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Rules for Printers and Book Merchants' Guild in Madrid , Madrid (1763)

Source: Archivo General de Simancas, GYJ-979

Citation:
Rules for Printers and Book Merchants' Guild in Madrid , Madrid (1763), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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            Chapter 1 Page 2 of 9 total







      2
      have an effect and from we hope for
      further graces with which we can en-
      courage printers and develop this trade,
      and the public can benefit from better
      prints and moderate prices: both
      interested parties have agreed to
      establish a guild supporting and
      taking this trade forward in accordance with
      the following rules:
      
                              FIRST
      
      This guild will accept all printers
      and book merchants from these
      kingdoms, who have their own
      press and public bookshop and
      officials from both arts who would
      like to be interested in trading and
      printing that until now have been
      halted by privileges granted to
      communities or mortmain,
      abolished now by the said
      Royal Order of 22 March 1763. This
      Order releases other books so that
      each of these printers and book mer-
      chants may print them with the
                                                                  

      
                                                                  3
      necessary licences; and authors may
      print the works they write for their
      account. The guild has the right and
      faculty to make a first offer for the
      privilege, that they pass to any individual,
      as it is granted by Your Worship to the
      printers, who then give it to the guild.
      
                              II.
      
      That this guild must not be only limited
      to printing the books for which Your
      Worship has abolished privileges, by
      extending printing to all Spanish authors
      that hitherto have been introduced by
      foreigners, in order to avoid withdrawing
      fortunes. May your Royal spirit be verified
      by this art and trade flourishing within
      your domains. In mutual agreement with
      other officials from this guild, the Director
      should select the books to be printed,
      maintaining plurality votes, and for this
      purpose, both interested groups should
      appoint two representatives, who run for
      such election.
      
                              A2                              III


    






      2
      peramos otras gracias, y que con ellas
      se fomenten las Imprentas, y florezca este
      Comercio, y el Pùblico experimente el be-
      neficio de las mejores Impresiones, y
      moderados precios: Hemos acordado am-
      bas Comunidades formar una Compañìa,
      que pueda sostener, y llevar adelante este
      Comercio, bajo las Reglas siguientes.
      
                              PRIMERA
      
      En esta Compañìa se admitiràn à to
      dos los Impressores, y Mercaderes
      de Libros de estos Reinos, que tengan
      Imprenta propia, y tienda pùblica de Li-
      bros, y a los Oficiales de ambas Artes,
      que quieran interesarse en el Comercio,
      e Impresiones de los que hasta el pre-
      sente han estado estancados por Privile-
      gios concedidos à Comunidades, ò ma-
      nos muertas, respecto de quedar abolì-
      dos por la referida Real Orden de 22.
      de Marzo de 1763, dexando en libertad
      los demàs Libros, para que cada uno de
      los expresados Impresores, y Mercade-
      res de ellos, puedan imprimirlos con las
                                                                  Li-

      
                                                                  3
      Licencias necesarias; y á los Autores la
      de que impriman de su cuenta las Obras
      que escribiesen, y á la Compañìa el de
      recho, y facultad de tantear el Privile-
      gio, que estos cedan à qualesquier Parti-
      cular, como está concedido por S. M.
      á los Impressores, quienes les ceden en
      ella.
                              II.
      
      Que no debiendose ceñir esta Com-
      pañìa à solo imprimir los Libros de que
      S. M. se ha servido abolìr los Privile-
      gios, por deber extenderse à la Impres-
      sion de todos los Autores Españoles, que
      hasta aqui se han introducido por los
      Estrangeros, para evitar la extraccion de
      Caudales, y que se verifique su Real ani-
      mo en que florezca en sus Dominios es-
      te Arte, y Comercio, deberàn los Direc-
      tores elegir de comun acuerdo con los
      demàs Oficiales de esta Compañìa, los
      Libros que se hayan de imprimir, guar-
      dando en ello la pluralidad de votos; para
      cuyo fin se nombraràn por ambas Comu-
      nidades dos Diputados, que concurran à
      su elección.
                              A2                              III


    

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