A Dictionary of the Booksellers and Printers who Were at Work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1641 to 1667/Constable (Francis)
CONSTABLE (FRANCIS), bookseller in London and Westminster, (1) White Lion, Paul's Churchyard, 1616–24; (2) In St. Paul's Church Yard at the sign of the Crane, 1631; (3) Under St. Martin's Church in Ludgate, 1637; (4) King Street [Westminster] at the sign of the Goat, 1640; (5) Westminster Hall, 1640. 1613–47. Took up his freedom July 2nd, 1614. [Arber, iii. 684.] His first registered publication was Hymens Triumphes, entered on January 13th, 16145. He published large numbers of plays, in which he was associated for some years with Humphrey Moseley. He died August 1st, 1647. [Smyth's Obituary, p. 24.] It is probable that he rented a stall in Westminster Hall very much earlier than 1640, the date given above, but that is the first appearance of the Hall in the imprint of any book. It occurs in the Sparagus Garden, a comedy by Richard Brome, published in that year. [Library, N.S., No. 24, p. 382; W. W. Greg, List of English Plays and Masques.]