§21. London Bridge. XVIII. The Book-Trade, 1557–1625. Vol. 4. Prose and Poetry: Sir Thomas North to Michael Drayton. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: An Encyclopedia in Eighteen Volumes. 1907

The Cambridge History of English and American Literature in 18 Volumes (1907–21).
Volume IV. Prose and Poetry: Sir Thomas North to Michael Drayton.

XVIII. The Book-Trade, 1557–1625.

§ 21. London Bridge.

London Bridge did not attain its fame as a resort of booksellers until the second half of the seventeenth century; but, as early as 1557, William Pickering, a bookseller, whose publications consisted chiefly of ballads, and other trivial things, had a shop there. In the next year, he was “dwellyng at Saynt Magnus Corner,” which, if not actually on the bridge, was at least hard by, and at this address the business continued for upwards of a century. As might be expected from its situation at the port of London, many nautical books were published here, and the seaman making his preparations for a voyage would step into the well known shop and purchase The Art of Navigation, or, perhaps, if he were thither bound, a Card or rutter of the sea lyenge betwene Holland and Ffryseland, and, were he so minded, he might fortify himself with The seamans sacred safetye or a praier booke for seamen.