Publications of W. Downing

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 the seller and printer roles in combination, or an absence of the printer's name following "London: printed:" or "London: printed,":

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

On this last point, trade publishers may seem to have "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.

See also "The Meaning of the Imprint."

Printed by W. Downing

  • Ward, Edward. The merry travellers: or, a trip upon ten-toes, from Moorfields to Bromley. An humorous poem. Intended as the wandering spy. Part I. By the author of the Cavalcade. London: Printed by W. Downing, and sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster, 1721. ESTC No. N12419. Grub Street ID 2421.

Sold by W. Downing

  • A friendly discourse concerning profane cursing and swearing, wherein is shewed the heinousness of those sins, and the necessity of private persons giving informations for the suppressing of them, pursuant to the late act of Parliament. In a familiar conference between two plain persons. Made publick for the awakening of the consciences of common-swearers; and the vindication of our religious informers, who have been the instruments of the remarkable abatement of swearing; and for the encouragement of all good Christians, to joyn their endeavours with them for the entire suppressing it; and by giving informations to the magistrates against it, drunkenness, and prophanation of the Lord's Day. London: printed, and are to be sold by W. Downing in St. Bartholomew-Close, near West-Smithfield, 1697. ESTC No. R230178. Grub Street ID 102542.

Printed for W. Downing

  • An account of the late barbarous proceedings of the Earl of Tyrconnel and his soldiers, against the poor Protestants in Ireland: with their killing and driving some thousands out of Cork and Lymmerick stark naked in the cold: their besieging Bandon, taking the Honourable Capt. Boyle, and their bloody association to destroy all the Protestants of that kingdom. London: printed for W. Downing in Bartholomew-Close, 1689. ESTC No. R1178. Grub Street ID 60029.