A Dictionary of the Booksellers and Printers who Were at Work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1641 to 1667/Beckett (James)

BECKETT (JAMES), bookseller in London; Inner Temple Gate, Fleet Street, 1636–41. Took up his freedom August 1st, 1636 [Arber, iii. 688], and in the same year published T. Heywood's Challenge for beautie. His first registered publication was the same author's play of the Royall King and the loyall subject, 1637. [Arber, iv. 376.] He was also the publisher of J. Kirke's Seven Champions of Christendome, 1638; F. Lenton's Great Britain's Beauties, 1638; T. Middleton's Mad World my masters, 1640; L. Sharpe's Noble Stranger, 1640; J. Shirley's Humorous Courtier, as well as a romance called Marianus in 1641, after which no more is heard of him. Amongst his other publications were T. Decker's English Villanies seven several times Prest, 1638; H. Peacham's Truth of our Times and Valley of Varietie, both in 1638; R. Braithwaite's Epitome of all the lives of the Kings of France, 1639 [Hazlitt, i., p. 48], and John Taylor's Woman's Sharpe Revenge, 1640. Only three of his publications were entered in the Registers before 1640.