15 G. III.

c. 53.

Universi

have for ever the

sole right

of printing,

sent Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same, That the said universities and colleges respectively shall at their respective presses have for ever the sole liberty of printing and reprinting all such books as shall at ties, &c. to any time hereafter have been or (having not been heretofore published or assigned) shall at any time hereafter be bequeathed or otherwise given by the author or authors &c. of the same respectively or the representatives of such author or authors to or in trust for the said universities, or to or in trust for any college or house of learning within the same, or to or in trust for the said four universities in Scotland, or to or in trust for the said colleges of Eton Westminster and Winchester or any of them for the purposes aforesaid, unless the same shall have been bequeathed or given or shall hereafter be bequeathed or given for any term of years or other limited term; any law or usage to the contrary hereof in any wise notwithstanding.

forfeit the

also id. for

sheet;

II. And it is hereby further enacted, That if any book- Persons printing or seller printer or other person whatsoever from and after selling such the twenty-fourth day of June one thousand seven hun- books shall dred and seventy-five shall print reprint or import or same, and cause to be printed reprinted or imported any such book every or books; or knowing the same to be so printed or reprinted shall sell publish or expose to sale or cause to be sold published or exposed to sale any such book or books; then such offender or offenders shall forfeit such book or books and all and every sheet or sheets being part of such book or books to the university college or house of learning respectively to whom the copy of such book or books shall have been bequeathed or given as aforesaid, who shall forthwith damask and make waste paper of them; and further that such offender or offenders shall forfeit one penny for every sheet which shall be found in his her or their custody either printed or printing published or exposed to sale contrary to the true intent and meaning of this Act; one moiety thereof to the King's most excel- one moiety lent Majesty his heirs and successors, and the other moi- to his Majesty and ety thereof to any person or persons who shall sue for the the other to the prosesame; to be recovered in any of his Majesty's courts of cutor.

15 G. III. record at Westminster or in the Court of Sessions in c. 53. Scotland by action of debt bill plaint or information, in which no wager of law essoign privilege or protection or more than one imparlance shall be allowed.

No person subject to penalties unless

entered before, &c.

III. Provided nevertheless, That nothing in this Act shall extend to grant any exclusive right otherwise than so long as the books or copies belonging to the said universities or colleges are printed only at their own printing presses within the said universities or colleges respectively and for their sole benefit and advantage; and that if any university or college shall delegate grant lease or sell their copy rights or exclusive rights of printing the books hereby granted or any part thereof, or shall allow permit or authorize any person or persons or bodies corporate to print or reprint the same, that then the privileges hereby granted are to become void and of no effect in the same manner as if this Act had not been made; but the said universities and colleges as aforesaid shall nevertheless have a right to sell such copies so bequeathed or given as aforesaid in like manner as any author or authors now may do under the provisions of the statute of the eighth year of her Majesty Queen Anne.

IV." And whereas many persons may through ignorance offend against this Act unless some provision be made whereby the property of every such book as is intended by this Act to be secured to the said universities colleges and houses of learning within the same and to the said universities in Scotland and to the respective colleges of Eton Westminster and Winchester may be ascertained and known;" Be it therefore enacted by the authority aforesaid, That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to extend to subject any bookseller printer or other person whatsoever to the forfeitures or penalties herein mentioned for or by reason of the printing or reprinting importing or exposing to sale any book or books unless the title to the copy of such book or books which has or have been already bequeathed or given to any of the said universities or colleges aforesaid be entered in the register book of the Company of Stationers kept

c. 53.

be entered

after

for that purpose in such manner as hath been usual on or 15 G. III. before the twenty-fourth day of June one thousand seven hundred and seventy-five; and of all and every such book or books as may or shall hereafter be bequeathed or given Books must as aforesaid be entered in such register within the space within two of two months after any such bequest or gift shall have months come to the knowledge of the vice-chancellors of the said bequest. universities or heads of houses and colleges of learning or of the principal of any of the said four universities respectively; for every of which entries so to be made as aforesaid the sum of six pence shall be paid and no more; which said register book shall and may at all seasonable and convenient times be referred to and inspected by any bookseller printer or other person without any fee or reward; and the clerk of the said Company of Stationers shall when and as often as thereunto required give a certificate under his hand of such entry or entries, and for every such certificate may take a fee not exceeding six pence.

V. And be it further enacted, That if the clerk of the If clerk neglect to said Company of Stationers for the time being shall refuse make enor neglect to register or make such entry or entries or to try, &c. proprietor give such certificate, being thereunto required by the to have like agent of either of the said universities or colleges afore- benefit, &c. said lawfully authorized for that purpose, then either of the said universities or colleges aforesaid, being the proprietor of such copyright or copyrights as aforesaid (notice being first given of such refusal by advertisement in the Gazette) shall have the like benefit as if such entry or entries certificate or certificates had been duly made and given; and the clerk so refusing shall for every such offence forfeit twenty pounds to the proprietor or proprietors of every such copyright; to be recovered in any of his Majesty's courts of record at Westminster or in the court of Session in Scotland by action of debt bill plaint or information, in which no wager of law essoign privilege protection or more than one imparlance shall be allowed.

15 G. III. c. 53.

8 Anne, C. 19.

VI. "And whereas in and by an Act of Parliament made in the eighth year of the reign of her late Majesty Queen Anne, intituled An Act for the Encouragement of Learning by vesting the Copies of printed Books in the Authors or Purchasers of such Copies during the times therein mentioned, it is enacted, That nine copies of each book or books upon the best paper that from and after the tenth day of April one thousand seven hundred and ten should be printed and published as therein mentioned, or reprinted and published with additions, shall by the printer or printers thereof be delivered to the warehouse-keeper of the said Company of Stationers for the time being at the hall of the said Company before such publication made, for the use of the royal library the libraries of the universities of Oxford and Cambridge the libraries of the four universities in Scotland the library of Sion College in London and the library commonly called The Library belonging to the Faculty of Advocates in Edinburgh respectively; which such warehouse-keeper was thereby required within ten days after demand by the keepers of the respective libraries, or any person or persons by them or any of them authorized to demand the said copy, to deliver the same for the use of the aforesaid libraries; and if any proprietor bookseller or printer or the said warehouse-keeper of the said Company of Stationers should not observe the direction of the said Act therein, that then he and they so making default in not delivering the said printed copies as aforesaid should forfeit as therein mentioned: And whereas the said provision has not proved effectual but the same hath been eluded by the entry only of the title to a single volume or of some part of such book or books so printed and pubNo person lished or reprinted and republished as aforesaid;" Be it subject to enacted by the authority aforesaid, That no person or penalties in the said act persons whatsoever shall be subject to the penalties in the title to the said Act mentioned for or by reason of the printing or copy of the reprinting importing or exposing to sale any book or entered, &c. books without the consent mentioned in the said Act,

unless the

whole be

unless the title to the copy of the whole of such book and

c. 53.

every volume thereof be entered in manner directed by 15 G. III. the said Act in the register book of the Company of Stationers, and unless nine such copies of the whole of such book or books and every volume thereof printed and published or reprinted or republished as therein mentioned shall be actually delivered to the warehouse-keeper of the said Company as therein directed for the several uses of the several libraries in the said Act mentioned.

Limitation

VII. And be it further enacted by the authority aforesaid, That if any action or suit shall be commenced or of actions. brought against any person or persons whatsoever for doing or causing to be done any thing in pursuance of this Act, the defendants in such action may plead the general General issue and give the special matter in evidence; and if issue. upon such action a verdict, or if the same shall be brought in the Court of Session in Scotland a judgment be given for the defendant, or the plaintiff become nonsuited and discontinue his action, then the defendant shall have and recover his full costs, for which he shall have the same remedy as a defendant in any case by law hath.

VIII. And be it further enacted by the authority afore- Public act. said, That this Act shall be adjudged deemed and taken to be a public Act; and shall be judicially taken notice of as such by all judges justices and other persons whatsoever without specially pleading the same.