Publications of Luke Norton

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 Luke Norton

  • An extract of severall letters, vvhich came by the last post, or otherwise, from all parts of the kingdome, since the fifth of November to this present November the twelfth. Likewise, a copy of Prince Roberts Warrants from his Majesties Army in the countryes about for a contribution of mony, and cloth towards the maintenance of his army. London: printed by Luke Norton, 1642. ESTC No. R17128. Grub Street ID 65574.
  • Waller, Edmund. To the Kings Most Excellent Majesty. E.W. gent. London: Printed by L. N[orton] for Beniamin Allen dwelling in Popes-head Alley, 1642. ESTC No. R5108. Grub Street ID 125582.
  • A letter from the Speaker of the House of Commons, to the gentry, freeholders and inhabitants of the county of Yorkshire, in ansvver to their protestation. Ordered by the Commons in Parliament, that this be forthwith printed and published: H. Elsynge, Cler. Parl. D. Com. [London]: September 8. 1642. London, printed by L[uke]. N[orton]. and J[ohn]. F[ield]. for E. Husbands and J. Franck and are to be sold at their shops in the Middle-Temple, and next door to the Kings-head in Fleet-street, [1642]. ESTC No. R11514. Grub Street ID 59793.
  • Copley, Commisary. Lionel. A letter sent from a gentleman to Mr. Henry Martin Esquire, a Member of the House of Commons, from Worcester this 19. of Octob. 1642. who was imployed by his Exellence [sic] to deliver a letter to the Earle of Dorset, with the votes of both Houses of Parliament concernin a petition to be delivered to his Majestie. Shewing the desperate resolution of the cavalliers, who sweare they will neither give nor take quarter. Ordered by the Commons that this letter be forthwith printed and published. Hen: Elsing Cleric. Parl. D. Com. London: printed by L. Norton, for E, [sic] Husbands and Iohn Frank, and are to be sold next dore unto the Kings Head in Fleetstreete, anno Dom. MDCXLII. [1642]. ESTC No. R27917. Grub Street ID 111051.
  • Payne, Nicholas. A true relation of a brave exploit performed by Captain Richard Dawks, in taking of the Castle of Dover for the King and Parliament, and the safety of the whole kingdom, the quiet of the town of Dover, and all those parts of the country thereabouts, on the 21 of August, 1642. Which was never conquered or taken before, but by that worthy gent', Captain Rich: Dawks aforementioned. And set forth by Nicholas Payne, an inhabitant of Dover, for satisfaction of the whole kingdom: and by the consent of both the honourable Houses of Parliament: they have sent thither to b lieutenant of that castle, the noble and worthy knight, Sir Edward Boyse, one of the members of the House of Commons. London: printed by L. Norton and J. Field for C. A., Sept. 2. 1642. ESTC No. R10763. Grub Street ID 59105.
  • A declaration and resolvtion of the Lords and Commons in Parliament concerning His Majesties late Proclamation for the suppressing of the present Rebellion under the command of Robert Earl of Essex; and the gratious offer of His Majesties free pardon to him, and all such of his adherents, as shall within six dayes after the date thereof lay down their arms. Ordered by the Lords and Commons in Parliament, that this declaration be forthwith printed and published. H. Elsynge, Cler. Parl. D. Comm. [London]: August 24. 1642. London, printed by L. N[orton]. and I. F[ield]. for E. Husbands and J. Franck, and are to be sold at their shops in the middle Temple, and the Kings-head in Fleetstreet, [1642]. ESTC No. R175080. Grub Street ID 68067.
  • Sampson, Lat. A diurnall of true proceedings of our armies at Sherbourne, since their first coming there, and their happy issues related. Shewing the goodnesse of God in preserving the courage of those that stand for King and Parliament against the cavalliers, and their adherents. Desired by many to be published, being the last true newes. And of the battell there fought. London: printed by Luke Norton for Benjamin Allen in Popes head Alley., Septemb. 14, 1642. ESTC No. R10493. Grub Street ID 58861.