. During the first years, he worked in the parish of
St Clement Danes just outside the city boundary at
Temple Bar, but he moved east into the city in 1501, possibly because of xenophobic disturbances, or perhaps simply "to be closer to the book trade, most of the leading men having their shops in the neighbourhood of
St Paul's Cathedral". He established himself at the sign of the George in
Fleet Street, continuing at that address until his death.
Later years Pynson became King's Printer to
Henry VII (and subsequently to
Henry VIII) in 1506, an office that carried not only great prestige but also an annuity of two pounds, later raised to four pounds. Pynson ran his printing business conservatively, not taking great risks or paying great attention to literary patronage, despite its importance in the early printing period. He does not seem to have imported books, since his name does not appear on the Customs rolls. Of Pynson's employees, two are named in his will (dated 18 November 1529): John Snowe and Richard Withers. Judging by this document he was well-off but not as wealthy as, for example,
Wynkyn de Worde. As a businessman he has been described as "a systematic, careful man of business"; as a printer he is credited with "a sense of style that raised him above other English printers of the fifteenth century". Pynson died in late 1529 or early 1530 at the age of 80 or 81. He had been married twice and outlived both his wives. He was survived by a daughter, Margaret, whose husband saw the last book off Pynson's press to completion on 18 July 1530. Robert Redman, Pynson's chief (and according to Duff "rather unscrupulous") rival in the publication of legal texts, and his successor as King's Printer, eventually took over his printing house and materials. ==Works==