The word ‘copyright’ is of purely English origin, and came into existence as follows: 

The Stationers’ Company was founded by royal charter in 1556, and from the beginning has kept register-books, wherein, first, by decrees of the Star Chamber, afterwards by orders of the Houses of Parliament, and finally by Act of Parliament, the titles of all publications and reprints have had to be entered prior to publication.

None but booksellers, as publishers were then content to be called, were members of the Stationers’ Company, and by the usage of the Company no entries could be made in their register-books except in the names of members, and thereupon the book referred to in the entry became the ‘copy’ of the member or members who had caused it to be registered.

By virtue of this registration the book became, in the opinion of the Stationers’ Company, the property in perpetuity of the member or members who had effected the registration.  This was the ‘right’ of the stationer to his ‘copy.’

Copyright at first is therefore not an author’s, but a bookseller’s copyright.  The author had no part or lot in it unless he chanced to be both an author and a bookseller, an unusual combination in early days.  The author took his manuscript to a member of the Stationers’ Company, and made the best bargain he could for himself.  The stationer, if terms were arrived at, carried off the manuscript to his Company and registered the title in the books, and thereupon became, in his opinion, and in that of his Company, the owner, at common law, in perpetuity of his ‘copy.’

The stationers, having complete control over their register-books, made what entries they chose, and all kinds of books, even Homer and the Classics, became the ‘property’ of its members.  The booksellers, nearly all Londoners, respected each other’s ‘copies,’ and jealously guarded access to their registers.  From time to time there were sales by auction of a bookseller’s ‘copies,’ but the public—­that is, the country booksellers, for there were no other likely buyers—­were excluded from the sale-room.  A great monopoly was thus created and maintained by the trade.  There was never any examination of title to a bookseller’s copy.  Every book of repute was supposed to have a bookseller for its owner.  Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress was Mr. Ponder’s copy, Milton’s Paradise Lost Mr. Tonson’s copy, The Whole Duty of Man Mr. Eyre’s copy, and so on.  The thing was a corrupt and illegal trade combination.

The expiration of the Licensing Act, and the consequent cessation of the penalties it inflicted upon unlicensed printing, exposed the proprietors of ‘copies’ to an invasion of their rights, real or supposed, and in 1703, and again in 1706 and 1709, they applied to Parliament for a Bill to protect them against the ‘ruin’ with which they alleged themselves to be threatened.[A]