Manuscript 18th century transcription of the ordinances and bye-laws of the English Stock ordained and established by the Court, 5 Oct 1681.
On verso of front cover is a pencil annotation 'paper watermarked 1794'.
On page 1 is written 'The ingrossment of these By Laws allowed & signed by the Chacnr. and Chief Justices is introduced by a Title of - At an Assembly of the Master Wardens & Assist: of the Company of Stationers of ye City of London held in their Common Hall &c.'.
The ordinances are as follows:
(1) All benefits and advantages granted by the letters patents of James I, or arising by reason of the same, shall be divided into three equal parts. One part shall remain and belong to the Master, Wardens and Assistants of the Stationers' Company, one part shall remain and belong to the Company livery and the third part shall remain and belong to the Company yeomanry for the time being. And to the intent that there may be from time to time equal and just dealing in and amongst the three degrees aforenamed, and the proportions due to each may be justly answered according to such sums of money as they have laid down or shall lay down:
(2) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall not at any time exceed the number of 15 persons that shall have part or portion of the benefit thereof, and if at any time the number exceeds the number of 15 persons then any of those exceeding the number shall have an enjoy only a livery part until an Assistant part falls.
(3) Those of the livery who has part or portion of the aforesaid grant or profits shall not at any one time exceed the number of 30 persons, and if at any one time the number exceeds 30 persons then any of those exceeding the number shall enjoy only a yeomanry part or portion until a livery part falls void.
(4) Those of the yeomanry who has part or portion of the aforesaid grant or profits shall not at any one time exceed the number of 60 persons. And (in case at any time there be not of these several degrees aforenamed persons to supply and make up these several limited numbers respectively) then the same shall be supplied out of the others of the said degrees at the discretion of the Master, Wardens and Assistants for the time being or the greatest part of them.
(5) Out of the whole benefit arising from the aforesaid three limited parts, or by the execution of the said letters patents there shall (in the first place and before any divisions into thirds shall be made) be yearly paid to the Master, Wardens and Assistants the sum of two hundred pounds at four quarterly payments of the year, at the Feasts of St Michael the Archangel, the Birth of our Lord God, the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Nativity of St John Baptist, to be distributed to and amongst the poor of this Company, at the discretion of the Master, Wardens and Assistants for the time being or the greatest part of them.
(6) A book shall from time to time be kept to set down how and in what manner the said two hundred pounds and every part thereof shall be distributed to the intent that it may always thereby appear in particular to whom and to how many of the poor it shall be given And to that purpose shall be written in the book the names and surnames of every of them to whom the same shall be distributed.
(7) The Master, Wardens and Assistants or a major part of them in a Court of Assistants shall out of the profits arising from the said Patent when they think convenient raise, lay out and expend for the necessary use and occasions of the Company such sums of money as to them shall seem fit.
(8) No person or persons interested in the grant or any part thereof shall alienate or put away his said part, portion or stock to any person upon forfeiture thereof, except it shall be to one of the Company and Corporation of his own degree calling and quality therein having then no part of portion in any of the Stock or premises nor to any such neither without the consent of the Master, Wardens and Assistants or the greater part of them, upon pain of loss and forfeiture of all his part, portion, Stock or interest in the said premises. Which said forfeiture shall be to the said Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty of the Company to be by them distributed to the poor of the Company.
(9) If any member of the Company interested in the Grant or Stock or any part of commodity of the same shall by any underhand dealing, or by any other ways or means directly or indirectly cause, consent, procure or agree that any party that is not of this Corporation and not admitted a Partner by the consent of the Master, Wardens and Assistants for the time being shall partake or be Partner or have any interest benefit profit or commodity whatsoever that shall grow or come of by the execution of the aforesaid Grant or the employment of the Common Stock provided for the same in manner aforesaid That in every such case every such parties of this Company so doing or offending and all others that shall claim by, from or under him shall forfeit all his part, right, benefit and Stock which he may then have claim to have in any the premises or any part thereof Which said forfeiture shall be to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty to be distributed to the poor of the Company at the discretion of the Master, Wardens and Assistants. And the party or parties so doing, or offending, shall from thenceforth forever be clearly banned from having or demanding Stock or commodities or anything whatsoever in all or every part of the Stock and premises.
(10) As to the managing and directing of all affairs concerning the Grant and things by the same granted, and the employing, governing and keeping of all accounts and reckonings concerning the same and the said Stock and the proceeds thereof, the Master and Wardens, two Assistants, two of the livery and two of the yeomanry shall have the execution and doing thereof, and shall make account quarterly in writing of all things touching the same, whereby it may plainly appear in what state the whole or general account of all the premises shall remain, And shall make dividends quarterly half yearly or yearly at the discretion of the said Master, Wardens and Assistants or the greater part of them (Viz.) To every party interested according to the proportion of the sum by him laid down the which six persons of the several degrees above limited shall be called Stock Keepers and shall be eligible at the discretion of the Master, Wardens and Assistants or the greater part of them and shall always be nominated and chosen by them in manner as hereinafter is mentioned.
(11) At one time every year (that is to say upon the first day of March if it be not Sunday or if it be then the Monday following) the Master, Wardens and Assistants and such of the livery and yeomanry of this Company which have such parts in the Stock and proceed thereof as aforesaid shall assemble themselves and meet together in the Common Hall of this Company and Corporation and then shall nominate and elect a Treasurer and the said six Stock Keepers for the affairs of the Premises for the year following from the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary then next ensuing after the said nomination Which shall be nominated and elected in the manner (Viz.) At the same day of nominations the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall choose two sufficient persons out of the said Assistants to be two of the Stock Keepers for the affairs of the Stock and Premises for the next year ensuing And that those interested of the said livery shall present four sufficient persons of their rank and degree Of the which four so presented the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall choose two to be Stock Keepers for the year ensuing as is also limited. And that those interested of the yeomanry shall rpesent six honest and sufficient persons of their rank and degree of the which six soe presented the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall choose two to be Stock Keepers with the other Stock Keepers aforesaid for the said year also limited And that those six persons so to be chosen shall from time to time be joined with the said Master and Wardens for the execution and managing of the aforesaid Grant and after and upon every such choice as is aforesaid The said Master and Wardens shall give charge to the former Stock Keepers of the year then past to make and bring in their account for their charge of their year At or before the Feast of the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary next after the said charge so to be given.
(12) When and so often as any person interested in the Premises or any part thereof shall decease leaving a widow who shall be lawfully entitled to have such Stock as her husband left in this Company or the benefit and profit arising from which Stock to her own use then the proceed and benefit arising from the said Stock and Premises shall remain and be to such widow during her widowhood, if she shall so long continue to be lawfully entitled to receive the same But in case he have no wife at the time of his decease or if he shall leave a wife who shall not be entitled to the said Stock then his Stock in the said Premises shall be paid to such who shall be lawfully entitled to receive the same within one year next after his decease quarterly by even portions.
(13) So often as any parts or places shall fall void in any of the said several limited ranks or degrees either by death, resignation, giving over, forfeiture or otherwise howsoever, in every such case the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall within one month after such avoidance assemble themselves together and then proceed to the election of another fit person of this Society to have and supply the said part and place so void. In every the which elections special regard is to be had to the honesty and good behaviour of the party and parties so to be chosen And that he be a bookseller printer book-binder or one that deals in books being free of this Company and a good member of the Corporation At the discretion of the Master, Wardens and Assistants or the greater part of them And presently upon such elections the Master shall administer to the party so elected an Oath as follows. [text of oath] The like Oath shall be ministered by the Master to such as shall be chosen Stock Keepers with this addition only (whereof you are now chosen Stock Keepers). And the like to be ministered by the Master to him that shall be chosen Treasurer with this addition only. "Whereof you are now chosen Treasurer".
(14) If any person or persons interested in the Grant or any benefit thereby arising shall without consent of the Master, Wardens and Assistants, or any such person that shall limit, assign and appoint, print or procure to be printed in part or any book mentioned in the letters patents whatsoever or any book or copy appertaining to the Stock or shall without the like order buy, sell, bind or stitch any such book or copy whatsoever That then every such person doing or offending shall forfeit his Stock portion and interest that he shall then have in the Premises which forfeiture shall be to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty to be by the mdistributed to the poor of this Company.
(15) If any person or person of this Company interesting in the said Grant or any other grant or privilege belonging to the parties in the Premises of the Common Stock shall demeane or behave himself touching any of the same thereof disobediently towards the Master, Wardens and Assistants Or shall not obey or observe the Ordinances of the Master, Wardens and Assistants lawfully ordained for the good government of the Grant That then in every such case every person so doing or offending shall during the time and continuance of this disobedience be suspended and removed from all such profit as might arise to him by reason of any part or portion in all or every of the Premises And shall until he shall conform himself to obey the Ordinances be sequested from the benefit of his parts The which said forfeitures during such time shall be to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty to be distributed to the poor of the Company.
(16) Neither the Master, Wardens and Assistants or any other member of the Company shall hereafter print or cause to be printed or bought from parts beyond the seas, or bind, stitch, buy or sell any books granted in the said letters patents to the Company other than such only as shall be printed by the authority, licence and consent of the Master, Wardens and Assistants Or of some by them lawfully and sufficiently authorised Upon pain of forfeiting six pence to the said Company for every book or part of book printed, brought from beyond the seas, bound, stitched, uttered or sold contrary to the true meaning hereof.
