Entries of copies are dated 7 Apr 1687-21 Nov 1695; information given includes name of property owner, name of person/s under whose hand/s the copy is entered, title of work, name of author, amount paid (usually 6d per title) and signature of property owner; there are a few cross references in the margins to entries elsewhere in the volume.

Front cover reads 'The Wast Register booke for entring of Coppies begun the vii th day of Aprill 1687'.

On the inside cover is a pencil note in a 20th century hand: 'These are the Original Entries. Those in the large volume 'Coppies' 1682 are copied in', and beside it in a contemporary hand, 'Jos Younge' and 'Younge'; on reverse of front fly leaf is a note in biro: 'See Court minute of 4 April 1687'.

At the rear of the volume (pages 252-257) are six pages of memoranda principally relating to caveats restricting the entering of specified works, 4 Aug 1684-12 Apr 1695. Memoranda predating the use of this volume for entries of copies appear to have been copied from entries in earlier volumes.

Myers notes: 'The Court ordered, 4 April 1687, that a Wast Entry Book be kept; it ceased to be used after the Licensing Laws Lapsed, 1695.' (Myers:1990, p. 25)

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.

Discussion of the application of the Act for the Encouragement of Learning [the Statute of Anne/Copyright Act 1710] to books published abroad, and financial implications for the English book trade of the importation of such books.

i: letters from Thomas Yates to George Tokefield, 6 Apr-30 Sep 1669 [3 items].

ii: draft agreement between Oxford University and the Stationers' Company regarding right to print bibles, grammars and other books, in Thomas Yates's handwriting, c.1669.

i: notice of Oxford University vice-chancellor John Venn to the Stationers' Company regarding Peter Parker and Thomas Guy and printing folio psalms, with letter from Parker and Guy to the Company on the reverse, 2 Jul-3 Sep 1687

ii: letter from Peter Parker and Thomas Guy to the company regarding Oxford and Cambridge printing, 7 May 1688.

iii: counsel's opinion, undated.

Contains the following Acts and commentaries (mostly print):

• Appendix to A Decree of Starre-Chamber Concerning Printing made the eleventh Day of July last past, 1637

• Act against Unlicensed and Scandalous Books and Pamphlets, and for better Regulating of Printing, 1649

• An act for preventing the frequent abuses in printing seditious, treasonable, and unlicensed books and pamphlets, 1662

• An act for preventing the frequent abuses in printing seditious, treasonable, and unlicensed books and pamphlets, 1685

• 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, 1708 (printed 1718)

• An act to amend the law of copyright, 1842

• Stamp Acts, 1757 and 1765

• Restraint against co-printing law books (manuscript, no date)

• A Letter To a Member of Parliament, Shewing, that a Restraint On the Press Is inconsistent with the Protestant Religion, and dangerous to te Liberties of the Nation, 1698 - anonymously authored tract, now variously attributed to Daniel Defoe and Matthew Tindal

• Further Reasons Humbly Offered... for making more effectual... An Act for the Encouragement of Learning - argument advanced on the Stationers' side in the Battle of the Booksellers

• A Bill for making more effectual... An act to enable to commissioners of His Majesty's stamp duties, 1735

• Legal Deposit Act, 1775 (two copies)

• An Act to enable to commissioners of His Majesty's stamp duties to stamp the paper of newspapers, 1794

• An Act for repealing the Duties on Paper, 1794

• An act from granting Samuel Buckley the sole liberty of printing and reprinting the histories of Thuanus, 1733

• Acts for prohibiting the Importation of Books re-printed Abroad, 1739 and 1746

• An Act for the further Encouragement of Learning, 1801

• Copyright Bill, 1881

i: request by John Patison to enter William McEwen's Essays Doctrinal and Practical, 2 Jun 1767.

ii: notice of publication of Advice to young Gentlemen in the Several conditions of life by way of address from a Father to his Children by the Abbot Goussault Counsellor in Parliament; with his Sentiments and maxims upon what passes in civil society, undated.

iii: request by Jane Kettlewell to enter The Practical Believer, Christian Prudence, The Doctrine of the Cross and The Companion to the Penitent and Persecuted, 30 Oct 1699

iv: manuscript title page for Josiah Burchit's Memoires of Transactions at Sea during the Warr with France, 1703.

v: printed letter from John Snow to the livery regarding fees for entering copies since the 1842 Copyright Act, Dec 1877.

vi: request by John Gray to enter The Assembly's Shorter Catechism Explained, 16 Jan 1772.

vii: extract minute of the committee of directors of the Society for Propagating Christian Knowledge in Scotland, 3 May 1770.

viii: letter from John Ven requesting a full extract of the entry of his father-in-law Ralph Erskine's works and advice on his exclusive right to print these works, 7 Sep 1769.

ix: letter from Thomas Carnan confirming that Juvenile Trials and Patersons Travelling Dictionary were to be entered as his sole property, and that the Dictionary of the World was the property of Stanley Crowder, Benjamin Collins, Mr Carnan and Mr Newbery, 20 Dec 1771, with a note requesting to know what shares each of the latter had in the Dictionary of the World, undated [2 items].

x: manuscript summons to Joseph Greenhill requiring him to produce information on the Dictionary of Natural History, The Jacobite Songs and Ballads of Scotland and Sabbath Bells Chimed by the Poets to the Guildhall Police Court, Jul 1861.

xi: statement that Regula Accentum & Spiritum Gracorum cum Observationibus utilissimus, Gracorum Dialiecti Postica cum Regulis Profodia and Eradita Pronuntiationis Catholici Indices were to be entered, 1 Oct 1700.

xii: certificates of entry of One Hundred Years of Book Auctions, issued to celebrate the centenary of Hodgson & Co in 1907, 2-3 Jun 1908.

Ordinances enacted at a meeting of the Common Hall, 3 Jan 1678:

(1) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall, by order of the Master or, in his absence, the Wardens, hold Court meetings for Company affairs; for the better ordering, ruling and governing of the Company members and also for the correction of abuses or disorders that may happen between members; and shall admit apprentices; and make free of the Company those who have served their term of apprenticeship or otherwise thought fit to admit to the Freedom; and may also at Courts debate Acts concerning the government of the Company: which Courts shall be called Courts of Assistants; and to which Courts the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall come in their gowns; and the Assistants shall not depart without leave of the Master or one of the Wardens; and every member and Assistant shall respond to summons by the Beadle and go to every Court at the times appointed; and shall not depart without leave of the Master or one of the Wardens, on pain that every person so disobeying, without reasonable excuse, shall forfeit to the Company the sum of one shilling for every such offence.

(2) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall keep four quarterly Courts; to which Courts the Master or Wardens will cause all members to be summoned by the Beadle; all members so summoned shall appear; at which all times the orders and ordinances of the Company shall be read, to better acquaint the members with the same; and that they also be put in mind of keeping the same according to their oaths of Freedom. At the quarter-Courts every member of the Company shall pay to the Renter Warden, or another appointed for the purpose, his quarterage money which will be due to the Company at the rates following (viz.) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall pay two shillings eight pence yearly, by eight pence a quarter; every person in the livery shall pay two shillings yearly, by six pence a quarter; and every member of the yeomanry shall pay once shilling and four pence yearly, by four pence every quarter. And every person refusing to pay quarterage shall forfeit for every default the following rates (viz.) Every Assistant, eight pence besides quarterage; every liverman, six pence besides quarterage; and every yeoman, four pence besides quarterage.

(3) At the Courts of Assistants every Court member shall keep silence at the command of a Warden; when any matter is moved or debated, only one person can speak at one time; and all debates shall be addressed to the Master or, in his absence, the Chairman (which person is to be chosen by the majority of members present), so that the opinion and judgement of every member may be heard; and every person except the Master or Chairman shall address his discourse to the Master or Chairman: and all debates be serious and without speeches giving offence, upon pain to forfeit the sum of one shilling for every offence.

(4) Full and absolute power of nomination and election of Master, Wardens and Assistants, liverymen and all other officers of the Company shall always be only in the Master, Wardens and Assistants in the Court of Assistants assembled; in which choices they shall observe the ancient ways, time and method of nomination and election which have been used in the Company.

(5) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall every year elect a discreet, honest and able person, being a member of the Court of Assistants, to be Master for one year next following; which person shall accept the office of Master and take the oath for that purpose appointed, and shall bear the same charges and perform the same duties as other Masters before him; and shall continue for one whole year until a new Master is elected and sworn. And if the Master shall die or be removed before the end of his year, the Court of Assistants may elect a fit person to serve in the office for the remainder of the time that the deceased or removed Master ought to have served. And if any person so chosen shall refuse to accept the office or take the oath (having no reasonable impediment that may hinder him to), then he shall pay to the Company the sum of twenty pounds, unless on application to the Master, Wardens and Assistants they see fit to excuse him upon payment of a more moderate fine, to be by them imposed, not under ten pounds, to be paid to the Company. And the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall upon such a refusal elect another fit person instead of the person so refusing, for such time as the person so refusing was to have been Master; and until a new Master has been chosen who will take office and the oath, the same method of election shall be observed, and penalties incurred for refusal.

(6) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall elect a Company member to be First or Upper Warden for one year next following; which person shall accept the office and take the oath for that purpose appointed; and shall continue for one whole year until a new Upper Warden is elected and shall bear an equal part with his Under Warden in the making of an election dinner for the Master, Wardens, Assistants and livery (this Company making to him and the Under Warden the same allowance which has usually been made to other Wardens upon the same occasion). And in case of death or removal of the Upper Warden, the Master, remaining Warden and Assistants may elect a fit person to serve in the office for the remainder of the time that the deceased or removed Upper Warden ought to have served. And if any person so chosen shall refuse to accept the office or take the oath (having no reasonable impediment that may hinder him to), then he shall pay to the Company the sum of twenty-four pounds,unless he served or fined for Upper Warden the preceding year, in which case he shall pay only six pounds. But if any person shall be chosen Upper Warden as aforesaid, who never served Upper Warden before, shall make application to the Court of Assistants, the Master, Wardens and Assistants may excuse him from serving the office upon payment of a more moderate fine, not under twelve pounds; And the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall upon such a refusal elect another fit person instead of the person so refusing, for such time as the person so refusing was to have been Upper Warden; and until a new Upper Warden has been chosen who will take office and the oath, the same method of election shall be observed, and penalties incurred for refusal.

(7) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall elect a Company member to be Second or Under Warden for one year next following; which person shall accept the office and take the oath for that purpose appointed; and shall continue for one whole year until a new Under Warden is elected and shall bear an equal part with his Upper Warden in the making of an election dinner for the Master, Wardens, Assistants and livery (this Company making to him and the Upper Warden the same allowance which has usually been made to other Wardens upon the same occasion). And in case of death or removal of the Under Warden, the Master, remaining Warden and Assistants may elect a fit person to serve in the office for the remainder of the time that the deceased or removed Under Warden ought to have served. And if any person so chosen shall refuse to accept the office or take the oath (having no reasonable impediment that may hinder him to), then he shall pay to the Company the sum of twenty pounds,unless he served or fined for Under Warden the preceding year, in which case he shall pay only five pounds. But if any person shall be chosen Under Warden as aforesaid, who never served Under Warden before, shall make application to the Court of Assistants, the Master, Wardens and Assistants may excuse him from serving the office upon payment of a more moderate fine, not under ten pounds; And the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall upon such a refusal elect another fit person instead of the person so refusing, for such time as the person so refusing was to have been Upper Warden; and until a new Upper Warden has been chosen who will take office and the oath, the same method of election shall be observed, and penalties incurred for refusal.

(8) The Master, Wardens and Assistants may, at a Court of Assistants, may chose such members of the Company (who have paid their fines for not serving, or have served in the office of Renter Warden) as they think fit to be Assistants to the Master and Wardens; and that every person chosen shal, before they take office or sit in a Court of Assistants, take an oath before the Master, Wardens and Assistants. Every such person shall, after being sworn, pay ten shillings to the Clerk for administering the oath and registering his name, and pay five shillings to the Beadle.

(9) Within a convenient time following the election and oath taken by the new Master and Wardens, not exceeding two months, the last Master and Wardens shall give a true and just account in writing (unto such persons appointed by the then Master, Wardens and Assistants) of all jewels, plate, money, linen, charters, deeds, evidences, obligations, writings, books and papers, and all other Company goods and chattels come into his custody; and shall deliver them to the Master and Wardens, together with his keys and anything else belonging to the Company which were in his custody but not accounted for, upon pain of forfeiting to the Company the sum of one hundred pounds for every month that any such person shall neglect to account as aforesaid, or detain any of the premises after the time limited hereby over and above the full value of the same (such person having no just impediment for so doing). And the said accounts with the inventory shall immediately after the auditing and allowance be entered by the Clerk into a book for that purpose provided.

(10) The common seal of the Company, together with the jewels, goods, charters, writings, evidences and all other things belonging to the Company, shall remain in one or more chests that shall stand in the Hall, and to which there shall be three locks and keys, the custody of one of the said keys being of the Master, the custody of another being of the Upper Warden and the custody of the third being of the Under Warden, during their respective offices and until their accounts are audited. And if the Master or either Warden be sick or travel out of the city, or shall absent himself for fourteen consecutive days, then every such Master or Warden shall leave his key with an Assistant: upon pain to forfeit for every such default the sum of five pounds to the Company.

(11) No leases, demises, annuities, grants, gifts or bargains and sales, of any houses, lands, tenements or other things appertaining to the Company, nor an obligations, bills or specialties whatsoever, shall at any time be granted under the common seal of the Company unless the same be ordered by the Master, Wardens and Assistants, upon pain that the Master or Warden offending shall be disfranchised and pay to the Company, over and above the damage received by the Company for such their offence, the sum of one hundred pounds apiece.

(12) The Master, Wardens and Assistants may, at a Court of Assistants, elect and admit into the livery of the Company such persons free of the Company, as they think fit; and after election of anyone into the livery, the Master shall cause the Beadle to put on him so elected a livery gown; and that the Master shall put upon his shoulder a party-coloured hood; after which the Master and Wardens each in their order shall give to such person his and their hands, saying (viz.) Brother, you are admitted to the cloathing of this Company, or words to that effect; and that every person elected of the livery shall upon his admission aforesaid pay to the Company the sum of twenty pounds, and to the Clerk ten shillings, and to the Beadle five shillings; and if any such person elected into the cloathing shall refuse to accept thereof, having no reasonable cause, and to be so allowed by the Master, Wardens and Assistants, he shall pay to the Company the sum of forty pounds.

(13) All those of the livery shall, upon the Beadle's summons, meet at such a place and time as appointed by the Master and Wardens; and every person being duly summoned, and shall make default without a reasonable excuse, or shall depart without leave of the Master or Wardens, shall for every such default pay to the Company the sum of one shilling.

(14) Every year at a Court of Assistants the Master, Wardens and Assistants may elect and choose an honest liveryman of the Company to bear the title of Renter Warden for one year next ensuing, until another be chosen in his place; and in case of death or removal of any Renter Warden, the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall proceed to a new election of another Renter Warden. The person elected will accept the office and attend the Master and Warden upon their summons, and collect and receive all quarterage due from and payable to the Company by all members, and also all rents due to the Company, upon any lease or leases whatsoever, already made or hereafter to be made by the Company; and also within one month after another person being admitted to the office shall give to the Master, Wardens and Assistants a true account, in writing, of all money that he received and disbursements he made for the use of the Company during his time in office, and shall speedily pay what remains in his hands due upon the account, and deliver all books and papers relating to the Company; upon pain that every person offending against this Ordinance shall pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty five pounds for each month that he refuses to make such an account; and five pounds for every month's time after such account stated that monies due to the account remain unpaid, if he has no reasonable impediment or excuse for his failure.

(15) After the election of the Renter Warden, if the person so elected refuses to accept the office, having no reasonable impediment or excuse to do so, then such a person shall pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of fifty pounds. But if such a person makes application to the Court of Assistants, the Master, Wardens and Assistants may excuse him for a smaller sum of money, not under the sum of twenty-four pounds. And also every person who shall serve the office of Renter Warden shall every year upon the day of the Lord Mayor of London being sworn at Westminster, in the Common Hall, find and provide a sufficient dinner for the Master, Wardens, Assistants and livery of the Company. And if default be made, then every person making default shall forfeit and pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of fifty pounds.

(16) After the election of any person to be Renter Warden, and his accepting the office, and taking of the oath, then the Master and Wardens shall proceed to the election of an assistant Renter Warden, who is to be assistant upon all necessary occasions to the present Renter Warden, which said assistant Renter Warden the next year following (or sooner, if the present Renter Warden sould die or be removed) shall be elected for the succeeding year, if the Master, Wardens and Assistants think fit.

(17) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall elect a fit person to be Clerk of the Company, for the entering and registering of all decrees, ordinances, acts, agreements, orders and things whatsoever, made or to be made in their Courts aforesaid, to do all other things pertinent to the office; which person so elected shall forthwith take the oath for that purpose appointed; and also the Master, Wardens and Assistants may upon just and reasonable cause remove such Clerk from his office, and elect another fit person for the execution thereof.

(18) The Master, Wardens and Assistants shall elect a fit person to be Beadle of the Company, to be attendant upon the The Master, Wardens and Assistants in Court and the Master and Wardens out of Court, when required; and also summon every Assistant to attend the Courts or other meetings appointed by the Master or Wardens; and also the Master, Wardens and Assistants may upon just and reasonable cause remove such Beadle from his office, and elect another fit person for the execution thereof.

(19) The Master and Wardens shall elect yearly such persons to attend the Master, Wardens, Assistant and livery as whifflers or ushers in any servcies to which they shall be appointed, at such times and manner as appointed by the Master or Wardens, upon pain that every person refusing to attend as aforesaid shall pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of ten shillings.

(20) Every Company member shall contribute his proportion of all charges, sums of money and taxes which shall at any time be charged upon the Company, or shall be expended for the welfare and good estate of the Company; which proportionable part shall be assessed and imposed upon him by the Master, Wardens and Assistants; and that every person who shall refuse or delay to pay his share of the money shall pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty a fine not exceeding five pounds, over and above any so much money as shall be assessed as aforesaid for any of the uses aforesaid, as the Master, Wardens and Assistants think fit.

(21) None of the Company members shall at any time revile, abuse or defame the Master, Wardens and Assistants, or any other member of the Company, but shall at all times well demean themselves and be of good behaviour and civil conversation in word and deeds. And if any person of the Court of Assistants or Common Council shall infringe this ordinance, he shall be liable to be expelled as an Assistant or one of the Common Council; and after such expulsion shall not be capable of being chosen again, until he shall pay to the Master and Wardens a fine not exceeding five pounds; and also upon pain that every Company member offending against this ordinance shall forfeit and pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty a fine not exceeding twenty shillings.

(22) If any member of the Court of Assistants or the livery, when commanded to attend in his gown and hood, shall be disobedient to the Master, Wardens and Assistants, or shall hold any private meeting, or give counsel or confederate with any persons to resist or oppose the Master, Wardens and Assistants, or shall do anything that may prejudice the Company or tend to the breach of any of the aforesaid lawful constitutions and ordinances, Then every person so offending shall pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty a fine not exceeding five pounds.

(23) If the Master, Wardens and Assistants, or any of them, or any other Company member, shall reveal, disclose or make known any of the lawful secrets, conferences or consultations of the Company, to the discredit, damage or prejudice of the Company or any of the governors, officers or members thereof, That any person so offending shall be excluded from the Court of Assistants or Common Council until he has paid a fine not exceeding five pounds. And every other member so offending shall pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty a fine not exceeding forty shillings.

(24) When any differences shall arise between Company members for copyright or anything relating to printing, book selling or book binding, That before any suit be commenced, they shall first apply to the Master, Wardens and Assistants, and give true information of the ground and occasion of such difference or controversy; which said Master, Wardens and Assistants are authorised to hear all parties concerned, and to use their utmost endeavours to compose such difference without the trouble and charge of going to Law; upon pain that every member that shall for any of the causes aforementioned commence any suits, without application made aforesaid, shall pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty the sum of ten pounds.

(25) Whereas since the making of the Act of Parliament intitled 'An Act for preventing the frequent abuses in Printing Seditious, Treasonable and Unlicensed Books and Pamphlets, and for regulating of Printing and Printing-presses', several Company members have erected presses contrary to the said Act, and have printed several seditious, treasonable, schismatical, scandalous and unlicensed books and pamphlets, to the great scandal of the Company and the government thereof: For the future prevention thereof, no Company member shall hereafter erect or cause to be erected any presses for printing, or any printing-house; nor shall knowingly demise, let or use any house, vault or cellar for a printing-house, unless they give notice to the Master and Wardens of the erecting of such presses or printing-houses, upon pain of forfeiting the sum of ten pounds for every offence committed contrary to this ordinance, and forty shillings a day during every day that the same shall continue to be paid to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty to the use of the poor of the Company.

(26) No Company member shall henceforth erect, or cause or suffer to be erected any private presses commonly called a 'Presses in a hole', nor countenance or contribute towards the erecting of any such private presses, or shall knowingly furnish or supply any private presses with paper or any other printing materials, or contribute towards the same, or pay or contribute towards the payment of any wages, salary or hire for the working of such private presses, or towards the payment of any rent for any house where such private presses shall be erected and set up, or conceal any such private presses, houses or names of persons erecting or contributing towards erecting, furnishing, supplying, working at or preparing work for any such private presses, or shall knowingly buy, barter or contract any impression of any books, or knowingly bind, stitch, publish, disperse etc. any book or pamphlet imprinted in such private presses, upon pain that every member in any of the said cases offending shall be liable to be disfranchised for such offence, or to pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty a reasonable fine not exceeding fifty pounds. And for better discovery of such private printing presses, every person that shall discover such a private printing press to the Master and Wardens shall have the sum of five pounds, or what more the Master or Wardens think fit, as a reward for his service, to be paid to him out of the common stock of the Company, aand shall be allowed out of their accounts.

(27) No Company member or members shall employ to work at the case or press, or otherwise about his printing, any journeyman printer, freeman or foreigner, or any other person, that has offended in any of the cases mentioned in the last two beforementioned ordinances, for the space of three months next after due proof thereof made, either by confession or otherwise to the Court of Assistants, and notice thereof given to the several master-printers of the Company, without licence from the Master or Wardens first obtained; upon pain that every member so offending shall pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty the sum of ten shillings for every month that he shall employ such an offender aforesaid.

(28) No Company member shall knowingly permit his apprentice or apprentices, or covenant servants, to work at any press, any matter or thing prohibited by the said Act, and the aforementioned two ordinances: And that if any such master printer shall discover or know that any of his apprentices or covenant servants shall offend in any of the said cases, That any such master printer shall cause such apprentices or covenant servants to be brought to the Chamberlain of the City of London for the time being, and make complaint of all their offences, to the end that such offenders may be punished according to ancient custom of the City, upon pain that every master printer not effectively putting in execution this ordinance, or faintly prosecuting the same, shall pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty the sum of forty shillings.

(29) No master printer, or other printer or workman, being a Company member, shall teach any person other than his own legitimate son, the art of printing, who is not actually bound as an apprentice to some lawful authorised printer; Upon pain that every person so offending shall pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty the sum of five pounds.

(30) No Company members shall erect, cause ot be erected or contribute to the erecting or setting up of any printing presses for any new printing-house, or shall supply or furnish the same with any printing materials until the now legal master printers and their printing-houses be reduced according to the direction of the said Act, upon pain of forfeiting the sum of fifty pounds for every such offence, and twenty pounds a month for every month that the same shall continue, to be paid to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty.

(31) If any journeyman printer, or other person, being a Company member, shall work at any private illegal press, and not discover the same within two days after such working, to the Master and Wardens; or shall knowingly work upon the printing of any seditious or scandalous book, pamphlet or paper, or any other book imprinted wrongfully and without leave or assignment of the lawful owner, the sole printing belonging to the Company or to any other person; or shall knowingly bind, stitch or sow together any such books, That then such journeyman printer, or other person aforesaid or their widows, shall not in any wise be admitted a pensioner to the Company.

(32) No person, being a Company member (except his Majesty's printers, or their assigns, who pretend an interest in the statutes and abridgement of statutes by grant from the King), shall at any time print or cause to be printed the statute books or common law-books hereinafter named; 'Poultons Statute', 'Coke upon Littleton', 'Cokes Entries or Report', or any other law-books whatsoever, whereunto Edward Atkins Esq. or his assigns, by virtue of letters patents to him granted, upon pain that every Company member (except the King's Printers and their assigns aforesaid) offending in the premises shall pay to the Master, Wardens, Assistants and Commonalty, for every impression of the said books beforenamed, or of any other law-books granted in the said patent to the said Edward Atkins, printed contrary to the meaning of this order, the sum of two hundred pounds, in trust for the said Edward Atkins.

(33) [A resume of the by-laws relating to unlicenced printing, as read at the administering of the Freeman's Oath]

Following (33) are recited the oaths of the Master, Wardens, Freemen, Clerk, Beadle, Partners and Assistants.

Witnessed and signed by Heneage Lord Finch, Lord High Chancellor of England, Sir Richard Rainsford, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of King's Bench and Sir Francis North, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.

Ordinances enacted at a meeting of the Common Hall, 17 Aug 1681:

(1) No member of the Company shall print, publish, sell, bind etc., or cause to be printed, published, sold, bound etc., any book, pamphlet, portraiture, picture or paper, unless such printer as shall print the same do thereunto print his name, or the name of a bookseller keeping a shop in the City of London or its suburbs, who shall put the same to printing upon forfeiting to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty of the Company the sum of twenty pounds.

(2) Every year in a Court of Assistants the Master, Wardens and Assistants may elect and choose two honest, discreet and able men, being of the livery of this Society, who shall bear the title of Renter Wardens for the one year next ensuing, until others shall be chosen in their place. And in case of death or removal of any Renter Warden, the Master, Wardens and Assistants shall elect another Renter Warden.The person elected will accept the office and attend the Master and Warden upon their summons, and collect and receive all quarterage due from and payable to the Company by all members; and within a month of another person being admitted to the office shall give to the Master, Wardens and Assistants a true account, in writing, of all money that he received and disbursements he made for the use of the Company during his time in office, and shall speedily pay what remains in his hands due upon the account, and deliver all books and papers relating to the Company; upon pain that every person offending against this Ordinance shall pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty five pounds for each month that he refuses to make such an account; and five pounds for every month's time after such account stated that monies due to the account remain unpaid, if he has no reasonable impediment or excuse for his failure.

(3) After the election of the Renter Wardens, if either of those elected refuse to accept the office, having no reasonable impediment or excuse to do so, then such a person shall pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of forty pounds. But if such a person makes application to the Court of Assistants, the Master, Wardens and Assistants may excuse him for a small sum of money, not under the sum of twenty-four pounds.

(4) The two Renter Wardens shall, every year upon the day of the Lord Mayor of London being sworn at Westminster, in the Common Hall, find and provide a sufficient dinner for the Master, Wardens, Assistants and livery of the Company. And if default be made, then every person making default shall forfeit and pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of forty pounds.

(5) Whereas several members of the Company have great part of their estates in copies; and by ancient usage of the Company, when any book or copy is entered in the register book of the Company, to any member or members of the Company, such person to whom such an entry is made is reputed and taken to be the proprietor of such book of copy and ought to have the sole printing thereof; which privilege is now often abused; where any entry shall be made of any book of copy in the register book by any member of the Company; in such case, if any other member of the Company shall then, without licence or consent of such member for whom such an entry is made in the register book, print or import any such copy, or shall sell, bind etc. the same; then the member offending shall pay to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of twelve pence for every copy or book imprinted, imported, sold, bound etc. contrary hereunto.

(6) The Master and Wardens shall enter into the printing-house, warehouse or place of any members of the Company; and also into the shops and warehouses of any stationers, bookseller or bookbinder that are members of the Company, to see what is being imprinted, bound or stitched. And in case any member of the Company shall refuse to open his door and show the Master and Wardens his printing-house, shop or warehouse, and what he has in his house printed by him; then such a member shall forfeit to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of ten pounds.

(7) Whereas Charles II granted by letters patents to the Company licence and authority only to print and sell several books therein mentioned for a term of years yet in being; if any member of the Company shall, during the continuance of the term of the letters patents, without licence of the Master, Wardens and Commonalty, imprint, import, bind, sell or stitch contrary hereunto, then any such member shall forfeit to the Company the sum of twelve pence for each book so imprinted, imported, bound etc.

(8) Where the sole printing of any copy or book is already granted to any member of the Company by letters patents, or to any person not being a member of the Company; or when the printing of any copy or book shall hereafter be granted by His Majesty or his successors; then if any other members of the Company shall without licence of such owners of such copies or books print, import, bind, stitch or sell contrary hereunto, then such members so offending shall forfeit to the Master, Wardens and Commonalty the sum of twelve pence for every such book so imprinted, imported, bound etc.

(9) The Master, Wardens and Assistants, in a Court of Assistants, may elect and admit such members into the livery of the Company as they see fit; which person to be elected shall, upon his admission to the livery, pay to the Company the sum of twenty pounds for his admission. And if any such person to be elected to the livery shall refuse to accept it, without reasonable cause, and is so allowed by the Master, Wardens and Assistants, then he shall pay to the Company the sum of forty pounds.

Witnessed and signed by Heneage, Lord High Chancellor of England, Sir Francis Pemberton, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of the King's Bench and Sir Francis North, Lord Chief Justice of the Court of Common Pleas.

1st membrane decorated, uncoloured.

Clerk's book divided into six principal sections:

folios 17r-129v: register of apprentices bound, 17 Jul 1576-25 Jul 1605.

folios 130r-318v: entries of copies, 17 Jul 1576-25 Jun 1595.

folios 319r-352r: register of freemen admitted, 14 Jan 1577-2 Jul 1605.

folios 393r-414v and 417r: fines for breaking of orders, 28 Jan 1577-28 Jun 1605.

folios 415 and 418r-420r: calls for the livery, 1 Jul 1577-30 Jun 1604.

folios 427r-486r: Court minutes and Clerk's memoranda, 1 Oct 1576-29 Dec 1603.

On the title page are two 18th or 19th century inscriptions:

Index reading:

'Apprentices to page 130

Entrys of Coppies from 130 to 318

Freemen from p 319

Book of Fines from 393 to 415

Calls on the Livery from 415 to 427

Decrees or Orders or probably the Court Book from July 1576 to November 1603. from page 427 to the End'

Inscription reading: 'The copies prior to their date, are to be found from the grant of the charter, in the old Wardens acct. book, classed distinctly under every year to 1571'.

At front of volume are memoranda and other records:

folio [1r]: [to be completed]

folio [1v]: register of those appointed to go to the Lord Mayor's feast at the Guildhall, 29 Oct 1583-29 Oct 1595.

folio 2r: memoranda by Richard Collins stating that he was chosen Clerk of the Company, 30 May 1575, and listing what he had been charged to enter into the volume, with folio numbers; details of gilt spoons, 1589; register of those appointed to go to the Lord Mayor's feast, 29 Oct Oct 1596-30 Oct 1598.

folio 2v: memorandum that the gift and legacy of John Waller had been distributed that day, 27 Jan 1587; memorandum that Mr Jones had printed a book that had been received by Warden Cawood but is not entered; register of those appointed to go to the Lord Mayor's feast, 29 Oct 1599-29 Oct 1600.

folio 3r: annual receipts of monies received for use of the hall by the wardmote and for weddings, 13 Jan 1578-10 Apr 1592.

folio 3v: receipts for monies received for use of the hall by the wardmote and for a member's wife's burial; list of books sent from Scotland to William Norton for his cousin John Norton, seized by George Bishop, taken to Stationers' Hall and then delivered away, 17 Jun 1591.

folio 4: memoranda concerning books seized

folio 5r: list of names of those appointed to search, 3 Sep 1576

folio 5v: [to be completed]

folio 6r: 'A copie of certen orders concerning printing'.

folio 6v: [to be completed]

folio 7r: Court order relating to [to be completed]

Information given in the entries of copies includes name of property owner, name of person/s under whose hand/s the copy is entered, title of work and amount paid (usually 6d per title); occasionally name of author is included. Significant entries of copies include:

folio 164v: [Edmund Spenser's] The Shepheardes Calender, entered for Hugh Singelton, 5 Dec 1579.

folio 170r: [Edmund Spenser & Gabriel Harvey's] Three Proper, and Wittie, Familiar Letters, entred for Henry Bynneman, 30 Jun 1580.

folio 231v: Sir Philip Sidney's [New] Arcadia, entered for William Ponsonby, 23 Aug 1588.

folio 251v: [Edmund Spenser's] The Faerie Queene, entered for William Ponsonby, 1 Dec 1589.

folio 262v: [Christopher Marlowe's] Tamburlaine parts 1 and 2, entered for Richard Jones, 14 Aug 1590.

folio 297v: [William Shakespeare's] Venus and Adonis, entered for Richard Feild, 18 Apr 1593

folio 299v: [Christopher Marlowe's] Edward II, entered for William Jones, 6 Jul 1593.

folio 304v: [William Shakespeare's] Titus Andronicus, entered for John Danter, 6 Feb 1594.

folio 305v: [William Shakespeare's] Henry VI part 1, entered for Thomas Millington, 12 Mar 1594.

folio 306v: [William Shakespeare's] The Taming of the Shrew, entered for Peter Shorte, 2 May 1594.

folio 309v: [William Shakespeare's] Richard III, entered for Thomas Creede, 19 Jun 1594.

folio 315v: A treatise in commendation of poetry by Sir Philip Sidney, entered for William Ponsonby, 29 Nov 1594.

Topics covered by the Court minutes include elections of the Master, Wardens, Court Assistants and Renter Wardens, Court attendance, administration of Company officials, regulation of apprentices and journeymen, disputes between members, granting or administration of charity, administration of property, and regulation of printing.

At back of volume are Renter Warden balance receipts and memoranda:

folio 486v: receipts for balances paid to the Company by the Renter Wardens, 6 May 1577-6 May 1586.

folio 487r: memoranda recording the transfer of licence to print one impression of 'Quenes Iniuntions and Artycles' from Master Barker to Thomas Purfoote, 5 Aug 1583, a payment for 'Catechismes' from Master Coldock to Master Newbery, 2 Sep 1583, and the fact that the cup given by Henry Fflycke must be entered in the book of gifts, 3 Nov 1583; receipts for balances paid to the Company by the Renter Wardens, 6 May 1587-6 May 1591.

folio 487v: note of T Cantroller's printing privileges from 1573-1574; list of items in the armoury additional to that specified in the inventory, 8 Jul 1578; receipts for balances paid to the Company by the Renter Wardens, 6 May 1592-7 May 1599.

Licence to print school books for 31 years from 1663.

Licence to print school books for 41 years from 1691.

Document contains:

pp.1-16: version of the entry on the King's Bench, Coram Rege Roll, for hilary term 36-37 Charles II.

pp. 17-20: copy of the patent to Oxford University of 12 Nov 1632 concerning the University Press.

Includes a letter from the Public Record Office regarding the document contents, 20 May 1969.