SUMMARY OF PRIVILEGES FOR THE

Pope Clement VIII decreed by diploma that no one, without the consent of Dominicus Basa, formerly printer in the Vatican Press, may print or keep for sale—for ten years from the edition of each volume—the Holy Bible, General Councils, Decretal Epistles, books pertaining to the Ecclesiastical office, the volumes of the Holy Fathers, or even books of any kind newly edited or augmented by him with new additions. Pope Paul V transferred and granted this Privilege by a special handwritten note in favor of Hieremias Guelfus, Doctor of Both Laws and Imperial Printer. Pope Gregory XV confirmed this by issued letters, wishing it to be held as firm and valid. Violators are punished by the penalty of excommunication of late sentence. If this occurs in lands subject to the Holy Roman Church, they shall also be punished by the confiscation of books and the payment of five hundred gold ducats, as is shown more broadly in the letters of the same Pope Gregory under the date in Rome at St. Mary Major under the Fisherman's ring on the 21st of October 1621, in the first year of his pontificate. Urban VIII also, by special letters given at St. Peter's under the Fisherman's ring on the 23rd of May 1628, in the fifth year of his pontificate, transferred and granted it in favor of Andreas Brugiottus, Imperial and Vatican Printer. Innocent X likewise confirmed it by special letters given at St. Peter's in favor of Angelus Balladori, likewise Imperial and Vatican Printer, under the Fisherman's ring on the 1st of March 1646. And finally, our most holy Lord Alexander VII fully confirmed and granted all the aforementioned privileges and favors in favor of Zenobius Masottus, the current Imperial and Vatican Printer, by letters given on the 14th of December 1663, in the tenth year of his pontificate.