Publications of T. L.

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 T. L.

  • Smith, John. The curiosities of common water: or the advantages thereof, in preventing and curing many distempers. Gather'd from the writings of several eminent physicians, and also from more than forty years exprience [sic]. By John Smith, C.M. To which are added some rules for preserving health by diet. The ninth edition, with additions. Communicated by Mr. Ralph Thoresby, F.R.S. and others. Edinburgh: printed by T. L. and J. R. for Gideon Crawfurd Book-Seller in the Parliament-Closs, M.DCC.XXXIX. [1739]. ESTC No. N3002. Grub Street ID 19008.

Author

  • L., T.. A prophesie that hath lyen hid above these 2000. yeares. Wherein is declared all the most principall matters that hath fallen out, in, and about the ciuill and ecclesiasticall monarchie of Rome, from the rising of Iulius Cæsar, to this present: and which are to be done from hence to the distruction of it, and what shall ensue after that. As the liues and deaths of the emperors. The rising of the ecclesiasticall monarchie. The storie of the greatest enemies of them both with many other notable accurrences concerning Germany, Franc[e], and Spaine. With the innasio [sic] of the kings of the east. London: printed [by E. Allde] for Nathaniel Fosbrooke, and are to be solde at the West-end of Paules neere to the Bishop of Londons gate, 1610. ESTC No. S4043. Grub Street ID 148150.
  • L., T.. An exposition of the XI. XII and XIII. chapters of the Revellation wherein most of the matters of greatest moment contained in the booke of the Reuelation are vnfolded / by a late writer, whose certaine name is not knowne to the publisher hereof, onely these two letters T.L. are in his aduertisement to Queene Elizabeth ; the contents whereof are in the next page. [S.l.: W. Jones?], 1623. ESTC No. S1101. Grub Street ID 130226.
  • L., T.. True nevves from Norvvich: being a certaine relation how that the cathedrall blades of Norwich (on the 22. of February 1641. being Shrove tuesday, did put themselves into a posture of defence, because that the apprentices of Norwich (as they imagined) would have pulled dow their organs. In which relation the foolishnesse of these cathedrall men are to be understood, and deserve to be laughed at for this their silly enterprise; there being no such cause to move them thereunto. Written by T.L. London: printed for Benjamin Allen, and I.B., 1641 [i.e.1642]. ESTC No. R15827. Grub Street ID 63727.
  • L., T.. A letter to the right honorable William Lenthall Esq. Speaker of the Parliament of England. Giving a true relation of a late great victory obtained by the Parliaments forces against the Scots neer Dundee the taking the old Generall Lesley, Lord-Chancellour Louden, Lord Crauford Linsey, Lord Ogleby, and 300 more, whereof divers of quality. As also a true relation (with the particulars) of a great victory by our forces neer Worcester against the King of Scots army, 5000 of the enemy kild and taken, and the taking of the royall fort in Worcester. Printed and published by authority. London: printed by Francis Leach, 1651. ESTC No. R236487. Grub Street ID 107265.
  • L., T.. Babylon is fallen. Or, A prophesie that had lain hid above two thousand years. Foreshewing, the rising, continuance, and fall of the empire and supremacie of Rome, with all matters of moment that were to come to passe during the reigne of the emperours and popes. The last being the vanishing of the Germane empire, lately fullfilled. The next, the dividing of the Kingdome of France by the sword of Spaine. The third that of Spaine by the sword of other nations. The fourth the destruction of Rome, and desolation of her Church, in the yeare, 1666. The fifth, the descending of the kings of the east, and of the whole world, unto the battell of the great day of God Almighty. London: printed by M.S. [i.e. Mathew Simmons], 1651. ESTC No. R36236. Grub Street ID 118553.
  • L., T.. Polypentheos threnodia= The mourners song. Or a voyce out of the wilderness crying, with many tears and strong perswasions to the world for repentance. Proving by undenyable grounds from the word of God, that the great day of his righteous judgement shall certainly be in this present age, before 61. years after this present yeare 1651. shall be expired. And unfolding many great and wonderfull mysteries of God forespoken in his word, to come to passe and be fulfilled, from the rising of Julius Cæsar, first emperour of Rome, to this present time, and from hence to that great day of the Lord. ... Exprest in a very high propheticall stile, and clear evidence of the spirit, and of power from above, which the judicious Christian reader may well perceive. London: printed by M. S[immons]., 1651. ESTC No. R221982. Grub Street ID 96048.
  • L., T.. A voyce out of the wildernes crying, with many tears and strong perswasions to the world for repentance. Proving by undenyable grounds from the word of God, that the great day of his righteous judgement shall certainly be in this present age, before 61. years after this present yeare 1651. shall be expired. And unfolding many great and wonderfull mysteries of God, forespoken in his word, to come to passe and be fulfilled, from the rising of Julius Cæsar, first emperour of Rome, to this present time, and from hence to that great day of the Lord. Things that were never discovered by any writer before this knowne; and such as greatly concerne the church and chosen of God, in this last time. Exprest in a very high propheticall stile, and clear evidence of the spirit, and of power from above, which the judicious Christian reader may well perceive. London: printed by M[atthew]. S[immons]., 1651. ESTC No. R2462. Grub Street ID 108388.
  • L., T.. A letter to the Right Honourable William Lenthall, Esq. Speaker of the Parliament of England. Giving a true relation of a late great victory obtained by the Parliaments forces against the Scots neere Dundee. The taking the old Generall Lesley, Lord Chancellour Louden, Lord Crauford Linsey, Lord Ogleby, and 300 more, wherof divers of quality. As also, A true relation (with the particulars) of a great victory by our forces neer Worcester, against the King of Scots army, 5000. of the enemy kild and taken, and the taking of the royall fort in Worcester. Printed and published by authority. London: printed by Francis Leach, 1651. ESTC No. R157. Grub Street ID 63614.
  • L., T.. To the Church of Rome. [S.l.]: First printed in anno Dom. 1588. And sundry times since, [1651]. ESTC No. R213946. Grub Street ID 89284.
  • L., T.. De fide ejusqu ortu, & naturâ. Contra P. Baronis Stempani, theologiæ in Academiâ Cantabrigiæ professoris, prælectionem. In cap. 3. ad Rom. vers. 28. Editio tertia. Autore T.L. Londini: excudebat Matthæus Simmons, 1653. ESTC No. R16762. Grub Street ID 64577.
  • L., T.. Comfortable nevves from Breda, in a letter to a person of honour. London: printed for Henry Seile over against St. Dunstans Church in Fleetstreet, May 4. 1660. ESTC No. R211868. Grub Street ID 87604.
  • L., T.. A caveat for a bad husband or, The good fellows warning-piece. Being good directions for all those that are unthrifty. Bad Husbands all I pray give ear to this which now I shall declare, observe these verses which below are pen'd it will direct you how your lives to mend To the tune of Packingtons pound, or the World is grown hard. By T.L. [London]: Printed for J[ohn]. Clarke at the Harp and bible in West-smith-field, [1673 - 1686]. ESTC No. R175701. Grub Street ID 68484.
  • L., T.. The life and reign of Innocent XI. Late Pope of Rome. Licensed and entred according to order. London: printed for Abel Roper in Fleet-street near Temple-Bar, MDCXC. [1690]. ESTC No. R2250. Grub Street ID 98372.
  • L., T.. Englands almanack shewing how the East India trade is prejuditiall to this kingdom. London: printed for the author, by S[amuel] Bridge in Austin-Friers, MDCC. [1700]. ESTC No. R224989. Grub Street ID 98367.