# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Don Quixote’s Privilege , Madrid (1605)

Source: Biblioteca de Catalunya, Cerv. Vitr. I-3

Citation:
Don Quixote’s Privilege , Madrid (1605), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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            Chapter 1 Page 2 of 3 total




                                                THE KING
      
      Whereas a petition has been made by you, Miguel de Cer-
      vantes, informing us that you had composed a book
      entitled The ingenious gentleman of la Mancha,
      upon which you had spent much labour and which was
      very useful and beneficial, you asked and besought us
      to command a licence and faculty for its printing, and
      a privilege for the period of time we would have served
      or as should seem good to us. Having been reviewed by our
      council, taking into account that the mentioned book has
      been subjected to the formalities as determined by the
      (ordinance) pragmática on the printing of books, it was
      agreed that we should order to issue our permit to you.
      
      We, therefore, in order to make good and favour you,
      we grant you a licence and faculty so that you, or the person
      you empowered, and no one else, may print the said
      book, entitled The ingenious gentleman of la Mancha,
      in all the kingdoms of Castile, for the time and space of
      ten years to be run and counted from the day of the
      date of this our certificate. If a person or persons not
      empowered by you, print or sell, or arrange for it to be printed
      or sold, he shall loose the prints done, and the moulds and
      utensils used and shall pay a fine of fifty thousands
      marauedís for each offence committed. The third part
      of the said fine shall be for the person who claims;
      another third should be for our treasury and another
      third part should be for the judge who heard the case.
      As a result, on every occassion the mentioned book
      is printed during the ten year period, you should
      bring it to our council, together with the original which
      has already been seen by the council,
                                                                              



    



                                                EL REY
      
      Por cuanto por parte de vos, Miguel de Cer-
      vantes, nos fue fecha relación que hauiades com-
      puesto un libro,intitulado El ingenioso Hidalgo
      de la Mancha, el qual osauia costado mucho tra-
      bajo y era muy útil y provechoso, y nos pedistes y supli-
      castes os mandásemos dar licécia y facultad, para le po-
      der imprimir, y preuilegio por el tiépo que fuésemos
      servidos, o como la nuestra merced fuese; lo cual visto
      por los del nuestro Consejo, por quáto en el dicho libro
      se hizieron las diligencias que la premática últimamen
      te por nos fecha sobre la impresión de los libros dispo
      ne, fue acordado que deuiamos mandar dar esta nuestra
      cedula para vos, en la dicha razón, y nos tuvímoslo por
      bien. Por la cual, por os hazer bien y merced, os damos
      licencia y facultad para que vos, o la persona que vuestro
      poder huuiere, y no otra alguna, podays imprimir el di
      cho libro, intitulado El ingenioso hidalgo de la Mancha,que
      desuso se haze menció, en todos estos nuestros Reynos
      de Castilla, por tiempo y espacio de diez años, que co
      rran y se cuenté desde el dicho día de la data desta nues
      tra cédula. So pena que la persona o personas que sin
      tener vuestro poder lo imprimiere, o vendiere: o hiziere
      imprimir, o vender, por el mesmo caso pierda la impres-
      sión que hiziere, con los moldes y aparejos della, y más
      incurra en pena de cincuenta mil marauedís, cada vez que
      lo cóntrario hiziere. La cual dicha pena sea la tercia par-
      te para la persona que lo acusare: y la otra tercia parte
      para nuestra Camara: y la otra tercia parte para el juez
      que lo sentenciare. Con tanto que todas las vezes que
      huuiéredes de hazer imprimir el dicho libro, durante
      el tiempo de los dichos diez años, le traygáis al nuestro
      Consejo, juntamente con el original que en él fue visto,
                                                                              que



    

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Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900) is co-published by Faculty of Law, University of Cambridge, 10 West Road, Cambridge CB3 9DZ, UK and CREATe, School of Law, University of Glasgow, 10 The Square, Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK