---

1 translated page

---

Chapter 1 Page 1

THE TENOR OF THE PRIVILEGE.

      LOUIS BY THE GRACE OF GOD KING
of France, to the Provost of Paris, and to all our other lawmen and officers, or
their lieutenants, offers salutations and love. Our dearly beloved Master Eloy d’A=
merval has submitted to us that some time ago he did make and compose a good long book,
which deals with many amusing, consoling and salutary subjects concerning
how each must live within his own estate. This book bears the title Eloy’s Book of Devilry.
In the making and composition of this book, the aforementioned petitioner did employ and give up much
of his time, and spend a large part of his means. Intending as much
to communicate the book to those who wish to see it and benefit from it, as
to recover and recompense the sums required for its making and composition, he alone would
print this book to the exclusion of others for as long as it please us,
if it were our pleasure to give him leave to do so, and to show him our grace and magn=
animity in this matter. Having considered the question, it is
our inclination to look favourably upon the petition and request of this petitioner,
as upon those similar petitions submitted to us by certain of our particular servants.
To the petitioner in this matter, and to others that depend upon our judgement, we have
granted and permitted and do grant and permit by the present
leave, licence and permission that he and he alone, and no other, may
cause the aforementioned book to be printed by the printer and bookseller of his choosing,
and to be sold and delivered to any person wishing to purchase it,
for the duration of two whole years from the date of issue of the present [licence].
Without this permission no other printer may cause the book to be printed in any
way during that time. We also command and enjoin every one of you,
to whom this behoves, that, in order to enable the said petitioner to enjoy and benefit from our
grace, leave, licence, permission, and conferral, and from all that is contained in the present
[document], you issue, or cause to be issued, explicit injunctions and prohibitions, by our
authority and on pain of severe penalties to be applied by us, to all booksellers, printers, and
others, whether in our city of Paris or elsewhere, so that they do not print or cause to be
printed the book in question during this period without the leave and permission of the said peti=
tioner, this on pain of confiscation of any [copies] of the [book] found in their possession. For
this is our will, notwithstanding any orders, commandments,
proclamations or prohibitions to the contrary. Made at Blois, this 29th day of January,
in the year of Our Lord 1507, the tenth of our reign.                  Thus signed
by the councillor de Sauzay.


Translation by: Andrew Counter