Commentaries on the Six Books of Dioscorides on Medical Matter

Decorative drop cap 'M' featuring a figure, possibly a scholar or physician, seated at a desk with books.
BY HIS OWN MOTION &c. Since, as our beloved son Vincent Valgrisi, bookseller and printer of Venice, has recently caused to be set forth to us, he intends for the common benefit of studies and at his own expense to cause to be printed the Commentaries of our beloved son Peter Andrew Mattioli, physician of Siena, upon the six books of Pedacius Dioscorides of Anazarbus on medical matter, now for the first time translated by him into Latin and enlarged, with innumerable figures of plants and animals pertaining to the same work; likewise an Almanac or Ephemerides calculated by our beloved son Nicolaus Simus of Bologna, mathematician; also the Dialogues or Colloquies of our beloved son Marcus Mantua Benavides of Padua, jurisconsult; furthermore, the Second Part of Natural Philosophy written in the Tuscan tongue by our beloved son Alessandro Piccolomini of Siena; likewise the Poems of our beloved sons Giovanni Battista Pigna, the Reverend Celio Calcagnini, and Ludovico Ariosto of Ferrara; moreover, a century of counsels by Giovanni Battista Montano of Verona; and in addition the books of Johannes Schoner, mathematician, on the judgments of nativities, translated into the Italian tongue by Giovanni Battista Carelli, which have not been printed until now; and since he fears lest works of this kind might afterwards be printed by others without his permission, which would tend to his greatest prejudice. We, therefore, wishing to provide for his indemnity, by similar Motion and from certain knowledge, do grant and indulge to the same Vincent that the aforesaid works to be printed by him may not, for ten years after the printing of the said works, be printed, sold, or held for sale by anyone without his permission; inhibiting all and singular booksellers and printers of books, both those existing in Italy (even in the cities of Foligno and Recanati) as well as those outside of Italy, under the sentence of excommunication latae sententiae. In lands, however, mediately or immediately subject to the Holy Roman Church, under a penalty of two hundred gold ducats—one half to be applied to the treasury of the Apostolic Chamber and the other half to the same Vincent—and furthermore the loss of all books, to be incurred by the very fact and without further declaration whenever a contravention occurs, let them not dare in any way, within the ten-year period to be calculated respectively from the printing of the said works, to print, sell, or have or offer for sale the said works without the express permission of the same Vincent. Commanding all venerable brothers, Archbishops, Bishops, and their Vicars General in spiritual matters, and in the state of the Holy Roman Church also the Legates and Vice-legates of the Apostolic See, and the governors of the said state, that as often as they, or any one of them, shall be requested on the part of the same Vincent, they assist the same Vincent with the protection of an effective defense, and by Apostolic authority execute the premises at his every request against the disobedient and rebellious through ecclesiastical censures, even to be repeatedly aggravated, and through other remedies of the law. Invoking also for this purpose, if there be need, the aid of the secular arm, notwithstanding Apostolic constitutions and ordinances, as well as any Apostolic privileges, indults, and letters, especially those granted to the said cities of Foligno and Recanati concerning the liberties and exemptions of any merchants during the time of the fairs of those cities, and others in any way published, granted, confirmed, and innovated even on repeated occasions. From all of which, holding their true tenors as sufficiently expressed, for this time only, we specially and expressly derogate by equal motion, and from all other contrary things whatsoever. And furthermore, because it would be quite difficult for the present Motu Proprio to be carried to every place, we will and by Apostolic authority decree, that to transcripts or copies of it full and entirely the same faith be given everywhere, both in court and out, as would be given to the present original; and that the mere signature of the present Motu Proprio, without its being published or a date being appended to it, shall suffice and command faith everywhere in court and out, any contrary rule notwithstanding.

EXAMPLE OF THE IMPERIAL PRIVILEGE.

Woodcut illustration of the Imperial coat of arms of the Holy Roman Empire, featuring the double-headed eagle with a shield on its breast, encircled by the collar of the Order of the Golden Fleece, and topped with the Imperial crown.

Decorative drop cap 'C' containing a seated figure, likely a representation of the Emperor or a scholar.
CHARLES the Fifth, by the favoring Divine clemency, Augustus Emperor of the Romans, and King of Germany, the Spains, both Sicilies, Jerusalem, Hungary, Dalmatia, Croatia, etc., Archduke of Austria, Duke of Burgundy, Brabant, etc., Count of Habsburg, Flanders, Tyrol, etc. We make known to all by the tenor of these presents: WHEREAS our sincerely beloved Vincent Valgrisi, bookseller and copperplate printer of Venice, has reverently caused it to be set forth to us that he has determined, for the common utility of all and especially of those studious of medical matters, to print and cause to be printed at his own expense Commentaries not hitherto printed upon the six books of Dioscorides of Anazarbus concerning the history and virtues of simples, rendered into Latin by the honorable, learned, and our faithful beloved of the Holy Empire, Peter Andrew Mattioli of Siena, Doctor of Arts and Medicine, with figures of all plants, animals, and other things pertaining to the same work. And whereas he fears lest Commentaries and figures of this kind, after they have been printed by him with great labor and expense, should be rashly printed and distributed by other printers or booksellers, to his no small loss and detriment. He has therefore humbly petitioned us that we might deign to fortify him with our Privilege and Edict against such injury. We, therefore, desiring especially to provide for the indemnity of those who study to benefit the public utility with their great expenses and labors, do hereby, by the tenor of these presents, from our certain knowledge and by that authority which we exercise both by reason of our Imperial dignity and otherwise, edict, ordain, and strictly inhibit any typographer or printer, or anyone else of whatever state and condition he may be, throughout the whole Roman Empire and the cities, lands, and places mediately or immediately subject to us and the same Roman Empire, as well in Germany as in our entire Dominion, from daring or presuming to imitate or print the aforesaid Commentaries on Dioscorides, to be printed by the aforementioned Vincent Valgrisi, within ten years from their first edition, without the express permission of the same Vincent, or to import, bring in, and sell those printed or published elsewhere within the borders of the Holy Roman Empire and our Dominion. Under threat, besides our and the Holy Empire’s grave indignation and the loss of the books thus printed in rivalry (which books the same Vincent, wherever found, shall have the right to take for himself and convert to his own use, either by himself or through his agents), they should also desire to avoid a penalty of six marks of pure gold, to be applied irremissibly to our Imperial Treasury and to the said Vincent in equal parts, as often as the decree shall be violated. In testimony of these letters, subscribed by our hand and fortified by the impression of our seal. Given in our Imperial city of Augsburg, the twenty-first day of the month of February. In the year of our Lord one thousand five hundred and fifty-one, the thirty-first of our Empire, and the thirty-sixth of our Kingdoms.