Publications of Alexander Milbourn

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 Alexander Milbourn

  • Gibbon, John. Day-fatality: or, Some observations of days lucky and unlucky. Penn'd and publish'd whil'st His present Majesty, the most serene King, James II. was Duke of York, persecuted by the excluding party, and retir'd into the Low-Countries. Presaging many great things, some whereof are wonderfully come to pass; and particularly made good, in his peaceable inthronization, and his speedy quashing two notable rebellions, (headed by two persons, eminent for military conduct) one in England, the other in Scotland. And by whom greater things are yet to be done. The second impression, with large additions. To which is added, Prince-protecting-providences, and the swans welcome. All written by an officer at arms, author of a book, entituled, Introductio ad Latinam blasoniam, &c. London: printed by Alexander Milbourn [, John Shadd, and Robert Hayhurst], for the author: and are to be sold by the booksellers of London, 1686. ESTC No. R7283. Grub Street ID 127561.
  • Great news from Gravesend being a true acount of Mr. Gibbon's seizing several Irish officers who intended to make their escape for Ireland upon His Majesty the late King James's landing at Kinsale with such arms ammunition and provision as were designed for that expedition. London: Printed by Alex. Milbourn .., 1689. ESTC No. R31732. Grub Street ID 114504.
  • The substance of a discourse being an incouragement for Protestants, or a happy prospect of glorious success: with exhortations to be valiant against our enemies, in opposing the bloody principles of papists, and errors of popery, &c. Occasionally on the Protestants victory over the French and Irish papists before London-Derry, in raising that desperate siege. By Mr. Walker minister, and governor of the city. London: printed by Alex. Milbourn, in the year 1689. ESTC No. R186163. Grub Street ID 74961.
  • The famous and renowned history of the two unfortunate, though noble lovers, Hero and Leander; giving an account of all that happened from the beginning of their loves, till both of them ended their lives in the sea, for love of each other. Their various adventures, and the renowned atchivements of Leander, in his many glorious victorys & successes, till he was forbid access to the fair Hero, by her cruel father, upon his killing his rival in a combat. Also how (she being imprisoned in a tower) he swam over the sea to visit her, & in a boistrous storm was drownded, for the sorrow of which, she leaped into the waves & drownded herself. [London]: printed by A. Milbourn for J. Blare, at the Looking-Glass on London-Bridge, [1690?]. ESTC No. R2009. Grub Street ID 78376.
  • Articles of the Christian faith, owned as orthodox by the Baptist congregations in this k[ingdom] and subscribed by their ministers at the general quarter sessions of the peace: and now published to remove those aspersion[s] ... cast on them: and to manifest their nearness in union with other of her Majesties Protestant subjects. London: printed by A. Milbourn, for J.M. and sold by Charles Ba[tes] .. in Pye-Corner, 1704. ESTC No. N54149. Grub Street ID 37982.

Printed for Alexander Milbourn

  • England's joy, for the taking off the chimney-money, or, The nations hearty thanks for their Majesties royal clemency. Tune of, Hey boys up gh [sic] we. Licensed, and entred according to order. [London]: Printed for A. Milbourn, and sold by R. Hayhurst, in Little-Britain, [1670 - 1697]. ESTC No. R187943. Grub Street ID 76000.
  • Rigbey, Richard. A new song in praise of the gentle-craft, written by R. Rigby of the same trade. To the tune of, The shoomakers travels to London, Oxford, Cambridge, and a thousand places more. [London]: Printed for A. Milbourn in green Arbor in the Old Baily, [between 1682 and 1700]. ESTC No. R187233. Grub Street ID 75554.
  • Cupid's trappan: or, Up the green forrest: or, The scorner scorn'd: or, Willow turn'd into carnation. Described in the ranting resolution of a forsaken maid. To a pleasant new tune, now all in fashion, &c. London: printed by and for W. Onley, for A. Milbourn; and are to be sold by J. Deacon, at the Angel in Guilt-spur-street, without Newgate, [between 1689 and 1695]. ESTC No. R171659. Grub Street ID 65816.
  • An[n] Askew, intituled, I am a woman poor and blind. [London]: Printed for A. Milbourn, W. Onley, T. Thackeray, at the Angel in Duck-lane, [1693?]. ESTC No. R170310. Grub Street ID 65034.
  • A most notable example of an ungracious son who in pride of his heart denyed his own father, and how for his offence, turned his meat to loathsome toads. To the tune of, Lord Derby. [London]: Printed for Alex. Milbourn [at the Stationers-Arms in Green-Arbor-Court, in the little Old-Baily, 1693?]. ESTC No. R180744. Grub Street ID 71663.
  • A true relation of the life and death of Sir Andrew Barton, a pyrate and rover on the seas. Tune is Come follow my love. [London]: Printed for Alex. Milbourn, VV: Onley, and T. Thackeray at the Angel in Duck-lane, [1695?]. ESTC No. R185703. Grub Street ID 74674.
  • The Norfolke gentleman his last vvill and testament and how he committed the keeping of his children to his brother, who dealt most wicke ly [sic] by them: and how God plagued him for it. To the tune of Rogero. [London: printed for Alex Milbourn, 1695?]. ESTC No. R216490. Grub Street ID 91379.