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THAT for some Years last past, several private Persons, for their own particular Gain, have procured Patents for the sole printing all Books whatsoever, relating to the common Law of this Land. And as such Patentees are not Printers by Trade, but Gentlemen, they Farm out the same to others, which Practices are attended with very great Inconveniencies, and are the Occasion of great Oppressions upon the Printers and Booksellers, as well as the rest of Her Majesties Subjects. For,
I. Such Patents are conceived to be a Monopoly, a thing very odious in the Eye of the Law, and have been once adjudged to be so by all the Iudges. For as it would be a MoCards, which is a kind of printing: Why should a Printer be under any restraint from exercising so considerable a Branch of his Trade, as that of printing Law-Books is? Or why should any Man who hath a mind to publish a Treatise of Law, be forced to have it printed at the Patentees-Press, and not be at his liberty to have it done where he can have it done best and cheapest?
II. This is the Occasion of the common Complaint of the excessive Price of all Books reBooksellers being forced to print all such Books at the Press of the Patentees, they compel them to pay five or six Shillings per Pound more than the comLaw-Books, as any other Printers are in doing of the same Work.
III. That the first Pretensions of granting such Patents now ceases. For when Reporters of the Law were appointed and paid by the Crown, the Crown had an Interest in their Works, and it was very reasonable it should appoint who should be the Printers and Publiberty to write what Treatises of Law he pleases. 'Tis unreasonable, that when a Bookseller hath given an Author 2 or 300 l. for a Copy, he should be forced to pay near half as much more to the Patentees, for Liberty to publish it to the World.
IV. That when such Patents were first granted, the Books of the Law were very few, and the Books in which the Crown might be conceived to have any Interest, were menPatent was granted for such Books. Besides, the Number of Presses were then very small; but since Printing-Houses are increased, there being about 70 now in London, and the Books of the Law, as well as Printers, are grown very numePrejudice to the Improvement of Knowledge, the useful Art of PRINTING, and the Trade of those who have no other Method to get a Living.
V. That the Crown hath no manner of Advantage by such Patents, but the Usage of them may be very dangerous, for if such Patents should be allowed, it may seem as reasonBinding of all Law-Books. For Printing is as much a Trade as Book-binding.
Wherefore it is humbly hoped, That this Honourable House will be pleased to take their CASE into Consideration, and to give them such Relief herein, as to your great Wisdom shall think most just and reasonable.
THE CASE OF THE Booksellers and Pri
Relating to the Patentee
for the sole Printing all Books of the Common-Law.