Exceptionally there might be an oral direction, or a separate letter or warrant of approval, which was probably preserved in a cupboard at the company's hall.[1] Here too were kept copies of prints, although not, I think, the endorsed copies, which seem to have remained with the stationers.[2] I take it that the procedure was somewhat as follows. The stationer would bring his book to a warden together with the fee or some plausible excuse for deferring payment to a later date. The warden had to consider the questions both of property and of licence. Possibly the title of each book was published in the hall, in order that any other stationer who thought that he had an interest in it might make his claim.[3] Cases of disputed interest would go for determination to the Court of Assistants, who with the master and wardens for the year formed the ultimate governing body of the company, and had power in the last resort to revoke an authority to print already granted.[4] But if no difficulty as to ownership arose,
- [Footnote: warrant of master warden Bisshops hand to the former copie printed
anno 1584'; 449, 'by warrant of master warden Bishops hand to the wrytten copie'; 457, 'by warrant of the wardens handes to thold copie'; 521, 'with master Hartwelles hand to the Italyan Booke'; 534, 'alowed vnder master Hartwelles hand, entred by warrant of the subscription of the wardens', &c.]*
- ↑ ii. 434, 'entred vpon a special knowen token sent from master warden Newbery'; 437, 'allowed by tharchbishop of Canterbury, by testymonie of the Lord Chenie'; 460, 'by the wardens appointment at the hall'; 504, 'by warrant of a letter from Sir Ffrauncis Walsingham to the master and wardens of the Cumpanye'; 523, 'alowed by a letter or note vnder master Hartwelles hand'; 524, 'reported by master Fortescue to be alowed by the archbishop of Canterbury'; 633, 'The note vnder master Justice Ffenners hand is layd vp in the wardens cupbord'; iii. 160, 'John Hardie reporteth that the wardens are consentinge to thentrance thereof', &c.
- ↑ An inventory of 1560 (i. 143) records 'The nombre of all suche Copyes as was lefte in the Cubberde in our Counsell Chambre at the Compte . . . as apereth in the whyte boke for that yere . . . xliiij. Item in ballettes . . . vij^e iiij^x and xvj'. From 1576 to 1579 'and a copie' is often added to the notes of fees. The wardens accounts from 1574 to 1596 (i. 470, 581) regularly recite that they had 'deliuered into the hall certen copies which haue been printed this yeare, as by a particular booke thereof made appearithe'.
- ↑ ii. 452, 'Receaved of him for printinge 123 ballades which are filed vp in the hall with his name to euerie ballad'. The order of 1592 about Dr. Faustus (cf. ch. xxiii) suggests preliminary entry of claims in a Hall book distinct from the Clerk's book.
- ↑ ii. 414, 'Graunted by the Assistants'; 449, 'entred in full court'; 462, 'entred in plena curia'; 465, 'intratur in curia': 477, 'by the whole consent of thassistantes'; 535, 'aucthorysed to him at the hall soe that yt doe not belonge to any other of the Cumpanye'; 535, 'This is allowed by the consent of the whole table'; 663, 'in open court'; 344, 'memorandum that this lycence is revoked and cancelled'; 457, 'This copie is forbydden by the Archbishop of Canterbury', with marginal note 'Ex-*
