# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Censorship Rules, Madrid (1558)

Source: Biblioteca Nacional de España; BNE. pages 123-125 from Novísima recopilación de las Leyes de España. (Madrid : [s.n.], 1805-1807) -Signature 1/6722.

Citation:
Censorship Rules, Madrid (1558), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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                  BOOK VIII. TITLE XVI.
      





so that the above-mentioned formality
is sufficient and later on it cannot
be printed in any other way, and with other
things it can be read and examined;
to obviate this, and to avoid fraud,
we order that having read and examined
the original work and book submitted
to our Council and which a licence
should seemingly be granted for it,
is stamped and signed on every page
and sheet by one of our Registrars
from the Chamber who lives at our council,
and who they appoint. At the end of the book
they should mark the number and amount
of sheets and then sign with their name,
signing and numbering whatever
amendments there might be in the book,
and saving them at the end; And that this book
or work signed, stamped and numbered
in this way be delivered so that by doing this,
it shall be printed in no other way.
Afterwards, it is compulsory that
whoever does the printing brings the original
he was given to our Council,
with one or two volumes of the printed versions
so they can read and verify if the printed
versions comply with the said original
which must remain at our Council:
and the licence, tasa (price) and the privilege,
if applicable, are printed at the beginning of
every book, with the author’s and printer’s
name, and the place where it was printed:
and that this same order appears and is
kept in the books which having already been
printed,are newly printed: and that
this new print cannot be made without our
licence, and without the book, wherever
it is to be made, is seen, signed and stamped
in the manner and form as for new works
and books: We order that it is kept and
complies under the penalty
that whoever prints it, or makes it
available for printing, or who sells it
printed in any other way,and by not having
fulfilled and preceded according to the
above formalities, succumbs to and incurs
in losing his possessions and is perpetually
exiled from these kingdoms. And we order that
our Council keeps a bound book,
which includes a summary of the licences
granted for the said prints, and in the light
and examination of them, who they were given
to and the name of the author together
with the day, month and year.
      
4. And as it would be of great hindrance and impediment to
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      
      

generally keep this in all the books and
works that must be stamped within
these kingdoms; we allow missals,
breviaries and diurnals,
songbooks for Churches and Monasteries,
hour books in Latin and Romance,
primers for teaching children, Flos
Sanctorum, synodal constitutions,
Grammars, vocabularies, and other Latin study
books,printed in these kingdoms,
any books other than those mentioned,
new works, but those that were printed again,
can be printed and not submitted to our Council.
They do not require the said licence and
can be printed with a licence from the Prelates
and Ordinaries in their districts and diocese;
who shall examine and read and make
learned persons and those of letters and
conscience read and examine the said works
and books: And following this,
the licences that Prelates and Ordinaries
grant, shall be put at the beginning
of every book, according to what is
stated in those submitted
to our Council: this will be done like this and
if it is done or printed or sold otherwise,
it shall be under the threat of losing possessions
and being perpetually exiled from this kingdom:
but if the aforementioned books and works are
new and not printed in these kingdoms,
they shall be submitted to
our Council, according to and
in the way stated in the preceding
chapter. And with regard
to matters concerning the Holy Office,
we allow those printed under licence
from the Grand Inquisitor and of those
from our Council and Saint and
Grand Inquisition: and the papal bulls
and matters belonging to the Crusades
licensed by the Commissioner General:
and information or briefs taken from
litigations, which can be freely printed.
      
5. And because we are informed that
in these kingdoms some people have
hand-written works and books,
which are not printed, that they report,
publish and assign with others, and
from whose reading and communication
disadvantages and damages have stemmed;
we order and uphold that no one
of whatever quality or condition can have
or communicate or assign or publish
other books or new works by hand,
about matters of the doctrine of the Ho-
      
      


    

      
                  LIBRO VIII. TITULO XVI.
      





de manera que la suso dicha diligencia no
bastase para que después no se pudiese
imprimir en otra manera, y con otras co-
sas de las que fueren vistas y examinadas;
para obviar esto, y que no se pueda ha-
cer fraude, mandamos, que la obra y li-
bro original que en nuestro Consejo se
presentare, habiéndose visto y examina-
do, y pareciendo tal que se debe dar li-
cencia, sea señalada y rubricada en cada
plana y hoja de uno de los nuestros Es-
cribanos de Cámara que residen en el
nuestro Consejo, qual por ellos fuere se-
ñalado; el qual al fin del libro ponga el
numero y cuenta de las hojas, y lo firme
con su nombre, rubricando y señalando las
enmiendas que en tal libro hobiere, y
salvándolas al fin; y que tal libro ó
obra así rubricado, señalado y numera-
do se entregue, para que por este y no
de otra manera se haga tal impresion;
y que después de hecha, sea obligado el
que así lo imprimiere a traer ál nuestro
Consejo el tal original que se le dio, con
uno ó dos volúmenes de los impresos
para que se vea y entienda si están con-
formes los impresos con el dicho origi-
nal, el qual original quede en el nuestro
Consejo: y que en principio de cada li-
bro, que así se imprimiere, se ponga la
licencia y la tasa, y privilegio, si le hubie-
re, y el nombre del autor y del impresor,
y lugar donde se imprimió: y que esta
misma órden se tenga y guarde en los li-
bros que, habiendo ya sido impresos, se
hiciere de ellos una nueva impresión: y
que esta tal nueva impresión no se pueda
hacer sin nuestra licencia, y sin que el li-
bro, donde se hubiere de hacer, sea visto
y rubricado y señalado en la manera y
forma que dicha en es en las obras y libros
nuevos: lo qual mandamos, que se guar-
de y cumpla, bajo pena que el que lo im-
primiere, ó diere á imprimir, ó vendiere
impreso en otra manera, y no habiendo
hecho y precedido las dichas diligencias
caiga é incurra en pena de perdimiento
de bienes y destierro perpetuo destos
Reynos. Y mandamos, que en el nuestro
Consejo haya un libro enquadernado, en
que se ponga por memoria las licencias
que para las dichas impresiones se dieren,
y la vista y exámen dellos, y las personas
á quien se dieren, y el nombre del autor
con dia, mes y año.
      
4. Y porque habiéndose de hacer guar-
      

dar lo suso dicho en todos los libros y
obras generalmente, que en estos Reynos
se hubiesen de imprimir, sería de gran
embarazo é impedimento; permitimos,
que los libros misales, breviarios y diur-
nales, libros de canto para las Iglesias y
Monasterios, horas en latín y en roman-
ce, cartillas para enseñar á niños, Flos>
Sanctorum, constituciones sinodales, ar-
tes de Gramática, vocabularios, y otros
libros de Latinidad, de los que se han
impreso en estos Reynos, no siendo los
dichos libros, de que se ha dicho, obras
nuevas, sino de las que ya otra vez estan
impresas, se puedan imprimir sin que se
presenten en nuestro Consejo, ni preceda
dicha licencia, y que se pueda hacer la
tal impresión con licencia de los Perlados
y Ordinarios en sus distritos y diócesis;
los cuales examinen y vean, y hagan ver
y examinar a personas doctas, y de letras
y conciencia dichas obras y libros: y las
licencias que, hecho esto, se dieren por
los Perlados y Ordinarios, se pongan en
los principios de cada libro, según que
está dicho en las que se presentaren en el
nuestro Consejo: lo cual se haga así, so
pena de perdimiento de bienes y destier-
ro perpetuo de este Reyno al que de otra
manera lo hiciere ó imprimiere ó ven-
diere: pero si los dichos libros y obras
fueren nuevos, que no se hubieren impre-
so en estos Reynos, se presenten
en nuestro Consejo, segun y por la forma
que dicha es en el precedente capítulo. Y
en cuanto á las cosas tocantes al Santo Ofi-
cio, permitimos, que aquéllas se impri-
man con licencia del Inquisidor general,
y de los del nuestro Consejo de la Santa
y general Inquisicion: y las bulas y cosas
pertenecientes á la Cruzada con licencia
del Comisario general: y las informacio-
nes o memoriales que se hacen en los pley-
tos, que se puedan imprimir libremente.
      
5. Y porque somos informados, que en
estos reinos hay y se tienen por algunas
personas obras y libros escritos a mano,
que no están impresas, las cuales comu-
nican, publican y confieren con otros, de
cuya lectura y comunicación se han se-
guido inconvenientes y daños; mandamos
y defendemos, que ninguna persona, de
cualquier calidad ó condicion que sea,
no tenga ni comunique ni confiere ni
publique otros libros ni obra nueva de ma-
no, que sea de materia de doctrina de sa-
      


    

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