Charles II, by the grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, etc., to all and everyone about to peruse this present Book: Greetings. Whereas Matthew Poole, Master of Arts, being now about to bring forth into the light a certain Work, entitled Synopsis Criticorum Aliorumque Sacræ Scripturæ Interpretum, composed by means of his great labor and diligence, and approved by a great many of the most learned Men of Our Clergy as most particularly useful to all devoted to the Sacred Texts, lest so excellent a work, begun and about to come forth at a cost by no means ordinary, should turn to his loss and detriment, if others, regardless of his will, should print or copy this Work, has most humbly petitioned Us, that We might by Our Royal Prerogative render a decision concerning his industry and expenses: We in fact, for the affection by which We are eager to embrace and to advance Literature and the Literary interest (especially that which is dedicated to God), have thought it fit to smile upon his just request; and We accordingly issue a prohibition, and desire care to be taken, that none of Our Subjects, neither Printer, Bookseller, nor any other, dare to forge with types or to sell otherwise printed, in whole or in part, this Work, anticipated within Our Estates and Realms, for the period of Fourteen Years to be reckoned from the first day of Publication, without the knowledge and consent of the before mentioned Matthew Poole, or his Heirs, Executors, Administrators, or Assignees. He that does otherwise will subsequently, and by no means impudently, bear the contempt of Our Royal Authority: he will be punished with the Confiscation of the Books, forged or imported, existing in defiance of the tenor of this law, with one half of them to be rendered to Our Treasury, the other to be divided to the same Matthew Poole, or his Heirs or Commissioners, to make good the loss. These were granted in Our Palace of Whitehall,[1] the fourteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord 1667, in the ninetieth month of Our Reign.[2]
According to the mandate of the Sacred, Royal Majesty,
William Morice.[3]
[1] From 1530 to 1698, the Palace of Whitehall was the principal dwelling for the English kings while residing in London.
[2] Charles II, the Stuart king, was restored to the throne in May of 1660, ending the Commonwealth period.
[3] Sir William Morice of Werrington (1602-1676) was a member of the Privy Council of Charles II. At the time of the issuing of this document, he was serving as Secretary of State and Lord of the Treasury.