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Electoral Saxon Printing and Censorship Acts from 1549 to 1717, Leipzig (1724)
Source: Universität Freiburg, Institut für Rechtsgeschichte, Frei 81: E 10 - 215
Citation:
Electoral Saxon Printing and Censorship Acts from 1549 to 1717, Leipzig (1724), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org
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__________________________________________________________________________
Appendix III.
On forbidden books and defamatory works,
as well as the harmful reprinting of privileged books.
Electoral Saxon Mandate,
to the effect that lampoons, slanderous writings and pictures, especially in
religious matters, are not to be tolerated. 10 January 1549.
By the Grace of God, Maurice, Duke of Saxony,
Elector etc. Dear faithful followers, it has come
to Our notice - and we have indeed found this to
be so in practice - that several men, women, and
youngsters go round carrying printed books,
songs, rhymes, and pictures in which people,
no matter who they may be, are attacked with
grievous and vexatious words, whereby in some
cases neither the names of those who have made
them nor the place where they were printed are
indicated, and in other cases fictitious and
unknown names are attached to them.
Since such defamatory letters, songs,
rhymes, and pictures - above all those that are
anonymous or bear unknown and fictitious
names - have been forbidden not just by the
Roman Imperial Majesty, Our most gracious
lord, and by the Imperial Estates at the recent
Imperial Diet in Augsburg, but also in publicly
announced Imperial laws, We too are not
prepared to suffer such liberty which overall
does not lead to any good. We therefore wish
and earnestly enjoin you to pay diligent heed to
this in your city and to not allow any book,
song, rhyme or picture - under whatever title
these may appear - to be circulated and sold
there if in them other people of high or low rank,
whosoever they may be, are offended; and that
in the case of such works which bear no name or
one that is unknown or fictitious, and whose
place of printing is not given, you first of all
summon those who carry them round and offer
them for sale, then confiscate the defamatory
books, songs, rhymes, and pictures, and warn
them not to ply such wares again. However, you
are also to find out from them how they got
hold of these works and where and by whom the
latter were printed or made, and all this you are
to report to Our chancellery. If they appear with
such books again, you are to have them arrested
and kept in custody and await our decision. If
you do all this, you will be doing Our will. Date:
Torgau, 10 January 1549.
To Our dear faithful followers, the city
council of Leipzig.
A similar mandate,
but to the effect also that nothing may be printed nor imported from
elsewhere without having first passed the censorship
of both universities. 14 September 1562.
By the Grace of God, Augustus, Duke of Saxony, Elector
etc. It is Our gracious intention to let you know the
following: although on various occasions We have
arranged for earnest writs, decrees, and prohibitions
to be issued and published in Our Electoral and
ducal territories, all to the effect that anyone,
whatever estate he may belong to, who lives within
Our lands or who does business here, or passes through
this territory for such purposes or as a traveller,
No Transcription available.
Source: Universität Freiburg, Institut für Rechtsgeschichte, Frei 81: E 10 - 215
Citation:
Electoral Saxon Printing and Censorship Acts from 1549 to 1717, Leipzig (1724), 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
__________________________________________________________________________
Appendix III.
On forbidden books and defamatory works,
as well as the harmful reprinting of privileged books.
Electoral Saxon Mandate,
to the effect that lampoons, slanderous writings and pictures, especially in
religious matters, are not to be tolerated. 10 January 1549.
By the Grace of God, Maurice, Duke of Saxony,
Elector etc. Dear faithful followers, it has come
to Our notice - and we have indeed found this to
be so in practice - that several men, women, and
youngsters go round carrying printed books,
songs, rhymes, and pictures in which people,
no matter who they may be, are attacked with
grievous and vexatious words, whereby in some
cases neither the names of those who have made
them nor the place where they were printed are
indicated, and in other cases fictitious and
unknown names are attached to them.
Since such defamatory letters, songs,
rhymes, and pictures - above all those that are
anonymous or bear unknown and fictitious
names - have been forbidden not just by the
Roman Imperial Majesty, Our most gracious
lord, and by the Imperial Estates at the recent
Imperial Diet in Augsburg, but also in publicly
announced Imperial laws, We too are not
prepared to suffer such liberty which overall
does not lead to any good. We therefore wish
and earnestly enjoin you to pay diligent heed to
this in your city and to not allow any book,
song, rhyme or picture - under whatever title
these may appear - to be circulated and sold
there if in them other people of high or low rank,
whosoever they may be, are offended; and that
in the case of such works which bear no name or
one that is unknown or fictitious, and whose
place of printing is not given, you first of all
summon those who carry them round and offer
them for sale, then confiscate the defamatory
books, songs, rhymes, and pictures, and warn
them not to ply such wares again. However, you
are also to find out from them how they got
hold of these works and where and by whom the
latter were printed or made, and all this you are
to report to Our chancellery. If they appear with
such books again, you are to have them arrested
and kept in custody and await our decision. If
you do all this, you will be doing Our will. Date:
Torgau, 10 January 1549.
To Our dear faithful followers, the city
council of Leipzig.
A similar mandate,
but to the effect also that nothing may be printed nor imported from
elsewhere without having first passed the censorship
of both universities. 14 September 1562.
By the Grace of God, Augustus, Duke of Saxony, Elector
etc. It is Our gracious intention to let you know the
following: although on various occasions We have
arranged for earnest writs, decrees, and prohibitions
to be issued and published in Our Electoral and
ducal territories, all to the effect that anyone,
whatever estate he may belong to, who lives within
Our lands or who does business here, or passes through
this territory for such purposes or as a traveller,
No Transcription available.