Untitled - Monoskop

GRANT OF PRIVILEGE AND PERMISSION TO PRINT
missives du roy nostre sire et le cry fait par vertu d'icelles cy dessus transcriptz. Et est
deffendu a tous libraires et imprimeurs de la ville de Paris de non imprimer ou faire
imprimer aucuns jusques a en huyt jours prochainement venant. Sur peine de
confiscation desdites impressions et d'amende arbitraire. De ce faire a luy donne
povoir.
Fait soubz nostre signet le jeudi .xvii. jour d'aoust. Mil cinq cens et xiiii. Ainsi signe. G.
Maillart. Almaury. (PR 1514, 2)
The text of the treaty was already known to the Prevot and his officers, since
the formal proclamation of it had been made by Normandy Herald in the
Prevot's court the previous day, 16 August 1514, in their presence, and
recorded by the greffar, as is clear from the printed pamphlet itself (f. 3 V
).
When they were confronted by a proposed publication of which they had no
such previous knowledge, they examined it with some care; they might
of it.
require the deletion of part
How many applications were refused altogether, because the contents of
the book were not approved, cannot be known. Normally such refusals have
left no trace. But there is certainly a case of refusal for part of a book: an order
of December 1515 expressly excludes, from the grant of the Prevot's per-
mission and privilege, one item of the copy submitted (PR 1515, 2):
H De par le prevost de Paris
1f II est permis a Guillaume le Normant et Pierre Martin imprimeurs de povoir
imprimer et faire imprimer ung petit livre intitule L'epistre qu'a voulu mander France
a la mere du roy pour aliancefors et exceptela chanson de la victoire contre les Suisses estant a la
Jin d'iceluy et iceluy vendre et distribuer a qui bon leur semblera et est deffendu a tous
aultres imprimeurs de non imprimer ledit livre du jourduy jusques a trois moys sur
paine de confiscation desdits livres et d'amende arbitraire. Fait soubz nostre signet le
mescredi [sic] .v. jour de decembre 1'an .M. cinq cens et quinze. Signe Amaury.
(italics mine)
This anonymous pamphlet, as printed, consists of a eulogy in ten-syllable
couplets of poor literary quality but unexceptionable patriotism, supposed to
be spoken by the land of France to Louise of Savoy and her son the king. The
Chanson, which in the copy submitted to the Prevot followed the eulogy,
presumably celebrated the king's victory at Marignano. What the Prevot
found to be objectionable about it can only be guessed. Perhaps it was too
violently anti-Swiss. The French authorities must have been well aware that
the next turn of international events might make the king seek Swiss aid.
The next privilege granted by the Prevot of Paris of which we have the
details (PR 1516, i) expressly gives both permission and privilege
separate clauses:
as two
^f Veu ce livre et la requeste faicte par Clement Longis et ouy sur ce les gens du roy a
este permis audit Longis imprimer ou faire imprimer cedit livre / et sont deffences
faictes a tous autres imprimeurs de ne imprimer ou faire imprimer / vendre ne faire
vendre ledit livre d'autres que ceulx qui auront este imprimez ou fait imprimer par
ledit suppliant jusques a deux ans prochainement venans sur peine de confiscation des
114