Publications of Benjamin Motte

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 Benjamin Motte

  • Mentzer, Balthasar. Der letzte und seelige Beruff, eines göttlichen Lehrers. Bey der christlichen und ansehnlichen Leichen-Bestattung, des weyland hoch-ehrwürdigen, in GottAndächtigen [sic], und Hochgelahrten, Herrn Johann Esdras Edzardi, weitberühmten Theologi, und der evangelischen Gemeinde Augspurgischer Confession, der Kirchen SS. Trinitatis in London. Hochverdienten Herrn Pastoris. Nachdem derselbe am 4. Novembr. 1713. in seinem Erlöser sanfft und seelig verschieden, und am folg: 11. Nov. unter denen Thränen seiner Zuhörer, zu seiner Ruhe-stäte eingesencket ward: In einer Leichen-Rede, aus dem XII. Dan. v. 13. mittleydend fürgestellt, von Balthasar Mentzer, der Heiligen-Schrifft-Beflissenen. London: gedruckt bey Benjamin Motte in Aldersgate-street, MDCCXIV [1714]. ESTC No. T301494. Grub Street ID 359242.
  • Bull, Digby. An easie and speedy way to know the true and exact longitude of all places in the world, upon the land: and also readily to know the longitude upon the sea, by the careful use of a ship-dial and ship-watch: according to the desire and encouragement of ... Parliament. Written by Digby Bull, ... London: printed by B. Motte for the author, 1714. ESTC No. T187243. Grub Street ID 223307.
  • Chillingworth, William. The works of William Chillingworth, ... Containing his book, entitl'd, The religion of Protestants a safe way to salvation: together with his Nine sermons preached before the King, or upon eminent occasions. His letter to Mr. Lewgar, ... His nine Additional discourses. And an answer to some passages in Rushworth's dialogues, ... London: printed by B. Motte: for J. Knapton, J. Walthoe, B. Tooke, D. Midwinter, R. Robinson, and B. Cowse, 1719. ESTC No. T148991. Grub Street ID 195089.
  • A letter from the Lord Bishop of London, to the incumbents of all churches and chapels in his diocese; concerning their not using any new forms of doxology, and the reading of the Common prayer at least once a month. London: printed by Benj. Motte: sold by J. Roberts, 1719. ESTC No. N34144. Grub Street ID 22561.
  • Chillingworth, William. The works of William Chillingworth, M. A. Of the University of Oxford. containing his book, entitl'd, The religion of Protestants a safe way to salvation: together with his Nine sermons preached before the King, or upon eminent Occasions. His Letter to Mr. Lewgar, concerning the Church of Rome's being the Guide of Faith and Judge of Controversies. His Nine Additional Discourses. And an Answer to some Passages in Rushworth's Dialogues, concerning Traditions. The seventh edition, compar'd with all the editions now extant, and made more correct than any of the former. In this edition are added two letters written by the author W. Chillingworth, M A. never before printed. London: printed by B. Motte, for J. Walthoe, J. Knapton, B. Tooke, D. Midwinter, R. Robinson, and B. Cowse, MDCCXIX. [1719]. ESTC No. T91328. Grub Street ID 311181.
  • Thucydides.. The history of the Grecian War: in eight books. Written by Thucydides. Faithfully translated from the original by Thomas Hobbes Of Malmsbury. With maps describing the country. London: printed by B. Motte; for D. Brown without Temple-Bar: D. Midwinter in St. Paul's - Church - Yard: B. Lintott in Fleet-Street: W. Taylor in Pater-Noster-Row: and W. and J. Innys and B. Cowse in St. Paul's-Church-Yard, 1723. ESTC No. T130569. Grub Street ID 179662.

Printed for Benjamin Motte

  • Wycherley, William. The country-wife. A comedy acted at the Theatre Royal. Written by Mr. Witcherley. London: printed for Ben. Motte, 1729. ESTC No. N28782. Grub Street ID 17981.
  • Wycherley, William. The country wife a comedy, as it is acted at the Theatre-Royal. Written by Mr. Wycherley. London: printed for Benjamin Motte, at the Middle Temple Gate, M.DCC.XXXI. [1731]. ESTC No. N27739. Grub Street ID 16980.
  • Lansdowne, George Granville. The she-gallants: a comedy, as it is acted at the Theatre in Little Lincolns-Inn-Fields, by His Majesty's servants. London: printed for Bernard Lintot, and for B. Motte; and sold by Henry Lintot; and W. Feals, 1732. ESTC No. N22312. Grub Street ID 11684.
  • Pilkington, Matthew. A sermon preached before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, and court of aldermen, ... of the city of London: at the parish-church of St. Lawrence-Jewry, on Saturday the 29th of September 1733. ... By Matthew Pilkington, ... London: printed for Benj. Motte, and L. Gilliver, 1733. ESTC No. N37328. Grub Street ID 25290.
  • Giffard, William. Cases in midwifry. Written by the late Mr. William Giffard, Surgeon and Man-Midwife. Revis'd and Publish'd By Edward Hody, M. D. and Fellow of the Royal-Society. London: printed for B. Motte, T. Wotton, and L. Gilliver, in Fleet-Street; and J. Nourse, without Temple-Bar, 1734. ESTC No. N14596. Grub Street ID 4392.
  • A collection of state-trials, and proceedings, upon high-treason, and other crimes and misdemeanours, from the reign of King Edward VI. to the present time. The Seventh Volume. With an alphabetical table to the two supplemental volumes. London: printed for Benj. Motte and C. Bathurst, at the Middle-Temple-Gate; and Tho. Wotton, at the Queen's Head and Three Daggers, over-against St. Dunstan's Church, in Fleet-Street, MDCCXXXV. [1735]. ESTC No. T108499. Grub Street ID 161384.
  • Swift, Jonathan. Miscellanies. The third volume. London: printed for Benjamin Motte and Charles Bathurst, and Lawton Gilliver and John Clarke, 1736. ESTC No. N62571. Grub Street ID 44899.
  • Swift, Jonathan. Miscellanies. The Third Volume. London: printed for Benjamin Motte and Charles Bathurst, at the Middle-Temple-Gate, Fleetstreet; Lawton Gilliver and John Clarke, at Homer's Head over-against St. Dunstan's Church, Fleetstreet, MDCCXXXVI. [1736]. ESTC No. T39484. Grub Street ID 268732.
  • Huygens, Christiaan. Of the laws of chance, or, a method of calculation of the hazards of game, plainly demonstrated, and applied to games at present most in use; which may be easily extended to the most intricate cases of chance imaginable. The fourth edition, revis'd by John Ham. By whom is added, a demonstration of the gain of the banker in any Circumstance of the game call'd Pharaon; and how to determine the odds at the Ace of Hearts or Fair Chance; with the arithmetical solution of some questions relating to lotteries; and a few remarks upon Hazard and Backgammon. London: printed for B. Motte and C. Bathurst, at the Middle-Temple Gate in Fleet-Street, M.DCC.XXXVIII. [1738]. ESTC No. N10537. Grub Street ID 548.

Printed by and for, or by/for and sold by Benjamin Motte

  • Moivre, Abraham de. Annuities upon lives: or, the valuation of annuities upon any number of lives; as also, of reversions. To which is added, an appendix concerning the expectations of life, and probabilities of survivorship. By A. de Moivre. F.R.S. London: printed by W. P. and sold by Francis Fayram, at the South-Entrance of the Royal Exchange; and Benj. Motte, at the Middle Temple Gate, Fleetstreet; and W. Pearson, Printer, over-against Wright's-Coffee-House, Aldersgate-Street, MDCCXXV. [1725]. ESTC No. T33056. Grub Street ID 263718.