In Camera Stellata coram Con cilio ibidem, vndecimo die Iulii, Regis. |Mprimis, That no perfon or persons whatfoeuer fhall presume to print, or cause to bee printed, either in the parts beyond the Seas, or in this Realme, or other his Maiefties Dominions, any feditious, fcifmaticall, or offenfive Rookes or Pamphlets, to the scandall of Religion, or the Church, or the Government, or Governours of the Church or State, or Commonwealth, or of any Corporation, or particular person or perfons whatsoeuer, nor fhall import any fuch Booke or Bookes, nor fell or dispose of them, or any of them, nor cause any fuch to be bound, ftitched, or fowed, vpon paine that he or they fo offending, shall loose all fuch Bookes and Pamphlets, and alfo haue, and suffer fuch correction, and severe punishment, either by Fine, imprisonment, or other corporall punishment, or otherwise, as by this Court, or by His Maiefties Commifsioners for causes Ecclefiafticall in the high Commission Court, refpectiuely, as the feveral caufes fhall require, fhall be thought fit to be inflicted upon him, or them, for such their offence and contempt. II. Item, That no perfon or perfons whatfoeuer, fhall at any time print or caufe to be imprinted, any Booke or Pamphlet whatsoever, vnleffe the fame Booke or Pamphlet, and alfo all and euery the Titles, Epiftles, Prefaces, Proems, Preambles, Introductions, Tables, Dedications, and other matters and things whatsoeuer thereunto annexed, or therewith imprinted, shall be first lawfully licenced and authorized onely by fuch perfon and perfons as are hereafter expreffed, and by no other, and shall be also first entred into the Registers Booke of the Company of Stationers; vpon paine that euery Printer offending therein, shall be for euer hereafter difabled to use or exercise the Art or Mysterie of Printing, and receiue fuch further punishment, as by this Court or the high Commission Court refpectiuely, as the severall causes fhall require, shall be thought fitting III. Item, That all Bookes concerning the cominon Lawes of this Realme shall be printed by the especiall allowance of the Lords chiefe Iuftices, and the Lord chiefe Baron for the time being, or one or more of them, or by their appointment; And that all Books of History, belonging to this State, and present times, or any other Rooke of State affaires, shall be licenced by the principall Secretaries of State, or one of them, or by their appointment; And that all Bookes concerning Heraldry, Titles of Honour and Armes, or otherwise concerning the Office of Earle Marshall, fhall be licenced by the Earle Marshall, or by his appointment; And further, that all other Books, whether of Diuinitie, Phificke, Philofophie, Poetry, or whatsoeuer, shall be allowed by the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, or Bishop of London for the time being, or by their appointment, or the Chancellours, or Vice Chancellors of either of the Vinuerfities of this Realme for the time being. Alwayes prouided, that the Chancellour or ViceChancellour, of either of the Vniuerfities, fhall Licence onely fuch Booke or Bookes that are to be Printed within the limits of the Vniuerfities refpectiuely, but not in London, or elsewhere, not medling either with Bookes of the common Law, or matters of State. IV. Item, That euery perfon and perfons, which by any Decree of this Court are, or shall be appointed or authorized to Licence Bookes, or giue Warrant for imprinting thereof, as is aforefaid, shall haue two feuerall written Copies of the fame Booke or Bookes with the Titles, Epiftles, Prefaces, Proems, Preambles, Introductions, Tables, Dedications, and other things whatfoeuer thereunto annexed. One of which faid Copies fhall be kept in the publike Registries of the faid Lord Arch-Bishop, and Bishop of London refpectiuely, or in the Office of the Chancellour, or Vice-Chancellour of either of the Vniuersities, or with the Earle Marshall, or principall Secretaries of State, or with the Lords chiefe Iuftices, or chiefe Baron, of all fuch Bookes as fhall be licensed by them respectiuely, to the end that he or they may be fecure, that the Copy fo licensed by him or them shall not bee altered without his or their priuitie, and the other shall remain with him whose Copy it is, and vpon both the faid Copies, he or they that shall allow the faid Booke, shall teftifie vnder his or their hand or hands, that there is nothing in that Booke or Books contained, that is contrary to Christian Faith, and the Doctrine and Discipline of the Church of England, nor against the State or Gouernment, nor contrary to good life, or good manners, or otherwise, as the nature and fubiect of the work shall require, which license or approbation fhall be imprinted in the beginning of the fame Booke, with the name, or names of him or them that shall authorize or license the same, for a testimonie of the allowance thereof. V. Item, That every Merchant of bookes, and perfon and perfons whatfoeuer, which doth, or hereafter fhall buy, or import, or bring any booke or bookes into this Realme, from any parts beyond the Seas, fhall before fuch time as the same book or books, or any of them be deliuered forth, or out of his, or their hand or hands, or expofed to fale, giue, and prefent a true Catalogue in writing of all and euery fuch booke and bookes vnto the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, or Lord Bishop of London for the time being, vpon paine to haue and fuffer fuch punishment for offending herein, as by this Court, or by the faid high Commission Court refpectiuely, as the feueral causes shall require, fhall be thought fitting. VI. Item, That no Merchant, or other person or perfons whatsoeuer, which fhall import or bring any book or books into the kingdome, from any parts beyond the Seas, fhall prefume to open any Dry-fats, Bales, Packs, Maunds, or other Fardals of books, or wherein books are; nor fhall any Searcher, Wayter, or other Officer belonging to the Cuftome-houfe, vpon pain of loofing his or their place or places, fuffer the fame to paffe, or to be deliuered out of their hands or cuftody, before fuch time as the Lord Arch-Bishop of Canterbury, or Lord Bishop of London, or one of them for the time being, haue appointed one of their Chaplains, or some other learned man, with the Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers, or one of them, and fuch others as they shall call to their assistance, to be present at the opening thereof, and to view the fame: And if there fhall happen to be found any feditious, fchifmaticall or offenfiue booke bookes, they fhall forthwith be brought vnto the said Lord Arch-bishop of Canterbury, Lord Bishop of London for the time being, or one of them, or to the High Commission Office, to the end that as well the offendor or offendors may be punished by the Court of Star Chamber, or the high Commifsion Court refpectiuely, as the feuerall causes shall require, according to his or their demerit; as also that fuch further course and order may be taken concerning the fame booke or bookes, as shall bee thought fitting. or VII. Item, That no person or perfons shall within this Kingdome, or elsewhere imprint, or cause to be imprinted, nor shall import or bring in, or cause to be imported or brought into this Kingdome, from, or out of any other His Maiefties Dominions, nor from other, or any parts beyond the Seas, any Copy, book or books, or part of any booke or bookes, printed beyond the feas, or elsewhere, which the faid Company of Stationers, or any other perfon or perfons haue, or fhall by any Letters Patents, Order, or Entrance in their Register book, or otherwife, haue the right, priuiledge, authoritie, or allowance foly to print, nor shall bind, stitch, or put to fale, any fuch booke or bookes, vpon paine of loffe and forfeiture of all the faid bookes, and of fuch Fine, or other punishment, for euery booke or part of a booke so imprinted or imported, bound, ftitched, or put to fale, to be leuyed of the party fo offending, as by the power of this Court, or the high Commifsion Court refpectiuely, as the severall causes shall require, fhall be thought fit. VIII. Item, Euery perfon and perfons that shall hereafter Print, or caufe to be Printed, any Bookes, Ballads, Charts, Portraiture, or any other thing or things whatsoeuer, shall thereunto or thereon Print and fet his and their owne name or names, as also the name or names of the Author or Authors, Maker or Makers of the fame, and by, or for whom any fuch booke, or other thing is, or shall be printed, vpon pain of forfiture of all fuch Books, Ballads, Chartes, Portraitures, and other thing or things, printed contrary to this Article; And the preffes, Letters and other inftruments for Printing, wherewith fuch Books, ballads, Chartes, Portraitures, and other thing or things. shall be printed, to be defaced and made vnferuiceable, and the party and parties fo offending, to be fined, imprisoned and haue fuch other corporall punishment, or otherwise, as by this Honourable Court, or the said high Commission refpectiuely, as the feuerall causes fhall require, fhall be thought fit. IX. Item, That no perfon or perfons whatfoeuer, fhall hereafter print, or cause to be printed, or fhall' forge, put, or counterfeit in, or vpon any booke or books, the name, title, marke or vinnet of the Company or Society of Stationers, or of any particular perfon or perfons, which hath or fhall haue lawfull priuiledge, authoritie, or allowance to print the fame, without the consent of the said Company, or party cr |