Publications of Thomas Ratcliffe

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 Thomas Ratcliffe

  • Roberts, Francis. Believers evidences for eternall life; collected out of the first epistle of John, which is catholique: explained and confirmed by very many subservient-signes, or vnder-notes, grounded upon Scriptures, and illustrated testimonies both of ancient fathers, and modern [sic] writers. Whereby persons truly regenerate, may divers wayes discover their present state of grace, & title unto glory. By Francis Roberts ... London: printed by T[homas]. R[atcliffe]., and are to be sold by the booksellers in Edinburgh, 1649. ESTC No. R182750. Grub Street ID 72722.
  • Culverwel, Nathanael. An elegant and learned discourse of the light of nature, with several other treatises: viz. The schisme. The act of oblivion. The childes returne. The panting soul. Mount Ebal. The white stone. Spiritual opticks. The worth of souls. By Nathanael Culverwel, Master of Arts and lately Fellow of Emanuel Colledge in Cambridge. Imprimatur, Edm. Calamy. London: printed by T. R[atcliffe]. and E. M[ottershed]. for John Rothwell at the Sun and Fountain in Pauls Church-yard, 1652. ESTC No. R13398. Grub Street ID 61502.
  • Hookes, Nicholas. Amanda, a sacrifice to an unknown goddesse, or, A free-will offering of a loving heart to a sweet-heart. By N.H. of Trinity-Colledge in Cambridge. London: printed by T. R[atcliffe] and E. M[ottershead] for Humphrey Tuckey, at the signe of the black Spread-Eagle, near St. Dunstans Church, 1653. ESTC No. R15079. Grub Street ID 63042.
  • Reynolds, Edward. The comfort and crown of great actions. In a sermon preached, Decemb. 4. 1657. before the Honorable East-India Company. By Edward Reynolds, D.D. London: printed by Tho. Ratcliffe for George Thomason at the sign of the Rose and Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard, 1659. ESTC No. R11533. Grub Street ID 59809.
  • Andrews, William. De rebus c?estibus. Or an ephemeris. With, astrological judgements, upon ecipses; [sic] and c?estial configurations; for the year, 1659. Wherein is discovered, those various actions, and designes, which are intended by the heavens, to be on foot in most parts of Europe Calculated, for the meridian of London. By William Andrews, Student in Astrology. London: printed by Tho. Ratcliffe, for the Company of Stationers, 1659. ESTC No. R11052. Grub Street ID 59375.
  • Pressick, George. A breife relation, of some of the most remarkable pasages of the Anabaptists in high and low Germany in the year, 1521. &c. Gathered out of the writings of Sleyden, Antonius, Servanus, Lambertus, John Gastio, and others who write of their practises. And Bullinger, Luther Melancthon, Calvin, Vrsinus, and others who write against their heresies. By George Pressick, of Dublin in Ireland. [London: printed by Tho. Ratcliff, 1660]. ESTC No. R208094. Grub Street ID 84389.
  • Prynne, William. The fourth part of a brief register, kalender and survey of the several kinds, forms of Parliamentary vvrits. Comprising all writs de expensis militum, civium, et burgensium Parliamenti, extant in the Tower records: all petitions, acts, law-cases, matters concerning them the names, qualities, expenses of the knights, citizens, burgesses, and short duration of each parliament, great counsil, session mentioned in them, in the reigns of King Edward 1, 2, 3. Richard 2. Henry 4, 5, 6. and Edward 4. With a clear detection, refutation of the gross errors, and pretended antiquity, authority of that absurde imposture, intituled, Modus tenendi Parliamentum, and Sir Edward Cooks apology for it; ... Collected, illustrated with usefull annotations and observations, for the information, benefit of the present age and posterity. By William Prynne Esq; a bencher, and reader of the Honourable Society of Lincolnes-Inne. London: printed by T. Ratcliffe, for the author, and sold by George Thomason at the Rose and Crown in St. Pauls Church-yard, and Edward Thomas at the Adam and Eve in Little-Britain, 1664. ESTC No. R14784. Grub Street ID 62769.
  • Herault, Louis. A speech delivered to the King in the name of the forreign chuches of this realm, for the royal protection which His Majesty hath been pleased to assure them of by his late declaration. Pronounced at Whitehall, on Friday, March the 15th. 1665[/]6. By Lewis Herault, minister of the French church in London. Published by command. London: printed by Tho: Ratcliffe, for Octavian Pulleyn junior, at the Bible in St. Pauls Church-yard over against the little North-door, M.DC.LXVI. [1666]. ESTC No. R233461. Grub Street ID 104990.
  • Garencires, Theophilus. A mite cast into the treasury of the famous city of London: being a brief and methodical discourse of the nature, causes, symptoms, remedies and preservation from the plague, in the calamitous year, 1665. Digested into aphorismes, by Theophilus Garencieres doctor in physick, Colleg. Lond. London: printed by Tho. Ratcliffe,living on Benets-Hill, next dore to the Heraulds-Office, 1666. ESTC No. R28669. Grub Street ID 111720.
  • The Mercury, publishing advertisements of all sorts: as, of persons run away, lost or spirited; horses, or other things lost or stoln, &c. ... And of books to be sold; ... And the several prices of both foreign and English commodities in London, ... And an office for the publishing merchants goods ... London [England]: printed by Thomas Ratcliffe in New street near Shoe-lane, 1667. ESTC No. P155. Grub Street ID 55345.
  • Articles of visitation and enquiry, concerning matters ecclesiastical, according to the laws and canons of the Church of England; exhibited to the ministers, church-wardens, and side-men of every parish, within the archdeaconry of Worcester, in the visitation of the Reverend William Hodges Dr. of Divinity, Archdeacon of Worcester. Anno Domini 1668. London: printed by Thomas Ratcliff, [1668]. ESTC No. R173915. Grub Street ID 67263.
  • The excellency of the pen and pencil, exemplifying the uses of them in the most exquisite and mysterious arts of drawing, etching, engraving, limning. Painting in oyl, washing of maps & pictures. Also the way to cleanse any old painting, and preserve the colours. Collected from the writings of the ablest masters both ancient and modern, as Albert Durer, P. Lomantius, and divers others. Furnished with divers cuts in copper, being copied from the best masters, and here inserted for examples for the learner to practice by. A work very useful for all gentlemen and other ingenious spirits, either artificers or others. London: printed by Thomas Ratcliff and Thomas Daniel, for Dorman Newman and Richard Jones, and are to be sold at their shops in Little Britain, near the Lame Hospital Gate, at the Chyrurgeons Arms, and at the Golden Lyon, 1668. ESTC No. R22483. Grub Street ID 98298.
  • A true and impartial relation of the birth and education of Claudius du Val, together with the manner of his apprehending, commitment to New-gate; as also his tryall at the Sessions-house in the Old-Baily the 14, and 15. and his condemnation on the 17. day of this presen month; and likewise his deportment in the said Gaol. How he had been preferr'd, and by what means at first he became debauched, by his own confession. And lastly, the manner of his execution at Tyborn, on Fryday the 21. of this present January 1669. Written by one that was an eye-witness, as to th matter of his tryall; and for his actions, they were imparted unto him from his own mouth during his confinement. London: printed by T[homas]. Ratcliff, and T[homas]. Daniel, and are to be sold at their house in Newstreet, betwixt shooe-lane and Fetter-lane, 1669. ESTC No. R185549. Grub Street ID 74576.
  • Patrick, Simon. Aqua genitalis: a discourse concerning baptism. First delivered in a sermon at Alhallows Lumbard-street, Octob. 4. 1658. and now a little inlarged. Into which is since inserted, a brief discourse to perswade to a confirmation of the baptismal-vow. By Symon Patrick, D.D. London: printed by T[homas]. R[atcliffe]. and T[homas]. D[aniel]. for Francis Tyton at the three Daggers in Fleet-street, 1670. ESTC No. R10236. Grub Street ID 58625.
  • Goldsmith, John. Goldsmith. 1671. An almanack for the year of our Lord God 1671. Being the third after bissextile or leap-year: and from the creation, 5620. Wherein is contained many observations, pleasant, necessary and useful. With a description of the highways, marts, and fairs. The lik not extant by any other composed by J. Goldsmith. London: printed by T[homas]. Ratcliff for the Company of Stationers, 1671. ESTC No. R172432. Grub Street ID 66308.
  • Nostradamus. The true prophecies or prognostications of Michael Nostradamus, physician to Henry II. Francis II. and Charles IX. Kings of France, and one of the best astronomers that ever were. A work full of curiosity and learning. Translated and commented by Theophilus de Garencieres, doctor in Physick Colleg. Lond. London: printed by Thomas Ratcliffe, and Nathaniel Thompson, and are to be sold by John Martin, at the Bell in St. Pauls Church-yard, Henry Mortlack at the White Hart in Westminster-Hall, Thomas Collins, at the Middle-Temple Gate, Edward Thomas, at the Adam and Eve in Little Britain, Samuel Lowndes over against Exeter-house in the Strand, Rob. Bolter, against the south door of the Exchange, Jon. Edwin, at the Three Roses in Ludgate street, Moses Pits at the White Hart in Little Britain, 1672. ESTC No. R13646. Grub Street ID 61732.
  • Horn, John. A comfortable corroborative cordial: or, A sovereign antidote against, and preservative from, the horrours & harms of death: affording a direction how to live and die, so as to be fortified and fenced against the greatest fears and sharpest sense of that king of terrours Represented in some observations made upon Rev. 14. 13. Upon occasion of the late death and burial of Mrs. Rebeccah Jackler late wife of Mr. John Jackler of Kings-Lynn in Norfolk, woollen-draper; who deceased Octob. 5. and was buried Octob. 7. 1671. By John Horne, sometime preacher of Gods word in Lynn-Alhallows in the same town. Useful to be considered by all men living in this state of mortality: because there is no man living but must certainly die. London: printed by Tho. Radcliffe, and N. Thompson, for B. Southwood at the Star next to Serjeants-Inn in Chancery-lane, 1672. ESTC No. R218922. Grub Street ID 93514.
  • Ovid. Chaucer's ghoast, or, A piece of antiquity containing twelve pleasant fables of Ovid penn'd after the ancient manner of writing in England, which makes them prove mock-poems to the present poetry : with the history of Prince Corniger and his champion Sir Crucifrag, that ru a tilt likewise at the present historiographers / by a lover of antiquity. London: Printed by T. Ratcliff & N. Thompson for Richard Mills, 1672. ESTC No. R31770. Grub Street ID 114535.
  • Andrews, William. More news from heaven unto the world. Or the latter part of the wonderful year, 1672. Being a further account of the portents and signification of the stars. As touching the United Netherlands. By William Andrews, student in astrology. Licensed, and entred according to order. London: printed by T. Ratcliffe and N. Thompson, and are to be sold at their house in New-street .. Fetter-Lane, Anno Dom. 1672. ESTC No. R18958. Grub Street ID 76768.
  • Goldsmith, John. Goldsmith 1674. An almanack for the year of our Lord God 1674. Being the second after the leap-year, and from the creation. 5623. Wherein is contained many observations, rules and tables, both necessary and useful. VVith a description of the high-ways and fayers. The like not extant by any other. Composed by John Goldsmith and divers things added, which were not in former years. London: printed by T. Ratcliff, & N. Thompson for the Company of Stationers, 1674. ESTC No. R170196. Grub Street ID 64941.
  • Plato. Plato his Apology of Socrates, and Phædo or Dialogue concerning the immortality of mans soul, and manner of Socrates his death: carefully translated from the Greek, and illustrated by reflections upon both the Athenian laws, and ancient rites and traditions concerning the soul, therein mentioned. London: printed by T[homas]. R[adcliffe]. & N[athaniel]. T[hompson]. for James Magnes and Richard Bentley at the post-office in Russel-street in Covent-Garden, 1675. ESTC No. R12767. Grub Street ID 60915.
  • Philalethes, Eirenaeus. Ripley reviv'd: or, an exposition upon Sir George Ripley's hermetico-poetical works. Containing the plainest and most excellent discoveries of the most hidden secrets of the ancient philosophers, that were ever yet published. Written by Eirenæus Philalethes an Englishman, stiling himself citizen of the world. London: Printed by Tho. Ratcliff and Nat. Thompson, for William Cooper at the Pelican in Little-Britain, 1678. ESTC No. R825. Grub Street ID 128446.

Printed for Thomas Ratcliffe

  • Child, Major. John. New-Englands Jonas cast up at London: or, A relation of the proceedings of the court at Boston in New-England against divers honest and godly persons, for petitioning for government in the common-wealth, according to the lawes of England, and for admittance of themselves and children to the sacraments in their churches; and in case that should not be granted, for leave to have ministers and church-government according to the best reformation of England and Scotland. Together with a confutation of some reports of a fained miracle upon the foresaid petition, being thrown over-board at sea; as also a breif [sic] answer to some passages in a late book (entituled Hypocrisie unmasked) set out by Mr. Winslowe, concerning the independent churches holding communion with the reformed churches. By Major John Child. London: printed for T[homas]. R[atcliffe]. and E[dward]. M[ottershed]., 1647. ESTC No. R201443. Grub Street ID 78864.
  • Wither, George. Vaticinium causuale. A rapture occasioned by the late miraculous deliverance of His Highnesse the Lord Protector, from a desperate danger. With, a noverint universi, in the close. By Geo: Wither, Esq;. London: printed for T. Ratcliffe, and E. Mottershed, 1655 [i.e. 1654]. ESTC No. R204104. Grub Street ID 81124.
  • Ussher, James. Iacobi Usserii Armachani de Romanæ Ecclesiæ symbolo apostolico vetere, aliisq; fidei formulis, tum ab occidentalibus tum ab Orientalibus, in prima catechesi & baptismo proponi solitis, diatriba. Cui subjicitur, ex inedito Thecaræ Constantinopolitani monachi horologia, Athanasii symbolum à græcis interpolatum. Jo. Cassianus. Symbolum ecclesiarum omnium fidem loquitur. Londini: excudebat T.R[atcliffe]. & E.M[ottershed]. Prostat venale apud Iohannem Stafford ad insigne Georgii, in vico vulgo vocato Fleetstreet prop[ ]pontem, 1657. ESTC No. R187658. Grub Street ID 75842.