Publications of John Bellamy

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.

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. Booksellers may also be 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 (or what we might call a wholesaler) rather than a copyright holder. Copyright owners may also be identified by the words printed for. 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.

He cautions, "The only way to avoid being misled is to regard any imprint which says a book is printed for a publisher as meaning it is sold by him" (5).

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 for John Bellamy

  • A view of the present condition of the three kingdomes of England, Scotland, and Ireland. Manifested in these interchangeable passages betweene them, viz. 1. A declaration of both Houses of Parliament to the Generall Assembly in Scotland. 2. A letter sent by some ministers in England to the Generall Assembly in Scotland. 3. His Majesties letter to the Generall Assembly in Scotland. ... 8. An act anent the Assemblies desires to the counsell and commissioners of peace. 9. The petition of the commissioners from the Assembly to the lords of the secret counsell 10. The petition of the lords of the secret counsell to his Majesty. 11. An act discharging all petitions in the name of the Kirke, ... 12. An indiction for a fast, and the causes thereof. 13. The order for the Lord Maitlands going to his Majesty, ... 14. The petition of the Scotch nobility, ... i Ireland to the Assembly in Scotland. 15. An act giving commission to the ministers sent to Ireland. London: printed for John Bellamy, & Ralph Smith, 1642. ESTC No. R10513. Grub Street ID 58880.
  • To the Kings Most Excellent Maiesty. The humble petition of the citizens of Yorke, delivered to his Majesty by the High Sheriffe of Yorke. London: printed at London for Joh. Bellamie, & Ralph Smith, 1642. ESTC No. R185316. Grub Street ID 74435.
  • Austin, Robert. Allegiance not impeached: viz, by the Parliaments taking up of arms (though against the Kings personall commands) for the just defence of the Kings person, crown and dignity, the laws of the land, liberties of the subject: yea, they are bound by the oath of their allegiance, and trust reposed in them, to doe it. Proved, partly from the words of the oath it self: and partly, from the principles of nature and of law, alledged for such by the Lord Chancellor Elsmore, and twelve other judges in the case of Calvin (a Scot by birth) as appeares in the seventh part of Justice Cooks reports, in Calvins case: which case is briefly set down in the Epistle to the reader. By Robert Austine. D.D. Printed at London: by Rich. Cotes, for Joh. Bellamy, 1644. ESTC No. R11494. Grub Street ID 59774.
  • Baynes, Paul. The diocensans tryall, wherein the maine controversies about forme or governement of the Churches of Christ are judiciously stated, and learnedly discussed in the opening and thorough debating of these three questions following, 1. Whether Christ did institute, or the apostles, frame any diocesan forme of churches, or whether parishionall only? 2. Whether Christ ordained by himselfe or by his apostles any ordinary pastours, having both precedencie of order and majority of power over others? 3. Whether Christ did immediately commit ordinary power ecclesiasticall and the exercise of it, to any one singular person, or to an united multitude of presbyters? A worke seasonable and usefull for these times, being very helpefull to the deciding of the differences now in question upon this subject. Written long since by that famous and learned divine, Mr. Paul Bayne. And now published by authority. London: printed for John Bellamie, and are to be sould at his shop at the signe of the three Golden-Lyons in Cornehill neare the Royall-Exchange, M. DC. XLIV. [1644]. ESTC No. R17183. Grub Street ID 65919.
  • Hill, Thomas. The good old vvay, Gods vvay, to soule-refreshing rest: discovered in a sermon preached to the Right Honorable the Lord Maior and court of aldermen of the citie of London, at their anniversary meeting on Wednesday in Easter weeke at Christ-Church, Apr. 24. 1644. Being th day of the monethly publike fast. By Thomas Hill B.D. Pastor of Tychmersh in Northampton-shire. Imprimatur, Charles Herle. London: printed by Ric. Cotes, for John Bellamie and Philemon Stephens, 1644. ESTC No. R11496. Grub Street ID 59776.
  • Foure speeches delivered in Guild-Hall on Friday the sixth of October, 1643. At a common-hall, vpon occasion of desiring the assistance of our brethren of Scotland in this warre. Viz. the 1. by Mr. Solicitor. 2. by Mr. Edmund Calamy. 3. by Mr. Jeremiah Burroughes. 4. by Mr Obadiah Sedgewick. Published according to order. London: Printed by R. Cotes, for Jo. Bellamie, and are to bee sold at his shop at the sign of the three Golden Lions in Cornhill, neer the Royall Exchange, 1646. ESTC No. R200837. Grub Street ID 78319.
  • The severall ordinances and declarations of the Lords and Commons assembled in Parliament: for the abolishing of archbishops and bishops within the kingdom of England and Dominion of Wales. And for setling of their lands and professions upon trustees for the use of the Common-vvealth. Die Lunæ 23. Novemb. 1646. It is this day ordered by the Lords in Parliament assembled; that the severall ordinances printed for the sale of bishops lands shall be called in; and that the trustees therein mentioned, or the major part of them shall take care for the true printing thereof, according to the said ordinance, any order whatsoever nothwithstanding. Joh. Browne Cleric. Parliamentorum. London: printed by R. Cotes, for J. Bellamy, 1648. ESTC No. R8195. Grub Street ID 128393.
  • Hooker, Thomas. A survey of the summe of church-discipline. Wherein, the vvay of the churches of New-England is warranted out of the vvord, and all exceptions of weight, which are made against it, answered: whereby also it will appear to the judicious reader, that something more must be said, then yet hath been, before their principles can be shaken, or they should be unsetled in their practice. By Tho. Hooker, late pastor of the church at Hartford upon Connecticott in N.E. London: printed by A[braham]. M[iller]. for John Bellamy at the three Golden Lions in Cornhill, near the Royall Exchange, M.DC.XLVIII. [1648]. ESTC No. R11340. Grub Street ID 59638.

Author

  • Bellamy, John. A plea for the commonalty of London: or, a vindication of their rights (which hath been long with-holden from 'em) in the choice of sundry city-officers. As also a justification of the power of the Court of Common-Councell, in the making of acts or by-laws, for the Good and Profit of the Citizens, notwithstanding the Negative Votes of the Lord-Major and Aldermen. Being fully proved by several Charters granted to this City, by sundry Royall Kings of England, confirmed by Act of Parliament, and by Records, witnessing the Particulars in the Practise of them. In a speech delivered in Common-Councell, On Munday the 24th of February, 1644 By John Bellamie. Reprinted as proper to the present Contest upon that Argument. London]: Printed and sold by the booksellers of London and Westminster [1727. ESTC No. N38996. Grub Street ID 26476.