books. In the survey of the press made in July, 1668, he is returned as keeping five presses, thirteen workmen and two apprentices. He died in 1670. [Smyth's Obituary, p. 89; Plomer, Short History, pp. 224, 225.]
FLETCHER, or FLESHER (MILES), printer in London; Little Britain, 1611-64. Took up his freedom November 4th, 1611 [Arber, iii. 683], and in 1617 joined George Eld, who died in 1624. Fletcher then petitioned the Archbishop of Canterbury to be appointed a master printer in his place, and the request was granted. From this time his business prospered and he joined partnership with Robert Young, q.v., and John Haviland. These three men were the largest capitalists in the trade for many years. They had a share in the King's Printing House, and they bought up the businesses of William Stansby, George Purslow and Edward Griffen. In 1629 John More assigned over to Miles Fletcher and his partners his patent for printing law books in return for a sum of £60 per annum and a third of the profits. In 1661 the Company of Stationers bought the remainder of the lease from Miles Fletcher and his son James for £200, but a lawsuit arose over this in 1664. [Chan. Proc. Reynardson, Bundle 31.] Miles Fletcher was Master of the Company of Stationers in the years 1652, 1653; 1662, and 1663. He was also a prominent man in the parish of St. Botolph without Aldersgate, serving as churchwarden with Richard Cotes, q.v., in 1645, 1646, and 1647. He was assessed in the parish books in the sum of £1 14s. 8d. towards the restoration of the church, this being the largest sum paid by any stationer in Little Britain In March, 1637, Robert Young assigned over to him 80 works previously the copies of Benjamin Fisher. Miles Fletcher died November 13th, 1664. [Smyth's Obituary, p. 61.] By his will, which consisted of only a few lines, he left everything to his son James, no one else being mentioned. [P.C.C. 121, Bruce.] He made a gift of plate to the Company of Stationers. [Timperley, p. 543.]
FORBES (JOHN), the elder and the younger, booksellers and printers at Aberdeen; above the Meal Market, at the Sign of the Town's Armes, 1656-1704. Succeeded James Brown, q.v., from whose widow they purchased his printing materials in 1661-2. Became printers to the Town and the University, and occupied the house formerly rented by Raban and by Brown. The elder Forbes died in November, 1675, and the business was continued by his son. [H. G. Aldis, List of Books printed in Scotland before 1700, p. 113; Edinburgh Bibliographical Society, 1905.]
