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Petition of and Privilege to Orazio Torsellini for his History of the House of Loreto, Rome (1598)

Source: Vatican Secret Archives Sec. Brev. Reg. 266 F. 50 (1598)

Citation:
Petition of and Privilege to Orazio Torsellini for his History of the House of Loreto, Rome (1598), Primary Sources on Copyright (1450-1900), eds L. Bently & M. Kretschmer, www.copyrighthistory.org

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            Chapter 3 Page 1 of 3 total



Superscript = inserted by original or different author between lines

[ ] = inserted by original or different author in margin

{ } = supplied by transcribers

Bold Script [or] Script or scribble = written in a different hand(s)

Strike through = crossed out, but legible

[XXX] = illegible

Translation from the Printed Privilege

[1-10] For the future memory of the matter: we have learned that our dear son, Horatius Torsellini [Orazio Torsellino] Religiosus of the Society of Jesus [Jesuit Order], has compiled written down the history of the Sacred House of the Madonna of Loreto with much studiousness and diligence, and intends to bring to light [the work] for the spiritual comfort of the pious faithful. But he hesitates, fearing that if anyone at all is permitted to print such a history, it may be full of errors and defects. Therefore he humbly supplicated himself before us, so that we would - out of our Apostolic benevolence - see fit to favorably provide [in this matter].

[10-12] We, therefore, wish to grant this Horatius special favors and goodwill, [and absolve him of] whatever ecclesiastical judgments, censures, and penalties by law - of excommunication, suspension, or prohibition, or other [penalties], either brought by a person on whatever occasion, or brought [by whatever] lcause. If [oneOrazio] is implicated by any one for any reason, we give effect to the present decrees to this extent, [either] absolving him of these things in turn, [or] judging that he will be absolved.

[12-23] This type of supplication influences us favorably towards this Horatius. Therefore, for the next decade (counted from the first printing of this History) nobody in either the city or anywhere else in the whole of our ecclesiastical state, whether subject directly or indirectly to the Holy Roman Church, may print the aforementioned History in either Latin or in the common Italian tongue [and] in either small or large format, nor can they sell a printed copy or hold one for sale without the special permission of [either] Horatius or those who have permission from him, with the Apostolic authority we permit and grant [the privilege] in the tenor of the present proceedings.

[23-45] And thus to each and every persons of both sexes, particularly the Christian printers and sellers of books—during the said decade—either in the city or elsewhere, whether subject directly or indirectly to the said Ecclesiastical state: lest they presume to sell the aforementioned History in whatever dialect, without the specific permission of the named Horatius, or of those who hold rights from him, or lest they dare to hold it for sale, or to display it, we restrain them under the penalty of five-hundred ducats of gold (the type which is used by the Apostolic treasury)—one part for the Apostolic Treasury, and another part for the said Horatius (or for those who possess a license from him), and the remaining third part to the accusers and to the executing Judge; and of the loss of books and of types from the aforementioned Horatius, and aforementioned penalties will be applied equally to them, and will be incurred for each violation; and to our dear children of the Holy Roman Church, the chamberlain, and the Legates of the Apostolic seat, the Vicelegates, the Governors, and other ministers of Justice, and others whom it concerns, we command that it is necessary to help the same Horatius, and those above-written having cause from him that they assist the decree by the protection of effective legal prosecution, that they carry out the aforementioned penalties unwaveringly against whoever opposes him.

[45-53] Notwithstanding any decrees, apostolic declarations, statutes, customs--even [those] strengthened by oath, apostolic confirmation, or any other force--as well as privileges, indulgences, apostolic letters that go against the decrees, however granted, confirmed, and approved: we expressly and particularly in this matter derogate from each and every one of these things to the extent that they have legal force inconsistent with what has been presently been expressed, as well as from  all other things contrary whatsoever.

[53-57] We wish, however, that the same credit should be fully applied to copies of the present decrees, also printed in the History itself, underwritten by the hand of some notary public, and protected by the seal of a person situated in ecclesiastical dignity, as would be applied to these present ones.

[58-60] Dated in Rome at Saint Peter’s under the Ring of the Fisherman, January 5th, 1598. In the sixth year of our pontificate.

M. Vestrius Barbianus



    


Superscript = inserted by original or different author between lines

[ ] = inserted by original or different author in margin

{ } = supplied by transcribers

Bold Script [or] Script or scribble = written in a different hand(s)

Strike through = crossed out, but legible

[XXX] = illegible

Printed Privilege[1] 

Transcription

Clemens Papa VIII

Ad futuram rei memoriam.

  1. Cum sicut accepimus delectus filius Horatius Tursellinus[2] re=
  2. ligiosus Societatis Iesu Historiam Sacrae Domus Lauretanae
  3. magno studio & diligentia conscripserit, & in lucem proferre
  4. ad piorum fidelium spiritualem consolationem intendat, dubi=
  5. tetque ne si omnibus huiusmodi Historiam imprimere liceat,
  6. illa mendis & erroribus repleatur. Propterea nobis humiliter
  7. supplicari fecit, ut in praemissis opportune providere, de beni=
  8. gnitate Apostolica dignaremur. Nos Igitur eudem Horatium specialibus favori=
  9. bus, & gratiis prosequi volentes, & a quibusvis excommunicationis, suspensionis, &
  10. interdicti, aliisque Ecclesiasticis Sententiis, censuris, & poenis a iure, vel ab homine
  11. quavis occasione vel causa latis, si quibus quomodolibet innodatus existit, ad ef=
  12. fectu{m}, prasentiu{m} duntaxat consequendum, harum serie absoluentes, & absolutum[3] fo=
  13. re censentes, huiusmodi supplicationibus inclinati eidem Horatio, ut ad decenium
  14. proximu{m}, a primaeva dictae Historiae impressione computandum, nemo tam in urbe
  15. quam alibi, in toto statu nostro Ecclesiastico nobis, & S.R.E. mediate, vel immedia=
  16. te subiecto, Historiam praedictam, tam Latino, quam vulgari Italico idiomate, ac
  17. tam in parvo quam in magno folio imprimere, aut impressam vendere, seu venale{m}
  18. habere, sine speciali dicti Horatii, aut ab eo causam habentiu{m} licentia, possit, aucto=
  19. ritate Apostolica tenore praesentiu{m} concedimus, & indulgemus. Ac propterea uni=
  20. versis, & singulis utriusque sexus Christifidelibus praesertim libroru{m} Impressoribus,
  21. & Bibliopolis, ne dicto decennio durante, in Urbe, aut alibi, in dicto Ecclesiastico
  22. statu, mediate, vel immediate subiecto, Historiam praedictam in quocunque idio=
  23. mate, sine speciali dicti Horatii, aut ab eo causam habentium licentia imprimere,
  24. aut impressa[4] vendere, seu venale{m} habere, vel proponere audeant, seu praesumant,
  25. sub quingentorum ducatoru{m} auri de Camera, pro una Camerae Apostolicae, ac pro
  26. alia dicto Horatio, seu ab eo causam habentiubs, ac pro reliqua tertiis partibus ac=
  27. cusatori, & Iudici exsequenti, nec non amissionis, & librorum & Typorum om=
  28. nium praedicto Horatio, seu suis praefatis pariter applicandoru{m}  poenis, eo ipso in=
  29. currendis inhibemus; ac dilectis filiis nostris S.R.E. Camerario, ac Sedis Apostoli=
  30. cae Legatis, Vicelegatis, Gubernatoribus, & aliis Iustitiae ministris, caeterisque ad
  31. quos sepctat, ut eide{m} Horatio, & causam ab eo habentiubs supra scriptis in praemis=
  32. sis efficacis deffensionis praesidio assistendu{m}, poenas praedictas contra quoscunque
  33. contradictores irremisibiliter exequantur mandamus. Non obstantibus quibusvis
  34. Constitutionibus, & ordinationibus Apostolicis, statutis quoque, & consuetudini=
  35. bus, etiam iuramento, confirmatione Apostolica, vel quavis firmitate alia robora=
  36. tis, ac privilegiis, indultis, & litteris Apostolicis in contrarium praemissoru{m}, quomo=
  37. dolibet concessis, co[n]firmatis, & approbatis. Quibus omnibus & singulis eoru{m} teno=
  38. res pr[ae]sentiubus pro expressis habentes, hac vice duntaxat specialiter, & expresse de=
  39. rogamus: caeterisque contrariis quibuscunque. Volumus autem ut praesentiu{m} tran=
  40. sumptis, etiam in ipsa Historia impressis, manu alicuius Notarii publici subscrip=
  41. tis, & sigillo alicuius personae in dignitate Ecclesiastica constitute munitis, eadem
  42. fides, quae praesentibus ipsis adhiberetur, adhiberi debeat. Dat. Romae apud Sanctu{m}
  43. sub annulo Piscatoris[5], die V. Ianuarii. M.D.XCVIII. Pontificatus
  44. Nostri Anno Sexto.

                                                                M. Vestrius Barbianus


[1] This text comes from a version of the privilege printed in a 1597 edition of Lauretanae Historiae, which can be viewed via this link.

[2] In handwritten privilege: Torsellinus

[3] “Suspensionis, et interdicti….et absolutum” omitted in handwritten privilege

[4] In handwritten privilege: Impressum

[5] “Sub annulo Piscatoris” omitted in handwritten privilege



    

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