1734: 7 George 2 c.24: The Histories of Thuanus

1734: 7 George 2 c.24: An act for granting to Samuel Buckley, citizen and stationer of London, the sole liberty of printing and reprinting the histories of Thuanus with additions and improvements, during the time therein limited.

WHEREAS Samuel Buckley, citizen and stationer of London, hath, at a very great expence, by his own industry and with the assistance of divers learned persons, in the course of several years, procured many valuable supplements to the celebrated histories of Thuanus, with a design to publish a new impression thereof and hath now caused to be printed, in the city of London, a fair and accurate edition of the said histories in the Latin language, in seven volumes in Folio, with great additions and improvements, upon paper and with types provided for that purpose: and whereas the sole liberty of printing and reprinting books for the term of fourteen years, to commence from the day of the first publishing the same, granted to the proprietors thereof by an act made in the eighth year of the reign of Queen Anne, intituled, An act for the encouragement of learning, by vesting the copies of printed books in the authors or purchasers of such copies, during the times therein mentioned, extends not to prohibit the importation, vending, or selling of any books in Greek, Latin, or any other foreign language, printed beyond the seas, as by a proviso contained in the said act is declared: and whereas the work thus compleated by the care of the said Samuel Buckley may be reprinted beyond the seas, and, under colour of the said proviso, which was not intended for the advantage of foreigners in prejudice to the natives of this kingdom, many copies of the said work, so reprinted, may be imported, vended, and sold, to the great damage of the said Samuel Buckley: Therefore that he may not lose the fruit of his expence and labour, by the avarice of foreign printers, or suffer by an act made for the encouragement of learning, may it please your most excellent Majesty that it may be enacted, and be it enacted by the King’s most Excellent Majesty, by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, and the Commons, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the Authority of the same, That the said Samuel Buckley, his Assignee, or Assignees, complying with the Directions of the said Act, and subject to the Condition herein after mentioned, and to all the Conditions, Regulations, and Restrictions in the said Act expressed (other than the said Proviso) shall have the sole Liberty of Printing and Reprinting the said Histories of Thuanus, with the said Additions and Improvements, for the Term of Fourteen Years, to commence from the Fourteenth Day of May, One thousand seven hundred and thirty four (which is hereby declared to be deemed and considered as the First Day of publishing the same) and no longer, in the same manner to all Intents and Purposes, and with the same Powers and Privileges, and with the full benefit of such Forefeitures and Penalties to be incurred by any Bookseller, Printer, or other Person whatsoever, who, within the Time granted and limited by this Act, shall print, reprint or import, or cause to be printed, reprinted, or imported, any Copy of the said Histories, with the said Additions and Improvements, or any of them, without the Consent of the said Samuel Buckley, his Assignee or Assignees, first had and obtained in Writing, signed in the Presence of Two or more credible Witnesses, or, knowing the same to be so printed or reprinted without the Consent of the said Samuel Buckley, his Assignee or Assigns, shall sell, publish, or expose to Sale, or cause to be sold, published, or exposed to Sale, any Copy thereof, without such Consent first had and obtained, as aforesaid, and with the same Remedies for levying, suing for, and recovering such Forfeitures and Penalties, by the same Methods as in and by the said Act are particularly mentioned, in relation to the sole Liberty of printing and reprinting such Books, to which the said Proviso doth not extend; any thing in the said Act, or in the said Proviso contained to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding.

II. And whereas by the said Act it is provided and enacted, That Nine Copies of each Book or Books upon the best Paper, that from and after the Tenth Day of April, One thousand seven hundred and ten, should be printed and published, or reprinted and published with Additions, should by the Printer and Printers thereof be delivered to the Warehouse-keeper of the Company of Stationers for the time being, at the Hall of the said Company, before such Publication made, for the Use of the Royal Library, the Libraries of the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, the Libraries of the Four Universities in Scotland, the Library of Sion College in London, and the Library commonly called The Library belonging to the Faculty of Advocates at Edinburgh respectively; which said Nine Copies ought, according to the true Intent and Meaning of the said Act, to be delivered to the said Warehouse-keeper, for the Use of the said Libraries, although the Title to the Copy of such Book or Books shall not be before such Publication entred in the Register Book for the said Company of Stationers: It is hereby provided and enacted, That Nine Copies upon the best Paper of the said Histories of Thuanus, with the said Additions and Improvements, shall, by the said Samuel Buckley, his Assignee or Assigns, be delivered to the Warehouse-keeper of the said Company of Stationers for the time being, at the Hall of the said Company, before the Twenty fourth Day of June, One thousand seven hundred and thirty four, for the Use of the said Libraries respectively; which said Warehouse-keeper is hereby required, within Ten Days after Demand by the Keepers of the respective Libraries, or any Person or persons by them or any of them authorized to demand the said Copy, to deliver the same for the Use of the aforesaid Libraries; and if the said Samuel Buckley, his Assignee or Assigns, shall neglect or refuse to deliver the said Nine Copies to the said Warehouse-keeper, as aforesaid, for the Use of the said Libraries, then the said Samuel Buckley, his Assignee or Assigns, so making Default, shall lose the Benefit of this present Act, and shall incur such Forfeitures, as by the said Act made in the Eighth Year of the Reign of Queen Anne are imposed on Persons making Default, in not delivering such printed Copies, to be recovered as is therein directed.

III. And be it enacted by the authority aforesaid, That this Act shall be deemed a Publick Act, and shall be judicially taken Notice of as such by all Judges, Justices, and other Persons whatsoever, without specially pleading the same.

Source: Hawkins, The Statutes at Large, volume 6.