# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Johannes of Speyer's Printing Monopoly, Venice (1469)

Source: scanned from the manuscript held in the Venetian State Archives: ASV, NC, reg. 11, c. 55r

Citation:
Johannes of Speyer's Printing Monopoly, Venice (1469), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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Chapter 1 Page 1

[...]

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


Transcription by: Joanna Kostylo

    

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