Publications of R. M.

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. M.

  • Clergyman.. Strictures on two late publications of Messrs. Graisberry and Franklin; purporting to be "full and faithful reports of the speech of the Right Hon. Henry Grattan, in the House of Commons, on Thursday, 14th Feb. 1788." With notes. And an appendix: containing observations on the barren-land bill. By a clergyman. Dublin: printed by R. M. Butler, No. 2, Grafton-Street, M,DCC,LXXXIX. [1789]. ESTC No. N24276. Grub Street ID 13630.

Printed for R. M.

  • Lover of truth.. A most exact and true relation of the proceedings of His Majesties armie at Shelborne. VVritten by a lover of truth. London: printed for R. M. and G. B. and are to be sold in Saint Dunstones [sic] Church-yard, 1642. ESTC No. R19168. Grub Street ID 76958.

Author

  • M., R.. An exercise for a christian familie; contayning a short sum of certayne poyntes of Christian religion, with certaine godly prayers, psalmes, & than[ks]giuings, both before and after meales. Very necessary to be vsed in euery Christian familie. By R.M. At London: printed by Robert Waldegraue, 1585. ESTC No. S94072. Grub Street ID 152427.
  • M., R.. A true touchstone for a counterfeite Catholike. Conteining an houres conference (as it were betweene fidelitie and simplicitie) touching a meane whereby a Catholike in name, may become a Catholike in deede. Dedicated to those Catholikes that preferre heauenly wisedome, before earthly witte. Written by R.M. Student in Diuinitie. [London]: Imprinted at London by W. White, dwelling in Cow-lane, 1609. ESTC No. S94073. Grub Street ID 152428.
  • M., R.. An ansvver to a lawless pamphlet entituled, The petition and articles exhibited in Parliament against Doctor Haywood, late chaplain to the Bishop of Canterbury. By R.M. London: printed by I. N. for Henry Seile, at the Tygres head in Fleetstreet, over against Saint Dunstans Church, 1641. ESTC No. R13527. Grub Street ID 61622.
  • M., R.. A compleat schoole of vvarre: or, A direct way for the ordering and exercising of a foot company: whereby may bee attained with ease, the perfection both of musket and pyke in short time. Now, as most necessary, thought fit to be set forth for a generall good. By an expert commander, R.M. Printed at London: for Richard Harper at the Bible and Harp in Smithfield, 1642. ESTC No. R11696. Grub Street ID 59952.
  • M., R.. A compleat schoole of vvarre: or, A direct way for the ordering and exercising of a foot company: vvhereby may be attained with ease, the perfection both of musket and pike in short time. Together with the grounds of military discipline: or, certaine brief rules for the exercising of a company or squadron. Now, as most necessary, thought fit to be set forth for a generall good. By an expert commander R.M. Printed at London: for Richard Harper at the Bible and Harp in Smithfield, 1643. ESTC No. R221372. Grub Street ID 95537.
  • M., R.. A compleat schoole of vvarre: or, A direct way for the ordering and exercising of a foot company: vvhereby may be attained with ease, the perfection both of musket and pike in short time. Together with the grounds of military discipline: or, certaine brief rules for the exercising of a company or squadron. Now, as most necessary, thought fit to be set forth for a generall good. By an expert commander. R.M. Printed at London: for Richard Harper at the Bible and Harp in Smithfield, 1643. ESTC No. R188520. Grub Street ID 76434.
  • M., R.. Speculum libertatis Angliæ re restitutæ: or The looking-glasse of Englands liberties really restored. Being the representation of a just and equitable constitution of a true common-wealth layd down in aphorismes or maxims, concluded upon as if it were absolutely so, becaus we may hardly ever expect otherwise, either to live peaceably, contentedly, or religiously: therefore doth the author humbly offer these his endeavours, with the eager desires of thousands to the serious perusall of our supream magistrates, to perswade them to govern us, though not in this very form, yet at least in as right and rationall a manner. London: printed by J.B. and are to be sold by Richard Skelton at the Hand and Bible in Duck-Lane, 1659. ESTC No. R202845. Grub Street ID 80029.
  • M., R.. Speculum libertatis Angliæ re restitutæ: or, The looking-glasse of Englands libertie really restored. Being the representation of the just and equitable constitution of a real common-wealth, suitable to the earnest desires and expectation of most of the good people in the three nations, and as we hope the intendment of supream authority. Published for the incouragement and reviving of the hearts and hopes of all the well-affected. London: printed by J.B. and are to be sold by Richard Skelton at the Hand and Bible in Duck-Lane, 1659. ESTC No. R202862. Grub Street ID 80042.
  • M., R.. Scarronides: or, Virgile travestie, a mock-poem. Being the second book of, Virgils Æneis, translated into English burlesq; being a continuation of the former story. By R.M. London: printed by Thomas Mabb, for Robert Clavel, at the Staggs-Head in Ivy-Lane, 1665. ESTC No. R17551. Grub Street ID 68366.
  • M., R.. The parson's vade mecum: containing choice observations about the accounts of the year, ecclesiastical censures, of the primitive fathers and their writings, a catalogue of the arch-bishops, bishops and deans in England and Wales, their election, consecration, instalment with the clergies tenths, and their valuation in the King's book; degrees of marriage, non-residence, dispensations, pluralities, deprivation, dilapidations, tythes and symony, &c. Very fit for the perusal of all clergymen and gentlemen. Licensed, Novemb. 4th, 1692. E. Bohur. London: printed for T. Salusbury at the King's-Arms near St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, 1693. ESTC No. R5583. Grub Street ID 126012.
  • M., R.. The parson's vade mecum: or, A treatise containing choice observations about the accounts of the year, movable feasts, ember-weeks, ecclesiastical censures, memorable things, of the primitive fathers and their writings. As well genuine as those falsly attributed to them, of bishops and deans, election, consecration, instalment and titles, &c. Of the arch-bishopricks and bishopricks, arch-deaconries, and their extent, with the clergies tenths, and their valuation in the king's book; a catalogue of all the bishops and deans in England and Wales, times prohibiting marriage, degrees of marriage, of non-residence, dispensations, pluralities, deprivations, dilapidations, priviledges of clergy-men, tythes and symony. Very fit for the perusal of all clergymen and gentlemen. Licensed, Novemb. 4th, 1692. E. Bohun. London: printed for T. Salusbury at the King's-Arms near St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, 1693. ESTC No. R234961. Grub Street ID 106188.
  • M., R.. The church-catechism enlarg'd and explain'd, in an easie and familiar method, with the scripture-proofs annexed thereunto. London: printed for Thomas Parkhurst, at the Bible and Three Crowns, at the lower end of Cheapside, near Mercers Chappel, 1697. ESTC No. R221785. Grub Street ID 95879.
  • M., R.. A summary of divine truths, agreeable to the faith profess'd by the Church of England, confirm'd from Scripture and reason. Published for the prevention of apostacy, confutation of error and heresy, and establishing the truth. London: printed, and are to be sold by John Morphew near Stationers-Hall, 1711. ESTC No. T106202. Grub Street ID 159372.
  • M., R.. The truth of the Christian faith asserted: and proved not demonstrable by natural, but by supernatural light only; agreeable to the doctrine of the people called Quakers. In Which The most prevalent Arguments of Atheists and Modern Deists are Consider'd. By R.M. Address'd to His Brethren, The Clergy of the Church of England. London: printed by J. Huggonson in Bartholomew-Close. And sold by J. Roberts at the Oxford-Arms in Warwick-Lane, [1730]. ESTC No. T106200. Grub Street ID 159371.
  • M., R.. Some thoughts concerning the proposed repeal of the Test-Act, in a letter to a friend. Found among the Papers of an Eminent Free-Thinker lately Deceased; And now Published for the better Information of all the True Friends of our present happy Constitution both in Church and State. London: printed, and sold by J. Roberts, in Warwick-Lane, [1733]. ESTC No. T26805. Grub Street ID 258771.