Amendment I (Speech and Press)

Document 1

An Act for Preventing the Frequent Abuses in Printing Seditious Treasonable and Unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for Regulating Printing and Printing Presses

Whereas the well-government and regulating of Printers and Printing Presses is matter of Publique care and of great concernment especially considering that by the general licentiousnes of the late times many evil disposed persons have been encouraged to print and sell heretical schismatical blasphemous seditious and treasonable Bookes Pamphlets and Papers and still doe continue such theire unlawfull and exorbitant practice to the high dishonour of Almighty God the endangering the peace of these Kingdomes and raising a disaffection to His most Excellent Majesty and His Government For prevention whereof no surer meanes can be advised then by reducing and limiting the number of Printing Presses and by ordering and setling the said Art or Mystery of Printing by Act of Parliament in manner as herein after is expressed. The Kings most Excellent Majesty by and with the Consent and Advise of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal & Commons in this present Parliament assembled doth therefore ordaine and enact And be it ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no person or persons whatsoever shall presume to print or cause to be printed either within this Realm of England or any other His Majesties Dominions or in the parts beyond the Seas any heretical seditious schismatical or offensive Bookes or Pamphlets wherein any Doctrine or Opinion shall be asserted or maintained which is contrary to Christian Faith or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or which shall or may tend or be to the scandall of Religion or the Church or the Government or Governors of the Church State or Common wealth or of any Corporation or particular person or persons whatsoever nor shall import publish sell or dispose any such Booke or Books or Pamphlets nor shall cause or procure any such to be published or put to sale or to be bound stitched or sowed togeather.

And be it further ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no private person or persons whatsoever shall att any time hereafter print or cause to be printed any Booke or Pamphlet whatsoever unlesse the same Booke and Pamphlet togeather with all and every the Titles Epistles Prefaces Proems Preambles Introductions Tables Dedications and other matters and things thereunto annexed be first entred in the Booke of the Register of the Company of Stationers of London except Acts of Parliament Proclamations and such other Books and Papers as shall be appointed to be printed by vertue of any Warrant under the Kings Majesties Sign Manual or under the Hand of one or both of His Majesties Principal Secretaries of State and unlesse the same Booke and Pamphlet and also all and every the said Titles Epistles Prefaces Proems Preambles Introductions Tables Dedications and other matters and things whatsoever thereunto annexed or therewith to be imprinted shall be first lawfully licensed and authorized to be printed by such person and persons only as shall be constituted and appointed to license the same according to the direction and true meaning of this present Act herein after expressed and by no other (that is to say) That all Books concerning the Common Lawes of this Realm shall be printed by the special allowance of the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal of England for the time being the Lords Cheife Justices and Lord Cheife Baron for the time being or one or more of them or by theire or one or more of theire appointments And that all Books of History concerning the State of this Realm or other Books concerning any affaires of State shall be licensed by the Principal Secretaries of State for the time being or one of them or by theire or one of theire appointments And that all Bookes to bee imprinted concerning Heraldry Titles of Honour and Armes or otherwise concerning the Office of Earle Marshal shall be licensed by the Earl Marshal for the time being or by his appointment or in case there shall not then be an Earl Marshal shall be licensed by the Three Kings of Armes Garter. Clarenceux and Norroy or any two of them whereof Garter Principal King of Armes to be one And that all other Bookes to bee imprinted or reprinted whether of Divinity Phisick Philosophy or whatsoever other Science or Art shall be first licensed and allowed by the Lord Arch Bishop of Canterbury and the Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them or by theire or one of theire appointments or by either one of the Chancellors or Vice-Chancellors of either of the Universities of this Realme for the time being Provided alwaies that the said Chancellors or Vice Chancellors of either of the said Universities shall only license such Bookes as are to be imprinted or reprinted within the limits of the said Universities respectively but not in London or else where not medling either with Bookes of the Common Lawes or matters of State or Government nor any Booke or Bookes the right of printing whereof doth solely and properly belong to any particular person or persons without his or theire Consent first obtained in that behalfe

And be it enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every person and persons who by vertue of this present Act are or shall be appointed or authorized to license the imprinting of Bookes or reprinting thereof with any Additions or Amendments as aforesaid shall have one written Copy of the same Booke or Bookes which shall be soe licensed to be imprinted or reprinted with the Titles Epistles Prefaces Tables Dedications and all other things whatsoever thereunto annexed which said Copy shall be delivered by such Licenser or Licensers to the Printer or Owner for the imprinting thereof and shall be safely and intirely returned by such Printer or owner after the imprinting thereof unto such Licenser or Licensers to be kept in the publick Registrys of the said Lord Archbishop or Lord Bishop of London respectively or in the Office of the Chancellor or Vice Chancellor of either the said Universities or with the said Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper of the Great Seal for the time being or Lord Cheife Justices or Cheif Baron or one of them or the said Principal Secretaries of State or with the Earle Marshall or the said Kings of Armes or one of them of all such Books as shall be licensed by them respectively and if such Booke so to be licensed shall be an English Booke or of the English Tongue there shall be twoe Written Copies thereof delivered to the Licenser or Licensers (if he or they shall so require) one Copy whereof so licensed shall be delivered back to the said Printer or Owner and the other Copy shall be reserved and kept as is aforesaid to the end such Licenser or Licensers may be secured that the Copy so licensed shall not be altered without his or theire privity And upon the said Copy licensed to be imprinted he or they who shall so license the same shall testifie under his or their hand or hands That there is not any thing in the same contained that is contrary to Christian Faith or the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or against the State or Government of this Realm or contrary to good life or good manners or otherwise as the nature and subject of the Worke shall require which License or Approbation shall be printed in the begining of the same Booke with the Name or Names of him or them that shall authorize or license the same for a Testimony of the allowance thereof

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Merchant of Bookes and person and persons whatsoever who doth or hereafter shall import or bring any Booke or Books into this Realm from any parts beyond the Seas shall import the same in the Port of London only and not elsewhere without the special License of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London for the time being or one of them who are hereby authorized to grant Licenses for that purpose and shall before such time as the same Booke or Books or any of them be delivered forth or out of his or theire hand or hands or exposed to sale give and present a true Note or Catalogue in writing of all and every such Booke or Bookes unto the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Bishop of London for the time being or to one of them And no Merchant or other person or persons whatsoever which shall import or bring any Booke or Books into the Port of London aforesaid from any parts beyond the Seas shall presume to open any Dry Fats Bales Packs Maunds or other Fardels of Bookes or wherein Bookes are nor shall any Searcher Waiter or other Officer belonging to the Custom house upon pain of losing his or their place or places suffer the same to passe or to be delivered out of his or theire hands or Custody before such time as the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and the Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them shall have appointed some Scholar or learned man with one or more of the said Company of Stationers and such others they shall call to theire assistance to be present at the opening thereof and to view the same And if there shall happen to be found any Heretical Seditious Scandalous Schismatical or other dangerous or offensive Booke or Books or any part of such Booke or Bookes printed in English they shall forthwith be brought to the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Bishop of London for the time being or to one of them or to some publick place to be assigned and chosen by the said Lord Archbishop and Lord Bishop for the time being to the end the person and persons which importeth or causeth the said Offensive Books to bee imported may be proceeded against as an offender against this present Act And alsoe that such further course may be taken concerning the same offensive Booke or Books as by the said Lord Archbishop and Bishop for the time being shall be thought fitting for the suppressing thereof

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no person or persons shall within this Kingdome or else where imprint or cause to bee imprinted nor shall import or bring in or cause to be imported or brought into this Kingdome from or out of any other His Majesties Dominions nor from any other parts beyond the Seas any Copy or Copies Booke or Bookes or part of any Book or Bookes or Forms of blanck Bills or Indentures for any His Majesties Islands printed beyond the Seas or else where which any person or persons by force or vertue of any Letters Patents granted or assigned or which shall hereafter be granted or assigned to him or them or (where the same are not granted by any Letters Patents) by force or vertue of any Entry or Entries thereof duly made or to be made in the Register Booke of the said Company of Stationers or in the Register Booke of either of the Universities respectively have or shall have the Right Priviledge Authority or Allowance solely to print without the consent of the Owner or Owners of such Booke or Bookes Copy or Copies Form or Forms of such blanck Bills nor shall binde stitch or put to Sale any such Booke or Books or part of any such Booke or Books Form or Forms without the like consent upon pain of losse and forfeiture of the same and of being proceeded against as an Offender against this present Act and upon the further penalty and forfeiture of Six shillings eight pence for every such Booke or Books or part of such Booke or Bookes Copy or Copies or Form or Forms of any such blanck Bills or Indentures so imprinted or imported bound stitched or put to sale The Moyetie of which said Forfeiture & Forfeitures shall be to the use of our Soveraigne Lord the King His Heirs and Successors and the other Moyety to the use of the Owner or Owners Proprietor or Proprietors of such Copy or Copies Booke or Bookes or Form of such blank Bills or Indentures if he or they shall sue for the same within Six moneths next after such imprinting importing binding stitching or putting to Sale And in default of such Suit by the Owner or Owners Proprietor or Proprietors commenced within the said Six moneths Then the same Moyety shall be to the use and behoofe of such other person or persons as within the space of one yeare next after the said Offence committed shall sue for the same to be recovered by Action of Debt Bill Plaint or Information in any of his Majesties Courts of Record held att Westminster called the Kings Bench Common Pleas or Exchequer wherein no Essoign Wager of Law or Protection shall be allowed to the Defendant or Defendants

And be it further enacted and declared That every person and persons that shall hereafter print or cause to be printed any Booke Ballad Chart Pourtracture or any other thing or things whatsoever shall thereunto or thereon print and set his or theire owne Name or Names and alsoe shall declare the Name of the Author thereof if he be thereunto required by the Licenser under whose Approbation the licensing of the said Booke Ballad Chart or Pourtraiture shall be authorized and by and for whom any such Booke or other thing is or shall be printed upon paine of Forfeiture of all such Books Ballads Charts Pourtraitures and other thing or things printed contrary to the Tenor hereof And the Presses Letters and other Instruments for printing wherewith such Book Ballad Pourtraiture or other thing or things shall be so imprinted or sett or prepared for the printing thereof to be defaced and made unserviceable And that no person or persons shall hereafter print or cause to bee imprinted nor shall forge put or counterfeit in or upon any Booke or Pamphlet the Name Title Marke or Vinnet of any other person or persons which hath or shall have lawfull Priviledge Authority or Allowance of sole printing the same without the free consent of the person and persons so priviledged first had and obtained upon pain that every person and persons so offending shall forfeit and lose all such Books and Pamphlets upon which such counterfeit Name or Marke shall be imprinted and shall further be proceeded against as an Offender against this present Act.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Haberdasher of Small Wares Ironmonger Chandler Shopkeeper or other person or persons whatsoever not being licensed in that behalfe by the Lord Bishop of the Diocese wherein such Booke or Bookes shall be having been Seven yeares Apprentice to the Trade of Booke seller Printer or Bookbinder nor being a Freeman of the City of London by Patrimonial Right as Son of a Booke seller Printer or Booke binder nor being a Member of the said Company of Stationers shall within the City or Suburbs of London or any other Market Towne or elsewhere receive take or buy or barter sell againe change or doe away any Bibles Testaments Psalm books Common Prayer books Primers Abcees Licensed Almanacks Grammar School books or other Book or Books whatsoever upon pain of forfeiture of the same

And for that printing is and for many yeares hath been an Art & Manufacture of this Kingdom Therefore for the better encouraging thereof and the prevention of divers Libels Pamphlets and Seditious Books printed beyond the Seas in English and thence transported into this Realm Be it further enacted and ordained by the Authority aforesaid That no Merchant Bookseller or other person or persons whatsoever shall imprint or cause to be imprinted beyond the Seas nor shall import or bring nor knowingly assist or consent to the importation or bringing from beyond the Seas into this Realm any English Booke or Books or part of any Booke which is or shall bee or the greater part thereof is or shall be English or of the English Tongue whether the same Booke Books or part of such Book have been here formerly printed or not upon pain of forfeiture of all such English Books so imprinted or imported contrary to the tenour hereof And that no Alien or Forreigner whatsoever shall hereafter bring in or be suffered to vend here within this Realm any Book or Books printed beyond the Seas in any Language whatsoever either by himselfe or his Factor or Factors except such only as bee Free Printers or Stationers of London or such as have been brought up in that Profession without the special License of the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London for the time being or one of them who are hereby authorized to grant Licenses for that purpose upon like pain of forfeiture of all such Books as shall be soe imprinted or vended contrary to the purport and true intent hereof

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no person or persons within the City of London or the Liberties thereof or elsewhere shall erect or cause to be erected any Presse or Printing House nor shall knowingly demise or let or willingly suffer to be held or used any House Vault Cellar or other Room whatsoever to or by any person or persons for a Printing House or Place to print in unlesse he or they who erect such Presse or shall so knowingly demise or let such House Cellar Vault or room or willingly suffer the same to be used shall first give notice to the Master or Wardens of the said Company of Stationers for the time being of the erecting of such Presse or of such demise or suffering to worke or print in such House Vault Cellar or Room And that no Joyner Carpenter or other person shall make any Printing Presse no Smith shall forge any Iron worke for a Printing Presse no Founder shall cast any Letters which may be used for printing for any person or persons whatsoever neither shall any person or persons bring or cause to be brought in from any parts beyond the Seas any Letters founded or cast nor shall buy any such Letters for printing Printing Presses or other Materials belonging unto printing unlesse he or they respectively shall first acquaint the said Master and Wardens of the said Company of Stationers for the time being or some or one of them for whom the same Presses Iron Worke or Letters are to be made forged cast brought or imported upon pain that every person who shall erect any such Printing Press or shall demise or let any House or Room or suffer the same to be held or used and every person who shall make any Printing Press or any Iron worke for a Printing Presse or shall make import or buy any Letters for printing without giving notice as aforesaid shall forfeit for every such offence the sum of Five pounds the one Moyety whereof shall be to the use of our Soveraign Lord the King His Heires and Successors and the other Moyety to the use of such person or persons as shall sue for the same

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That for the time to come no man shall be admitted to be a Master Printer untill they who are now actually Master Printers shall be by death or otherwise reduced to the number of Twenty and from thence forth the number of Twenty Master Printers shall be continued and no more besides the Kings Printers and the Printers allowed for the Universities to have the use and exercise of printing of Books at one time and but four Master Founders of Letters for printing The which said Master Printers and four Master Founders of Letters for printing shall be nominated appointed and allowed by the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Bishop of London for the time being And in case of death of any one of the said four Master Founders of Letters or of the said Master Printers or of Forfeiture or avoidance of any of their Places and Priviledges to print by vertue of this Act for any Offence contrary to the same or otherwise that then the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them shall nominate and appoint such other fit person or persons to succeed and supply the place of such Master Printer or Founder of Letters as shall be void by Death Forfeiture or otherwise as aforesaid And every person and persons which shall hereafter be allowed or permitted to have the use of a Printing Presse or Printing House upon or before such his allowance obtained shall become bound with Sureties to His Majesty in the Court of Kings Bench or before some one or more of the Justices of Assize or the Justices of the Peace at theire several Quarter Sessions in the sum of three hundred pounds not to print or suffer to be printed in his house or presse any Booke or Bookes whatsoever but such as shall from time to time be lawfully licensed.

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That none of the said Master Printers to be allowed from time to time as aforesaid shall keep above Two Printing Presses at once unlesse he hath been Master or Upper Warden of the Company who are hereby allowed to keepe Three Presses and no more unlesse for some great and special occasion for the Publique he or they have for a time leave of the said Lord Archishop of Canterbury or Lord Bishop of London for the time being to have or use one or more above the aforesaid Number as their Lordships or either of them shall thinke fit

And be it alsoe enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Printer or Printers (except the Kings Printers) nor Founder or Founders of Letters for printing shall take or retain any more or greater number of Apprentices then is herein after limited and appointed (that is to say) every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters for printing that is or hath been Master or Upper Warden of his Company may have three Apprentices at one time and no more And every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters for printing that is of the Livery of his Company may have two Apprentices at one time and no more And every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters for printing of the Yeomanry of his Company may have one Apprentice at one time and no more neither by Copartnership binding at the Scriveners nor any other way whatsoever neither shall it be lawfull for any Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters when any Apprentice or Apprentices shall run or be put away to take another Apprentice or other Apprentices in his or theire place or places unlesse the name or names of him or them so gone away be rased out of the Hall Booke and never admitted againe

And because a great part of the secret Printing in corners hath been caused for want of orderly imployment for Journey men Printers The said several Master Printers and Master Founders of Letters for Printing so to be allowed as aforesaid are hereby required to take special Care that all Journey men Printers and Journey men Founders of Letters for printing who are lawfully Free of the said respective Mysteries be set to worke and imployed in theire respective Trades And if any such Journey man Printer or Journey man Founder of Letters being of honest and good behaviour and able in his Trade do want Imployment he shall repair to any of the said Master Printer or Master Founders of Letters respectively for the time being who thereupon shall receive him or them into work If such Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters have not a Journeyman already although such Mr Printer or Mr Founder of Letters respectively with his Apprentice or Apprentices be able without the helpe of the said Journey man to discharge his owne Work upon pain that every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters respectively refusing to receive such Journey man repairing to him as aforesaid shall forfeit five pounds to be recovered by Bill Plaint or Information in any Court of Record wherein no Essoign Wager at Law Priviledge or Protection shall be admitted the Moyety of which forfeiture shall go to the Kings Majesty his Heires and Successors and the other Moyety to the Informer who shall sue for the same within six monthes next after the said offence committed And if any Journey man or Journey men Printers or Founders of Letters for Printing shall refuse imployment being offered to him or them by any Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters respectively or neglect it when he or they have undertaken it he or they so refuseing or neglecting shall suffer three months Imprisonment at the least without Bail or Mainprize upon conviction of such his said refusal or neglect by two Witnesses before any one or more Justice or Justices of the Peace who are hereby impowered to heare and examine the said offence and to commit the said Offender and Offenders to the Common Gaol of the County where he or they shall be apprehended And no Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters for Printing shall from henceforth imploy either to worke at the Case or Press or otherwise about his Printing any other person or persons than such only as are Englishmen and Freemen or the Sons of Free men or Apprentices to the said Trades or Mysteries of Printing or Founding of Letters for Printing respectively

And for the better discovering of printing in Corners without License Be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That one or more of the Messengers of his Majesties Chamber by Warrant under His Majesties Sign Manual or under the Hand of one or both of His Majesties principal Secretares of State or the Master and Wardens of the said Company of Stationers or any one of them shall have power and authority with a constable to take unto them such assistance as they shall thinke needfull and att what time they shall thinke fitt to search all Houses and Shops where they shall knowe or upon some probable reason suspect any Books or Papers to be printed bound or stitched especially Printing Houses Booksellers Shops and Warehouses and Bookbinders Houses and Shops and to view there what is imprinting binding or stitching and to examine whether the same be licensed and to demand a sight of the said License and if the said Booke soe imprinting binding or stitching shall not be licensed then to seize upon so much thereof as shall be found imprinted togeather with the several Offenders and to bring them before one or more Justices of the Peace whoe are hereby authorized and required to commit such Offenders to Prison there to remaine untill they shall be tried and acquitted or convicted and punished for the said Offences And in case the said Searchers shall upon theire said Search find any Booke or Bookes or part of Bookes unlicensed which they shall suspect to contain matters therein contrary to the Doctrine or Discipline of the Church of England or against the State and Government Then upon such suspition to seise upon such Book or Books or part of Book or Books and to bring the same unto the said Lord Archbishop of Canterbury and Lord Bishop of London for the time being or one of them or to the Secretaries of State or one of them respectively who shall take such further course for the suppressing thereof as to them or any of them shall seeme fit.

And be it ordained and enacted by the Authority aforesaid That all and every Printer and Printers of Books Founder and Founders of Letters for Printing and all and every other person and persons working in or for the said Trades who from and after the Tenth day of June in the Yeare One thousand six hundred sixty and two shall offend against this present Act or any Article Clause or Thing herein contained and shall be thereof convicted by verdict confession or otherwise shall for the first offence be disenabled from exercising his respective Trade for the space of three yeares and for the second offence shall for ever thence after be disabled to use or exercise the Art or Mystery of Printing or of Founding Letters for Printing and shall alsoe have and receive such further punishment by Fine Imprisonment or other Corporal Punishment not extending to Life or Limb as by the Justices of the Court of Kings Bench or Justices of Oyer and Terminer or Justices of Assize in theire several Circuits or Justices of the Peace in theire several Quarter Sessions shall be thought fitt to be inflicted The which said Justices of the Peace in theire several Quarter Sessions shall have full power and authority to heare and determine all and every offence and offences that shall be committed against this Act or against any branch thereof upon indictment or information by any person or persons to be taken before them in theire Sessions of Peace respectively and shall yearely certifie into the Court of Exchequer as in other like Cases they are bound to doe the Fines by them imposed for any the offences aforesaid and shall and may alsoe by vertue hereof award process and execution for the taking or punishing such Offenders as in any other Case they lawfully may do by any the Lawes and Statutes of this Realm

And be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That every Printer shall reserve three printed Copies of the best and largest Paper of every Book new printed or reprinted by him with Additions and shall before any publick venting of the said Book bring them to the Master of the Company of Stationers and deliver them to him one whereof shall be delivered to the Keeper of his Majesties Library and the other two to be sent to the Vice-Chancellors of the two Universities respectively for the use of the Publique Libraries of the said Universities

Provided alwaies That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to extend to the p[re]judice or infringing of any the just Rights and Priviledges of either of the two Universities of this Realm touching and concerning the licensing or printing of Books in either of the said Universities

Provided alwaies That no search shall be att any time made in the House or Houses of any the Peers of this Realm or of any other person or persons not being free of or using any of the Trades in this Act before mentioned but by special Warrant from the Kings Majestie under His Sign Manual or under the Hand of one or both of His Majesties principal Secretaries of State or for any other Books then such as are in printing or shall be printed after the Tenth of June One thousand six hundred sixty two Any thing in this Act to the contrary thereof in any wise notwithstanding

Provided alsoe and be it further enacted by the Authority aforesaid That neither this Act nor any thing therein contained shall be construed to prohibit any person or persons to sell Books or Papers who have sold Books or Papers within Westminster Hall the Palace of Westminster or in any Shopp or Shopps within twenty yards of the great Gate of Westminster Hall aforesaid before the Twentieth day of November One thousand six hundred sixty and one but they and every of them may sell Books and Papers as they have or did before the said Twentieth Day of November One thousand six hundred sixty one within the said Hall Pallace and twenty yards aforesaid but not else where Any thing in this Act to the contrary in any wise notwithstanding

Provided alsoe That neither this Act nor any thing therein contained shall extend to p[re]judice the just Rights or Priviledges granted by His Majesty or any of his Royall Predecessors to any person or persons under His Majesties Great Seale or otherwise but that such person or persons may exercise and use such Rights and Priviledges as aforesaid according to theire respective Grants Any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding

Provided alsoe That neither this Act nor any therein contained shall extend to prohibit John Streater Stationer from printing Bookes and Papers but that he may still follow the Art and Mistery of Printing as if this Act had never beene made Any thing therein to the contrary notwithstanding

Provided alsoe That neither this Act nor any thing therein contained shall extend to restrain the keeping and using of a Printing Presse in the City of Yorke so as all Bookes of Divinity there printed be first licensed by the Archbishop of Yorke for the time being or such person or persons whom he shall appoint and all other Bookes whatsoever there printed be first licensed by such persons respectively to whom the licensing thereof doth or shall appertain by the rules herein before mentioned and so as no Bibles be there printed nor any other Booke whereof the Original Copy is or shall be belonging to the Company of Stationers in London or any Member thereof and so as the Archbishop or Lord Mayor of Yorke for the time being do execute within the said City (which they are hereby impowered to do) all the Powers and Rules in this Act concerning Searchers for unlicensed Bookes and impose and levy the said penalties in the like cases Any thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding

Provided That this Act shall continue and be in force for two yeares to commence from the Tenth of June One thousand six hundred sixty and two and no longer.

The Founders' Constitution
Volume 5, Amendment I (Speech and Press), Document 1
http://press-pubs.uchicago.edu/founders/documents/amendI_speechs1.html
The University of Chicago Press

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