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                                    1469, 18 September

The art of printing books has been introduced into our renowned state, and from
day to day it has become more popular and common through the efforts, study and
ingenuity of Master Johannes of Speyer, who chose our city over all the others. Here he
lives with his wife, children and whole household; practices the said art of printing
books; has just published, to universal acclaim, the Letters of Cicero and Pliny's noble
work On Natural History, in the largest type and with the most beautiful letter-forms; and
continues every day to print other famous volumes so that [this state] will be enriched by
many, famous volumes, and for a low price, by the industry and fortitude of this man.
Whereas such an innovation, unique and particular to our age and entirely unknown to
those ancients, must be supported and nourished with all our goodwill and resources and
[whereas] the same Master Johannes, who suffers under the great expense of his
household and the wages of his craftsmen, must be provided with the means so that he
may continue in better spirits and consider his art of printing something to be expanded
rather than something to be abandoned, in the same manner as usual in other arts, even
much smaller ones, the undersigned lords of the present Council, in response to the
humble and reverent entreaty of the said Master Johannes, have determined and by
determining decreed that over the next five years no one at all should have the desire,
possibility, strength or daring to practice the said art of printing books in this the
renowned state of Venice and its dominion, apart from Master Johannes himself. Every
time that someone shall be found to have dared to practice this art and print books in
defiance of this determination and decree, he must be fined and condemned to lose his
equipment and the printed books. And, subject to the same penalty, no one is permitted or
allowed to import here for the purpose of commerce such books, printed in other lands
and places.


It is now without force,
since the master and author has died.


                  Councillors
                  Ser Angelus Gradenico
                  Ser Bertuccius Contareno
                  Ser Angelus Venerio
                  Ser Iacobus Mauroceno
                  Ser Franciscus Dandulo

    

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[...]

Mcccclxviij, die xviij septembris
      INDucta est in hanc nostram inclytam ciuitatem ars imprimendi libros: in diesque magis celebrior et
frequentior fiet per operam, studium et ingenium magistri Ioannis de Spira, qui caeteris
aliis urbibus hanc n[os]tram praeelegit, ubi cum coniuge,liberis et familia tota sua inhabitaret
exerceretq[ue] dictam artem librorum imprimendorum; iamque summa omnium commendatione impressit
epistolas Ciceronis, et nobile opus Plinii De naturali historia, in maximo numero et pulcherima
litterarum forma, pergitque quottidie alia preclara volumina imprimere, adeo ut,
industria et virtute huius hominis, multis praeclarisque voluminibus, et quidem peruilli
pretio locupletabitu: Etquoniam tale inventum, aetatis nostrae peculiare et proprium, priscis
illis omnino incognitum, omni fauore et ope augendum atque fovendum est, eidemque ma-
gistro Ioanni, qui mango urgetur sumptu familiae et artificum mercede, praestanda
sit materia ut alacrius perseveret, artemque suam imprimendi potius celebriorem red-
dere, quam desinere habeat, Quemadmodum in aliis exercitiis sustentandis, et multo quidem in-
ferioribus, fieri solitum est: infrascripti domini Consiliarii, ad humilem et devotam supplica-
tionem praedicti magistri Ioannis, terminarunt, terminandoque decreverunt, ut, per annos
quinque proxime futuros, nemo omnino sit qui velit, posit, valeat, audeatve {no} exercere
dictam artem imprimendorum librorum in hac inclyta civitate Venetiarum et districtu
suo, nisi ipse magister Ioannes. Et totiens, quotiens aliquis inventus fuerit, qui contra
hanc terminationem et decretum ausus fuerit exercere ipsam artem et imprimere
libros, multari condemnarique debeat, et amittere instrumenta et libros impressos. Et
sub hac eadem poena nemo debeat aut posit tales libros, in aliis terris et locis impressos,
vendendi causa huc portare.

Nullius est vigoris quia obiit
magister et auctor.


                                                Consiliarii

                                          Ser Angelus Gradenico
                                          Ser Bertuccius Contareno
                                          Ser Angelus Venerio
                                          Ser Iacobus Mauroceno
                                          Ser Franciscus Dandulo