Untitled - Monoskop

CONCLUSION
THE SPEED WITH WHICH the privilege-system became familiar to the
educated public in France was remarkable. The first privilege issued by the
royal chancery (CH 1498, i) remained indeed an isolated episode until
15079. The first privilege granted by an officer of the Crown (PR 1505, i)
also had no sequel until 1507. In 1507 too the Parlement of Paris granted its
first privilege (PA 1507, i). By 1509 the system was establishing itself in the
form that it was to follow for many years to come. Over the next twenty years,
for the
privileges came to cover probably the majority of books being printed
first time, whether newly composed or inherited from the past. Just after the
period here studied, in 1528, it had become so much a commonplace that it
was the subject of a parody: the lawyer Gilles d'Aurigny brought out his
humorous Le cinquante-deuxiesme arrest d'amours, avecques ses ordonnances des masques
'Cum priuilegio amoris amplissimo.' 1
All the initiative came from authors and publishers, faced with an
increasingly competitive situation. Privileges were sought not only by prominent
authors and wealthy publishers, but also by relatively humble writers
and libraires. They must have been reasonably satisfied with the results since
they were prepared to pay for the costs.
Book-privileges did not originate in France. But they had there a better
chance of providing some effective protection than most other states could
offer. 2 And the French royal authority, whether exercised by the chancery, by
the Paris and provincial Parlements, or by officials - notably the Prevot of
Paris - responded by 'playing fair' as far as possible with authors and
publishers, and with the reading public. There was no favouritism. Normally
they issued privileges only for genuinely new publications. 3
They gave periods
4
of time averaging three years and three years was known in the European
book-trade as far apart as Brabant in 1514 and Basle in i53i 5 as a reason-
able time within which to sell the first edition of a book. Exceptionally
they gave as much as ten years. Permission might in rare cases be given to
include up to eight new books in the same privilege, and this 'package', if
1
S.I. 8". BN Res.Y 2
932. It was of course intended as a sequel to Martial d'Auvergne, Les cinquante
et un arrests d 'Amours, dating from 1460-5 (modern edition by Jean Rychner, SATF, 1951).
4 See above, pp. 1 18-25.
2 See above, pp. 212. :1 See above, pp. 928.
5 See above, pp. 15-16 and p. 125.
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