THAT for some Years last past , several private Persons , for their own particular Gain , have procured Patents for the sole printing all Books whatsoever , relating to the common Law of this Land . And as such Patentees are not Printers by Trade , but Gentlemen , they Farm out the same to others , which Practices are attended with very great Inconveniencies , and are the Occasion of great Oppressions upon the Printers and Booksellers , as well as the rest of Her Majesties Subjects . For ,

I. Such Patents are conceived to be a Monopoly , a thing very odious in the Eye of the Law , and have been once adjudged to be so by all the Iudges . For as it would be a Monopoly , should the Crown grant to any one Person , or Body of Men , the sole Priviledge of making of Cards , which is a kind of printing : Why should a Printer be under any restraint from exercising so considerable a Branch of his Trade , as that of printing Law-Books is ? Or why should any Man who hath a mind to publish a Treatise of Law , be forced to have it printed at the Patentees-Press , and not be at his liberty to have it done where he can have it done best and cheapest ?

II . This is the Occasion of the common Complaint of the excessive Price of all Books relating to the Law . For the Booksellers being forced to print all such Books at the Press of the Patentees , they compel them to pay five or six Shillings per Pound more than the common Price of printing any where else . Besides , they are as long again in the printing of the Law-Books , as any other Printers are in doing of the same Work .

III . That the first Pretensions of granting such Patents now ceases . For when Reporters of the Law were appointed and paid by the Crown , the Crown had an Interest in their Works , and it was very reasonable it should appoint who should be the Printers and Publishers of ' em . But since that Usage is no longer practised , but every Man is at liberty to write what Treatises of Law he pleases . 't is unreasonable , that when a Bookseller hath given an Author 2 or 300 l. for a Copy , he should be forced to pay near half as much more to the Patentees , for Liberty to publish it to the World .

IV . That when such Patents were first granted , the Books of the Law were very few , and the Books in which the Crown might be conceived to have any Interest , were mentioned therein , and the Patent was granted for such Books . Besides , the Number of Presses were then very small ; but since Printing-Houses are increased , there being about 70 now in London , and the Books of the Law , as well as Printers , are grown very numerous ; It can't be thought hard to say , that such Patents are , at least , a great Prejudice to the Improvement of Knowledge , the useful Art of PRINTING , and the Trade of those who have no other Method to get a Living .

V. That the Crown hath no manner of Advantage by such Patents , but the Usage of them may be very dangerous , for if such Patents should be allowed , it may seem as reasonable to grant a Patent to a Man , for the sole Binding of all Law-Books . For Printing is as much a Trade as Book-binding .

Wherefore it is humbly hoped , That this Honourable House will be pleased to take their CASE into Consideration , and to give them such Relief herein , as to your great Wisdom shall think most just and reasonable .