# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Tax Exemption for Books, Valladolid (1477)

Source: Archivo General de Simancas. AGS, RGS, XII-1477

Citation:
Tax Exemption for Books, Valladolid (1477), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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3 translated pages
Chapter 1 Page 1

                                    So that no taxes are paid for the work they make
                                                      under an this law.
            
Theodorico Aleman,
book printer.
                                                                  25 December 1477
                                                                  
                                                                  RGS, 1477-XII-576
      
      
King Ferninand and Queen Isabella, etc. To ours “almojarifes”
[tax collectors] and to the landlords and public inspectors and
sheriffs (corregidores) and any others who gather and collect
revenues or rentals or our rent paid in any other way to the
tax collectors for the sales taxes of the very noble and very loyal
city of Seville, and others any rights of the ports of the City of
Cadiz and from the Villa of Sanlucar de Barrameda and any other
sea ports and from all others and any cities and villas and places
within our kingdoms and dominions, this present year on the
date of our letter and other forthcoming years and each and
every one of you to whom our letter is shown or transferred
and duly sealed by the notary public and grace. Please be advised
that Theodorico Aleman, printer of books, being in our
Kingdoms, at his request he provided us with a list saying
he is one of the main inventors and makers of printed books
and that every day he and his skilled workers have made and
make many and various printed books from every faculty and
they sustain many dangers at sea for bringing many and notable
books from all faculties to our kingdoms which have ennobled
many bookshops and provided reading to many of the learned
in our kingdoms. This very much honours them for their use
and that of nationals, to whom everything was understood as
being well treated in our kingdoms and that they would not be
asked for or levied to pay extortions and any new impositions,
and that the books they sold were free of any taxes, sales tax
and any others

Chapter 1 Page 2

      
      
as those that always have to be paid in our
kingdoms and in all the Christian kingdoms
and provinces and lands. This does not involve
you or any of you specially in these said ports
of Cadiz and Sanlucar for which you have and
continue to ask and charge tax for the
aforementioned books that have thus been
brought in for selling and unloaded in the
said ports. You cannot and must not ask for
or apply a tax on this, nor treat badly or abuse
whoever is involved in the above-mentioned
book trade, in which it is said that grave damages
and harmful consequences are received.
We hereby beg that you provide him with a legal
remedy, or as your grace wishes and deems acceptable.


Chapter 1 Page 3

      
      
And in accordance with the laws and ordinances
of the Register of our sales taxes on everything
bought and sold in our kingdoms, the law states
the following: And it is my wish that a sales tax
tithe be collected and paid on everything that
is sold or bought except weapons and horses
and colts and mules and saddled mules
and bread and books and grain saddle-bags
that are not decorated in gold or silver work,
and falcons and goshawks and sparrow-hawks
and other hunting birds.
      
      
And apparently King John of Castile, our father,
whose glorious memory
      
[...]




Translation by: William I. Knapp