Publications of William Adams

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 William Adams

  • Hay, Richard. An essay on the origine [sic] of the royal family of the Stewarts: in answer to Dr Kennedy's Chronological, genealogical, and historical dissertation of the ... Stewarts. With an appendix, ... By Richard Hay ... Edinburgh: printed by William Adams, 1722. Reprinted by Stewart, Ruthven, & Co., 1793. ESTC No. T105157. Grub Street ID 158523.
  • Canons and constitutions ecclesiastical. Gathered and put in form, for the government of the Church of Scotland. ... Published by authority. [Edinburgh]: Aberdeen printed in the year 1636: reprinted at Edinburgh by William Adams Junior, 1716. ESTC No. T186658. Grub Street ID 222798.
  • Charters, Laurence. Four sermons by the Reverend Mr. Laurence Charters, ... Never before published. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, 1716. ESTC No. T212859. Grub Street ID 239884.
  • Cunningham, James. An essay upon the inscription of Mackduff's Cross in Fife. By J. C. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, 1716. ESTC No. T183324. Grub Street ID 219736.
  • Drelincourt, Charles. A prayer and meditation upon the incarnation and nativity of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ. Written originally in French, by the late reverend divine of the Protestant church of Paris, Charles Drelincourt, author of the most pious and devout treatise, The Christian's defence against the fear of death. Translated into English, by a lover of the Church. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, anno Dom., 1716. ESTC No. T179745. Grub Street ID 216451.
  • Skene, Robert. Immobilia sanctorum festa, cum in ecclesia anglicana, tum etiam alibi, per totum annum observata : or the immoveable feasts or holy-days, Which are observed both in the Church of England, and elsewhere, throughout the whole Year; described briefly in Latine verse, After the Order of the Months and Days on which they happen: To the End, that they may be known readily, and found at the first View, upon any Occasion. Also an English translation of the Latine account in verse, is here Subjoined, for the Use of those who understand not the Latine Tongue. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, Anno Dom. 1716. ESTC No. T125642. Grub Street ID 175767.
  • Seneca, Lucius Annaeus. A treatise of clemency by Lucius Annæus Seneca the philosopher. Address'd to Nero in the beginning of his reign. Done into English by Sir Roger L'Estrange. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, in the year 1717, and sold at the printing-house opposite to the Trone-Church, [1717]. ESTC No. T122170. Grub Street ID 172897.
  • Snape, Andrew. A letter to the Bishop of Bangor, occasion'd by his Lordship's sermon preach'd before the King at S. James's, March 31st, 1717. By Andrew Snape, ... [Edinburgh]: London printed: reprinted at Edinburgh by William Adams junior, 1717. ESTC No. T168546. Grub Street ID 206443.
  • Trapp, Joseph. The real nature of the church or kingdom of Christ. A sermon preach'd at the Church of St. Martin in the Fields, May 19. and at that of St. Olave Old-Jewry, and St. Martin Ironmonger-Lane, June 2. 1717. in answer to the Bishop of Bangor's sermon upon the same text. With postscript, in answer to his Lordship's letter to Dr. Snape; ... By Joseph Trapp, ... [Edinburgh]: London printed for Henry Clements: re-printed at Edinburgh by William Adams junior, and sold at the printing-house, 1717. ESTC No. T168332. Grub Street ID 206259.
  • An answer to a paper entituled Abstract of difficulties, occurring to a reader of the Reverend Professour Simpson's printed Answers to Mr. Webster's libel against him. To which are added a few remarks on the Reverend Mr. F--'s Examen doctrinæ D: Joannis Simpson. Humbly offered to the consideration of the Reverend Mr. W--r and his followers. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, and sold at the printing-house, 1717. ESTC No. T191391. Grub Street ID 226295.
  • Nisbet, Alexander. An essay on the ancient and modern use of armories; shewing, their origin, definition, and division of them into their several species. The Method of Composing them, and Marshalling many Coats together in one Shield. Illustrated by many examples and Sculptures of the Armorial Ensigns of Noble Families in this and other Nations. To which is added, an index explaining the Terms of Blazon made use of in this essay. By Alexander Nisbet Gent. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams Junior, for Mr. James Mackeuen, and sold at his Shop opposite to the Cross-Well, Anno Dom, M.DCCXVIII. [1718]. ESTC No. N3358. Grub Street ID 22052.
  • James. Christ's kirk on the green in two canto's. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams Junior, for the author of the second canto, at the Mercury opposite to Nidderie's Wynd, MDCCXVIII. [1718]. ESTC No. N946. Grub Street ID 54329.
  • Ramsay, Allan. The morning-interview. An heroi-comical poem. By Allan Ramsay. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams Junior, for the author, 1719. ESTC No. T66846. Grub Street ID 291505.
  • Clark, John. The last speech and dying words, of John Clark, condemned for piracy, and executed at Leith, December 14, 1720. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, 1720. ESTC No. T193516. Grub Street ID 227639.
  • Pirrie, George. A short treatise of the general laws of motion and centripetal forces: Wherein, by the by, Mr. Gordon's remarks on the Newtonian philosophy are, in a few corollaries and scholies, clearly confuted. By George Pirrie, M.A. Edinburgh: printed for the author, by William Adams junior, MDCCXX. [1720]. ESTC No. T117452. Grub Street ID 169045.
  • A discourse concerning the fishery within the British seas, and other His Majesty's dominions, and more especially, as it relates to the trade of the Company of the Royal Fishery of Britain. Offered to consideration in order to subscriptions for raising a stock, ... Edinburgh: re-printed by William Adams junior, 1720. ESTC No. T182807. Grub Street ID 219250.
  • Lady.. [A] poem upon a lady's being offered a purse by one of the late directors of [the] South Sea Company, by a lady. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, 1719 [i.e 1720?]. ESTC No. T197012. Grub Street ID 230271.
  • Malynes, Gerard. An essay on the fishing trade. By Gerard Malines merchant. Edinburgh: re-printed by William Adams junior, and sold at the sign of the printing-press in the Parliament Close. Anno Dom, [1720]. ESTC No. N16824. Grub Street ID 6332.
  • The director, num. I, II, III, IV. Edinburgh: Lnodon [sic], printed by William Boreham, Edinburgh, reprinted by William Adams, [1720?]. ESTC No. T119570. Grub Street ID 170958.
  • Presbyter of the Church.. A sermon preached on occasion of the much lamented death of the Right Reverend Father in God, Alexander late Lord Bishop of Edinburgh. By a Presbyter of the Church. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junr. A.D., 1720. ESTC No. T192262. Grub Street ID 226789.
  • Cato.. Two letters, the one concerning the present sentiments of the people of Great Britain, particularly with respect to Mr. Knight, late cashier of the South Sea Company. The other containing a comparison between the suicide of the ancient Romans and that so frequent of late among the English. The former directed to the author of The London journal. The latter directed to Mr. Mist. Edinburgh: reprinted by W. Adams, an. Dom., 1721. ESTC No. T180047. Grub Street ID 216726.
  • Foulis, H. The christian's character, or a discourse perswading mutual love and charity to one another, and that under our different opinions, and perswasions in matters of religion. By a presbyter of the Church of Scotland. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, MDCCXXII. [1722]. ESTC No. T195816. Grub Street ID 229394.
  • Hay, Richard. An essay on the origine [sic] of the royal family of the Stewarts : in answer to Dr. Kennedy's Chronological , genealogical and historical dissertation of the royal family of the Stewarts. ... By Richard Hay ... Edinburgh: printed by William Adams, 1722. ESTC No. T117169. Grub Street ID 168778.
  • Two elegies on the much to be lamented death of Matthew Buckingher, the famous little man expos'd for a German show. Who died at Cork in Ireland, Sept. 28. 1722. The former, written by Counsellor Burk at Dublin; the other, suppos'd to be done by the Reverend Dr. Swift. To which is subjoin'd, Buckingher reviv'd: or, an epistle from the little man to the learn'd Counsellor and Reverend Doctor, shewing the case is altered. Dated at Edr. April 2d, 1723. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams, 1723. ESTC No. T179894. Grub Street ID 216600.
  • Corydon and Cochrania, a pastoral on The Nuptials of the High and Potent Prince, His Grace James Duke of Hamiltoun, Chatelherault and Brandon, &c. with the Lady Anne Cochran, Eldest Daughter of the Right Honourable John Earl of Dundonald, &c. Solemniz'd February 14, 1723. By A. P. Gent. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior, MDCCXXIII. [1723]. ESTC No. T203982. Grub Street ID 234371.
  • Hay, Richard. A vindication of Elizabeth More, from the imputation of being a concubine; and her children, from the tache of bastardy: Confuting the Critical Observations of some late Writers. By Richard Hay of Drumboote, C. R. In the body of this book and the appendix subjoin'd, there are several ancient and valuable charters, which serve to illustrate the Origine and Descent of the most considerable families in Scotland. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams junior. Sold by the booksellers of Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen, MDCCXXIII. [1723]. ESTC No. T140711. Grub Street ID 188405.
  • A short view of the difference between the liturgy of the Church of Scotland, printed in the year 1637, and that commonly used in the Church of England. Edinburgh: printed by William Adams: anno Dom., 1725. ESTC No. T174099. Grub Street ID 211205.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by William Adams

  • The Caledonian mercury, being a short account of the most considerable news, forreign [sic] and domestick. Edinburgh [Scotland]: printed for W[illiam]. Rolland by William Adams Junior, and are to be sold at the printing house in Carrubber's Closs [sic] on the west side of the Bishops Land. Where advertisements and subscriptions are taken in. ESTC No. P2025. Grub Street ID 55747.
  • An account of the behaviour of James Ouchterlony, who was executed in the Glass-market of Edinburgh, upon the 14th. of March, 1716, for counterfeiting the stamp on paper. [Edinburgh: printed for William Adams junior, 1716]. ESTC No. T183451. Grub Street ID 219865.
  • Moss, Robert. The report vindicated from misreports: being a defence of my Lords the Bishops, as well as the clergy of the Lower House of Convocation. In a letter from a member of that house to the Prolocutor, concerning ... the Bisho [sic] of Bangor's writings. With a postscript, ... upon the letter to the Rev. Dr. Sherlock,. [Edinburgh]: London printed: Edinburgh re-printed by William Adams Junior, and sold at the printing-house opposite to the Trone-Church, 1717. ESTC No. N49076. Grub Street ID 33527.
  • Cant, Andrew. A sermon preached after the renovation of the National Covenant, and celebration of the Lord's supper at Glasgow. Anno 1638. By that Reverend and Faithful Servant of Christ, Mr. Andrew Cant, sometime Minister of the Gospel at Aberdeen. Edinburgh: printed and sold by William Adams, at his Printing-House on the North-Side of the Street, opposite to the General Post-Office; where also, several Books and Pamphlets fit for Chap-Men, are to be Sold at reasonable Rates, 1727. ESTC No. T102016. Grub Street ID 155862.