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French book trade regulations, Paris (1665)
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France : Mss. Fr. 22071 n° 107
Citation:
French book trade regulations, Paris (1665), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
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3 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 1
RULING
and
REGULATIONS
OF THE COUNCIL,
Concerning privileges and renewals of
these for the printing or reprinting of
books old and new; for the benefit of
the Merchant Booksellers & Printers
of the Cities of Paris, Lyon, Rouen,
& other cities of the Kingdom.
PARIS.
___________
1665,
Chapter 1 Page 11
10
[...]
IT IS DECREED that those who have obtained letters of privilege
for printing and would like to obtain renewals [continuations] of these, in order to
indemnify themselves for their investments, expenses & labour, or
otherwise, shall be obliged to appear before His Majesty for this
purpose, one year before the expiry of the said letters; His Majesty
forbids them to
Chapter 1 Page 12
11
apply for, or obtain, any such renewals once the said deadline has
passed; As well as forbidding them to request any letters of privilege
or renewals [continuations] for the printing of ancient authors, unless their edition
has been considerably augmented or corrected, without this meaning
that others are prohibited from printing ancient editions that haven’t
been augmented or revised; And if any such privileges or renewals
[for non-revised editions] are somehow obtained in future, they shall
remain null and void. IT IS DECREED THAT those who have obtained
letters of privilege or renewals to these are obliged to announce them
to the Syndic of the Parisian Guild of Booksellers, who is in his turn
obliged to keep a special Register of these that can be consulted and
referred to; which Register he must show to anyone who requests to
see it; And by placing, at the beginning or at the end of books, a copy
of the said letters of privilege that were granted for their printing,
and having them recorded in the Book of the Guild of Booksellers
in Paris, publishers endowed with such privileges will have done all
that is required for these to count as duly and properly announced,
without any other form of registration being necessary, as long as
this is all done within three months of the date that the said privileges
have been obtained, and as long as the printing starts within six
months, all delays taken into account, and is carried on without
interruption. All this on pain of forfeiting the effect of the said
letters. IT IS DECREED, however, that where the renewals [continuations] of
privileges are concerned, those who obtain such renewals are
obliged to announce them to the Syndic, Adjuncts, or Masters
and Guards of the Booksellers’ Guilds of Lyon, Rouen, Toulouse,
Bordeaux & Grenoble (these cities being sufficient), so that nobody
can pretend to have been ignorant of these renewals and try to print
and counterfeit the said books under the pretext that the original
privilege had expired. His Majesty ENJOINS the Syndic, Adjuncts
and Masters and Guards to make sure that the present ruling is
implemented and to prevent any violations of it, on pain of being
personally called to account for any omissions; FOR THIS PURPOSE,
books for which privileges have been obtained may not be printed
outside of the cities of residence of the booksellers who have secured
the said privileges, on pain of confiscation of any copies that are
found to have been printed elsewhere, the invalidation of the said
privileges, and a fine of 3,000 livres; And the present ruling will
serve as a set of general regulations, notwithstanding the ruling
of the Parlement of Paris on 7 September 1657, and all other
regulations and rulings contrary to this; And in the case of any
infringements, His Majesty confirms that offenders can be
summoned before the Council on the strength of the present
ruling. DONE at the King’s Privy Council, convoked in Paris
on 27 February 1665. Signed: MAISSAT.
[...]
Translation by: Luis Sundkvist (pp.11-12)
Source: Bibliothèque nationale de France : Mss. Fr. 22071 n° 107
Citation:
French book trade regulations, Paris (1665), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
Back | Record | Images | No Commentaries
Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
3 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 1
and
REGULATIONS
OF THE COUNCIL,
Concerning privileges and renewals of
these for the printing or reprinting of
books old and new; for the benefit of
the Merchant Booksellers & Printers
of the Cities of Paris, Lyon, Rouen,
& other cities of the Kingdom.
___________
1665,
Chapter 1 Page 11
[...]
IT IS DECREED that those who have obtained letters of privilege
for printing and would like to obtain renewals [continuations] of these, in order to
indemnify themselves for their investments, expenses & labour, or
otherwise, shall be obliged to appear before His Majesty for this
purpose, one year before the expiry of the said letters; His Majesty
forbids them to
Chapter 1 Page 12
apply for, or obtain, any such renewals once the said deadline has
passed; As well as forbidding them to request any letters of privilege
or renewals [continuations] for the printing of ancient authors, unless their edition
has been considerably augmented or corrected, without this meaning
that others are prohibited from printing ancient editions that haven’t
been augmented or revised; And if any such privileges or renewals
[for non-revised editions] are somehow obtained in future, they shall
remain null and void. IT IS DECREED THAT those who have obtained
letters of privilege or renewals to these are obliged to announce them
to the Syndic of the Parisian Guild of Booksellers, who is in his turn
obliged to keep a special Register of these that can be consulted and
referred to; which Register he must show to anyone who requests to
see it; And by placing, at the beginning or at the end of books, a copy
of the said letters of privilege that were granted for their printing,
and having them recorded in the Book of the Guild of Booksellers
in Paris, publishers endowed with such privileges will have done all
that is required for these to count as duly and properly announced,
without any other form of registration being necessary, as long as
this is all done within three months of the date that the said privileges
have been obtained, and as long as the printing starts within six
months, all delays taken into account, and is carried on without
interruption. All this on pain of forfeiting the effect of the said
letters. IT IS DECREED, however, that where the renewals [continuations] of
privileges are concerned, those who obtain such renewals are
obliged to announce them to the Syndic, Adjuncts, or Masters
and Guards of the Booksellers’ Guilds of Lyon, Rouen, Toulouse,
Bordeaux & Grenoble (these cities being sufficient), so that nobody
can pretend to have been ignorant of these renewals and try to print
and counterfeit the said books under the pretext that the original
privilege had expired. His Majesty ENJOINS the Syndic, Adjuncts
and Masters and Guards to make sure that the present ruling is
implemented and to prevent any violations of it, on pain of being
personally called to account for any omissions; FOR THIS PURPOSE,
books for which privileges have been obtained may not be printed
outside of the cities of residence of the booksellers who have secured
the said privileges, on pain of confiscation of any copies that are
found to have been printed elsewhere, the invalidation of the said
privileges, and a fine of 3,000 livres; And the present ruling will
serve as a set of general regulations, notwithstanding the ruling
of the Parlement of Paris on 7 September 1657, and all other
regulations and rulings contrary to this; And in the case of any
infringements, His Majesty confirms that offenders can be
summoned before the Council on the strength of the present
ruling. DONE at the King’s Privy Council, convoked in Paris
on 27 February 1665. Signed: MAISSAT.
[...]
Translation by: Luis Sundkvist (pp.11-12)