Publications of R. D.

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 R. D.

  • Hoole, Charles. The common accidence examined and explained, by short questions & answers, according to the very words of the book. Conducing very much to the ease of the teacher and the benefit of the learner. Being helpfull to the better understanding of the rudiments and grounds of grammar, delivered in that and the like introductions to the Latine tongue. Written heretofore, and made use of in Rotheram School, and now published for the profit of young beginners in that and other schools. By Charles Hoole Mr. of Arts, now teacher of a private grammar school, near Lothbury, London. London: printed by R. D. for John Williams 1661. ESTC No. R178193. Grub Street ID 70014.

Author

  • D., R.. Rogerii Drake medicinæ doctoris Vindiciæ. Contra animadversiones D.D. Primirosii in theses ipsius quas pro Sanguinis motu circulari sub præsidio cl. doctissimique viri D. Johannis Walæi in celeberrimâ Leydæ Academiâ publico examini ante annum subiecerat. Londini: excudebant R[ichard]. O[ulton]. & G[regory]. D[exter]. pro Johanne Rothwell ad insigne solis in C?miterio Templi Paulini, anno Dom. 1641. ESTC No. R6712. Grub Street ID 127033.
  • D., R.. Sixteen antiquæries propounded to the catechiser of Diotrephes. [London: printed by R. Cotes for Stephen Bowtell, 1646]. ESTC No. R205605. Grub Street ID 82305.
  • D., R.. Sacred chronologie, drawn by scripture evidence al-along that vast body of time, (containing the space of almost four thousand years) from the creation of the world, to the passion of our blessed Saviour. By the help of which alone, sundry difficult places of Scripture are unfolded: and the meanest capacity may improve that holy record with abundance of delight and profit: being enabled thereby to refer each several historie and material passage therein contained to its their [sic] proper time and date. By R. D. M.D. London: printed by James and Joseph Moxon, at the upper end of Hounsditch, neer Bishops-gate. And are to be sold by Stephen Bowtell, at the Sign of the Bible in Popes-head Alley, 1648. ESTC No. R228193. Grub Street ID 100898.
  • D., R.. A boundary to the Holy Mount, or A barre against free admission to the Lords Supper. In answer to an humble vindication of free admission to the Lords Supper. Published by Mr. Humphrey minister of Froome in Somersetshire. Which humble vindication, though it profess much of piety and conscience, yet upon due triall and examination, is found worthy of suspension, if not of a greater censure. By Roger Drake minister of Peters Cheap London. London: printed by A.M. for Sa. Bowtell, 1653. ESTC No. R209198. Grub Street ID 85415.
  • D., R.. A boundary to the Holy Mount, or, A barre against free admission to the Lords Supper. In answer to an humble vindication of free admission to the Lords Supper. Published by Mr. Humphrey minister of Froome in Somersetshire. Which humble vindication, though it profess much of piety and conscience, yet upon due triall and examination, is found worthy of suspension, if not of a greater censure. By Roger Drake minister of Peters Cheap London. London: printed by Abraham Miller, 1653. ESTC No. R228086. Grub Street ID 100819.
  • D., R.. The bar, against free admission to the Lords Supper, fixed. Or, An answer to Mr. Humphrey his Rejoynder, or, reply. By Roger Drake minister of Peters Cheap, London. London: printed for Philip Chetwind, 1656. ESTC No. R208860. Grub Street ID 85078.
  • D., R.. A true relation of the adventures of Mr. R, [sic] D. an English merchant, taken by the Turks of Argeir in 1666. With his three years travells into the in-land country of Affrica, with a true description of a city near the mountain Gubell, within five dayes journy of Trippoly, where the men, women, and children, with all living creatures, as birds, beasts, with all manner of goods belonging to the city, both moveables and immoveables, all fruits, trees, gardens and orchards were (by Gods almighty power) turned into firme and sollid stone, as monuments of his displeasure against them for their vitiousness. Also in Arabia (near a place called Tezrim) in a meaddow, there he saw the perfect stature of a man (as he was buggering an ass) of firm stone, as God had transformed him for his beastual anf filthy lust. With many other observations worthy to be observed, during the time of his captivity, till he was releast by Sir Edward Spragge, in this expidition; and is now returning home in the H. London: printed for Philip Brooksby, near the Hospitall-gate in West-Smithfield, 1672. ESTC No. R236524. Grub Street ID 107281.
  • D., R.. A satyr against satyrs: or, St. Peter's vision transubstantiated. By R.D. London: printed, and are to be sold by Richard Janeway in Queens-head Alley iu [sic] Pater-noster Row, 1680. ESTC No. R20849. Grub Street ID 84737.
  • D., R.. Historical and political observations upon the present state of Turkey describing the policy, religion, manners, and military-discipline of the Turks, with an account of all the battels, sieges, and other remarkable transactions and revolutions, which have happened from th beginning of the Ottoman Empire to this present Grand Seignor : to which is added his life, containing all the material occurrences that have happened during his reign : together with The present state of Hungary, and history of the wars there to this day / by R.D. London: Printed and are to be sold by J. Smith .., 1683. ESTC No. R22627. Grub Street ID 99345.
  • D., R.. The strange and prodigious religions, customs, and manners, of sundry nations. Containing, I. Their ridiculous rites and ceremonies in the worship of their several deities. II. The various changes of the Jewish religion, and the state it is now in; with the final destruction of Jerusalem under Titus. III. The rise and growth of Mahometanism, with the life of that great imposter. IV. The schisms and heresies in the Christian church; being an account of those grand hereticks the Adamites, Muggletonians, &c. All intermingled with pleasant relations of the fantastical rites both of the ancients and moderns in the celebration of their marriages, and solemnization of their funerals, &c. Faithfully collected from ancient and modern authors; and adorned with divers pictures of several remarkable passages therein. The second edition. By R.D. Licensed and entred according to order. London: printed for and sold by Hen. Rhodes next door to the Bear Tavern, near Bride-Lane in Fleetstreet, 1688. ESTC No. R225682. Grub Street ID 98819.
  • D., R.. Bread for the poor: or, A method shewing how the poor may be maintained, and duly provided for, in a far more plentiful, and yet cheaper manner than now they are, without waste or want. Exeter: printed by Samuel Darker; for Charles Yeo, John Pearce, and Philip Bishop, 1698. ESTC No. R26087. Grub Street ID 109443.
  • D., R.. A description of a gospel church: with two epistles, Concerning I. Prayer in the Spirit of Promise. II. The Intrinsical Work of New Creature-Grace, different from Gifts. To which is added, an appendix: In A Short Paraphrase on the First Four Verses, and Part of the 5th and 6th of the First Chapter of the Song of Songs. By a member of, and in communion with that church in New-Street, London; but formerly a member of a church at Cockermouth in Cumberland. London: printed for, and sold by Joseph Marshall, at the Bible in Newgate-Street. 1712. Where you may be supply'd with Dr. Marwood's Britaniol. Ink-Powder, by Wholesale or Retail: Also all sorts of Bibles, &c. and Short-Hand Books, [1712]. ESTC No. T129264. Grub Street ID 178741.
  • D., R.. A hint for lessening the national debt of Great-Britain. Dublin: printed for Peter Wilson, in Dame-Street, MDCCLXII. [1762]. ESTC No. T36218. Grub Street ID 266170.