LEAKE (WILLIAM), bookseller in London, (1) Crown in Fleet Street, between the two Temple gates; (2) In Chancery Lane, near the Rolls. 1635–81. Son of William Leake, stationer (1592–1634). Took up his freedom July 22nd, 1623. On June 1st, 1635, Widow Leake assigned over to him all his father's copyrights, and in 1638 he obtained from Robert Mead and Christopher Meredith the copyrights that had once belonged to Richard Hawkins. [Arber, iv. 340, 420.] Both these assignments contained several plays. The following issues contain lists of books: Beaumont and Fletcher's Maid’s Tragedy, 1650, 53 entries; Shakespeare's Merchant of Venice, 1652, 16 entries; The Fort Royal of Holy Scriptures … by J. H. … 1652, number not stated; Beaumont and Fletcher's King and No King (sig. l. 4 verso) and Shakespeare's Othello (sig. M 4 verso) both issued in 1655, 46 entries; James Shirley, The Wedding (sig. A 1 verso) 52 entries; James Shirley, Grateful Servant [1660?], 53 entries; Beaumont and Fletcher's Philaster [1660?], 60 entries. William Leake died in 1681, and his will is in the P.C.C. (184 North). [W. W. Greg, List of English Plays, Appendix.]
LEE, or LEY (WILLIAM), bookseller in London, (1) Paul's Chain, 1640–46; (2) Fleet Street, neere Sergeant's Inne, at the signe of the Golden Buck, 1621–52; (3) Turk's Head in Fleet Street next to the Miter and Phoenix [over against Fetter Lane], 1627-65; (4) Lombard Street, 1659 (1623-65). Three stationers of the name of Lee or Ley took up their freedom between 1601 and 1640, i.e., William Lee, son of Frauncis Lee of Southwark, apprentice to Edward Venge for eight years from March, 1603 [Arber, ii. 270]; William Lee, made free October 2nd, 1620 [ibid., iii. 685]; and William Lee, made free October 2nd, 1637 [ibid., iii. 688]. A William Lee, of Lombard Street, was Master of the Company of Stationers in 1659. [Arber, v. lxv.] One of these men was associated with Richard Rogers in publishing a catalogue of plays in 1656 in an edition of Goffe's Careless Shepherdess. [W. W. Greg, List of Plays. Appendix II.]
LEE (WILLIAM), junior, bookseller in London; in Chancery Lane, a little above Crown Court, next the Bell, 1658. Probably the stationer whose freedom is recorded on October 2nd, 1637.
