REASONS humbly offered to the Consideration of the Honourable House of Commons.  
showing the great Necessity of having a Bill for the Regulating of Printing and Printing-Presses.  
IT is humbly conceived, That without such a Bill, neither the Government in CHURCH or STATE, nor PROPERTY, can well be secured.  
As to the GOVERNMENT, how often that hath been assaulted by the virulent stroke of Bold and Licentious Pens, it is too notorious to need to be instanced in by particular Enumerations: Libels have been impudently thrown out almost from every Quarter, since the Determination of the Statute of 13 and 14 Car. 2. c. 33. which was thought in a great measure so necessary for preserving the public Peace,( and with it every Man's Private Interest in Copies of Books, &c.) that 
* This Act was to continue two years from June 10. 1662. Continued 16 Car. 2. c. 8. to the end of the next Session of Parliament. Continued 16 and 17 Car. 2. c. 7. to the end of the next Session of Parliament. Continued 17 Car. 2. c. 4. to the end of the first Session of the next Parliament. Revived and Continued, 1 Jac. 2. c. 17. from June 24. 1685. for Seven Years, and from thence to the end of the next Session of Parliament. Continued, 4 and 5 W. and M. c. 24. from Feb. 13. 1692. to the end of the next Session of Parliament.  Parliaments have judged it reasonable to continue and revive it no less than Five times, and that in three King's Reigns.  
But now, we rejoice that leave hath been given for the bringing in another Bill, which it is hoped, from your Great Wisdoms, will prove an effectual Barrier to stop the daring Inroads of Insolent and Treasonable Pamphlets, sent abroad by Persons that cannot be contented with their own Ease, and undisturbed Enjoyments of both their Religious and Civil Interests, but from their Restless and Malevolent Tempers, are continually Defaming and Reviling His most Excellent Majesty, and those Worthy Patriots that have all-along given Proofs of their Steady and Indefatigable Zeal for the true Service of their Country: Witness the late Wicked and Scandalous Libel, entitled, An Account of the Proceedings in the House of Commons, in Relation to the Re-coyning of the clipped Money, and falling the Price of Guineas, &c. A Libel so Spiteful and Venomous in its Tendency and Design, that its chief Aim seems levelled at Exposing the King Himself to Reproach and Obloquy, and many Members of This Honourable House, to the Rage and Fury of the Rabble, that are too often carried away by Popular Fallacies, for want of being able rightly to discern where the Snake in the Grass lies.  
But we shall not presume to say more of it, You having past so just a Censure of the Pamphlet's being False, Scandalous, and Seditious, and Destructive of the Freedom and Liberties of Parliament, and accordingly Ordered it to be Burnt by the Hands of the Common Hangman.  
As to the CHURCH, what Wounds she hath received, and is still like to receive from the 
* Of this I am sure, That God Almighty rather than be alone, created the Devil, Letters published by Mr. Dennis, last Leaf unpag'd. I'll leave out of my Prayers, Libera nos à malo,— For thine is my Kingdom, Power, and Glory, for ever and ever. Rochester. Familiar Letters, page. 29, 30. Both Printed in 1696.  profane and Blasphemous Affronts of Atheists, Libertines, and Deists, is so openly manifest, That there is no need of recurring further than to the Books Printed since the Expiration of the Act; wherein it is beyond Contradiction evident, That the Black Design is not levelled at the Church of England in Particular, but indeed at Religion in General; and whether this may not be One way calculated to introduce Popery, deserves a very Serious Consideration.  
And as to PROPERTY, the Owners of Copies have been grievously damnified by the Invasions made upon them since That time; and how much further, if not prevented, they are like to suffer,( though they purchased their said Copies for them and their Assigns, under the Sanction of a Law) is very hard to Determine, or indeed to Conceive.  
It hath been urged, That the Bookseller hath the same Remedy against the Invader of his Property, that other Subjects have. But this, if duly considered, carries no solid weight with it; for those that will Invade their Rights, may wage Law with them out of the Profits of their Own Books so Pyrated upon them; and though they should lose the Cause, yet may be considerable Gainers by the Bargain, whilst in the mean time the Proprietor may be ruined; it being no easy matter for him to prove out of a stolen Impression of a Thousand Books,( or perhaps more, especially if dispersed in the Country by Haberdashers, &c.) that One hundred of them have been sold; and besides, if this should happen to be proved, yet even Then they cannot expect suitable Costs and Damages.  
Therefore it is humbly proposed, That whosoever shall Print the Property of any other, may forfeit for every Book 〈◇〉 And that whosoever shall buy such Book or Books to sell again, may likewise forfeit for every Book 〈◇〉 And that whosoever shall use any other man's Name or Mark, without Consent first had and obtained, may forfeit 〈◇〉 the one Moiety to His Majesty, and the other to the Informer; or otherwise, as to your Great Wisdoms shall be thought fit.  
And unless such a Property be preserved, the Bookseller may not only be ruined, but few Books will be Printed well and handsomely, with a fair Letter, and on good Paper; every one endeavouring to Print for his own private Lucre, never regarding the Credit of the Author, or Value of the Book, how learned or Excellent soever, provided his own Narrow Ends be served.  
Now to remedy all these Evils, it is humbly offered, That the Trade of Printing be Limited to a certain Number( as also that of Letter-Founders), that so no more than what are at present may be permitted to set up, until by Death, or otherwise, they happen to fall within That Number; according to the Provision of preceding Parliaments.  
But against this there may seem a plausible Objection, which, if answered, it is hoped will clear the whole.  
The Objection is, That it is very hard that a man should be debarred the Liberty of Setting up that Trade to which he has served an Apprentice Seven Years; That this is to make men miserable, by keeping them in a state of Servitude: Whereas had they the Privilege that all other Traders have, they might be able to advance their Fortunes in the World, as well as other People.  
In answer to which it may be considered, That the whole Bookselling Trade of England cannot maintain above Thirty Printing-houses in London: And the Fact stands thus, That in the Year 1676. there were but Thirty of 'em in London; and even then, tho it was but Ten years from the great Consumption of Books, occasioned by the Deplorable Fire of London, yet only Sixteen of those driven any considerable Trade, so as to be able to maintain their Families; and now the Trade is multiplied to Sixty, or thereabouts; whenas there is not half the Employment that was Then.  
And what can be expected as the Consequence of this, but that both the Government in Church and State, and Property, must suffer by it? For these Supernumerary Printers Subsistence must be( if at all) by Printing Libels and Scandalous Pamphlets. Now a Restriction in this respect would be so far from making these men miserable, that it would keep them from being so. And we doubt not but we could get the Hands of the mayor part of the Workmen-Printers, for a Limitation, they rather choosing a comfortable Subsistence, as Journey-men, than to run the hazard of setting up That Trade which is very Chargeable; and when they have so done, they must fall into the sad necessity of either libeling, or Invading Property, or else must subject themselves to Beggary and Starving.  
Moreover, 
13 and 14 Car. 2. Sect. 9.  Printing being become an Art or Manufacture of this Kingdom, It is humbly offered, That no English Book, nor any Book( the greatest part whereof is English) be Imported, or brought from any Parts beyond the Seas into this Realm, under the Penalty of 〈◇〉 Nor any other Book, wherein any of His Majesty's Subjects have a Property, be Imported under the Penalty of 〈◇〉 And that No Book whatsoever be imported, save in the Port of London, without licence first had of 〈◇〉 to whom a Catalogue of such Books shall be presented: And all Bales of Books to be examined by a proper Person appointed for that End,( at the Custom-house) before they be delivered, under the Penalty of  
All Books to be licenced and Entred in the Register of the Company of Stationers, and to have the Bookseller or Printer's Name; and no Translation of any Book, nor any Book Printed beyond Sea, to be entered, until a Perfect Copy of the same Book or Books be produced to the Licencer, and then the Entry to be under the Hand of one of the Wardens of the said Company.  
And for as much as many of His Majesty's Subjects are Binders of Books, 
25. H. 8. c. 15.  and have no other Faculty wherewith to get their Living; It is humbly desired, That no Bound Books be Imported, unless they have been Printed Seven years before such their Importation, to prevent the Book-binders utter undoing, by being destitute of Work, under the Penalty of  
It is humbly also offered, That there may be no Printing but in London, the Two Universities, and York; the Printing in London to be subject to such Regulations as the Act shall appoint; which the 〈◇〉 or 〈◇〉 shall have power to cause and compel to be observed and kept; or Master and Wardens of the Company of Stationers for the time being; the Vice-Chancellor of each University to have the like Power over the Printers there; and the 〈◇〉 over that Printing-house of York: And that such Person or Persons, as may be thought convenient, may be authorized, with a Constable, to enter into the Houses of Printers, Booksellers, Book-binders, and Publishers of Books, and there search and seize all Books, and parts of Books contrary to such Act, and carry them before 〈◇〉 And all Printers, Booksellers, Book-binders, and Publishers of Books, who shall oppose such Entrance as aforesaid, to be liable to Punishment. For unless Printing be under some such Regulation, and have proper Inspectors, it is conceived, that the Evils now laboured under, cannot well be remedi'd.