t the said Universities, or any of them, or any Per-
son or Persons have, or claim to have, to the Printing or Re-
printing any Book or Copy already Printed, or hereafter to be
Printed.
Provided

Page 6

Provided nevertheless, That all Actions, Suits, Bills, In-
dictments, or Informations for any Offence that shall be Com-
mitted against this Act, shall be Brought, Sued, and Com-
menced within Three Months next after such Offence Committed,
or else the same shall be Void and of none Effect.

Provided always, That after the Expiration of the said
Term of Fourteen Years, the sole Right of Printing or Dis-
posing of Copies shall return to the Authors thereof, if they
are then Living, for another Term of Fourteen Years.

FINIS.

http://www.copyrighthistory.com/anne6.html

also has scans. . . .

The Statute of Anne

Page 1

Anno Octavo
AnnRegin

An Act for the Encouragement of Learning, by Vest-
ing the Copies of Printed Books in the Authors or
Purchasers of such Copies, during the Times therein
mentioned.

Whereas Printers, Booksellers, and other
Persons, have of late frequently taken
the Liberty of Printing, Reprinting,
and Publishing, or causing to be Print-
ed, Reprinted, and Published Books,
and other Writings, without the Con-
sent of the Authors or Proprietors of
such Books and Writings, to their
very great Detriment, and too often
to the Ruin of them and their Fami-
lies: For Preventing therefore such
Practices for the future, and for the
Encouragement of Learned Men to Compose and Write use-
ful Books; May it please Your Majesty, that it may be En-
acted, and be it Enacted by the Queens most Excellent Majesty,
by and with the Advice and Consent of the Lords Spiritual and
Temporal, and Commons in this present Parliament Assembled,
and by the Authority of the same, That from and after the
Tenth Day of April, One thousand seven hundred and ten, the
Author of any Book or Books already Printed, who hath not
Transferred to any other the Copy or Copies of such Book or
Books, Share or Shares thereof, or the Bookseller or Book-
sellers, Printer or Printers, or other Person or Persons, who
hath or have Purchased or Acquired the Copy or Copies of any
Book or Books, in order to Print or Reprint the same, shall
have the sole Right and Liberty of Printing such Book and
Books for the Term of One and twenty Years, to Commence
from the said Tenth Day of April, and no longer; and that
the Autho