GEORGE R.
GEORGE the Second, by the Grace of God, King of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, Defender of the Faith, &c. To all to whom theſe Preſents ſhall come. Greeting: Whereas WILLIAM OWEN, and WILLIAM JOHN-STON, of Our City of London, Bookſellers, have, by their Petition, humbly repreſented unto Us, That, they have with great Care, Labour and Expence, compleated a Work intituled,
A NEW and GENERAL
Biographical Dictionary,
CONTAINING
The Lives of the moſt illuſtrious Perſons, who have flouriſhed in all Nations, from the earlieſt Period to the Preſent Time,
And have moſt humbly prayed, That We would grant Them Our Royal Licence, for the ſole Vending of their ſaid Dictionary, for the Term of Fourteen Years, according to the Statute in that Caſe made and provided ; We, being willing to give all due En-couragement, to a Work of this Nature, which may be of public Uſe and Benefit, are graciouſly pleaſed to condeſcend to Their Requeſt ; And We do, therefore, by theſe Preſents (ſo far as may be agreeable to the Statute in that behalf made and provided), grant unto Them, the ſaid WILLIAM OWEN, and WILLIAM JOHNSTON, Their Heirs, Executors, and Aſſigns, Our Royal Privilege and Licence, for the ſole printing, publiſhing, and vend-ing their ſaid Dictionary, for the Term of Fourteen Years ; to be computed from the Date hereof, ſtrictly forbidding and prohibiting all Our Subjects within Our Kingdoms and Dominions, to reprint, abridge, or tranſlate the ſame, either in the like or any other Vo-lume or Volumes whatſoever ; or, to import, buy, vend, utter, or diſtribute any Copies thereof, reprinted, beyond the Seas, during the aforeſaid Term of Fourteen Years, without the Conſent and Approbation of them, the ſaid WILLIAM OWEN and WILLIAM JOHNSTON, their Heirs, Executors, or Aſſigns, by Writing under their Hands and Seal, firſt had and obtained, as they and every of them offending herein will anſwer the contrary at their Peril. Whereof the Commiſſioners and other Officers of Our Cuſtoms, the Maſter Wardens and Company of Stationers of Our City of London, and all other Our Officers and Miniſters whom it may concern, are to take Notice, that due Obedience be rendered to our Pleaſure herein ſignified.
Given at our Court at Kenſington, the Twenty-third Day of 1755, in the Twenty-ninth Year of Our Reign.
By His Majeſty's Command,
HOLDERNESSE.
