Procedure, 30 December 1701, Edinburgh

Att Edinburgh The Fourteenth day of March J^aj vii^c and one years

A1701/3/21

A1701/3/21¹

Act

Act In favors of Mrs Andersone

This booked here per Licet²
Anent the Petition given in to the Lords of His Majesties privy Councill by Agnes Campbell his Majesties printer Shewing That where the deceast Andrew Anderson her husband having obtained a Gift under the great Seall, for payment of a Composition in Exchequer and other weighty reasons giving him his hats and Successors the Sole Right of printing within this Kingdom, and which was ratified in parliament and often Confirmed by decreets and acts of Councill upon Compearance and debate, and all persons were discharged during the tyme Limited in the said Gift, To print or to Import into this Kingdom any books in whatever airt, Faculty or Language, Which he his heirs or Successors, Should at any tyme print, without his or their Licence Except in sua farr as the Said Gift was restricted out of meer favour by his Consent, as is more fully contained in the Gift and decreets of Councill following theron. Their petitioner upon the faith and Encouradgement of the forsaid gift and Severall acts and decreets of Councill above mentioned hath so farr advanced the art of printing, That altho in our neighbour nation, The printers upon the very designing of any Extraordinary and Expensive work use not only to Join together in the Expenss, but also gett considerable Encouradgements and gratuities from the publick: Yet their Petitioner for the Credit of this Kingdom, did by Her self undertake, and hes now near finished the printing of Mr Mathew Pools annotations on the holy Bible, with Clarks Harmony on the Evangelists not contained in the English book which hes occasioned a great Expenss, and which She has carryed throw, notwithstanding of many discouragements, and in some manner threats of the English and She may boldly say, That Her work is better done and upon fyner paper, then that done in the English nation She hes also begun Editions of Durham and Flavels works, which the English are likeways carrying on at the same tyme, upon the Faith and hopes of getting Subscriptions in Scotland to their proposals, thinking therby to ruine their petitioners design and consequently her press; She is also printing a Treatise by Mr Daniell Campbell on the Saccrament called the frequent and devout Communicant, and Some of Mr Craigheads sermons and the Encouragement She Craves from their Lordships is what she humbly conceived is her Right from the Gift it self viz That no printer or other person whatsomever be allowed to print reprint or to Import into this Kingdom any of the forsaids books already printed or to be printed by her under the pain of Confiscation and Such other punishment, as their Lordships think fitt. Their petitioner took only leave to represent to their Lordships That She hes so farr Improven the art of printing in this Kingdom, That Her printing house is equall and perhaps exceeds any printing house in England, and the Encouragement of her work tends, very much towards the mantenance of a great many families. The Generall assembly hade so farr considered the usefulness of this undertaking, That they have Recommended to all noblemen, Gentlemen ministers and others within this Kingdom, to give her their Concurrence and assistance, which is all She could demand of them, And Therfore Humbly Craving their Lordships to Consider the premises and discharge the printing or reprinting or the Importation of any works printed or undertaken by these petitioner and particularly of the works abovementioned under the Certifications and penalties contained in her Gift, viz The Confiscation of the books So printed or Imported, the one half to His Majesty and the other half to her, And to grant her warrand to Seaze any books Imported printed or Reprinted contrary to the Said Prohibition, as also to discharge all Tacksman of the Customs, Collectors Waiters Surveyers, to Suffer or Connive at the Importation of the Saids books, and to appoint Such other Certifications as their Lordships should find necessary to whom the Said matter is Recommended by the Gift and act of Parliament ratifying the Same, as the said petition bears. The Lords of His Majestys privy Councill having heard the above petition given in to them by Agnes Campbell, Relict of Andrew Anderson his majesties printer read in their presence, They upon the Sixth day of march last, nominated and appointed, The Earles of Lauderdale and Leven, The Lords President of Session and Thesaurer deput, Mr Francis Montgomry and the Provost of Edinburgh to be a Committy to Consider the said petition with the gift in favours of His Majestys printer how farr the Samen doth or may Extend and Recommended them to meet the morrow morning at ten ackloak in the forenoon, and declared any three of them to be a Sufficient quorum, and Recommended to them to make their Report with their first Conveniency. Which being again this day³ Considered by the Saids Lords of Her Majestys privy Councill, They heirby Recommend to the Lords of the Committy appointed upon the above petition given in by the Relict of Andrew Anderson His majestys printer, To authorize and Impower the said Mrs Anderson to print Pools annotations, Mr Durhams work, Mr Daniell Campbells books anent the Sacrament of the Lords Supper and Craigheads Sermons, and Impowers the said Committy not only to give the said Mrs Anderson Liberty to print the Saids books, but likeways to grant her the Sole priviledge for printing of the same and to discharge all persons whatsomever to print these books for Such number of years as they think fitt, The Said Committee being always first Satisfyed as to the Fyness and Sufficiency of the paper and Types to be made use of and Imployed by her in printing of the saids works or books, and to declare that if any of these works or books shall be printed by any other person within this Kingdom during the Space forsaid, The Same Shall be Seazed upon and Confiscat by the said Mrs Anderson and applyed to her own propper use, and behoove, And the Saids Lords of His Majestys privy Councill have refused and heirby Refuses the desyre of Mrs Andersons petition given in to them as to Flavells works, and heirby allowes these works to be printed Imported and Lord by any person quhatsoever.