The Copyright Act, 1775 — (University Copyright), 15 Geo. III. C. 531669
An Act for enabling the two Universities in England, the four Universities in Scotland, and the several Colleges of Eton, Westminster, and Winchester, to hold in Perpetuity their Copyright in Books, given or bequeathed to the said Universities and Colleges for the Advancement of useful Learning and other Purposes of Education:
Preamble
Universities, &c., in England and Scotland to have for ever the sole Right of printing, &c., such Books as have been, or shall be, bequeathed to them, unless the same have been, or shall be given for a limited Time.
I. Whereas Authors have heretofore bequeathed or given, and may hereafter bequeath or give the Copies of Books composed by them to or in Trust for one of the two Universities in that Part of Great Britain called England, or to or in Trust for some of the Colleges or Houses of Learning within the same, or to or in trust for the four Universities in Scotland, or to or in trust for the several Colleges of Eton, Westminster, and Winchester,1670 and in or by their several Wills or other instruments of Donation, have directed or may direct that the Profits arising from the printing and reprinting such Books shall be applied and appropriated as a Fund for the Advancement of Learning and other beneficial Purposes of Education within the said Universities and Colleges aforesaid: And whereas such useful Purposes will frequently be frustrated unless the sole printing and reprinting of such Books the Copies of which have been or shall be so bequeathed or given as aforesaid, be preserved and secured to the said Universities, Colleges, and Houses of Learning respectively in Perpetuity: Be it enacted, That the said Universities and Colleges respectively shall, at their respective Presses, have, for ever, the sole liberty of printing and reprinting all such Books, as shall at any time heretofore have been, or (having not been heretofore published1671 or assigned) shall at any time hereafter be bequeathed, or otherwise given by the Author or Authors of the same respectively or the Representatives of such Author or Authors, to or in Trust for the said Universities or to or in Trust for any College or House of Learning within the same, or to or in Trust for the said four Universities in Scotland, or to or in Trust for the said Colleges of Eton, Westminster, and Winchester, or any of them, for the Purposes aforesaid, unless the same shall have been bequeathed or given, or shall after be bequeathed or given, for any Term of Years or other limited Term: any Law or Usage to the contrary hereof in anywise notwithstanding.
After 24th June, 1775, Persons printing or selling such Books shall forfeit the same, and also id. for every sheet;
one Moiety to His Majesty, and the other to the Prosecutor.
II. And if any Bookseller, Printer, or other Person whatsoever, from and after June 24, 1775, shall print, reprint, or import, or cause to be printed, reprinted, or imported, any such Book or Books; or, knowing the same to be so printed or reprinted, shall sell, publish, or expose to Sale, or cause to be sold, published, or exposed to Sale, any such Book or Books; then such Offender or Offenders shall forfeit such Book or Books, and all and every Sheet or Sheets, being Part of such Book or Books, to the University, College, or House of Learning respectively, to whom the Copy of such Book or Books shall have been bequeathed or given as aforesaid, who shall forthwith damask and make waste Paper of them; and further, that every such Offender or Offenders shall forfeit One Penny for every Sheet which shall be found in his, her, or their Custody, either printed or printing, published or exposed to Sale, contrary to the true Intent and Meaning of this Act; the one Moiety thereof to the King’s Most Excellent Majesty, His Heirs and Successors, and the other Moiety thereof to any Person or Persons who shall sue for the same; to be recovered in any of His Majesty’s Courts of Record at Westminster, or in the Court of Session in Scotland, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in which no Wager of Law, Essoign, Privilege, or Protection, or more than One Imparlance, shall be allowed.
Nothing in this Act to grant any exclusive Right longer than such Books are printed at the presses of the Universities. Universities may sell Copy Rights in like manner as any Author.
III. Provided nevertheless, That nothing in this Act shall extend to grant any exclusive Right otherwise than so long as the Books or Copies belonging to the said Universities or Colleges are printed only at their own Printing Presses within the said Universities or Colleges respectively, and for their sole Benefit and Advantage; and that if any University or College shall delegate, grant, lease, or sell their Copy Rights, or exclusive Rights of printing the Books hereby granted, or any Part thereof, or shall allow, permit, or authorise any Person or Persons, or Bodies Corporate, to print or reprint the same, that then the Privileges hereby granted are to become void and of no Effect, in the same Manner as if this Act had not been made1672; but the said Universities and Colleges, as aforesaid, shall nevertheless have a Right to Sell such Copies so bequeathed or given as aforesaid, in like Manner as any Author or Authors now may do under the Provisions of the Statute of 8 Anne.
No person subject to Penalties for printing, &c., Books already bequeathed, unless they be entered before 24th June, 1775. All Books that may hereafter be bequeathed must be entered within
two months after such Bequest shall be known. 6d. to be paid for each entry in the Register Book, which may be inspected without Fee. Clerk to give a Certificate, being paid 6d.
IV. And Whereas many Persons may through Ignorance offend against this Act, unless some Provision be made whereby the Property of every such Book as is intended by this Act to be secured to the said Universities, Colleges, and Houses of Learning within the same, and to the said Universities in Scotland, and to the respective Colleges of Eton, Westminster, and Winchester, may be ascertained and known; be it therefore enacted that nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to extend to subject any Bookseller, Printer, or other Person whatsoever, to the Forfeitures or Penalties herein mentioned, for or by reason of the printing or reprinting, importing or exposing to Sale any Book or Books, unless the Title to the Copy of such Book or Books, which has or have been already bequeathed or given to any of the said Universities or Colleges aforesaid, be entered in the Register Book of the Company of Stationers kept for that Purpose, in such Manner as hath been usual, on or before June 24, 1775; and of all and every such Book or Books as may or shall hereafter be bequeathed or given as aforesaid, be entered in such Register within the space of two Months after any such Bequest or Gift shall have come to the knowledge of the Vice-Chancellors of the said Universities, or Heads of Houses and Colleges of Learning, or of the Principal of any of the said four Universities respectively; for every of which Entries so to be made as aforesaid the Sum of Sixpence shall be paid, and no more; which said Register Book shall and may, at all seasonable and Convenient Times, be referred to and inspected by any Bookseller, Printer, or other Person without any Fee or Reward; and the Clerk of the said Company of Stationers shall, when and as often as thereunto required, give a Certificate under his Hand of such Entry or Entries, and for every such Certificate may take a Fee not exceeding Sixpence.
If Clerk refuse or neglect to make Entry, &c., Proprietor of such Copy Right to have like Benefit as if such Entry had been made, and the Clerk shall forfeit £20.
V. And if the Clerk of the said Company of Stationers for the Time being shall refuse or neglect to register or make such Entry or Entries, or to give such Certificate, being thereunto required by the Agent of either of the said Universities or Colleges aforesaid, lawfully authorised for that Purpose, then either of the said Universities or Colleges aforesaid, being the Proprietor of such Copy Right or Copy Rights as aforesaid (Notice being first given of such Refusal by Advertisement in the Gazette) shall have the like Benefit as if such Entry or Entries, Certificate or Certificates, had been duly made and given; and the Clerk so refusing shall, for every such Offence, forfeit £20 to the Proprietor or Proprietors of every such Copy Right; to be recovered in any of His Majesty’s Courts of Record at Westminster, or in the Court of Session in Scotland, by Action of Debt, Bill, Plaint, or Information, in which no Wages of Law, Essoign, Privilege, Protection, or more than One Imparlance, shall be allowed.
8 Anne. Delivery of Copies.
VI. [Clause enacting that no person shall be entitled to penalties under 8 Anne unless the Title to the copy of the whole book be entered at Stationer? Hall and 9 copies delivered for the use of the several libraries: Repealed Stat. Law Rev. Act, 1861.]
Limitation of Actions.
VII. And if any Action or Suit shall be commenced or brought against any Person or Persons whatsoever, for doing or causing to be done, any thing in pursuance of this Act, the Defendants in such Action may plead the General Issue, and give the Special Matter in Evidence; and if upon such Action a Verdict, or if the same shall be brought in the Court of Session in Scotland, a Judgment be given for the Defendant, or the Plaintiff become nonsuited and discontinue his Action, then the Defendant shall have and recover his full Costs, for which he shall have the same Remedy as a Defendant in any Case by Law hath.1673
Public Act.
VIII. [Clause providing that the Act shall be deemed a Public Act: Repealed Stat. Law Rev. Act, 1887.]