Publications of Leonard Lichfield I

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 Leonard Lichfield I

  • The saints legacies, or A collection of certaine promises out of the word of God. Collected for the priuate use, but published for the comfort of Gods people. Whereunto is now added the saints support in times of trouble. Oxford: Printed by Leonrd Lichfield, for Richard Royston, in Ivy Lane, An. Dom. 1640. ESTC No. S122118. Grub Street ID 141676.
  • Gam?lia on the happy marriage of the most accomplished paire, H.R. Esq. and the vertuous A.B. Oxford: Printed by L[eonard] L[ichfield], An. Dom. 1640. ESTC No. S123263. Grub Street ID 142779.
  • Bacon, Francis. Of the advancement and proficience of learning; or, The partitions of sciences. Nine books. Written in Latin by the most eminent, illustrious, and famous Lord Francis Bacon Baron of Verulam, Vicount St. Alban, Councellor of Estate, and Lord Chancellor of England. Interpreted by Gilbert Watts. Oxford: printed by Leon Lichfield printer to the University, for Robert Young and Edward Forrest, 1640. ESTC No. S124505. Grub Street ID 143861.
  • Tombes, John. Væ scandalizantium. Or, A treatise of scandalizing, wherein the necessity, nature, sorts, and evills of scandalizing, are handled, with resolution of many questions thereto pertaining. Preached at Lemster, in Hereford-shire. By Iohn Tombes B.D. Oxford: printed by Leon: Lichfield, for Edward Forrest, an. dom. 1641. ESTC No. R21407. Grub Street ID 89395.
  • His Maiesties royall and last declaration, to all his loving subjects in England; vindicating His Majesties affections, intentions, and actions, from any inclination to popery. Published by His Majesties speciall command. Oxford [i.e. London]: printed by Leonard Litchfield printer to the famous Vniversity, 1642. ESTC No. R27259. Grub Street ID 110444.
  • His Maiesties ansvver to the propositions of both Houses of Parliament. Published by His Majesties speciall command. [London]: Oxford, printed by Leonard Litchfield: and now reprinted at London, 1643. ESTC No. R24812. Grub Street ID 108564.
  • By the King, a proclamation prohibiting the assessing collecting or paying any weekly taxes, and seizing or sequestring the rents or estates of our good subjects, by colour of any orders or pretended ordinances of one or both Houses of Parliament. Printed at Oxford: By [Le]onard Lichfield ..., 1643. ESTC No. R41933. Grub Street ID 123417.
  • Taylor, John. Iohn Taylor being yet unhanged, sends greeting, to Iohn Booker that hanged him lately in a picture, in a traiterous, slanderous, and foolish London pamphlet, called A cable-rope double-twisted. [Oxford?: Printed by L. Lichfield], Printed in the yeare, 1644. ESTC No. R14479. Grub Street ID 62500.
  • Taylor, John. Mercurius infernalis; or Orderlesse orders, votes, ordinances, and commands from Hell, established by a close committee of the Divell and his angells. Done neither by day, night, nor order, because neither time, place, person or order is to be observed in the infernall kingdome. The copy of this was found in a chink or cranny of a wall in Frier-Bacons study, By John Taylor. [Oxford: printed by L. Lichfield], Printed in the yeare 1644. ESTC No. R222140. Grub Street ID 96180.
  • Clarendon, Edward Hyde. Transcendent and multiplied rebellion and treason, discovered, by the lawes of the land. [Oxford: printed by Leonard Litchfield], Anno, 1645. ESTC No. R200392. Grub Street ID 77928.
  • Whereas by a former order of the second of Iuly last, it was directed, that in respect of the necessity of perfecting the fortifications of this garrison, all strangers, inhabitants, and resiant within this university and city, being above the age of sixteene, (except such as should be upon the guards) should upon the foure severall dayes therein appointed, worke at the said fortifications, behind Christ-Church. Printed at Oxford: By Leonard Li[chfield] .., 16[45]. ESTC No. R40509. Grub Street ID 122290.
  • Potter, Francis. An interpretation of the number 666. Wherein, not onely the manner, how this number ought to be interpreted, is clearely proved and demonstrated: but it is also shewed, yt [sic] this number is an exquisite and perfect character, truly, exactly, and essentially describing that state of goverment, to wch [sic] all other notes of Antichrist doe agree. With all knowne objections, solidly, and fully answeared, yt [sic] can be materially made against it. By Francis Potter B.D. Oxford: printed by L. Litchfield & are to be sould by R. Mynne & G. Bedell at the signe of St Paul in Little Brittaine & at the middle Temple gate, 1647. ESTC No. R33945. Grub Street ID 116504.
  • Burton, W. [An almanack for . . . 1652]. Oxford: printed by L[eonard]. Lichfield and H[enry]. Hall, printers to the Universitie, 1652. ESTC No. R172192. Grub Street ID 66149.
  • Owen, John. Diatriba de justitia divina. Seu Iustitiæ vindicatricis vindiciæ quibus, essentialis illa naturæ divinæ proprietas, ex Sacris Literis demonstratur; & contra Socinianos, imprimis authores catech. Racov. Io. Crellium, ipsumq[ue] F. Socinum asseritur: nec non exercitium ejus necessarium, unà cum indispensabili satisfactionis Jesu Christi ad salutem peccatorum necessitate, adversus virorum doctiss. G. Twissi, G. Vossii, &. S. Rhetorfortis, aliorumq[ue] impugnationes, preterea astruitnr [sic]. Authore Johanne Owen Collegii Ædis Christi in celeberrimâ Academiâ Oxoniensi decano. Oxoniæ: [printed by Leonard Lichfield] impensis Tho. Robinson, 1653. ESTC No. R203090. Grub Street ID 80228.
  • Twisse, William. The riches of Gods love unto the vessells of mercy, consistent with his absolute hatred or reprobation of the vessells of wrath. Or an ansvver unto a book entituled Gods love unto mankind, manifested by disproving his absolute decree for their damnation. In tvvo bookes the first being a refutation of the said booke, as it was presented in manuscript by Mr Hord unto Sir Nath: Rich. The second being an examination of certain passages inserted into M. Hords discourse, (formerly answered) by an author that conceales his name, but was supposed to be Mr Mason, rector of Andrews-Undershaft in London. By that great and famous light of Gods Church, William Twisse D.D. ... Whereunto are annexed two tractates of the same author in answer unto D.H. ... ; together with a vindication of D. Twisse from the exceptions of Mr John Goodwin in his Redemption redeemed. By Henry Jeanes Minister of God's word, in Chedzoy. Oxford: printed by L[eonard]. L[ichfield]. and H[enry]. H[ills]. printers to the University, for Tho: Robinson, anno Salutis M.DC.LIII. [1653]. ESTC No. R12334. Grub Street ID 60533.
  • Owen, John. God's work in founding Zion, and his peoples duty thereupon. A sermon preached in the Abby Church at Westminster, at the opening of the Parliament Septemb. 17th 1656. By John Owen: a servant of Jesus Christ in the work of the Gospell. Oxford: printed by Leon: Lichfield printer to the University, for Tho: Robinson, 1656. ESTC No. R203086. Grub Street ID 80223.

Printed for Leonard Lichfield I

  • Tozer, Henry. Directions for a godly life: especially for communicating at the Lords table. Intended first for private use; now published for the good of those who desire the safty of their owne soules, and shall be pleased to make use thereof. By H. Tozer Mr of ARts, and fellow of Exceter Colledge in Oxford. Oxford: printed for L. Lichfield, 1640. ESTC No. S95557. Grub Street ID 153530.
  • The clergyes bill of complaint, or Submissive suite of one in the behalf of all the orthodox and great sorrow-suffering church-men throughout England. Exhibited to the most honourable Houses of Parliament, against Brownists, Anabaptists and other schismaticks, shewing amongst other things, how the materiall churches on earth and our reverend divines are made despicable through their misdemeanors. Besides necessary annotations in the end, whereunto the reader is respectively referred by certain alphabeticall letters, from A to T included in severall lines to thi work. At Oxford [i.e. London]: printed for Leonard Lichfield printer to the Vniversitie, 1643. ESTC No. R11008. Grub Street ID 59334.
  • Prideaux, Mathias. An easy and compendious introduction for reading all sorts of histories: contrived, in a more facile way then heretofore hath been published, out of the papers of Mathias Prideaux Mr of Arts and sometime fellow of Exeter Colledge in Oxford. Oxford: printed [by Leonard Lichfield] for Leonard Lichfield, printer to the Vniversity, M.DC.XLVIII. [1648]. ESTC No. R203318. Grub Street ID 80435.

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