that hath sett up anye presse, or instruments for imprinting
within six moneths last past, shall hereafter use, or occupie
the same, nor any person or persons shall hereafter erect,
or sett up any presse, or other instrument of printing, till
the excessive multitude of printers, having presses alreadie
sett up, be abated, diminished, and by death given over, or
otherwise brought to so small a number of masters, or owners of
printing-howses, being of abilitie and good behaviour, as the
archbishopp of Canterburie and bishopp of London, for the tyme
being, shall thereupon think it requisite, and convenient, for
the good service of the realme, to have some more presses, or
instruments for printing erected, and sett up; and that when, and
as often as the said archbishopp and bishopp, for the tyme being,
shall so think it requisite and convenient, and shall signifie
the same to the said master and wardeins of the said companie
of Stationers, for the tyme being; that then, and so often, the
saide master and wardeins, shall (within convenient tyme after)
call the assistants of the saide companie before them, and shall
make choice of one, or more (as by the opinion of the saide
archbishopp and bishopp, for the tyme being, need shall require)
of suche persons being free stationers, as for theyr skill,
abilitie, and good behaviour, shall be thought by the saide
master, wardeins, and assistants, or the more parte of them, meet
to have the charge and government of a presse, or printing-house;
and that within fowerteen dayes next after suche election, and
choice, the saide master, wardeins, and fower other at the least
of the assistants of the saide companie, shall present before the
high commissioners in causes ecclesiastical, or sixe or more of
them, whereof the saide archbishopp, or bishopp, to be one, to
allowe, and admitt everie suche person so chosen and presented,
to be master and governoure of a presse, and printing-housse,
according to the same election and presentment, upon payne that
everie person offending contrary to the intent of this article,
shall have his presse, and instruments for printing, defaced,
and made unserviceable, and allso suffer imprisonment, by the
space of one whole yeare, without bayle, or maynprise. Provided
allwayes, that this article, or any thing therein conteyned,
shall not extend to the office of the queene’s majesties printer
for the service of the realme; but that the said office, and
offices, shall be, and continue at the pleasure and disposicion
of her majestie, her heires, and successors, at all tymes, upon
the death of her highnes’s printer, or otherwise.
4. Item, That no person, or persons, shall imprint, or cause
to be imprinted, or suffer by any meanes to his knowledge, his
presse, letters, or other instruments, to be occupied in printing
of any booke, worke, coppie, matter, or thing whatsoever, except
the same booke, worke, coppie, matter, or any thing hath bene
heretofore allowed, or hereafter shall be allowed, before the
imprinting thereof, according to the order appointed by the
queene’s majesties injunctions, and be first seene and perused by
the archbishopp of Canterburie, and bishopp of London, for the
tyme being, or one of them (the queene’s majesties printer for
some special service by her majestie, or by some of her highnes
privie councell thereunto appoynted; and suche are, or shal
be priviledged to print the bookes of the common lawe of this
realme, for suche of the same books, as shal be allowed of by
the two cheefe justices, and cheefe barons, for the tyme being,
or any two of them, onelye excepted) nor shall imprint, or cause
to be imprinted, any booke, worke, or coppie, against the forme
and meaning of any restraynte, or ordinance conteyned, or to be
conteyned, in any statute, or lawes of this realme, or in any
injunction made, or sett forthe by her majestie, or her highness
privie counsell, or againste the true intent and meaning of any
letters patent, commissions, or prohibicions, under the great
seale of Englande; or contrarie to any allowed ordinaunce, sett
downe for the good governaunce of the Company of Stationers,
within the cittie of London; upon payne to haue all suche
presses, letters, and instruments, as in or about the imprinting
of any suche bookes, or copies, shall be imployed or used, to be
defaced, and made unserviceable for imprinting for ever; and upon
payne allso, that everye offender, and offenders, contrarie to
this present article, or ordinaunce, shal be disabled (after any
suche offence) to use, or exercise, or take benefite by using,
or exercising of the arte, or feate of imprinting; and shall
moreover susteyne sixe moneths imprisonment without bayle, or
maynprise.
5. Item, That every suche person, as shall sell, utter, or putt
to sale wittingly, bynde, stitch, or sowe; or wittinglie cause
to be solde, uttered, put to sale, bounde, stitched, or sowed,
any bookes, or copies whatsoever, printed contrarie to the intent
and true meaning of any ordinaunce, or article aforesaid, shall
suffer three moneths imprisonment for his, or their offence.
6. Item, That it shall be lawfull for the Wardeins of the saide
companye, for the tyme being, or any two of the saide companie
thereto deputed, by the saide Wardeins, to make searche in all
work-howses, shopps, ware-howses of printers, booke-sellers,
booke-bynders, or where they shall haue reasonable cause of
suspition; and all bookes, copies, matters, and things printed,
or to be printed; contrarie to the intent and meaning of these
present ordinances, to seaze and take to her majesties use, and
the same to carrie into the Stacioners-hall in London; and the
partie, or parties, offending in printing, selling, uttering,
bynding, stitching, or sowing any such bookes, copies, matters,
or things, to arrest, bring, and present before the said highe
commissioners in causes ecclesiasticall, or some three, or more
of them, whereof the said archbishop of Canterburie, or bishopp
of London, for the tyme being, to be one.
7. Item, That it shall be lawfull to and for the aforesaide
wardeins, for the tyme being, or any two by them appoynted,
without lett, or interruption of any person, or persons
whatsoever, to enter into any howsse, work-howsse, ware-howsse,
shopp, or other place, or places; and to seaze, take, and carrie
away all presses, letters, and other printing instruments, sett
up, used, or imployed, contrarie to the true meaning hereof, to
be defaced, and made unserviceable, as aforesaid; and that the
saide wardeins shall so often as need shall require, call the
assistants of the saide companie or the more parte of them into
their saide hall, and there take order for the defacing, burning,
breaking, and destroying of all the saide letters, presses, and
other printing instruments aforesaide; and thereupon shall cause
all suche printing presses, or other printing instruments, be
defaced, melted, sawed in pieces, broken, or battered, at the
smythes forge, or otherwise to be made unserviceable; and the
stuffe of the same so defaced, shall redelyver to the owners
thereof agayne, within three moneths next after the taking, or
seazing thereof, as aforesayde.
8. Item, That for the avoyding of the excessive number of
printers within this realme, it shall not be lawfull for any
person or persons, being free of the Companie of Stacioners,
on using the trade or mysterie of printing, booke-selling, or
booke-bynding, to have, take, and keepe hereafter, at one tyme,
any greater number of apprentizes, than shall be hereafter
expressed; that is to say, every person that hath been or shall
be master, or upper wardein of the companie, whereof he is free,
to keepe three apprentizes at one tyme, and not above; and every
person that is, or shall be under wardein, or of the liverie of
the companie whereof he is free, to keep two apprentizes, and not
above; and every person that is, or shall be of the yeomanrie
of the companie whereof he is, or shall be free, to keep one
apprentise (if he himself be not a journeyman) and not above.
Provided allwayes, that this ordinaunce shall not extend to the
queen’s majesties printer for the tyme being, for the service of
her majestie, and the realme, but that he be at libertie to keepe
and have apprentizes, to the number of sixe at any one tyme.
9. Item, That none of the printers in Cambridge, or Oxford, for
the tyme being, shall be suffered to have any more apprentizes,
than one at one tyme at the moste. But it is, and shall be
lawfull, to, and for the saide printers, and either of them, and
their successors, to have, and use the help of anye journeyman,
being freemen of the cittie of London, without contradiction; any
lawe, statute, or commaundement, contrarie to the meaning and
due execution of those ordinaunces, or any of them, in any wise
notwithstanding.
July 11, 1637.--“A decree of the Star Chamber concerning
printing,” was published by authority, restricting the number
of printers to twenty, besides his majesty’s printer, and the
printers allowed for the universities. The letter-founders were
at the same time restricted to four.
The allowed printers at this time were, Felix Kingstone, Adam
Islip, Thomas Purfoot, Miles Flesher, Thomas Harper, John
Beale, John Legat, Robert Young, John Haviland, George Miller,
Richard Badger, Thomas Cotes, Bernard Alsop, Richard Bishop,
Edward Griffin, Thomas Purslow, Richard John Raworth, Marmaduke
Hodkinsonne, John Dawson, John Parsons.
The letter-founders were, John Grismand, Arthur Nichols, Thomas
Wright, Alexander Fifeild.
13 & 14 Charles 2. c. 33. intituled “An Act for preventing Abuses
in Printing Seditious, Treasonable and Unlicensed Books and
Pamphlets, and for Regulating of Printing and Printing Presses.
“Whereas the well government and regulating of Printers and
Printing-Presses is matter of publick care, and of great
concernment, especially considering, that by the general
Licentiousness of the late Times, many evil-disposed Persons
have been encouraged to Print and sell Heretical, Schismatical,
Blasphemous, Seditious and Treasonable Books, Pamphlets and
Papers, and still do continue such their unlawful and exorbitant
practice, to the high dishonour of Almighty God, the indangering
the Peace of these Kingdoms, and raising a disaffection to
his most excellent Majesty and his Government: For prevention
whereof, no surer means can be advised, than by reducing and
limiting the number of Printing-Presses, and by ordering
and settling the said Art or Mystery of Printing by Act of
Parliament, in manner as herein after is expressed:
s. 2. “The King’s most excellent Majesty, by and with the consent
and advice of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and Commons in
this present Parliament assembled, doth therefore ordain and
enact, and be it ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid,
That no person or persons whatsoever shall presume to Print,
or cause to be Printed, either within this Realm of _England_,
or any other his Majesty’s Dominions, or in the Parts beyond
the Seas, any Heretical, Seditious, Schismatical or offensive
Books or Pamphlets, wherein any Doctrine or Opinion shall be
asserted or maintained, which is contrary to the Christian
Faith, or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of _England_,
or which shall or may tend, or be to the scandal of Religion,
or the Church, or the Government or Governors of the Church,
State or Common-wealth, or of any Corporation or particular
person or persons whatsoever; nor shall Import, Publish, Sell or
Disperse any such Book or Books, or Pamphlets, nor shall cause or
procure any such to be published or put to sale, or to be Bound,
Stitched, or Sewed together.
s. 3. “And be it further ordained and enacted by the Authority
aforesaid, That no private person or persons whatsoever shall
at any time hereafter Print or cause to be Printed any Book, or
Pamphlet whatsoever, unless the same Book and Pamphlet, together
with all and every the Titles, Epistles, Prefaces, Proems,
Preambles, Introductions, Tables, Dedications, and other matters
and things thereunto annexed, be first Entred in the Book of the
Register of the Company of Stationers in _London_, Except Acts
of Parliament, Proclamations, and such other Books and Papers as
shall be appointed to be Printed by virtue of any Warrant under
the King’s Majesties Sign-Manual, or under the Hand of one or
both of his Majesties Principal Secretaries of State; and unless
the same Book and Pamphlet, and also all and every the said
Titles, Epistles, Prefaces, Proems, Preambles, Introductions,
Tables, Dedications, and other matters and things whatsoever
thereunto annexed, or therewith to be Imprinted, shall be first
lawfully Licensed and Authorized to be Printed by such Person and
Persons only as shall be constituted and appointed to License the
same, according to the Direction and true meaning of this present
Act herein after expressed, and by no other; (that is to say)
That all Books concerning the Common-Laws of this Realm, shall
be Printed by the special Allowance of the Lord-Chancellor, or
Lord Keeper of the Great-Seal of _England_ for the time being,
the Lords Chief-Justices, and Lord Chief-Baron for the time
being; or one or more of them, or by their, or one or more of
their appointments; And that all Books of History concerning the
State of this Realm, or other Books concerning any Affairs of
State, shall be Licensed by the Principal Secretaries of State
for the time being, or one of them, or by their, or one of their
appointments; And that all Books to be Imprinted concerning
Heraldry, Titles of Honour, and Arms, or otherwise concerning the
Office of Earl-Marshal, shall be Licensed by the Earl-Marshal for
the time being, or by his appointment, or in case there shall not
then be an Earl-Marshal, shall be Licensed by the three Kings
of Arms, _Garter_, _Clarencieux_, and _Norroy_, or any two of
them, whereof _Garter_ Principal King of Arms to be one; And
that all other Books to be Imprinted or Reprinted, whether of
Divinity, Physick, Philosophy, or whatsoever other Science or
Art, shall be first Licensed and allowed by the Lord Archbishop
of _Canterbury_, and Lord Bishop of _London_, for the time
being, or one of them, or by their or one of their Appointments,
or by either of the Chancellors, or Vice-Chancellors of the
Universities of this Realm for the time being; Provided always,
that the said Chancellors, or Vice-Chancellors of either of
the said Universities shall only License such Books as are
to be Imprinted or Reprinted within the Limits of the said
Universities respectively, but not in _London_ or elsewhere, not
medling either with Books of Common-Laws, or matters of State
or Government, nor any Book or Books, the right of Printing
whereof doth solely and properly belong to any particular Person
or Persons, without his or their Consent first obtained in that
behalf.
s. 4. “And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That every
person or persons who by virtue of this present Act are, or
shall be appointed, or authorised to License the Imprinting of
Books, or Reprinting thereof with any Additions or Amendments,
as aforesaid, shall have one written Copy of the same Book or
Books which shall be so Licensed to be Imprinted or Reprinted
with the Titles, Epistles, Prefaces, Tables, Dedications, and
all other things whatsoever thereunto annexed; which said Copy
shall be delivered by such Licencer or Licencers to the Printer
or Owner after the Imprinting thereof, and shall be solely and
intirely returned by such Printer or Owner after the imprinting
thereof, unto such Licencer or Licencers, to be kept in the
publick Registries of the said Lord Archbishop, or Lord Bishop
of _London_ respectively, or in the Office of the Chancellor
or Vice-Chancellor of either of the said Universities, or with
said Lord-Chancellor or Lord-Keeper of the Great Seal for the
time being, or Lord Chief-Justices, or Chief-Baron, or one of
them, or the said Principal Secretaries of State, or with the
Earl-Marshal, or the said Kings of Arms, or one of them, of all
such Books as shall be Licensed by them respectively; and if
such Book so to be Licensed shall be an _English_-Book, or of
the _English_-Tongue, there shall be two written Copies thereof
delivered to the Licencer or Licencers (if he or they shall so
require), one Copy whereof so Licensed shall be delivered back to
the said Printer or Owner, and the other Copy shall be reserved
and kept as is aforesaid, to the end such Licencer or Licencers
may be secured, that the Copy so Licensed shall not be altered
without his or their privity; And upon the said Copy Licensed to
be Imprinted, he or they who shall so Licence the same, shall
testifie under his or their Hand or Hands, That there is not any
thing in the same contained that is contrary to the Christian
Faith, or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of _England_,
or against the State or Government of this Realm, or contrary
to good Life, or good Manners, or otherwise as the nature and
subject of the Work shall require; Which Licence or Approbation
shall be printed in the beginning of the same Book, with the Name
or Names of him or them that shall Authorize or License the same,
for a Testimony of the Allowance thereof.
s. 5. “And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That
every Merchant of Books, and Person or Persons whatsoever, who
doth, or hereafter shall Import or bring any Book or Books into
this Realm from any Parts beyond the Seas, shall Import the same
in the Port of _London_ only, and not elsewhere, without the
special Licence of the Archbishop of _Canterbury_, and Bishop
of _London_ for the time being, or one of them, who are hereby
authorized to grant Licences for that purpose, and shall before
such time as the same Book or Books, or any of them be delivered
forth, or out of his or their hand or hands, or exposed to
Sale, give and present a true Note or Catalogue in writing of
all and every such Book or Books, unto the Lord Archbishop of
_Canterbury_, and Lord Bishop of _London_ for the time being,
or to one of them, and no Merchant or other Person or Persons
whatsoever which shall import or bring any Book or Books into
the Port of _London_ aforesaid, from any Parts beyond the Seas,
shall presume to open any Dry-Fats, Bales, Packs, Maunds, or
other Fardles of Books, or wherein Books are, nor shall any
Searcher, Waiter, or other Officer, belonging to the Customhouse,
upon pain of losing his or their Place or Places, suffer the
same to pass, or to be delivered out of his or their hands or
custody, before such time as the Lord Archbishop of _Canterbury_
and the Lord Bishop of _London_ for the time being, or one of
them, shall have appointed some Scholar or Learned Man, with
one or more of the said Company of Stationers, and such others
as they shall call to their Assistance, to be present at the
opening thereof, and to view the same; And if there shall happen
to be found any Heretical, Seditious, Scandalous, Schismatical,
or other dangerous or offensive Book or Books, or any part of
such Book or Books printed in _English_, they shall forthwith be
brought to the said Lord Archbishop of _Canterbury_, and Lord
Bishop of _London_ for the time being, or to one of them, or to
some publick place to be assigned and chosen by the said Lord
Archbishop, and Lord Bishop for the time being, to the end the
person and persons which Importeth, or causeth the said offensive
Books to be Imported, may be proceeded against as an Offender
against this present Act; And also that such further course may
be taken concerning the same Offensive Book or Books, as by the
said Lord Archbishop and Bishop for the time being, shall be
thought fitting for the suppressing thereof.
s. 6. “And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That
no person or persons shall within this Kingdom, or elsewhere,
Imprint or cause to be Imprinted, nor shall Import or bring in,
or cause to be Imported or brought into this Kingdom from or
out of any other his Majesties Dominions, nor from any other
Parts beyond the Seas, any Copy or Copies, Book or Books, or
part of any Book or Books, or Forms of Blank-bills or Indentures
for any his Majesties Islands, printed beyond the Seas, or
elsewhere, which any person or persons by force or virtue of any
Letters-Patents granted or assigned, or which shall hereafter be
granted or assigned to him or them, or (where the same are not
granted by any Letters-Patent) by force or virtue of any Entry
or Entries thereof duly made or to be made in the Register-Book
of the said Company of Stationers, or in the Register-Book of
either of the Universities respectively, have or shall have the
Right, Priviledge, Authority, or Allowance, solely to Print,
without the consent of the Owner or Owners of such Book or Books,
Copy or Copies, Form or Forms of such Blank-bills, nor shall
Bind, Stitch, or put to Sale any such Book or Books, or part of
any Book or Books, Form or Forms, without the like consent, upon
pain of loss and forfeiture of the same, and of being proceeded
against as an Offender against this present Act, and upon the
further penalty and forfeiture of Six shillings eight pence for
every such Book or Books, or part of such Book or Books, Copy or
Copies, or Form or Forms of any such Blank-bills or Indentures
so Imprinted or Imported, Bound, Stitched, or put to Sale; The
moiety of which said forfeiture and forfeitures shall be to the
use of our Sovereign Lord the King, his Heirs and Successors,
and the other moiety to the use of the Owner or Owners,
Proprietors of such Copy or Copies, Book or Books, or Form of
such Blank-bills or Indentures, if he or they shall sue for the
same within Six Months next after such Imprinting, Importing,
Binding, Stitching, or putting to Sale; And in default of such
Suit by the Owner or Owners, Proprietor or Proprietors, commenced
within the said Six Months, Then the same moiety shall be to
the use and behoof of such other person and persons as within
the space of one Year next after the said Offence committed,
shall sue for the same, to be recovered by Action of Debt, Bill,
Plaint or Information, in any of his Majesties Courts of Record
held at _Westminster_, called the King’s-Bench, Common-Pleas, or
Exchequer, wherein no Essoign, Wager of Law, or Protection shall
be allowed to the Defendant or Defendants.
s. 7. “And be it further enacted and declared, That every person
and persons that shall hereafter Print, or cause to be Printed
any Book, Ballad, Chart, Pourtracture, or any other thing or
things whatsoever, shall thereunto, or thereon, Print and set his
or their own Name or Names, and also shall declare the Name of
the Author thereof, if he be thereunto required by the Licencer
under whose Approbation the Licensing of the said Book, Ballad,
Chart, or Pourtracture shall be Authorized, and by and for whom
any such Book or other thing is or shall be Printed, upon pain
of forfeiture of all such Books, Ballads, Charts, Pourtractures,
and other thing or things Printed contrary to the Tenor hereof;
And the Presses, Letters, and other Instruments for Printing,
wherewith such Book, Ballad, Pourtracture, or other thing or
things shall be so Imprinted, or set or prepared for the Printing
thereof, to be defaced and made unserviceable; And that no person
or persons shall hereafter Print, or cause to be Imprinted, nor
shall forge, put or counterfeit in or upon any Book or Pamphlet,
the Name, Title, Mark, or Vinnet of any person or persons which
hath or shall have lawful Priviledge, Authority or Allowance of
sole Printing the same, without the free consent of the person
or persons so Priviledged first had and obtained, upon pain that
every person and persons so offending, shall forfeit and lose all
such Books and Pamphlets, upon which such counterfeit Name or
Mark shall be Imprinted, and shall further be proceeded against
as an Offender against this present Act.