Table of Contents
By the States of Holland and West Friesland
Be it Known
Be it known that unto us hath been shown by Jordaan Luchtmans, bookseller within the city of Leiden, how that he, the supplicant, was minded, with the permission and consent of Johannes Braunius, Professor of Sacred Theology in the University of Groningen, to print the book called Doctrina Fœderum, or A System of Didactic and Elenctic Theology in a Clear and Easy Method, published by the aforesaid lord professor; and that in such format as it should please the supplicant; as also that he might cause the same to be translated and rendered into such tongues as the supplicant should deem good, and then might print the same likewise as aforesaid. But forasmuch as the same could not be done without great costs by the supplicant, and he, the supplicant, being fearful that the same work might be reprinted by one or another printer in our lands of Holland and West Friesland, which would tend to the great damage of the supplicant, therefore he, the supplicant, earnestly desired to have from us a privilege for the works published, and also yet to be published, by the aforesaid Professor Braunius, for the term of fifteen years, that he alone, to the exclusion of all others, might print the same, and that in such format and in such tongues as the same supplicant should think good; without that any man should be able to reprint the aforesaid works, in whole or in part, under pretext of augmentation, or with notes, or under a feigned name; and in case it might be found that the same were reprinted elsewhere outside our province, that they should not then be suffered to be brought into these lands, and that upon a certain great penalty to be set by us. But whereas he, the supplicant, knew that he could not obtain the aforesaid privilege from us except by a special favor, therefore he resolved to turn unto us, humbly requesting that we would be pleased to grant unto him the aforesaid privilege for the term of fifteen years.
Therefore
So it is, that we, having considered the matter and the request aforesaid, and being inclined unto the supplication of the supplicant, by our right knowledge, sovereign might, and authority, have consented, granted, and privileged the same supplicant, and do consent, grant, and privilege by these presents, that he, during the term of fifteen years next following, shall alone print, cause to be printed, publish, and sell the aforesaid book, called Doctrina Fœderum, or A System of Didactic and Elenctic Theology in a Clear and Easy Method, published by the lord Professor Johannes Braunius, within our aforesaid lands. Forbidding therefore all and every one to reprint the same book, in whole or in part, in any manner of tongues or format, or, if reprinted elsewhere, to bring, publish, or sell it within our aforesaid lands, upon forfeiture of all the reprinted, brought in, or sold copies, and a fine of three hundred guilders besides to be forfeited, to be applied one third part unto the officer who shall make the complaint, one third part unto the poor of the place where the case shall fall, and the remaining third part unto the supplicant; all upon this understanding, that we, by this our grant, only will to gratify the supplicant for the prevention of his damage by the reprinting of the aforesaid book, and by no means understand to authorize or approve the contents thereof, and much less to give it any greater credit, esteem, or reputation under our protection and safeguard, but that the supplicant, in case anything unseemly should creep therein, shall be bound to answer for all the same at his own charge. To which end we expressly desire that, if he, this our privilege, will set before the same book, he shall not make any abridged or contracted mention thereof, but shall be bound to print or cause to be printed the same privilege in whole and without any omission, upon pain of losing the effect thereof; and that he also shall be bound to bring one copy of the aforesaid book, bound and well conditioned, unto the library of our University at Leiden, and thereof to make due evidence. And to the end that the supplicant may enjoy this our consent and privilege as is meet, we charge all and every one whom it may concern, that they suffer and let the supplicant quietly, peaceably, and fully enjoy and use the contents of this, ceasing all hindrance to the contrary. Done at The Hague, under our great seal hereunto caused to be hung, the eighth day of December, in the year of our Lord and Savior one thousand six hundred eighty and nine.
A. HEINSIUS, Secretary.
By the ordinance of the States,
SIMON van BEAUMONT.
Transfer of Privilege: This above-written privilege of the lord Professor Braunius, with all that cleaveth thereto, I, the undersigned, have sold and transferred unto Abraham van Someren, bookseller at Amsterdam. Done at Leiden, the first day of November, one thousand six hundred ninety and three.
JORDAAN LUCHTMANS.
To the Lords of the Province of Groningen and Omland, Fathers of the Country
From Johannes Braunius
When ye first invited me, altogether unknowing and thinking nothing less, unto this your academy, long since most renowned throughout all Europe, ye did not prescribe unto me any certain system composed by men to be expounded unto the youth, after the manner of the Church of Rome, where not reason, nor the Word of God, unto the convincing of the conscience, but only human authority, either by open force or secret fraud, doth not so much bend as constrain the hearts of men unto believing and teaching dogmas according to the will of them who by evil arts have obtained dominion over the flock of Christ, and have again set up the Mosaic chair, which by the death of Christ was cast down many ages ago, whence, as though theopneustoi and endowed with an infallible spirit, they pronounce sentence as undoubted truth. But unto me, no less than unto my predecessors, men learned on every side and of great name, by your wisdom, equity, and piety for the spreading of saving truth, ye granted full liberty to handle matters theological out of the very Holy Scripture; that, forsaking human traditions, and despising streams oftentimes made turbid by men prone unto errors and deceits, out of the very saving fountain of Siloah, I might water the garden of the Lord, to the end that the theological youth might grow unto the good fruit of the Church of Christ. This liberty, which ye have at all times granted unto the professors, which all the reformed princes of the world who love solid learning and pure theology, and strive to advance it unto the glory of God and the salvation of their citizens, do piously grant, and without which no man can teach true theology, I have used, so that (which I count not among the least benefits bestowed upon me by God) I have so treated theology, now into the eighth year, in your most renowned academy, that no violence hath been done unto my conscience, and I have not wholly failed your desire, nor rendered myself unprofitable unto the youth. The truth therefore, as I have been taught it by God Himself out of His Word, relying upon your faith, equity, and piety, I have fearlessly taught, both in public lectures and in private exercises. But with what success and with what profit the studious youth shall judge, the Church of Christ shall judge, and ye also, my lords, shall judge; for many of your illustrious order have not deemed it unworthy of their care and labor to read and meditate upon the chief heads contained in this system, when four years ago I began to dispute them publicly in your academy; whence it came to pass that noble men spurred me on, and, as much as through so many academic affairs, wherein, by reason of the double profession wherewith I am charged, I am perpetually entangled, even running, with their continual admonitions, which unto me are commands, urged me that, as soon as might be, I should suffer these my labors theological, such as they be, to go forth into the light. Unto you therefore, illustrious men, this work, such as it is, with that submission and observance of mind which I owe, I offer, give, dedicate, and consecrate. For unto you it is due on many accounts: first, for that it is the first offspring conceived and brought forth by me in this your academy, wherefore also the firstfruits of my academic labors are due unto you; then, for that under your guardianship it hath been brought thus far; then, that I might publicly render unto you an account of my labors, and of my method and manner wherein I have hitherto treated matters theological, and shall treat them hereafter in your academy; and chiefly also, that some testimony of my grateful mind might stand before you. That I should be altogether free from all accusation, even by your authority and care, I have never persuaded myself. I know what audacity, ignorance, and the lust of accusing can do. As fame, so also verily calumny, its most faithful companion, rival, yea, enemy, is swift, wherefore with the swiftest foot it pervadeth the whole world, to bite and gnaw, if it perceive any fair mark impressed by fame upon an honest man; so that by no force, even of the mightiest princes, can it be restrained. This one thing I humbly ask of you, illustrious men and fathers of the country, that ye lend no ear unto any detractions or accusations; but if perchance some importunately bold men fear not to accuse before you my method of teaching and the dogmas by me proposed, demonstrated out of the Word of God, out of antiquity, and out of sound reason, that ye, with your wonted wisdom and equity, would yourselves examine the sentence as it is proposed by me, with your own mind, and deign to judge thereof, not out of the report of others, but out of your own knowledge and conscience, which in time to come may the more easily be done, since ye have all and every head in this volume briefly, and, as I hope, clearly enough, set forth, that thereby ye may continue to protect the truth with your wisdom and authority against vain assaults: for as it is the part of a teacher to teach the truth, so it is royal to defend it strenuously. This done, it shall come to pass that both the teachers and defenders of the truth, besides that they shall have God as their own bountiful giver of all spiritual and temporal goods, shall enjoy true tranquility of conscience, than which no greater good is granted unto mortals in this world. Receive therefore, illustrious men, with a serene countenance, this little gift, and regard not so much its price and bulk as the doctrine it containeth, and the mind, even now devising greater things, if God grant life and leisure, wherewith it is offered unto you.
I earnestly beseech God, the Best and Greatest, with fervent prayers, that He would heap upon you, fathers of the country, all manner of good things for life and godliness most abundantly; that ye may strenuously uphold the praises and glory of your illustrious fathers, which, as defenders of the country, protectors of religion, and patrons of learning, they have deservedly obtained even among foreign peoples; that as ye are heirs of their fortitude and wisdom toward the country, of their piety toward the Church, and of their care toward the academy, so ye may also be heirs of their felicity, with your families, citizens, and all your people, unto many years, and transmit the same fortitude and virtue with true piety unto your late posterity, and at length, that after this empire, which is mortal, ye may possess with immortality the eternal kingdom. Given at Groningen, on the very Ides of February, in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred eighty and eight.