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Bernardo Giunti's privilege for Machiavelli's works, Vatican (1531)
Source: scanned from the manuscript held in the Vatican Secret Archives: ASVat, Armadio 40; tomo 37, c. 297r-v, doc. nr 573.
Citation:
Bernardo Giunti's privilege for Machiavelli's works, Vatican (1531), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
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2 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 1
To the esteemed sons, Descendants of Philippo Giunti, Citizens of Florence.
Esteemed sons, greetings. You have brought it to our attention that, ever since we recently
granted a concession, through a separate brief letter of ours to the esteemed son Antonio
Blado of Asula, printer of books in the Foster City, who was at that time about to print the
books of the late Niccolo Macchiavelli while he lived as a citizen of Florence, both the books
of the Histories and on the Prince as well as regarding his historical Discourses, that no other
person except him could presume to print all of the said books for ten years, or sell them once
printed or keep them for sale, without the permission of the said Antonio, otherwise incurring
penalties as contained in the said letter of ours, you, wherefore, who have the will and
consent of the descendants of Niccolo Macchiavelli himself, whose consent the said Antonio
at no time ever had, do not dare to print the abovementioned books of the Histories and on
the Prince and the and on Discourses. For which reason you have humbly made supplication
to us that we with regard to apostolic benevolence deem it worthy to grant license to you on
the basis of the consent of the descendants of the said late Niccolo that his books of Histories
and on the Prince and the Discourses be printed in Florence. We, considering it equitable
that the books of the said Niccolo be printed both in his Fatherland and also with respect to
the will of his descendants, and also attentive to the fact that the said Antonio has up until
now been able to sell for the greater part of the country the books of Discourses which he has
printed, and having been persuaded by your supplications herein, concede and grant to you
that you are free, by the apostolic authority and legal tenor of those present, to print the books
of the Histories and on the Prince and Discourses, and to sell them wherever they have been
printed and to keep them for sale, freely and with license and without incursion of any
penalty.
Chapter 1 Page 2
As we prevent anyone on penalty of excommunication in our lands, verily, as well as the loss
of books which must be applied for by you, a penalty must be incurred as often as any they
might contravene, so that no one other than the said Antonio may presume without your
consent to print or sell to be printed or have for sale the said books of Histories and on the
Prince having been calculated for ten years from the date of the present. And as we also
decree to every and each Governor of these places of our ecclesiastical State and beyond it to
all venerable brothers inhabitants of our Archbishoprics and Bishoprics and to their vicars in
spiritual as well as temporal realm that, as often as they are asked by you and by your name,
they act in a way that the present letter to you is acknowledged as inviolable, along with the
aforesaid letter of ours conceded to the said Antonio, and to others, whoever they may be,
who may be opposed but who do not act in opposition.
We also wish that a full pledge of faith be kept in judgment and beyond in the same manner,
even if original letters should be produced, with the below-signed who have been presently
taken up by the hand of the public Notary and vouchsafed by the signet of the person as
constituted in ecclesiastical dignity.
Given at Rome, 20 December 1531.
With a pledge held by D. Treasury because S. D. N. wanted this Brief to be granted or that it
should be granted.
Translation by: Jonathan Mannering
Source: scanned from the manuscript held in the Vatican Secret Archives: ASVat, Armadio 40; tomo 37, c. 297r-v, doc. nr 573.
Citation:
Bernardo Giunti's privilege for Machiavelli's works, Vatican (1531), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
Back | Record | Images | No Commentaries
Translation only | Transcription only | Show all | Bundled images as pdf
2 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 1
To the esteemed sons, Descendants of Philippo Giunti, Citizens of Florence.
Esteemed sons, greetings. You have brought it to our attention that, ever since we recently
granted a concession, through a separate brief letter of ours to the esteemed son Antonio
Blado of Asula, printer of books in the Foster City, who was at that time about to print the
books of the late Niccolo Macchiavelli while he lived as a citizen of Florence, both the books
of the Histories and on the Prince as well as regarding his historical Discourses, that no other
person except him could presume to print all of the said books for ten years, or sell them once
printed or keep them for sale, without the permission of the said Antonio, otherwise incurring
penalties as contained in the said letter of ours, you, wherefore, who have the will and
consent of the descendants of Niccolo Macchiavelli himself, whose consent the said Antonio
at no time ever had, do not dare to print the abovementioned books of the Histories and on
the Prince and the and on Discourses. For which reason you have humbly made supplication
to us that we with regard to apostolic benevolence deem it worthy to grant license to you on
the basis of the consent of the descendants of the said late Niccolo that his books of Histories
and on the Prince and the Discourses be printed in Florence. We, considering it equitable
that the books of the said Niccolo be printed both in his Fatherland and also with respect to
the will of his descendants, and also attentive to the fact that the said Antonio has up until
now been able to sell for the greater part of the country the books of Discourses which he has
printed, and having been persuaded by your supplications herein, concede and grant to you
that you are free, by the apostolic authority and legal tenor of those present, to print the books
of the Histories and on the Prince and Discourses, and to sell them wherever they have been
printed and to keep them for sale, freely and with license and without incursion of any
penalty.
Chapter 1 Page 2
As we prevent anyone on penalty of excommunication in our lands, verily, as well as the loss
of books which must be applied for by you, a penalty must be incurred as often as any they
might contravene, so that no one other than the said Antonio may presume without your
consent to print or sell to be printed or have for sale the said books of Histories and on the
Prince having been calculated for ten years from the date of the present. And as we also
decree to every and each Governor of these places of our ecclesiastical State and beyond it to
all venerable brothers inhabitants of our Archbishoprics and Bishoprics and to their vicars in
spiritual as well as temporal realm that, as often as they are asked by you and by your name,
they act in a way that the present letter to you is acknowledged as inviolable, along with the
aforesaid letter of ours conceded to the said Antonio, and to others, whoever they may be,
who may be opposed but who do not act in opposition.
We also wish that a full pledge of faith be kept in judgment and beyond in the same manner,
even if original letters should be produced, with the below-signed who have been presently
taken up by the hand of the public Notary and vouchsafed by the signet of the person as
constituted in ecclesiastical dignity.
Given at Rome, 20 December 1531.
With a pledge held by D. Treasury because S. D. N. wanted this Brief to be granted or that it
should be granted.
Translation by: Jonathan Mannering