Publications of R. A.

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: and sold by x"; "printed for and sold by x"; or "printed by and for x" and so on.

On this last point, trade publishers such as Mary Cooper appeared in imprints as having "printed" or "published" the work, though they did not own the copyright. The lists below reflect only the information on the imprint, except where ESTC provides extra information.

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. A.

  • Herle, Charles. Ahab's fall by his prophets flatteries: being the substance of three sermons, upon I. King. 22. 22. I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. The first sermon preached before the honourable the Commons House of Parliament. The second before the honourable the Lord Major of London, with the Aldermen his brethren. The third at the Abbey Church in Westminster, where it was much acquarrelled by some, and as much desired to be published by others. The which is here the rather done, because laying open the grounds of all our present miseries, specially i these two words, his prophets, it may well serve to supply what is wanting in the following answer to D. Fern's second reply to the last answer of him whom the printer stild', the fuller answerer of the doctors first treatise, called The resolving of conscience upon this question, whether upon thi supposition, the King will not defend, but is bent to subvert religion, laws and liberties, subjects may take up arms. [London]: Printed by R. A. for J. Wright in the Old-Baily, 1644. ESTC No. R23510. Grub Street ID 106295.

Author

  • A., R.. A breife explanation of the common catechisme, distinguished into three parts. 1. Of the priuiledges, 2. Of the duties of a Christian. 3. Of the holy sacraments, the pledges and bonds both of the one and other. By Richard Allein, parson of Ditcheat in Somersetshire. London: Printed by A. Mathews for Edward Blackmore, and are to be sould in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Angell, 1631. ESTC No. S115907. Grub Street ID 135599.
  • A., R.. Cheirothesia tou presbyteriou, or a letter to a friend; tending to prove, I. That valid ordination ought not to be repeated. II. That ordination by presbyters is valid. With an appendix, in which, some brief animadversions are made upon a lately published discourse of M. John Humfrey, concerning re-ordination. By R.A. a lover of truth and peace. London : printed for J.S. and are to be sold in Westminster-Hall and Paul's Church-yard, 1661. ESTC No. R3821. Grub Street ID 120338.
  • A., R.. Vindiciae pietatis: or, A vindication of godlinesse, in the greatest strictness and spirituality of it, from the imputations of folly and fancyDT Together with several directions for the attaining and maintaining of a godly life. By R.A. London : printed for Peter Parker, and are to be sold at his shop at the end of Popes head Alley next Cornhil, 1669. ESTC No. R723. Grub Street ID 127509.
  • A., R.. Heaven opened: or, A brief and plain discovery of the riches of Gods covenant of grace. Being the third part of Vindiciæ pietatis. By R.A. London : printed for Peter Parker, and are to be sold at his shop in Popes-Head-Alley, 1671. ESTC No. R4983. Grub Street ID 125463.
  • A., R.. Godly-fear, or, The nature and necessity of fear, and its usefulness both to the driving sinners to Christ and to the provoking Christians to a godly life ... / by R.A., author of Vindiciæ pietatis. London : Printed for Samuel Sprint and Brabazon Aylmer .., 1674. ESTC No. R35274. Grub Street ID 117692.
  • A., R.. Vindiciæ pietatis: or, a vindication of godlinesse, in the greatest strictness and spirituality of it, from the imputations of folly and fancy. Together with several directions for the attaining and maintaining of a godly life. The last edition corrected and amended. by R. A. London : printed for Peter Parker, and are to be sold at his shop at the Leg and Star over against the Exchange in Cornhil, 1676. ESTC No. R28937. Grub Street ID 111963.
  • A., R.. The world conquered; or A believers victory over the world. Laid open in several sermons on I John 5.4. By R.A. London : printed for Peter Parker at the Leg and Star in Cornhill, over against the Royal Exchange, 1676. ESTC No. R9414. Grub Street ID 129495.
  • A., R.. A rebuke to backsliders, and a spurr for loyterers. In several sermons, lately preached to a private congregation, and now published for the awakening a sleepy age. By R.A. author of Vinditiæ [sic] pietatis. London : printed for John Hancock at the three Bibles in Popes Head Alley over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill, 1677. ESTC No. R28205. Grub Street ID 111291.
  • A., R.. Instructions about heart-work, what is to be done on Gods part, and ours, for the cure and keeping of the heart, that we may live in the exercise and growth of grace here, and have a comfortable assurance of glory to eternity. By that eminent Gospel-Minister Mr. Richard Allein author of Vindiciæ pietatis. London : printed for Jonathan Greenwood at the Crown in the Poultry, near Grocers Alley, 1681. ESTC No. R19556. Grub Street ID 77147.
  • A., R.. A rebuke to backsliders and a spurr for loyterers in several sermons lately preached to a private congregation and now published for the awakening a sleepy age / by R.A. London : Printed by J. Astwood for John Hancock, 1684. ESTC No. R23621. Grub Street ID 107029.
  • A., R.. Instructions about heart-work. What is to be done on God's part and ours, for the cure and keeping of the heart, that we may live in the exercise and growth of grace here, and have a comfortable assurance of glory to eternity. By that eminent Gospel minister Mr. Richard Allein, author of Vindiciæ pietatis, with a preface by Dr. Annesly. To which is added the Companion for prayer, by the same author. The second edition.. London : printed by J.R. for Thomas Cockeril, at the Three Legs in the Poultry, MDCLXXXIV. [1684]. ESTC No. R19955. Grub Street ID 77511.
  • A., R.. A rebuke to backsliders and a spur for loyterers in several sermons lately preached to a private congregation and published for the awakening a sleepy age / by R.A. London : Printed for Hugh Newman, 1694. ESTC No. R27086. Grub Street ID 110294.
  • A., R.. The christians daily practice of piety: or, holy walking with God. As also scripture rules to be observed in buying and selling. Very useful for all sorts of people that desire to make conscience of their ways here, and to fit themselves for their great account hereafter Licensed according to Order. Edinburgh: printed by the heirs and successors of Andrew Anderson, Printer to the Queens most Excellent Majesty, Anno Dom, 1703. ESTC No. T165665. Grub Street ID 203927.
  • A., R.. The voice of God to Christless unregenerate sinners. Wherein all such, are faithfully warned and intreated to break covenant with hell and death, and invited into a blessed marriage-covenant with the glorious Lord Jesus. In which is plainly demonstrated, what this union implies, and the necessity thereof. The whole concluding with a form of words, expressing man's covenanting with God. By Richard Alleine, late Minister of the Gospel. [One line of text]. Boston: Printed for Benjamin Gray, 1743. ESTC No. W39661. Grub Street ID 350352.
  • A., R.. A companion for prayer in times of extraordinary danger. By Richard Alleine, author of Vinditiae pietatis. Re-printed at the desire of the late Rev. Mr. Webb. To which is added, by way of appendix, from Dr. Increase Mather's Discourse on the prevalency of prayer; sundry remarkable instances of a gracious answer of prayer in N.E. and elsewhere. [Boston]: Printed and sold by S. Kneeland, opposite the prison, in Queen-Street, 1750. ESTC No. W325. Grub Street ID 342994.