Licensing of the Press Act 1662

XIII. Master Printers and Master Letter Founders to take care that Journeymen are employed;

and if Journeyman be out of Employ, he is on Application to be received, if Master Printer havenot a Journeyman, though himself and his Apprentices can do his Work; Penalty £5; Journeymen refusing Employment, or neglecting Work; Imprisonment; Masters not to employ any but Englishmen and Freemen, or Sons of Freemen, and Apprentices.

And because a great part of the secret Printing in corners hath been caused for want of orderly imployment for Journey men Printers The said several Master Printers and Master Founders of Letters for Printing so to bee allowed as aforesaid are hereby required to take special Care that all Journey men Printers and Journey men Founders of Letters for printing who are lawfully Free of the said respective Mysteries be set to worke and imployed in theire respective Trades And if any such Journey man Printer or Journey man Founder of Letters being of honest and good behaviour and able in his Trade do want Imployment he shall repair to any of the said Master Printers or Master Founders of Letters respectively for the time being who thereupon shall receive him or them into Worke If such Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters [X1 have not a Journeyman already although such Mr Printer or Mr Founder of Letters ] respectively with his Apprentice or Apprentices be able without the helpe of the said Journey man to discharge his owne Work upon pain that every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters respectively refusing to receive such Journey man repairing to him as aforesaid shall forfeit five pounds to be recovered by Bill Plaint or Information in any Court of Record wherein no Essoign Wager at Law Priviledge or Protection shall be admitted the Moyety of which forfeiture shall go to the Kings Majesty his Heires and Successors and the other Moyety to the Informer who shall sue for the same within six monthes next after the said offence committed And if any Journey man or Journey men Printers or Founders of Letters for Printing shall refuse imployment being offered to him or them by any Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters respectively or neglect it when he or they have undertaken it he or they so refuseing or neglecting shall suffer three moneths Imprisonment at the least without Bail or Mainprize upon conviction of such his said refusal or neglect by two Witnesses before any one or more Justice or Justices of the Peace who are hereby impowered to heare and examine the said offence and to commit the said Offender and Offenders to the Common Gaol of the County where he or they shall be apprehended And no Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters for Printing shall from henceforth imploy either to worke at the Case or Press or otherwise about his Printing any other person or persons then such only as are Englishmen and Freemen or the Sons of Free men or Apprentices to the said Trades or Mysteries of Printing or Founding of Letters for Printing respectively

Editorial Information

X1 interlined on the Roll.