tT) pee 
To which may be added, the letter- 
founders, and the smiths, and joyners, 
that work upon presses. 
The usual agents for publishing are 
the printers themselves, stichers, binders, 
Stationers, hawkers, mercury-women, 
pedlers, ballad-singers, posts, carryers, 
hackney-coachmen, boat-men, and ma- 
riners. Other instruments may be like- 
wise employ’d, against whom a general 
provision may be suflicient. Hiding and 
concealing of unlawful buoks, is but in 
order to publishing, and may be brought 
under the same rule. 
Touching the adviser, author, com- 
piler, writer, and correcter, their prac- 
tices are hard to be retriv’d, unless the 
one discover the other. 
This discovery may be procur’d partly 
bya penalty upon refusing to discover, 
and partly, by a reward, to the disco- 
verer; but let both the penalty and the 
reward be considerable and certain: 
and let the obligation of discovery run 
quite through, from the first mover of the 
mischief, to the Jast disperser of it. 
That is to say; if any unlawful book 
shall be found in the possession of any 
of the agents, or instruments aforesaid, 
let the person in whose pressession it is 
found, be reputed and punish’d as the 
author of the said book, unless he pro- 
duce the person, or persons, from whom 
he receiv’d it; or else acquit himself by 
oath, that he knows neither directly nor 
indirectly how it came into his posses- 
sion. 
_ Concerning the confederacy of sta- 
tioners and printers, we shall speak 
anon: but the thing we are now upon 
is singly printing, and what necessarily 
relates to it. 
One great evil is the multiplicity of 
private presses, and consequently of 
printers, who for want of pyblique and 
warrantable employment, are fore’d either 
to play the knaves in corners or to want 
bread, 
The remedy is, to reduce all printers 
and presses-that are now in employment, 
to a limited number; and then to provide 
against private printing for the time to 
come, which may be done by the means 
following. 
First; The number of printérs and 
presses being resolved upon, let thenum- 
ber of their journy-men, and apprentices 
be likewise limited: and in like manner, 
the number of master-founders, and of 
their journy.men, and their apprentices; 
pil which to be allow’d of, and approv’d 
Scarce Tracts, Xe. 
445 
by such person or persons, as shall be 
authoris’d for that purpose; neither let 
any Joyner, carpenter, or smith, presume 
to work for or upon any printing press, 
without such allowance as aforesaid, ac- 
cording to the direction of the late Act 
for printing. 
Secondiy, Let all such printers, letters 
founders, joyners, carpenters, and smiths, 
_as shall hereafier be allow’d, as aforesaid, 
be respectively and severally interrogated 
before their admittance, in order to the 
discovery of supernumerary printers and 
presses. That is; 
1. Let the printers be question’d what 
private presses they have at any time 
wrought upon for so many years last past, 
and the time when, and for, and with 
whom: and what other printers and 
presses they know of at present, beside 
those of the present establishment. - 
2. Let the founders be also examin’d, 
what letter they bave furnish’d since 
such a time; when and for whom, and 
what other printers, &c.—Ut supra. 
8. Let the joyners, carpenters, and 
smiths, be question’d likewise what 
presses they have erected, or amended, 
&c. when, and for whom? and what 
other presses, printers, &c.—as before.’ 
And if after such examination it shali 
appear at any time within ‘so maity 
‘months, that any man has wilfully con- 
ceal’d or deny’d the truth, let him for- 
feit his employment as a person not fit 
to be trusted, and let the enformer be 
taken into his place if he be capable of it, 
and desire it ; or else, let him be rewarded 
some other way. Tle same course may 
be taken also concerning English printers 
and presses beyond the seas. 
This may serve as to the discovery of 
private printers and presses already in 
employment: now to prevent under- 
hand-dealing for the fature, and to pro- 
vide against certain other abuses in such 
as are allow’d, 
First; Let a special care be taken of 
card-makers, leather-guilders, fluck work- 
ers, and quoyf-drawers; either by ex- 
presly inhibiting their use of such presses, 
as may be apply’d to printing of books, 
or by tying them up to the same termes 
and conditions with printers; and Jet no 
other tradesman whatsoever presume to 
“make use of a printing press, but upon 
the same conditions, and under the same 
penalties with printers. 
2dly. Let no presse or printing- house 
be erected or lett, and let no joyner, 
carpenter, sinith, or letter-founder, w ‘oe 
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