Declaration
Concerning matter
of Bounty.
King James 1. i6io.
Facsimile Reprint, 1897 .
To
/
Profiting by the courtesy of the Trustees of the British
Museum y I have obtained for the purpose of reproduction
i7i a book^ shortly to be published^ photographic blocks of
the Declaration concerning matter of Bounty published
by King James in 1 6 1 o. The particular mentio 7 i which
is made of this Declaration in the Statute of Monopolies
renders it unique among English legal and historical
documents and the interest attaching to it is enhanced by
^ the circumstance that the document itself has been so
completely lost to knowledge for hvo hundred and fifty
years past that even its title has been only imperfectly
kn(mn to writers upon English law since the days of
Sir Edward Coke,
By an arrangement with my publishers I have secured
the first two hundred impressions from these blocks in a
separate form to be issued for private circulation and
presuming upon the rarity a 7 id interesting character of
the document I take the liberty with great respect to beg
your kind acceptance of one of these copies.
I have the honour to be^
Your very obedient Servant^
II, King’s Bench Walk, Temple,
London^ E.C.
25th May, 1897.
LmiBiy ol mcGlll lliilveii!lt!i
MONTREAL.
Received.. VS.3S
A
Declaration ofHis
M aie flies Roya 11 pleafure,in
whatfortHe thinketh
fit CO enlarge,
Or referue Himjelj'e in matter
of^ountit^.
^Imprinted at London hyTi^bert
'Barker ^Vnuici to the Kings rnofl
Excellent MaielHe.
Anno i^io.
G
M
f By the King.
A DECLARA
T I O N OF HIS.
<iIMCate^i{es pleafure^, in
what fort he thinketh fit to enia rge,
or rder ue himfelfe m ma t ter
of Bountie.
Auing fo partf-
cularly defcended
into the confidera^
tlon of our Sfate-^,
QreJpeUing Trca-
fure , ^w<^Reue-
nue, ^ as Vi>e fnde it full of diffcul-
ty to reduce the ftmt ^ , to the termes
<*A 3 that
M 2
GST ST
I
that are to beT>piJhedfhyanjfucI)fiid'
den orcertatnemeanes y04 'tndl notre-
(juire fome len^h , and
change of former (Z\x^oxx\tSyboth in
the maner of our Expcnce ^ and of
owrBountie; U^eehaue thought it
one of the best parts of the C arc^ not
onely to refolue ytith our f elms yo de^
dine from all maner of Expence
that Jhall not bee necejfary for thc^
fafetieofOur Crowne, and.honour
of thatEflate and dignitie (yt>hich
no b\mg can fujfer to fall ^ but hee
muU run into contempt both abroad
and at home^ but alfoto takefuch
further courfe as may make hyioypen
to Our Seruants and SubieBs ; that
although it is farre from Our inten^
tion to flop all liberalitie from Our
ypell
3
vpell deferuim Seruants, Yet Wee
*' • n ct r I
meane not in rejpect of tbe vaine or
vnnecej^aty Expence, of any pn-
uateman (or vpon falfe fuggejlion of
former feruices') to be dra'^r>en either
by the mediation of friends , or by
the mportunitie of any partie inne^
cefittiefo farre to reJpeU or commu
ferate others^ as to caH Our Selues
and our Tojleritie into.thofe wants
orfireights ^ which may driue Vs to
lay burdens on OurT^eople, to whom
W ?e defire to endeere Our Selues by
all the Princely offices of Fauour
and FroteUion which any earthly
Kfng can afoord vnto his SubieBs.
off nd therefore as We doe on the one
part expreffely forbid all Our Ser^
uantsand SubieUs (* of what condi-
tion foeuer they be') to propound or
offer any Suites to Vs, by which Our
Teopleingenerall may beimpoueri^
JheaoroppreffediSoon the other part
preffeVsffor any thing that may e'u
ther turne to the diminution of Our
^uenewand fetled^eceiptSyOrlay
more charge vpon Our Ordinaries,
*vpon pame to be helde and reputed
in either of thofe two kfides, as per^
Jons vnworthy to enioy Our Fauour
or Frefenccs for euer, fn which
conf deration, becaufe IVee I^ow not
whether IVe may vnawares, or vpon
tnultiplicitie of bufne/fe, chanrp > to
pajjcs any (Jmunt or IFarrant, con^
trary to the Order fet downe herein :
Wee
Wee doe not onely forbid all ferfons
iiifhatfoeuer , ( either Officer or
thers^ to receiue any fuch^th tions,
or \V arrantSj as (halhe of thop na^
tures that are for bidden in the fche^
dule hereunto annexed (’ vpon that
perill yphich is due to fuch prefuinp-
tion ) but We doe forbid our Secre -
tarie of Ellate,/^^ keeper of Our
priuie Seale, Our Chancel-
lour of England , to feale any fuch
Graunt or Warrant , before they
haue enformed%)s farticulerly , and
receiued a new fignification of Our
pleapre^ by a new Warrant w-
der Our hand, nd becaufe We
haue obferued alfo , that the fwift^
neffe in prepanngVd^ arrants before
the Suites be mooued, (a courfe con-
^ trary
6
trarj to all good order , ') is often^
times ameane to hinder the exami-
ning and diftinclion oj' mens
Suits ; iVee doe hh^mfe command
Our principall Secretarie , Our
Mafters o/H.equefl:s,^W<?// other
M-inifters imployed vnderOur Se--
cretarie in that {e.v\i\ccyiotto fuffer
any W arrants to be made for any
Suite , before the matter haue bene
mooued vnto by petition , and
Ourpleafure fignifed for thai^ ar-
rant vphich is to pafe Our hand;
"Exception. Except it be for any fuch W arrants
or priuie Seales , as feme to direU
or appoint any fummes of money to
bee^ ifued for paiments , that con^
cerne any prefent feruice for Our
fclues,(?r OwrEftate, ypbich are
things
7
things of othernaturey and of grea^
ter expedition then matters of
ward.
(*J[ nd in afmuch as JV^e are dejirous To preuent
tofreuent the needlejfe attendance ofsuSrf
fuiters, to their charge and difip^- '
pointment, (yphich is little better /f
not more preiudtciall, then a meere
deniall,) ortoleauemen incertaine^
mthin TS>hat natures of Suites, they
may containe their\iopes, and rehen
and where, they may refort for an-
fwere or diipatch : JVee^ haue
thought good, to conceiue and declare
in another Schedule, (* hereunto
annexed ') the natures of fuch Suits
wherein W^e are pleafed to be moued*
^ nd for the manerof propounding
ormouing them, IVe doe further de^
2 z dare
* li'
I-! ‘7
dare, that either Our
Secretarieyor the time being, or
feme by Our appointment for htm ^ ,
and the Mailer ^ Requefts then
attending,Jhall haue audience of Vs
for all Suits that doe concerne Our
Bounty once in euery ’toeekp ut leafl:
At yi>htch time if the fame jhallap'
peare, to be Mthin the natures ahoue
limitation, limited for Reward, Our Tlea^
furefhall be fo declared to thofe that
doe prefent them, as the Suitors Jhall
hnotp ia?hat they may loo^efor, and
yrhere they Jhall he dif^atched^accor^
ding to the nature of the Suit that is
moued: '‘^ut f any of thofe Suites
[hall re quire further examination or
information from any of 0«r Offi-
cers or Commifei oners, whofe^
kposif-’
[{HOVoledge therein may be necefiary,
for gluing Vs further light of the^
Value and Nature thereof they
fhall then be referred tothofe ythome
it concerneth^vpon vphofe Aniwcrcs
and Certificates PTee ytillfgnifie-j
0 ur further Tleafure ^ as caufe fhall
require
dA nd becaufe there may he Suits,
Mixed
Suits.
cers and Offices f ims?hich cafes it
may be conuenient to ref err e the Ex-
amination of them tofome fuch per^
fons as may conferre vpith the parties ^
that doe prejent the faid Suits, or
thofe that may haue fome particuler
interefl in the fame ^ either in refpeU
of trade or other^ife, ) IFee haue
® ^ thought
t
Commif-
fioners.
10
thought meet Q in thatrej^e2t) to
point a certaine number of Com-
TTiiisioners,^(? examine and confider
of all fuchparticulers^ asjhall be re^
f erred vnto them bjVsor Our Coun^
fell. (*A nd to preuent the pafsing or.
f Taunting of any thing ipphich fhould
e contrary to our Lawes , We haue
made Our choice ofperfons feuerally
qualified , both in thevnderflanding
of our Lathes, and other fnoyt>ledges^
that they may be Jo much the better
enabled ,to report the quality of fuch
Suits, toOur*Triuy Councel/^
ter conference^ xt>ith the Suitors,
Examination 0 / their feuerall
natures , and the Circumftanccs
depending thereupon, t)shich vpould
tal^ too much time , from Our fayd
T^riuy
men.
n
^my Coimcell^ if they fhould
not hefirjl prepared and digejied hj
that cQurfe vphich is herein exprejjed,
LaHly, becaufe W^e would he loth Rereruation
thatthofe that haue not doyly accejje I
nmto Us , fhould thinl^e themfelues
in danger flill to be preuented by o-
thers^ who haue more^ meanes to
mooue Suites for themfelues then
they haue • W^e doe declare hereby,
that (except it he in Czkswherein
fome jpeciall induftry of diTcouery
■may mooue Us more properly to re<>
JpeB the firjl Suitor thers any o-
tber') JVee will not fufer any fuch
aduantage to be taben by one mans
neercnejfe more then another, as not
to ma^ it one of Our owne Cares
(whofoeuerbe the Moouer^ to flay
either
11
either the rt>hole, or part for others^
that deferue mil, though they bee
abfent , according tis J^ee Jhall oh'
ferue^, that Wee haue heene good
vnto fuch a Suitor before, in fomt^
things elfe, or Jhall finde the Suites
themfelues to he of fuch Value, as
may content more then one.
f AMe-
A MEMORIAL
OF THOSE SPE.
ciall things for which Wee
exprejly command that no Suitor
prefume to moneys , being mat^
ter s either contrary to Our latpes,
or fuch prtncipall Fronts of Our
Crowne, andfetled Reuenue,
as are fit to he ^wholly reierued^c?
Our ownevfe, vntill Eftate
he repaired.
^ Things contrary to Our Lams.
Onopolies.
2. Raunts of the
hene^te of any
Tenal L^ttPes, or of power to dif-
C pence
pence with the Lav?e , or com-
pound for the forfeitur^^
^ %^erucd to Our ome vfc^,
y O E nts. Lands, and Leafes,
in fojjefiion or ^uerfion,
not barring the l~enants in foj^
fejlioriyto renew their Eftates,for
xxj.yeeres, or three Hues , as hath
bene vfed heretofore,
4 . A L lands entailed vpon the
^ ^Crowne.
5 . ^ ^Hornes yfmpoftions , and
Seifures for the fame.
6. T Icences to fmfort , or 8x^
commodities prohi-
bited
15
bited by the La )» , or any lawfull
Commodities^ without paying the
due QuUome
y, T) Rofits rifing out of Our
^ Tenures, (lAlienatwns, and
Fines Jeuied , or F^ecouenes, either
QommonT^coueries, or other.
8. jp Rofits anfwered vnto Vs,
^ from any of Our5V^fa.
p. A Sfirts, 2XiiT)€feBiueTi'
ties, as things onely fit to
be meafured by the rules of Our
owne confcience.
10 . EhtsdiV\iAccomptsvA\Qr'
upon there is any Seifure
ox StaUement, mi all other Debts
C ^ and
G.
N
i6
and Accomfts accrued fince.the
xxx,yeere of Q^Sli^aheth,
1 1. 'X’ He Fines of the Starve^
^ Qhamher.
12. VJ O newe Fenfions to bee
^ ^ granted.
^h^uerthelejfeyOUtof the (jene^
ralitie of the Natures abouefaide^
We intend to be excepted the Partin
culars expreffed in the Schedule
next enfuing^ in vehich We haue con^
temed all the Natures, thatWee^
meane to haue referued for Our
Bountie.
A ME.
A MEMORIAL
OF THOSE SVITS
vpherein JVe are contented to bee
moued by Our Seruants and Sub^
teUsy and to re'Vpard them accor-^
ding to the particular merit oj the
Suitor,
Ifts of Offices in Our
(jiftyto meet and wor^
thy perfons.
2 , Eeping of arises and
, 1 V in Chajes and For'
r^Hx,and keeping of QaJlleSyForts
ox Houfes*
3 . T7 Orfeitures of Landes and
^ Goods that fhal grow here-
C ^ after
i8
after by Mi^rthers or other Felo-
nies, neuerthelefleWee
doe ftraightly forbid allperfons
whatfoeuer they be, that (halbe
Suitors to Vs for any fuch Forfeit
tures, if there fhalheany motion
made before the Ofindours bee
duly conui(fled,that they do not
in any fort refort to any ofOur
Judges, luftices, learned Coun-
cell, or other minifters of lu-
ftice 3 nor intermeddle direcftly
or indiredlly in the profecution
ofthe Qaufe.htforo. the Offendors
be duely conuicfted, vpon paine
both to bee dilabled to obtaine
their Suite or any part thereof, or
otherwife to incurre Our if-
pleafure for their contempt* in
thatbehalfe.
+• P Ardons in Cafes appea-
ring vnto Vs by due f/r-
tijicate and Commendationy to be fit
to receiue Our Mercy.
5. p Sebeats that fhall growc
due for want of Heire^ by
^(^ardie orotherwife.
T Ands that fhal be hereaf-
^ ter purchafed by (t/fliens,
7* Enization offuch perjbns
as fhall be thought fit,
✓
8. p Orfeitui es of Outlay^ries of
fuch as fhall bee hereafter
Oudavted after judgement , and
ftand fo outiayped by the fpace of
fixemoneths, after the Ouilawrie
rctur-
20
returned, and likewife of fuch as
are outlavped after ludge-
ment, and (Kali not difchargc
fuch outlavprie within fixe mo-
neths next after the date hereof
with Cautions and Troutjion that
the true Creditors (hall bee firfi
payd their debts, and that none
of Our Subie(fts fhalbe fued by
force of fuch (jramt^^ox any debt
or other caufe in Our Name,
but onely in the name of the
Qramtee ^ , and with a Claufe to
be conteined in fuch our (jrantSy
for fubmitting the fame to Our
Court oi Exchequer Soy the miti-
gation of the extremitie of the
forfeiture, a tenth part of the be-
ncfite of fuch outimrie fo mitiga-
ted
ted to be referued to Our owne
Vfe.
9. of new inuention,
^ fo they be not contrary to
the Lai»^ nor miTchieuous to the
States, by raifing prices of com^
modities at home,or hurt of trade,
or otherwife inconuenient.
10. T^ Sbts due before the xxx.
^ yeere of ^ Elizabeth,
whereupon there is no fetfure or
fnUallement,
1 1. A Lfo, whereas in the Sche-»
^ ^dulc-i of things referued
from iS«/V, We haue made men-
tion of (tAJJarts and T>efeBiue Ti-
ties, as cafes fit onely to be mea-
D fured
fured by Our owne confcience ;
Yet We do hereby declare, that
e do not vnderftand (|as com^
prehended in that Our rejefua'-
tion) Tuch intrujions as haue bene
made vponOur^o^^^/ow/ by co-
lour of any where
taile IS fpent , or by colour ofany
where the termeh expired,
being matter of plaine dijinheri'
ybuvntoVs, and that which no
StibieU in his owne/Weref? would
indure: And therefore We are
well pleafed, That Our Sermnts
and Subiefls do moue Vs in cafes
of thofe mo natures. Prouided
alwaies,ihac they do not fal vpon
any thofe particular 7/7/e/ which
are already made knowen vnto
Vs,
Vs, into a ^ook^y
fined by the hand of the Qhancel^
lour of Our Exchequer , to the
view whereof^ as occafion fhall
ferue,the/«/V^nTiaybe admitted,
to the intent he may thereby fee,
there is nocaufe to reward him
for difiouerj of that, which is al-
ready kno wen ^ neither. alfo that
they meddle with any more an-
Qxtntfintrufion s yhnt onely fuch,
where the fntrufions haue bene
made, fince the firll: yeere of
// 8. And that the ^«/Vorrfub-
mit themfelues to fuch compofiti-
on^ as (halbe made by our Qom^
mifiioners. And a tenth part of the
benefit of fuch Qornpofition as fhall
accrue to bee referued to Our
2) z feluef.
felms^znA 0\xrfuccejJours^SLni the
parties in pojfeffion, to take a new
Tatent , with the former Tenure
referued,
(tA nd hecaufe IVe are 'willmp that
thofe moneys i(t>hich doe arife vj the
faults of offendoui s , may fome^
times ferue for matter of Bountie,
(^toa ys>ell deferuing feruant ^ after
they are leuted in a courfe ^lufticc,
and moderated by thofe rules of equi-
tie and difcretion, tsfith vphich the
publique minifters doe temper the
feueritie and rigour of the Lawcs,
and /ao^purfued (?rprofecuted by
priuate men , •ts>ho for the most part
care not honp theymolefl^or Jlraine^
t/>e5’ubiect in fuch cafes : Wee doe
firU declare, that Wee are pleafed^
That
25
That all fuch moneys as Jhall here
after come into Our Exchequer,
gromng either vpon forfeitures , or
vpon Fines infltlled by any of Our
Courts of luftice for notorious
crimes,^ Wmifdemeanours (Our
Qourt of Star-chamber onely ex^
cepted ) fall he fo diWu(LguiJhed and
feuered in the ^tcQ.i^t(yt>ithout be^
in? mingled vpith any other Trea-
lure, nor inwtdjorany Uurotr>ne
Qccafions ) as IVee may diJlribute^
fuch portion thereof^ as Jhall feeme
good vnto Us y vpon any man that
meriteth Reward. JVhereinyiL
though Wee hpovs) Wee Jhall depart
mth many branches of thofe Re-
ceipts, ’tohich haue come vnder the
Title of ordinary cafuall Reuc-
D 3 nue
i6
nue of the Kings of England;
Yet JVee haue thought it more agrees
able to Honour luftice , and
to the prefidents of the greatest
and wiJeE Princes , C afwell Our
neighhourSyOs OwrPredeceffoursJ)
ytfhen Wee are dtj^ofed to Reward
any man out offuch cafualties, to
vfe Our (m>ne ludgement for the
quantitie , and not to leaue the^
profecution in fuch cafes to pri^
uate meny leU Xi>hen theyfnow the
particular nature of that offence
fromvphich their fhould he^
deriued , they may tal^ feme fuch
indired: and violent courfes, (^in
refpeU of their o'Xt>ne_j gaine ^ as is
farre contrary to that Clemencie,
yi^hich Wee haue euer vfedy and in *
tend
3
1
27
tend to doe to all, Our louing Sub-
ied:s ; hamng euer thought itaspro^
per for ^s, ( reJheUing Our King-
ly Office) to he the moderatour
of the rigour of Our Lawes , as to
preferuL^ them from neglecT:, the \
one leading to opprefflon of ma^
nyy arid the other to the ouerthro w
and diffolution of ^be yfhole^,
fn which conf deration al/o,
whereas Wee haue heene contented
heretofore (" and Jo are Jlill deter-'
mined J to heUow vpondiuersipQT^
fons according to their merit fome^
portion^ that ^cntRlwhich the
Lawes haue giuen Z)f , vpon the
conuidlion o^Recufants. Wee
doe frU exprefy fignifie Our great
difikp of fuels as out of defire of
their
28
their cf^ne priuate profit , haueta^
J{en , or jhatt takp vndue^ and ex^
treme courfes againU anj of Our
Sublets, ajxrell ^inditing them
in places yrhere they haue no refi^
dence, as other^ife ; ndnext^
becaufe W'ee haue bene aljo infor-
med, That fome others, to'sphome
JVeee haue pajfed fuch Graunts,
haue fomuch abufed Our fauours,
as to prefume to compound mth
diuers ill affeBed, for light fummes,
before any Conuiclion , Q vs>herehy
the offendours in that hfide haue
beene the more bachgtrard to con^
forme themfelue s : rrhich is contra^
ry to the godly ende and purpoje of
Our Lawcs , that aymed not at
/^^'/Vpumfhmenr, but at their
formation :
29
formation : Wee doe herel?j com^
maund, that in all Graunts of lil^e
nature hereafter ^ ajpeciall Clauie
he inferted , that no Juch Graunts
doe inanymfe proceed to Compo-
ftion mth any Recufant before a
laypfuU Conuicftion. (tAnd fur^-
ther , that fuffctent Caution and
Securitie begmen, that We bedue^
ly anfpered of a third of thofe For-
feitures orCompofitions,, for the
better vpholding and continuing of
that proportion of Reuenue,
vphich We haue heretofore
receiued^
8
^ Imprinted ar London
by ‘R^ert Rar^er , Printer
to the Kings moil;
lentMaieitic.
Anno Dom. i6io^
•‘I
Facsimile Reprint, 1897.
NOTE UPON THE BOOK OF BOUNTY.
♦ '
The Declaration relating to matter of Bounty, published by King
James I. in 1610, is probably unique among legal documents. In
form a royal proclamation, it comprises a statement of the common
law concerning monopolies, to which is owing its present import-
ance and for the sake of that statement it has been endorsed by
Parliament and in effect incorporated in the Statute of Monopolies.
The authenticating enactment runs as follows : —
Forasmuch as your most excellent majesty in your royal judg-
ment, and of your blessed disposition to the weal and quiet of
your subjects, did, in the year of our Lord God 1610, publish in
print to the whole realm, and to all posterity, that all grants of
monopolies, and of the benefit of any penal laws, or of power to
dispense with the law, or to compound for the forfeiture, are
contrary to your majesty’s laws, which your majesty’s declaration
is truly consonant, and agreeable to the ancient and fundamental
laws of this your realm : And whereas your majesty was further
graciously pleased expressly to command that no suitor should
presume to move your majesty for matters of that nature ; yet,
nevertheless, upon misinformations and untrue pretences of
public good many such grants have been unduly obtained and
unlawfully put in execution to the great grievance and incon-
venience of your majesty’s subjects, contrary to the laws of this
your realm, and contrary to your majesty’s royal and blessed
intention, so published as aforesaid : For avoiding whereof and
preventing of the like in time to come, may it please your most
excellent majesty at the humble suit of the lords spiritual and
temporal and the commons in this present Parliament assembled,
that it may be declared and enacted, and be it declared and
enacted by the authority of this present Parliament, that, &c.
In accordance with the idea embodied in this preamble, the
entire Statute is modelled upon the Declaration, and much of its
language is borrowed from that source. But the Declaration itself,
so important as it is in the history and exposition of the law, so
interesting from every point of view, has most unaccountably been
lost to knowledge for upwards of two hundred and fifty years. It
was reprinted in 1619 by the order of King James .but probably has
never been reproduced in any form since that date. The reference
made to it in the Statute of Monopolies is so vague that perhaps
it would never have led to its identification at the present date
had not the deficiency been supplied by the contemporary testi-
mony of Sir Edward Coke. He makes three separate allusions
to the document. Two of these are to be found in the Third
Institute in the chapters treating of Monopolies (a) and Penal
Laws (&) respectively. Both passages are expressed in substantially
the same terms, and they state in effect that the Case of Penal
Law8[c)QJiA the Case of (d) were principal motives of
[a) 3 Inst. 182. {h) .3 Inst. 187. {c) 7 Co. Rep. 126. {d) 11 Co. Rep. 84.
Vi
the king’s book mentioned in the preamble of the Act, and that the
book was a great motive of obtaining the Eoyal Assent to the
statute.
The third reference in Coke occurs in his comment appended to
the Case of Monopolies {f), where he says, “our Lord the King
that now is, in a book which he in zeal to the law and justice
commanded to be printed anno 1610, intituled ‘ A declaration of
his Majesty’s Pleasure,’ &c., p. 13, has published that monopolies
are things against the laws of this realm, and therefore expressly
commands that no suitor presume to move him to grant any of
them, &c.”
The reference here to the title and to the contents of page 13
affords a complete identification and proves beyond argument that
the text now re-published is the same from which Sir E. Coke
quoted.
The circumstances attending the composition and publication of
this most interesting document have been sufficiently discussed
from the present writer’s point of view elsewhere ( y). By the
kindness of Professor Gardiner I am enabled here to add some
comments of his contained in a letter upon this subject addressed
by him to my friend Mr. A. B. Shaw.
Sevenoaks,
October 17, 1896.
Dear Mr. Shaw,
I have examined the little book in the Museum
Library, and quite understand why it is not included in
K. James’s works. It is not a personal production of his
own, but an official declaration issued in his name, l^e any
other declaration or proclamation. Though it was printed in
1610 (^.6., between March 25, 1610, and March 25, 1611),
it was drawn up in the end of 1608, and was one of
Salisbury’s many attempts to check James’s extravagance.
You will find it m various forms amongst the State Papers
Domestic XXX VII., 72—76 (Mrs. E. Green’s Calendar,
1603—10, p. 467).
The only interest that attaches itself to the date of publi-
cation is to show that it was printed in connection either
with the Great Contract or with the break-up of the Parlia-
ment. I do not remember any evidence which would fix
the date to the month.
The reference to it in the Statute of Monopolies is delusive.
James in his declaration declared monopolies to be iUegal,
meaning, I believe, the grant of the right of sole selKng of
ordinary products in accordance with the judicial decision in
the case of cards. Eurther on James expressly excepts the
(/) 11 Co. Rep. 88.
(^) The reference here is to my
' ‘Monopolies by Patents, ’ ’ for which
book the blocks were prepared from
which the present reprint has been
executed.-^. W. G.
THE BOOK OF BOUNTY.
right of sole selling on new inventions. If yonr friend will
look at my argument at the beginning of the History of
England, Vol. lY., and at a paper of mine in Archaeologia,
XLI. 224, he will see that my notion is that the patents
which gave offence were based on the view that the goods
protected were new inventions or (what came to the same
thing) new introductions, but that from motives of public
policy the definition was very loosely considered, and made
to cover many things which were not fairly covered by
either term.
If your friend disagrees with this view, I shall be only
too glad to consider his arguments, and, at all events, he
will find in the references and quotations a good deal of
information on the subject.
Believe me.
Yours sincerely,
Samuel E. Gaedinee.
As the result of inquiries made at some of the principal libraries,
I have notes of the following surviving copies of the book ; —
BODLEIAN.
^Two copies of each edition. Three of the
four copies are in volumes of 17th
century pamphlets bound up together
in modern times. The fourth was
certainly not bound up before 1613.
The contents of that volume are
various small books — the Declaration
coming first and being succeeded by a
book on the Art of Jugling. (Com-
municated by Mr. E. W. B. Nicholson.)
BRITISH MUSEUM.
Edition of 1610.
Edition of 1619.
\
Edition of 1610. Two copies bound separately. Catalogued
under the heading “ Great Britain and Ireland. —
James I., King.”
The press marks are 115. a. 25, and 709. a. 1.
(The edition standing at 115. a. 25, from which
the annexed facsimile has been taken,
was presented to the Museum by King
George III.)
Edition of 1619. One copy.
Bound up with several other Proclamations and
Pamphlets. Catalogued under the heading ‘ ‘ Great
Britain and Ireland. — James I., King.”
This is the seventh tract in the 1603 — 1627 volume of
the “ Burney Collection of Papers, &c.”
(Communicated by Mr. W. S. Johnson.)
THE BOOK OF BOUNTY.
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY.
Edition of 1610. A perfect oopy.
Bound up with, several other proclamations, &c., of
contemporary date (1605 — 1613), and all printed
by Robert Barker, but having no other apparent
connection with the Book of Bounty. It stands
No. 3 in the Collection.
The book comes from Bishop Moore’s Collection and
^ was presented to the Library by King George III.
(Communicated by Mr. H. Fletcher Moulton.)
DUBLIN— Trinity College Library.
Edition of 1610.
Bound up with several other proclamations and
pamphlets by various printers of contemporary
date (1607 to 1626), but having no apparent
connection with the book. It stands No. 7 in
the Collection. **
This volume is classed : “ DD.kk. 18, No. 7.’*
Edition of 1619.
Bound up with miscellaneous pamphlets.
No. 2 in the Collection.
This volume is classed : “ P.U. 24, No. 2.”
(Communicated by Mr. Alfred de Burgh.)
It stands
EDINBURGH— Advocates’ Library.
Edition of 1619.
One of a miscellaneous volume of pamphlets of dates
ranging from 1607 to 1626, and having no con-
nection with one another. The binding of the
volume seems to be early 18th century.
(Communicated by Mr. J. T. Clark.)
MIDDLE TEMPLE.
Edition of 1610. A perfect copy.
Bound with the collection of “ Miscellaneous Tracts”
in the Library, of which it forms No. 4 in vol. 48.
(Communicated by Mr. J. Hutchinson.)
The book appears to be a small quarto, but the publishers tell me
that it seems from the printer’s signatures upon the pages to have
been printed in octavo form and that its present appearance is
probably due to cutting down. It is described as a quarto in the
British Museum Catalogue.