Publications of William Rayner

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 William Rayner

  • Harvey, Edmund. A genuine and impartial history of the illustrious family of the Stuarts, with a vindication of the wisdom, policy, conduct, principles, bravery, and the many other princely virtues of that august house, from the aspersions cast on them by fanatical, republican writers, and others; in what the life of the royal martyr, King Charles the First will in particular and exact manner be treated of; with many other curious particulars not hitherto published. By E. Harvey, Esq;. London: printed by William Rayner, in the year M DCC XXXVI. [1736]. ESTC No. N70704. Grub Street ID 51181.
  • The history of the life and reign of Queen Elizabeth, of immortal memory; from her birth to her death, with the whole proceedings of the divorce of King Henry VIII from Queen Catherine; his marriage with the La y [sic] Anne Bullen, and the cause of her unfortunate death on the scaffold; ... Illustrated with fine copper-plate cuts,. London: printed by William Rayner; and sold by the men that carry the news, 1738. ESTC No. N33308. Grub Street ID 21794.

Printed for William Rayner

  • Hatchett, William; Haywood, Eliza. The opera of operas; or, Tom Thumb the Great. Alter'd from The life and death of Tom Thumb the Great. And set to musick after the Italian manner. As it is performing at the New Theatre in the Hay-Market. London: printed for William Rayner, prisoner in the King's-Bench, and to be sold at the Theatre, and likewise at the Printing-Office in Marigold Court, over-against the Fountain-Tavern in the Strand, MDCCXXXIII. [1733]. ESTC No. N10671. Grub Street ID 678.

Author

  • Rayner, William. The tryal of William Rayner, for printing and publishing a libel, intitled, Robin's reign; or seven's the main. Being an explanation of Mr. Danvers's seven AEgyptian hieroglyphics prefix'd to the Vii. Vols. of the Craftsman. At the sittings of the court of Kings'-Bench, Westminster, on Wednesday, November 15 1732. before the Right Hon. Robert Lord Raymond, Lord Chief Justice of the said Court. With the Pleadings of the Council for the King and Prisoner, when Sentence was pass'd on him. In which is inserted A True Copy of the Indictment. London: printed for W. James, in the Strand, 1733. ESTC No. T192981. Grub Street ID 227272.