# Primary Sources on Copyright - Record Viewer
Petitions from and Privilege granted to Gerard Voss for his Latin translation of the works of St. Ephrem of Syria, Rome (1589)

Source: 140 Sec Brev Reg F 314 (1589)

Citation:
Petitions from and Privilege granted to Gerard Voss for his Latin translation of the works of St. Ephrem of Syria, Rome (1589), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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Petition 2
[316r]

To the most reverend and divine Vestri,
[1-10] Truly, it seems remarkable, that although I expended, gratuitously, and in best spirit for the Church of God, and the Universal Christian republic, so many labors in [which] I seek to translate into Latin the works of the Saint and the notable holy writing of the writer [Ephrem of Syria], and in printing these in Rome thus far, and this business was entrusted to me by your holiness, and the Motu Proprio having been conceded already in the same way, such great difficulties may be tied to me in remitting the fee for [XXX] the expedition of the same motu proprio. Just as you have heard such very effective reasons from me myself, so too have you heard and understood exceedingly from Reverend Doctor Buccapaduli in person why I do not insert another matter, and as such you may settle the truly just matter, or if it may be necessary, you may propose it to the Reverend Doctor in that congregation of the secretaries, and you may expedite the privileges by joint consent.

[11-15] The reason why I desire to apply for that motu proprio, is this: lest this work, having exacted so much of my labor at the Holy Apostolic Throne, and having been printed, might be mutilated and corrupted by others elsewhere (as is wont to occur, not without ecclesiastical detriment); wherefore I long to be free, as the sole author, so to speak, to grant to others the ability to print this same work elsewhere, and if some bookseller wishes such a thing, he would require it from me.

[16-19] This is the first eastern father, which has been translated from Greek to Latin, now for the first time is printed in Rome, having been dedicated to Your Holiness, from whose sacred hands I accepted that first work in the Greek language, whence it would truly seem out of character and absurd, if we were to be consumed by those onerous taxes in an as yet similar matter.

[20-22] Truly and frankly I say, if that Motu Proprio is not conceded and expedited for me through all things freely, I have decided to disregard it entirely, & to defer every matter, therefore I would wish that the matter be judged well, so that a better resolution may be given.

Always most dedicated to your services,
Gerard Voss, Doctor etc.


    

Petition 2
[316r]

R{everendissi}mo D.{ivino} Vestri.
1. Mirum sane videtur, quod cum ego gratis, & animo optime consulendi
2. ecclesiae Dei, & Universae Reip. Christianae, tot labores in operibus S.
3. Patris & insignis ecclesiae scriptoris [Ephraem Syri] e{nim?} quaero in Latinum
transferendis, & hic
4. Romae imprimendis hactenus impenderim, ipsumque mihi negotium a sua Ste
{sanctitate}
5. comendatum fuerit, & motus proprius ab eadem iam concessus; tantae
6. mihi difficultates nectantur in remittenda [XXX] taxa expeditionis eiusdem
7. motus proprii. Rationes efficacissimas tam a me ipso, quam a Rdo {reverendo} ad-
8. modum Dno {Divino} D.{octor} Buccapadulio, coram audisti, & intellexisti, quare aliud
9. non addo, quam ut rem adeo iustam conficias; vel si necesse sit, in ipsa, D{ivino} D.{octor}
10. Secretariorum congregatione proponas, & de communi Consensu gratis expedias.
11. Causa cur motum illum proprium adhibere cupiam, est ista: ne opus hoc, tanto
12. meo labore apud S. sedem apostolicam exantlatum, & impressum, ab aliis alibi
13. (ut non sine detrimento ecclesiae fieri solet) mutiletur & corrumpatur; quare
14. mihi soli tamquam Auctori liberum esse desidero, concedere aliis facultatem hic vel alibi
15. idem opus imprimendi; & si Bibliopola tale quid velit, a me requirat.
16. Primus hic est pater orientalis, qui e graeco Latine[m] redditus, iam primum Ro-
17. =mae imprimitur, Sti etiam suae dicatus, ex cuius sacris manibus eum graeca
18. primum lingua accepi: unde sane extraneum & absurdum videretur, si onero-
19. =sis illis taxis in re simili adstringendi adhuc essemus.
20. Vere & ingenue dico, si Motus ille proprius per omnia gratis mihi non conce-
21. =datur & expediatur, constitui illum prorsus omittere, & [XXX] rem
22. omnem deferre ideo expendatur velim res bene[m], ut melior resolutio detur.

Vestris obsequiis semper deditissimus
Gerardus Vossius, Doctor, &c.




    

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