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Petition from and Privilege granted to Pietro Fetti to translate, print and distribute works by St. Teresa of Avila from Spanish to Italian, Rome (1600)
Source: Vatican Secret Archives, Sec. Brev. Reg. 297 F. 274
Citation:
Petition from and Privilege granted to Pietro Fetti to translate, print and distribute works by St. Teresa of Avila from Spanish to Italian, Rome (1600), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
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Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
6 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 2
Sec. Brev. Reg. 297 F. 274i
Petition
[275]
[1-13] Pietro Feti and companions, devout petitioners of your Holiness, wish to have printed the works of Mother Teresa of Jesus titled The Way of Perfection, Interior Castle, and The Life, newly translated from the Spanish language into the Italian, in which printing they have to make great expenditures, and not without great efforts, nor is it just that others reap the fruits thereof; they take recourse to your Holiness, humbly petitioning you that by your Letter you deign to grant them a privilege, under great punishments, that no one other than the said petitioners or their dependents or those having their written permission, for ten years may print nor have printed nor sell printed copies or sell in any form, in conformity with the other privileges that the Holy See usually grants to new printed matter. And they will receive it by the singular grace of your Holiness
i When translating the names of comparatively well-known figures like saints, kings, and popes, we have chosen to anglicize in order to avoid confusion. When translating the names of lesser known individuals, we have chosen contemporary spellings consistent with that person’s country of origin
Chapter 1 Page 3
Privilege
[274]
Pope Clement VIII
[1-9] For the future memory of the matter: since we have learned that our dear son Pietro Fetti, and his associates intend to set into type certain works of Mother Teresa of Jesus, commonly inscribed the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle and The Life, , and newly [translated] from Spanish in[to the] Italian language, and they fear lest someone, seeking a profit from another’s labor, similarly care to put into type these very works to the prejudice of the very Pietro, and to the injury of his associates.
[9-15] Therefore, lest the said Pietro and his associates should suffer undue expense from this printing, we wishing to bestow him and his aforementioned associates special favor and grace to proceed, and wishing them protected by whatever excommunications etc., and inclined by the supplications on the matter humbly brought in the name of Pietro and his aforementioned associates, to the same Pietro and his associates, grant and indulge by apostolic authority with the force of the present decrees in perpetuity:
[15-19] for the next ten years from the first printing of the said works, provided that they have been approved by the Master of the Sacred Palace, as in the city, so too in the whole of the world directly or indirectly subject to our Ecclesiastic state, the aforementioned works cannot be printed without the special license
Chapter 1 Page 4
[next page]
[1-5] of the said Pietro and his associates, or their heirs and successors, or those having licensed cause; nor, having been printed, to sell them without a license of this sort from him or them, nor hold them out for sale.
[6-13] We prohibit therefore one and all of the Christian faith, of either sex, especially the printers of books, and booksellers, under [penalty] of five hundred ducat of gold (the type which is used by the Apostolic treasury), and the loss of all the books and the presses—one part for our Apostolic treasury, another part for the same Pietro and his associates, or their heirs and successors, or those having cause from them, and for the rest, the remaining third part to the accusers and the executing judge applied unremittingly,
[13-21] And with the said penalty to be incurred by each [violation], so that while the said decade endures, no one should dare or presume to print in any way—without license of this sort from the aforementioned—the aforementioned works or whatever part of it, either in large or small folio, even under the pretext of subtraction, or addition, as in Rome, so in the rest of the ecclesiastic state, or to sell it once printed by others, or hold it for sale. We order each and every venerable brother archbishops, bishops, and other ordinaries of places, and also the legates, vicelegates, governors, and praetors of our entire Ecclesiastic state:
Chapter 1 Page 5
[277]
[1-6] To carry out the previously-mentioned punishments against the infringers [of Petrus and his associates], and assist Pietro and his associates, or their deputies, or those having cause from them with an effective legal defense. The infringers are to be restrained without appeal, according to the aforementioned, other appropriate punishments, and suitable remedies of law and fact.
[6-12] Notwithstanding constitutions, apostolic ordinances, and whatever statutes or customs - strengthened by oath, apostolic confirmation, or other reinforcement - or privileges and indulgences and apostolic letters contrary to the aforementioned, however conceded, confirmed, and approved, or anything else to the contrary whatsoever.
[12-18] Moreover, we wish that the same credit that would attach to these presents—if they were exhibited or displayed—should be fully applied to copies of these presents even in the printed works themselves, with the signed hand of a notary public, and protected by the seal of a person situated in ecclesiastical dignity. Given in Rome at Saint Peter’s, the 17th day of July 1600, in the fifth year of our pontificate. If they may please the holiest father Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini may you expedite.
M. Vestrio Barbiani.
Chapter 1 Page 6
Notations
[next page]
For Pietro Fetti, and
Associates
To the Holiness of our Lord
They beg your Holiness for
Permission for license to be able to print for 10 years
The works of Mother Teresa of Jesus titled
The Way of Perfection, the Interior Castle,
And The Life
His Holiness was contented
In the ecclesiastic state
In the usual form &
Provided that the book will be
Approved
By the Master of the Sacred
Palace
To Monsignor M{arc} Antonio
let the memo
be made
Chapter 1 Page 7
[next page]
For Pietro Fetti, and associates
A privilege for 10 years against printing the vernacular work
of Mother Teresa titled The Way of Perfection,
Interior Castle, and The Life
His Most Holiness was contented in the usual form
Provided that the book is approved
By the Master of the Sacred Palace
Translation by:
Source: Vatican Secret Archives, Sec. Brev. Reg. 297 F. 274
Citation:
Petition from and Privilege granted to Pietro Fetti to translate, print and distribute works by St. Teresa of Avila from Spanish to Italian, Rome (1600), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
Back | Record | Images | Commentaries: [1]
Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
6 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 2
Superscript = inserted by original or different author between lines
[ ] = inserted by original or different author in margin
{ } = supplied by transcribers
Bold script = written in a different hand
Strike through = crossed out, but legible
[XXX] = illegible
Sec. Brev. Reg. 297 F. 274i
Petition
[275]
[1-13] Pietro Feti and companions, devout petitioners of your Holiness, wish to have printed the works of Mother Teresa of Jesus titled The Way of Perfection, Interior Castle, and The Life, newly translated from the Spanish language into the Italian, in which printing they have to make great expenditures, and not without great efforts, nor is it just that others reap the fruits thereof; they take recourse to your Holiness, humbly petitioning you that by your Letter you deign to grant them a privilege, under great punishments, that no one other than the said petitioners or their dependents or those having their written permission, for ten years may print nor have printed nor sell printed copies or sell in any form, in conformity with the other privileges that the Holy See usually grants to new printed matter. And they will receive it by the singular grace of your Holiness
i When translating the names of comparatively well-known figures like saints, kings, and popes, we have chosen to anglicize in order to avoid confusion. When translating the names of lesser known individuals, we have chosen contemporary spellings consistent with that person’s country of origin
Chapter 1 Page 3
Privilege
[274]
Pope Clement VIII
[1-9] For the future memory of the matter: since we have learned that our dear son Pietro Fetti, and his associates intend to set into type certain works of Mother Teresa of Jesus, commonly inscribed the Way of Perfection and the Interior Castle and The Life, , and newly [translated] from Spanish in[to the] Italian language, and they fear lest someone, seeking a profit from another’s labor, similarly care to put into type these very works to the prejudice of the very Pietro, and to the injury of his associates.
[9-15] Therefore, lest the said Pietro and his associates should suffer undue expense from this printing, we wishing to bestow him and his aforementioned associates special favor and grace to proceed, and wishing them protected by whatever excommunications etc., and inclined by the supplications on the matter humbly brought in the name of Pietro and his aforementioned associates, to the same Pietro and his associates, grant and indulge by apostolic authority with the force of the present decrees in perpetuity:
[15-19] for the next ten years from the first printing of the said works, provided that they have been approved by the Master of the Sacred Palace, as in the city, so too in the whole of the world directly or indirectly subject to our Ecclesiastic state, the aforementioned works cannot be printed without the special license
Chapter 1 Page 4
[next page]
[1-5] of the said Pietro and his associates, or their heirs and successors, or those having licensed cause; nor, having been printed, to sell them without a license of this sort from him or them, nor hold them out for sale.
[6-13] We prohibit therefore one and all of the Christian faith, of either sex, especially the printers of books, and booksellers, under [penalty] of five hundred ducat of gold (the type which is used by the Apostolic treasury), and the loss of all the books and the presses—one part for our Apostolic treasury, another part for the same Pietro and his associates, or their heirs and successors, or those having cause from them, and for the rest, the remaining third part to the accusers and the executing judge applied unremittingly,
[13-21] And with the said penalty to be incurred by each [violation], so that while the said decade endures, no one should dare or presume to print in any way—without license of this sort from the aforementioned—the aforementioned works or whatever part of it, either in large or small folio, even under the pretext of subtraction, or addition, as in Rome, so in the rest of the ecclesiastic state, or to sell it once printed by others, or hold it for sale. We order each and every venerable brother archbishops, bishops, and other ordinaries of places, and also the legates, vicelegates, governors, and praetors of our entire Ecclesiastic state:
Chapter 1 Page 5
[277]
[1-6] To carry out the previously-mentioned punishments against the infringers [of Petrus and his associates], and assist Pietro and his associates, or their deputies, or those having cause from them with an effective legal defense. The infringers are to be restrained without appeal, according to the aforementioned, other appropriate punishments, and suitable remedies of law and fact.
[6-12] Notwithstanding constitutions, apostolic ordinances, and whatever statutes or customs - strengthened by oath, apostolic confirmation, or other reinforcement - or privileges and indulgences and apostolic letters contrary to the aforementioned, however conceded, confirmed, and approved, or anything else to the contrary whatsoever.
[12-18] Moreover, we wish that the same credit that would attach to these presents—if they were exhibited or displayed—should be fully applied to copies of these presents even in the printed works themselves, with the signed hand of a notary public, and protected by the seal of a person situated in ecclesiastical dignity. Given in Rome at Saint Peter’s, the 17th day of July 1600, in the fifth year of our pontificate. If they may please the holiest father Cardinal Pietro Aldobrandini may you expedite.
M. Vestrio Barbiani.
Chapter 1 Page 6
Notations
[next page]
For Pietro Fetti, and
Associates
To the Holiness of our Lord
They beg your Holiness for
Permission for license to be able to print for 10 years
The works of Mother Teresa of Jesus titled
The Way of Perfection, the Interior Castle,
And The Life
His Holiness was contented
In the ecclesiastic state
In the usual form &
Provided that the book will be
Approved
By the Master of the Sacred
Palace
To Monsignor M{arc} Antonio
let the memo
be made
Chapter 1 Page 7
[next page]
For Pietro Fetti, and associates
A privilege for 10 years against printing the vernacular work
of Mother Teresa titled The Way of Perfection,
Interior Castle, and The Life
His Most Holiness was contented in the usual form
Provided that the book is approved
By the Master of the Sacred Palace
Translation by: