Publications of Richard Royston

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 Richard Royston

  • Loe, William. A sermon preached at Lambeth, April 21. 1645. at the funeral of that learned and polemicall divine, Daniel Featley, Doctor in Divinity, late preacher there. With a short relation of his life and death. By William Loe, D. in Divinity, sometime preacher at Wandesworth in Surrey. London: Printed by Richard Royston, dwelling in Ivie-Lane, 1645. ESTC No. R200043. Grub Street ID 77594.
  • Douch, John. Englands jubilee: or, her happy return from captivity: in a sermon, preached at St. Botolphs Aldersgate, London. Since presented to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, King Charles II. By John Douch rector of Stalbridge in the county of Dorset. London: printed by R. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane, 1660. ESTC No. R208952. Grub Street ID 85171.
  • Harvey, Christopher. Faction supplanted, or, A caveat against the ecclesiasticall and secular rebell in two parts : 1. A discourse concerning the nature, properties and practices of rebells, 2. Against the inconstancy and inconsistent contrariety of the same mens pretentions and practices, principles, and doctrines / by a lover of peace. [London]: Printed by R. Royston, 1663. ESTC No. R28639. Grub Street ID 111690.

Printed for Richard Royston

  • [A banquet of ieasts. Or Change of cheare. Being a collection of moderne jests. Witty ieeres. Pleasant taunts. Merry tales.]. [London: printed for Richard Royston?, 1632?]. ESTC No. S124284. Grub Street ID 143670.
  • The saints legacies: or, A collection of certaine promises out of the word of God. Collected for private use, but published for the comfort of Gods people: by Anne Phoenix. London: printed by M. F[lesher]. for R. Roystone in Ivy-Lane, 1633. ESTC No. S124923. Grub Street ID 144220.
  • Hammond, Henry. A practicall catechisme. by H. Hammond Doctour of Divinity. Oxford [i.e. London?: for Richard Royston], Printed in the yeare 1646. ESTC No. R7615. Grub Street ID 127865.
  • Duppa, Brian. Angels rejoicing for sinners repenting. Delivered in a sermon by the Right Reverend Father in God, Brian Duppa, now Bishop of Salisbury. London: printed for Rich: Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane, M.DC.XLVIII. [1648]. ESTC No. R204193. Grub Street ID 81196.
  • Gauden, John. Eikōn basilikē. The pourtraicture of His sacred Maiestie in his solitudes and sufferings. [London: printed by John Grismond for Richard Royston], M.DC.XLVIII. [1648, i.e. 1649]. ESTC No. R10559. Grub Street ID 58920.
  • Duncon, John. The holy life and death of the Lady Letice, Vi-countess Falkland. With the returnes of spiritual comfort and grief in a devout soul. Represented in letters to the honorable lady; and exemplified in her. By John Duncon parson (sequestred.). London: printed for Rich: Royston, at the Angel in Ivy-lane, 1653. ESTC No. R19150. Grub Street ID 76940.
  • Hammond, Henry. Of schisme. A defence of the Church of England, against the exceptions of the Romanists. By H. Hammond, D.D. London: printed by J. Flesher for Richard Royston. And Richard Davis in Oxford, M.D.C.LIV. [1654]. ESTC No. R234588. Grub Street ID 105919.
  • Taylor, Jeremy. Eniautos. A course of sermons for all the Sundays of the year. Fitted to the great necessities, and for the supplying the wants of preaching in many parts of this nation. Together with a discourse of the divine institution, necessity, sacredness, and separation of the office ministerial. By Jer. Taylor D.D. London: printed for Richard Royston at the Angel in Invie-lane [sic], 1655. ESTC No. R10569. Grub Street ID 58928.
  • Gauden, John. A discourse of auxiliary beauty. Or artificiall hansomenesse. In point of conscience between two ladies. [London]: Printed for R: Royston, at the Angel in Ivie-Lane, 1656. ESTC No. R202122. Grub Street ID 79380.
  • Taylor, Jeremy. Deus justificatus, or, A vindication of the glory of the divine attributes in the question of original sin. Against the Presbyterian way of understanding it. By Jer. Taylor, D.D. London: printed by R[oger]. N[orton]. for R. Royston at the Angel in Ivie-Lane, 1656. ESTC No. R10161. Grub Street ID 58554.
  • Hammond, Henry. A collection of such discourses and answers, wherein the disseratations concerning episcopacy. London: printed for R[ichard]. Royston, at the Angel in Ivie-lane, M. DC. LVII. [1657]. ESTC No. R177823. Grub Street ID 69789.
  • Hammond, Henry. Deuterai phront'des, or, A revievv of the paraphrase & annotations on all the books of the New Testament. With some additions & alterations.by H. Hammond, D.D. London: printed by J[ames]. Flesher for R[ichard]. Royston at the Angel in Ivy-lane, and R[ichard]. Davis in Oxford, M.DC.LVII. [1657]. ESTC No. R14662. Grub Street ID 62666.
  • Charles. Reliquiæ sacræ Carolinæ. Or the works of that great monarch and glorious martyr King Charles the I. Collected together, and digested in order, according to their several subjects, civil and sacred. The contents appear in the ensuing pages. C.R. Hague [i.e. London]: Printed by Samuel Browne [i.e. for R. Royston], 1657. ESTC No. R200840. Grub Street ID 78323.
  • Walker, Clement. The high court of justice, or Cromwels new slaughter-house in England. With the authority that constituted, and ordained it. Arrained, convicted, and condemned, for usurpation, treason, tyranny, theft, and murther. Being the third part of the History of independency, written by the same author. London: printed for R Royston, at the Angel in Ivie-lane, 1660. ESTC No. R203996. Grub Street ID 81022.
  • Douch, John. Englands jubilee: or, her happy return from captivity: in a sermon, preached at St. Botolphs Aldersgate, London. Since presented to the Kings most Excellent Majesty, King Charles II. By John Douch rector of Stalbridge in the county of Dorset. London: printed for R. R[oyston]. and are to be sold by Tho. Miller, book-seller in Sherborn, MDCLX. [1660]. ESTC No. R225553. Grub Street ID 98713.
  • Walker, Clement. The compleat history of Independency. Upon the Parliament begun 1640. By Clem. Walker. Esq; Continued till this present year 1660, which fourth part was never before published. Horat spe metuque procul. London: printed for Ric. Royston, at the Angel in Ivy-Lane: and Ric. Lownds, at the White Lion near the Little North Door of St. Paul's, 1661. ESTC No. R186157. Grub Street ID 74957.
  • Pierce, Thomas. The primitive rule of reformation: delivered in a sermon before His Maiesty at VVhitehall, Feb. 1. 1662. In vindication of our Church against the novelties of Rome. By Tho: Pierce, D.D. chaplain in ordinary to His Majesty, and President of Magdalen College in Oxon. Published by His Majesties special command. Oxford: printed by H[enry]. H[all]. for Ric. Royston bookseller to His Sacred Majesty, and Ric. Davis in Oxon, 1663. ESTC No. R23304. Grub Street ID 104665.
  • Taylor, Jeremy. A dissuasive from popery. By Jeremy Lord Bishop of Down. London: printed by J[ohn]. G[rismond]. for Rich. Royston, bookseller to the King's most excellent Majesty, MDCLXIV. [1664]. ESTC No. R10468. Grub Street ID 58839.
  • Hammond, Henry. Azia theo? krisis. Iudgment worthy of God. Or An assertion of the existence and duration of hell torments, in two occasional letters, written several years since, by the most learned, reverend, and pious Dr Henry Hammond. To which is added an accordance of St Paul with St James, in the great point of faith and works, by the same author. Oxford: printed by H. H[all]. printer to the university, for Ric: Royston, and Ric: Davis, 1665. ESTC No. R15162. Grub Street ID 63120.
  • Gould, William. Conformity according to canon justified; and the new way of moderation reproved: a sermon preached at Exon, in the cathedral of St. Peter, at the visitation of the right reverend father in God, Anthony by divine permission Lord Bishop of Exon. By William Gould. London: printed by A. Maxwell, for R. Royston, bookseller to his most sacred Majesty, and are to be sold by Abisha Brocas, bookseller in Exon, MDCLXXIV. [1674]. ESTC No. R10196. Grub Street ID 58589.
  • Gregory, John. The works of the reverend and learned Mr. John Gregorie, Master of Arts of Christ's-Church, Oxon. In two parts: the first containing Notes and observations upon several passages in Scripture; the second his Posthuma, being divers learned tracts upon various subjects. London: printed by M. Clark, for Rich. Royston at the Angel in Amen-Corner, Benj. Tooke at the Ship in St. Paul's Church-yard, and Tho. Sawbridge at the three Flower-de-Luces in Little-Britain, 1684. ESTC No. R12193. Grub Street ID 60405.
  • Patrick, John. Reflections upon the devotions of the Roman Church. With the prayers, hymns and lessons themselves, taken out of their authentick books. Also two digressions concerning the reliques and miracles in Mr. Cressy's late Church-history. London: printed for Richard Royston, at the Angel in Amen-Corner, 1686. ESTC No. R10400. Grub Street ID 58774.