Robert Copland (fl. 1508-1547), author, bookseller, and early English printer. Copland may have been an apprentice to William Caxton, the first English printer, though this seems unlikely, as Caxton died in 1491, and Copland did not start printing under his own name until 1510. Copland worked for printer Wynkyn de Worde, Caxton's apprentice, in about 1510.
Copland began printing pamphlets in about 1510. The first book bearing his name is The Boke of Justices of Peas. Copland only printed 12 books - his influence was as a bookseller and author.
Copland wrote and translated many works of literary and scholarly nature. The following works were definitely written or translated by him. There are most likely others.:
- The Kalender of Shepeherdes, (trans.), 1508, 1528
- Kynge Appolyn of Thyre, (trans.), 1510
- The Myrrour of the Chyrche, (trans., with additional verses added), 1521
- A Goosteley Treatyse of the Passyon of our Lorde Jesu Chryst, (trans.), 1521, 1532
- The Introductory to write and to pronounce Frenche, (appendix by C.), 1521
- The Rutter of the See, (trans.), 1528
- The Secret of Secrets of Aristotyle, (trans, with additions), 1528
- The Hye Way to the Spyttel Hous, c. 1535
- The Complaynte of they that be to late maryed, (trans.?), 1535
- The Life of Ipomydon, n.d.
- The maner to live well, 1540
- The Questionary of Cyrurgyens, (trans.), 1541
- The Kynght of the Swanne: Helyas, n.d.
- The Art of Memorye, n.d.
- Jyl of Breyntford's Testement, n.d.
- The Seuen Sorowes that women have when theyre Husbandes be deade, (comp.), n.d.
Many of Copland's books were printed by Wynkyn de Worde. After Copland's death, in 1547, William Copland took over his business.