Early Printers to the Royal Society 1663-1708

The men appointed ‘Printers to the Society’ were in fact all booksellers (what we should now call publishers), who arranged for the printing and sale of the Philosophical Transactions of the Society and other works produced under its auspices. The Society’s first and second Royal Charters (dated 15 July 1662 and 22 April 1663 respectively) authorized it to appoint printers and engravers (typographos sine impresores et chalcographos seu sculptores), but did not mention booksellers or stationers. However, the Society’s President, Viscount Brouncker, reported to a meeting of the Society held on 28 October 1663 that ‘because the stationers and printers are of one and the same company [i.e. the Stationers’ Company] and may by the confession of both sides practise both trades promiscuously, the Society might choose a stationer [i.e. a bookseller or publisher] for their printer without any violation of their Charter, which gives them power to choose printers.’ Accordingly, John Martyn and James Allestry, who had been recommended to the society, were appointed printers to the Society. (1)