Edicts and collegial writs. 1737.

19 July.

Edict (to the College of Missions) whereby the Vajsenhus [= Royal Orphanage] in Copenhagen is granted the privilege of printing exclusively the catechism which the King has allowed to be written by the court preacher E. Pontopiddan, so that no other person may undertake to reprint the same text, nor print it abroad and import it here, or else pay a fine of 500 riksdaler to the same

Vajsenhus or for some other divine purpose, and have their copies confiscated. The Vajsenhus, however, undertakes to always have sufficient copies in its possession so that those who wish to do so may reasonably avail themselves of a copy at the price of 10 shillings. Furthermore, the Vajsenhus shall annually, and without charge, and provided no other catechism has been instituted, give 1500 copies to the poor, and to such persons as the King shall approve, to be delivered only by the Vajsenhus, of which the Court Preacher shall be entitled to receive 100-200 copies if he so desires. (At the request of the College, the public authority in both kingdoms, which proposed that a considerable number of the above-mentioned catechisms should be included in the education of the young and should always be available).