Publications of H. P.

Note: The following printer, bookseller, or publisher lists are works in progress. They are generated from title page imprints and may reproduce false and misleading attributions or contain errors.

What does "printed by" mean? How to read the roles ascribed to people in the imprints.

In terms of the book trades, the lists below are sorted into up to four groups where: the person is designated in the imprint as having a single role:

  1. "printed by x"; or
  2. "sold by x"; or
  3. "printed for x" or "published by x";

or as having multiple roles in combination (which suggests a likelihood that the person is a trade publisher):

  1. "printed and sold by x"; "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x" and so on.

Printers (owners of the type and printing presses, and possibly owners of the copyright) may be identified by the words printed by, but printed by does not universally designate a person who is a printer by trade. Booksellers may be identified by the words sold by, but sold by encompasses a number of roles. Booksellers or individuals who owned the copyright are generally identified by the words printed for, but nothing should be concluded in this regard without further evidence, especially since "printed for" could signify that the named person was a distributor rather than a copyright holder. Trade publishers, who distributed books and pamphlets but did not own the copyright or employ a printer—and were not printers themselves—might be identified by the words printed and sold by. Furthermore, works from this period often display false imprints, whether to evade copyright restrictions, to conceal the name of the copyright holders, or to dupe unwitting customers. Ultimately, one must proceed with caution in using the following lists: designations in the imprints may not reliably reflect the actual trades or roles of the people named, and the formulas used in imprints do not consistently mean the same thing.

David Foxon discussed the "meaning of the imprint" in his Lyell Lecture delivered at Oxford in March 1976, with particular attention to "publishers" in the eighteenth-century context:

The fullest form of an imprint is one which names three people, or groups of people:
     London: printed by X (the printer), for Y (the bookseller who owned the copyright), and sold by Z.
In the eighteenth century the printer's name is rarely given, at least in works printed in London, and the form is more commonly:
     London: printed for Y, and sold by Z.
Very often in this period, and particularly for pamphlets, it is further abbreviated to:
     London: printed and sold by Z.
It is this last form which is my present concern. Z is usually what the eighteenth century called 'a publisher', or one who distributes books and pamphlets without having any other responsibility—he does not own the copyright or employ a printer, or even know the author.

D. F. McKenzie coined the term "trade publisher" for these publishers in his Sandars Lectures, also in 1976, on the grounds that their principal role was to publish on behalf of other members of the book trade (Treadwell 100).

Michael Treadwell cautions that "In this period the imprint 'London: Printed and sold by A.B.' normally means 'Printed at London, and sold by A.B.' and must not be taken to mean that A.B. is a printer in the absence of other evidence." Further, "The imprint 'published by' occurs only rarely in Wing and is almost always associated with the name of a trade publisher" (104). While there are exceptions to the rule, it is "certain," he explains, "that anyone who made a speciality of distributing works for others will show a far higher proportion than normal of imprints in one of the 'sold by' forms" (116), which appear in the imprint as "sold by," "printed and sold by," or "published by" (104). Treadwell gives Walter Kettilby as an example of "a fairly typical copyright-owning bookseller" (106)—his role is almost always designated by the phrase "printed for" on imprints.

A final caution: publisher is a word that should be used with some deliberation. Samuel Johnson defines it simply as "One who puts out a book into the world," but "published by" rarely appears on the imprint until later in the eighteenth century, and then primarily associated with newspapers and pamphlets. Treadwell observes that John Dunton names only five publishers among the 200 binders and booksellers in his autobiographical Life and Errors (1705) wherein he undertakes "to draw the Character of the most Eminent [Stationers] in the Three Kingdoms" (100). Treadwell also remarks, however, that "in law, anyone who offered a work for sale 'published' it. In this sense every work had one or more 'publishers', and every bookseller, mercury, and hawker was a 'publisher'" (114).

See:

  • Terry Belanger, "From Bookseller to Publisher: Changes in the London Book Trade, 1750–1850," in Book Selling and Book Buying. Aspects of the Nineteenth-Century British and North American Book Trade, ed. Richard G. Landon (Chicago: American Library Association, 1978).
  • Bricker, Andrew Benjamin. "Who was 'A. Moore'? The Attribution of Eighteenth-Century Publications with False and Misleading Imprints," in The Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America 110.2 (2016).
  • John Dunton, The Life and Errors of John Dunton (London: Printed for S. Malthus, 1705).
  • John Feather, "The Commerce of Letters: The Study of the Eighteenth-Century Book Trade," Eighteenth-Century Studies 17 (1984).
  • David Foxon, Pope and the Early Eighteenth-Century Book Trade, ed. James McLaverty (Oxford University Press, 1991).
  • Samuel Johnson, Dictionary of the English Language, (printed for J. and P. Knapton; T. and T. Longman; C. Hitch and L. Hawes; A. Millar; and R. and J. Dodsley, 1755).
  • D.F. McKenzie, The London Book Trade in the Later Seventeenth Century (Sandars lectures in bibliography, 1977).
  • Michael Treadwell, "London Trade Publishers 1675–1750," The Library sixth series, vol. 4, no. 2 (1982).

Printed by H. P.

  • Purney, Thomas. Pastorals. Viz. The bashful swain: and Beauty and simplicity. By Mr. Purney. London: printed by H. P. [Parker] for Jonas Brown, 1717. ESTC No. N10996. Grub Street ID 986.

Printed for H. P.

  • Bacon, Nathaniel. A relation of the fearful estate of Francis Spira, after he turn'd apostate from the protestant church to Popery. As also the miserable lives, and woful deaths, of Mr. John Child, ... and, Mr. Geo. Edwards, ... To which is added, K. James the first's prophetical curse .. With several examples of God's judgments ... With Origen's lamentation. London: printed for H. P. and sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1718. ESTC No. N34420. Grub Street ID 22800.

Author

  • P., H.. Unitie, truth and reason. Presented in all humility petition-wise to the honourable, the knights, citizens and burgesses for the Commons House of Parliament. By some moderate and peace-desiring ministers, for the more happy and certaine reconciling of the church differences. London: printed for Thomas Vnderhill, in the yeare, 1641. ESTC No. R9441. Grub Street ID 129524.
  • P., H.. The next way to France: or, A short dialogue between two zealous well-wishers for the advancement of the kingdom of Christ; viz. H. P. and B. G. London: printed for Giles Calvert, at the black Spread-Eagle at the west-end of Pauls, 1651. ESTC No. R208804. Grub Street ID 85025.
  • P., H.. A short answer to a book set forth by seven priests, who call themselves ministers of the gospel of Christ; but are plainly discovered to be lyers, and slanderers, and envious of them who are the true ministers of Christ, who abide in his doctrine. With a vvord to the reader, to read with understanding, and let the light of Jesus Christ within judge; for to that in the conscience it is spoken. London: printed for Giles Calvert at the black-spread-Eagle at the west-end of Pauls, 1654. ESTC No. R207524. Grub Street ID 83897.
  • P., H.. Tumulus decimarum: or, The history of tythes; from their nativity, to this present day of their expected ruine and downfal, 1659. By H.P. London: printed for Giles Calvert, at the Black-Spread Eagle, near the west-end of Pauls, 1659. ESTC No. R203100. Grub Street ID 80238.
  • P., H.. A satyr against common-wealths. London: printed for Francis Hicks, bookseller in Cambrige [sic], 1684. ESTC No. R187011. Grub Street ID 75449.
  • P., H.. A satyr against common-wealths. London: printed for Joseph Hindmarsh bookseller to his Royal Highness, and Francis Hicks, bookseller in Cambridge, 1684. ESTC No. R5472. Grub Street ID 125908.
  • P., H.. The grandeur of the law: or, An exact collection of the nobility and gentry of this kingdom, whose honors and estates have by some of their ancestors been acquired or considerably augmented by the practice of the law, or offices and dignities relating thereunto. The name of such ancestor, together with the time in which he flourished, the society in which he was a member, and to what degree in the law he arrived, being perticularly [sic] expressed. By H.P. Gent. London: printed for Arthur Jones at the Flying-Horse near St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, 1684. ESTC No. R30532. Grub Street ID 113370.
  • P., H.. The grandeur of the law: or, An exact collection of the nobility and gentry of this kingdom, whose honours aud [sic] estates have by some of their ancestors been acquired, or considerably augmented by the practice of the law, or offices and dignities relating thereunto. The name of such ancestor, together with the time in which he flourished, the society in which he was a member, and to what degree in the law he arrived, being particularly expressed. The second edition. To which is added, An exact catalogue of all the lord chief justices of the courts of Kings-bench and Common-pleas, and of the lord chief barons of the Exchecquer, from their first institution. Together, with a brief account of the original of the said several dignities. By H.P. Gent. London: printed for Arthur Jones, at the Flying Horse near St Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, 1685. ESTC No. R39636. Grub Street ID 121513.
  • P., H.. A treatise enumerating the most illustrious families of England, who have been raised to honour and wealth by the profession of the law. Together with the names of all the lord chief justices of each court, and barons of the Exchequer, from their first institution. London: printed for Arthur Jones, at the Flying-Horse near St. Dunstan's Church in Fleetstreet, MDCLXXXVI. [1686]. ESTC No. R31120. Grub Street ID 113935.
  • P., H.. A looking glass for children, being a narrative of God's gracious dealings with some little children; recollected by Henry Jessey in his life-time. Together with sundry seasonable lessons and instructions to youth, calling them early to remember their Creator: written by Abrahan Chear, late of Plymouth. The fourth edition, enlarg'd. To which is added many other poems very suitable. As also some Elegies on departed Friends made by the said Abraham Chear. All now faithfully gathered together, for the benefit of young and old, by H. P. London: printed for H. P. and are to be sold by the booksellers, [1708]. ESTC No. T93480. Grub Street ID 313166.
  • P., H.. A looking-Glass for children. Being a narrative of God's gracious dealing with some little children, recollected by Henry Jessey, in his Life-Time. Together with sundry seasonable lessons and instructions to youth, calling them early to Remember their Creator. Written by Abraham Chear, late of Plymouth. The fourth edition, enlarg'd. To which is added many other poems very suitable. as also some Elegies on departed Friends, made by the said Abraham Chear. All now faithfully gathered together, for the benefit of young and old, by H. P. London: printed for T. P. and H. N. and sold by J. Marshall in Gracechurch-Street, 1708. ESTC No. T93481. Grub Street ID 313167.
  • P., H.. Monumenta in æternum memorabilia. In a short abstract of the sufferings of several noble persons for their unshaken loyalty to the glorious martyr King Charles the First exprest in their printed effigies. The King in the middle, they round incircling him. London: printed for and sold by H. Playford with the print, at his house, 1708. ESTC No. N35143. Grub Street ID 23425.