^Superscript = inserted by original or different author between lines

[ ] = inserted by original or different author in margin

{ } = supplied by transcribers

Bold script [or] Bold Script or scribble = written in a different hand(s)

Strike through = crossed out, but legible

[XXX] = illegible

 

Arm. XXXIX v 27 F 436

 

Handwritten Privilege Translation[1]

 

[1-2] Greetings to our dear son Tomaso Pighinucci from Pietrasanta, cleric in Lucca, writer of the apostolic briefs, and our familiar.

 

[2-6] Whereas, as you have caused to be explained to us recently, you have busied yourself concerning the Medicine of Pliny the Elder, a work never before having been printed and known to few individuals up until now, whose printing required your own financing and resources, and [whereas] you spent a not small sum of money in the printing of this sort and, on this account, you seem to be deserving of praise from all men, particularly the men of letters for whose convenience you made this work.

 

[6-10] And [whereas], in order that you may not by some chance be afflicted by inconvenience and losses by anyone who, because of jealousy or desire of wealth, or compelled by some other reason, should presume to immediately print the aforementioned work and sell the volumes of that work having so printed them, and [with us] wishing to provide for your heirs and associates in this regard, inclined by your supplications,

 

[10-17] we forbid, by our apostolic authority, by the strength of the present decrees, each and all men – sellers of books and any others, whatever may be the preeminence of their status, standing, dignity, [or] order – that they not presume, within the next ten years, where applicable, to print the aforementioned work or to have it printed, or to provide advice, aid, or support to such men, under penalty of excommunication latae sententiae. And we declare that those aforementioned violators, or individuals of their kind, will have [immediately] incurred this penalty in the aforementioned event, now as well as in the future, and that [the potential violators] are hardly able to be relieved of that penalty unless they have agreed with you and [such agreement is] concerning your consent.

 

[17- ] And furthermore, to every and each patriarch, archbishop, bishop, abbot, prior, archpriest, decan, and others established in ecclesiastical dignity, seated in any locality, we command, through apostolic writings, that, in the aforementioned circumstance, upon each of your requests, or upon a request arranged by you [but made by someone else] having a charge specially for this matter, they [i.e., the authorities named above] should publicly denounce, at the penalty of public excommunication, through apostolic authority, each and every printer, and men causing the aforementioned volumes to be printed or offering advice, aid, or support to such an endeavor, within the aforementioned ten years.

 

[23-26] and, to the extent it advances your cause or the cause of your appointee, as mentioned above, [we command the authorities mentioned above that] they proceed by means of that same authority of ours, with the invocation even of the secular branches of authority, against all the aforementioned individuals [violating this protection], with the goal of those extreme punishments [i.e., public excommunication] by means of repeated [declarations], made more and more severe.

 

[26-27] We wish moreover that a price ought to be paid through the master of the sacred palace because of the printing of the same books.

 

[27-32] Notwithstanding apostolic constitutions and ordinances, and other contrary authorities of any kind, [including the decree] of our late predecessor Pope Boniface VIII, according to which no one should be called forth to judgment outside his State or diocese, except in certain excepted cases, and in those cases not beyond one specified jurisdiction, nor [the decree, according to which] judges may not be deputized to pursue legal action or initiate litigation against another or others [outside their jurisdiction], and [notwithstanding the edict] concerning the two diets published in the general Concilium.

 

[32-37] Moreover if, to [illicit] printers of the aforementioned volumes (or to men having the volume printed or giving advice or aid to those who do so [illicitly]), a later Pope should grant [a protection to the effect] that [such] violators are not to be indicted, suspended, excommunicated, or called to court beyond certain jurisdictions, not even a verbatim reference to [such a protective order] will make apostolic letters [pursuant to it] full and complete.

 

[37-38] Granted at Rome at Saint Peter’s under the ring of the Fisherman. On the 9th day of July, 1509, in the sixth year of our papacy.

 

F. Castilioneus

^Superscript = inserted by original or different author between lines

[ ] = inserted by original or different author in margin

{ } = supplied by transcribers

Bold script [or] Bold Script or scribble = written in a different hand(s)

Strike through = crossed out, but legible

[XXX] = illegible

 

Printed Privilege Translation[1]

 

[1-2] Greetings to our dear son Tomaso Pighinucci from Pietrasanta, cleric in Lucca, writer of the apostolic briefs, and our familiar.

 

[2-6] Whereas, as you have caused to be explained to us recently, you have busied yourself concerning the Medicine of Pliny the Elder, a work never before having been printed and known to few individuals up until now, whose printing required your own financing and resources, and [whereas] you spent a not small sum of money in the printing of this sort and, on this account, you seem to be deserving of praise from all men, particularly the men of letters for whose convenience you made this work.

 

[6-10] And [whereas], in order that you may not by some chance be afflicted by inconvenience and losses by anyone who, because of jealousy or desire of wealth, or compelled by some other reason, should presume to immediately print the aforementioned work and sell the volumes of that work having so printed them, and [with us] wishing to provide for your heirs and associates in this regard, inclined by your supplications,

 

[10-17] we forbid, by our apostolic authority, by the strength of the present decrees, each and all men – sellers of books and any others, whatever may be the preeminence of their status, standing, dignity, [or] order – that they not presume, within the next ten years, where applicable, to print the aforementioned work or to have it printed, or to provide advice, aid, or support to such men, under penalty of excommunication latae sententiae. And we declare that those aforementioned violators, or individuals of their kind, will have [immediately] incurred this penalty in the aforementioned event, now as well as in the future, and that [the potential violators] are hardly able to be relieved of that penalty unless they have agreed with you and [such agreement is] concerning your consent.

 

[17- ] And furthermore, to every and each patriarch, archbishop, bishop, abbot, prior, archpriest, decan, and others established in ecclesiastical dignity, seated in any locality, we command, through apostolic writings, that, in the aforementioned circumstance, upon each of your requests, or upon a request arranged by you [but made by someone else] having a charge specially for this matter, they [i.e., the authorities named above] should publicly denounce, at the penalty of public excommunication, through apostolic authority, each and every printer, and men causing the aforementioned volumes to be printed or offering advice, aid, or support to such an endeavor, within the aforementioned ten years.

 

[23-26] and, to the extent it advances your cause or the cause of your appointee, as mentioned above, [we command the authorities mentioned above that] they proceed by means of that same authority of ours, with the invocation even of the secular branches of authority, against all the aforementioned individuals [violating this protection], with the goal of those extreme punishments [i.e., public excommunication] by means of repeated [declarations], made more and more severe.

 

[26-27] We wish moreover that a price ought to be paid through the master of the sacred palace because of the printing of the same books.

 

[27-32] Notwithstanding apostolic constitutions and ordinances, and other contrary authorities of any kind, [including the decree] of our late predecessor Pope Boniface VIII, according to which no one should be called forth to judgment outside his State or diocese, except in certain excepted cases, and in those cases not beyond one specified jurisdiction, nor [the decree, according to which] judges may not be deputized to pursue legal action or initiate litigation against another or others [outside their jurisdiction], and [notwithstanding the edict] concerning the two diets published in the general Concilium.

 

[32-37] Moreover if, to [illicit] printers of the aforementioned volumes (or to men having the volume printed or giving advice or aid to those who do so [illicitly]), a later Pope should grant [a protection to the effect] that [such] violators are not to be indicted, suspended, excommunicated, or called to court beyond certain jurisdictions, not even a verbatim reference to [such a protective order] will make apostolic letters [pursuant to it] full and complete.

 

[37-38] Granted at Rome at Saint Peter’s under the ring of the Fisherman. On the 9th day of July, 1509, in the sixth year of our papacy.

 

F. Castilioneus