COLLINS (THOMAS), bookseller in Northampton; Near All Hallows Church, 1651. His name is found on the imprint to a pamphlet entitled A Patterne of Universall Knowledge … Translated into English by Jeremy Collier. [E. 1304 (1).]
COLLINS (THOMAS), bookseller in London; Middle-Temple-Gate in Fleet Street, 1650–67. In partnership with Gabriell Bedell between 1650 and 1655, when they issued several plays. In 1660, in conjunction with Abel Roper, he held the office of printer to the Council of State, and on April 24th a sum of £88 was paid to them for printing proclamations, etc. [Calendar of State Papers, 1659–60, p. 598.]
CONIERS (JOSHUA), bookseller in London, (1) Black Raven in the Long Walk, near Christchurch; (2) Black Raven, Duck Lane. 1662–88. His name, in company with that of Henry Marsh, is found on a book of anecdotes called Fragmenta Aulica or Court and State Jests … by T. S. Gent. 1662. [B.M. 12316 a. 27.] At the end is an advertisement of a history of the Civil Wars, also published by him. After the fire Coniers appears to have moved to Duck Lane. In his reprint of the Term Catalogues, Mr. Arber has given his first name as "Joseph," instead of "Joshua."
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.]
