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2 translated pages

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Chapter 1 Page 1

      
      

            The King.

      For your part, Alonso Pérez,
      a Presbyterian clergyman, beneficiary of
      Rodilana, I have been informed that
      you are the author of Church books and
      on the understanding that there is a lack of
      them in the Church of our Indies, with
      zeal you must take advantage of this and
      because many are missing, you do not wish
      to do what is most convenient to the Divine
      Offices. You wish to print the the above-
      mentioned books on parchment and for
      the cost of printing to be for your expense.
      To do so, you hereby request that for ten
      years, no other person should print them
      in our Indies nor take them to any other
      kingdom. I have been asked to issue and
      grant a licence to you, or whoever you
      have empowered to do so, so that you may
      print these song books in parchment, or by
      any other means. Moreover, I, respecting the
      above, accept this as being good. Therefore,
      I hereby issue a licence and authorize you,
      Alonso Pérez, or whoever you have
      empowered to do so, for a time and period
      of ten years counted from the date of my
      certificate, so that you can print the above-
      mentioned song books in parchment in our
      Indies, Islands and Terra Firma of the ocean.
      All the

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Chapter 1 Page 2

      
      volumes that you print can be sold.
      You can sell them, so that after they are
      printed and before selling them,
      you bring one of these books to our
      Council of the Indies so that the price
      at which each one can be sold is fixed.
      And until they are assessed, I hereby
      order that none of these books be sold.
      I defend that during the said time of
      ten years, no one in our Indies or
      beyond these kingdoms shall dare
      print or sell these books either in
      the said Indies or beyond them,
      except you, Alonso Pérez, or
      whoever you have empowered to do
      so. Otherwise, whoever has printed
      or sold the above-mentioned books
      shall lose all those they have printed
      and still have in their hands, as said.
      In addition, that person shall incur
      in a fine of fifty thousand maravedís.
      Half of this fine will go to you, Alonso Pérez,
      nd the other half to our Chamber
       and the Exchequer. Moreover, I hereby
      order our Council of the Indies and the
       viceroys, presidents, judges and governors
       and any other members of the justice
       who hold office now or in the future,
      that they keep and comply with this my
       certificate and everything it contains.
       According to its wording, form and contents,
      neither can they allow to elapse nor give their
       consent in any way during the said time of ten years,
       upon sentence of twenty thousand maravedís
       for our Chamber.
      Dated in Valladolid, at ten o’clock, on 7 June 1559.
      The Princess. Countersigned in
      Ochoa de Luyando. Signed by bachelor Birbiesca,
      Mr. Juan Sarmiento, Bázquez, Villagómez, Agreda, Castro.



Translation by: Kay Leach