Index

to

Exeter Ironmongers and Booksellers in the Seventeenth Century

Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries 11, (1920-1921), p. 57.

by

Rhys Jenkins

Prepared by Michael Steer

Once established, the Exeter book trade of the seventeenth century gives an impression of being generally inward looking. The large majority of members belonged to three artisan dynasties, all of whom were freemen of Exeter. Outsiders were not welcome, and the tight-knit world within the closed circle of booksellers was anxious to guard its territory and fight off interlopers. Jenkins' note relates to a petition to Archbishop Laud from the London bookseller Thomas Spence, probably made shortly after the Star Chamber decree of 1637 which laid considerable restrictions on printers and booksellers. The petition requested that five Ironmongers of the City should be prohibited from selling books. Google with the Archive Organization has sponsored the digitisation of books from several libraries. The Internet Archive makes available, in its Community Texts Collection (originally known as Open Source Books), books that have been digitised by Google from a number of libraries. These are books on which copyright has expired, and are available free for educational and research use. The copy of this rare book is held in the collection of Albert William Bryant Messenger, and is available from the Internet Archive.