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4 translated pages

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[Signed Receiver; unclear signature]

Deed of Commitment by some Booksellers in the Netherlands to counteract the making and selling of copies.

The undersigned, Booksellers in the Netherlands, have become aware, for considerable time, with the deepest indignation, that, notwithstanding the enacted Laws against Copying and the Selling thereof, some do not deny themselves, to, both secretly and openly, shamefully copy, sell or cause to be sold works, of which the copyright belongs to others, to no small loss and damage to those who have the exclusively right to the publication thereof. And deeming, that the not counteracting or putting an end to this, in every way shameful, as well as for the Book trade especially so degrading an act, is mainly attributable to the difficulty of initiating, as well as the costliness of continuing the proceedings against them. Thus, the undersigned, for the safeguarding of the, by this as well as other wrong doings, deeply dilapidated state of the bookstore in their midst, have united in order to, with joint force, counteract, further impede, and in future prevent this, and on the following conditions.

1.

They will, at the joint expense of the undersigned, in all possible ways, try to inform themselves what works have been, or are copied, which

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are the property of one or more of the undersigned, and procure the documentation necessary by law to this effect.

2.

Although each of the undersigned is obliged and held to do his part to ensure that this is observed by them collectively, they authorize, nevertheless, from amongst themselves, the booksellers A. Loosjes, Pz. in Haarlem, D. du Mortier in Leyden, and J.v.d. Heij in Amsterdam, to do, on behalf of the association, all the preparatory investigations, which might be thought necessary in this; while of those three is also demanded to make sure that this association, however much made up from different people, in this works with the same firmness as a single individual.

3.

Having obtained some and sufficiently complete evidence under art.1, secured according to the Acts, that some work, of one or more of the undersigned, is copied without authorization, that Copyer, or seller of those copies will be prosecuted, at joint expense, and sustain the proceedings necessary to the end, and furthermore, all that is possible will be done to ensure that these are concluded as succinctly and speedily as possible.

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Of this Deed are made as many true copies as there are Undersigners, which are signed by all, and the undersigned undertake to comply with that which is aforesaid, as if it were law.

Done in the residences of the respective undersigned, at the date and place which is conveyed at each Signature.

Leyden, the 13th of August 1815.
D. du Mortier & Son.
A. & J. Honkoop
D. du Saar

Amsterdam, 16th of August 1815.
Joh. van der Heij
W. van Vliet
W. Brave

Haarlem, 17th of August 1815.
A. Loosjes Pz.
J. L. Augustini

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Haarlem, the 18th of August 1815.
Francois Bohn

Groningen, the 26th of August 1815.
Wijbe Wouters
R. J. Schierbeek
J. Groenewolt
W. Zuidema

Leeuwarden, the 29th of August 1815.
J. W. Brouwer

Arnhem, the 1st of September 1815
P. Nijhoff

Deventer, the 8th of September 1815
J. H. de Lange

Utrecht, the 2nd of October 1815
J.G. van Terveen

Groningen, the 10th of October 1815
J. Oomkens

Zutphen, the 16th of January 1816
H. C. A. Thieme.

without amendment

[later added without indication of date and place]

P. d. Hengst & Son
in Amsterdam
A.J. van Weelden
L. Herdingh & Son
Wed. G. Warnars & Son,
W. van Bergen & Company
Brothers van Cleef


Recorded in Leyden, the twenty-fourth of July 1816, vol. 3, fo. 7 Ro cate. 8 & 9, 5o cate 1.-9, fo. 8 Ro cate. 1.-3 received one guilder sixteen stivers with increments.

[Signed Receiver; unclear signature]



Translation by: Miluska Kooij