On Agriculture (De Re Rustica)

our pure referring to "mera nostra apostolica [camera]"—our pure apostolic chamber apostolic chamber must be inexorably exacted, and so we decree by these presents. And so that no one may pretend ignorance of this inhibition and our Decree, we expressly command all and singular our Legates, Patriarchs, Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots, and Ordinaries of places, and their deputies and Vicars, Governors, and furthermore praetors and our other officials who have been requested by the force of our presents, that they cause these letters to be published in the customary places of their churches, dioceses, and administrations, and that they support Aldus himself with all favor and aid for the sake of achieving the effect of this decree and our inhibition, any apostolic constitutions and ordinances or others to the contrary notwithstanding, whatsoever they may be.

Moreover, because it would be very difficult for these our presents to be carried to individual places, we wish and decree that the same faith be given to these very letters when struck off in multiple copies by type and fortified with the seal of any of our legates or a person constituted in ecclesiastical dignity, as would be given to our present letters if they were exhibited or shown. Furthermore, if anyone should presume in any way to impede the publication of these our letters, or to stand in the way so that they are not published, or to tear, erase, or remove—or cause to be removed—the letters once published and affixed in the customary way in any place, and to do this knowingly, we wish and declare him to be subject in the same way to the aforementioned penalty of excommunication.

We wish, however, and exhort Aldus himself in the Lord, that he sell the books at a fair price, or cause them to be sold, lest he use these our concessions for any other than an honest purpose, which, however, we trust he will do for the sake of his integrity and his observance toward us. Given at Rome at Saint Peter's under the Ring of the Fisherman, the 28th day of November, 1513, in the first year of our Pontificate.

Pietro Bembo, secretary to Pope Leo X.