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 Mr. Pollard, who regards the procedure contemplated by the Injunctions as 'impossible', believes that in practice the Stationers' Company, in ordinary cases, itself acted as a licensing authority. Certainly this is the testimony, as regards the period 1576-86, of a note of Sir John Lambe, Dean of the Arches, in 1636, which is based wholly or in part upon information derived from Felix Kingston, then Master of the Company. Kingston added the detail that in the case of a divinity book of importance the opinion of theological experts was taken. Mr. Pollard expresses a doubt whether Lambe or Kingston had much evidence before them other than the registers of the Company which are still extant, and to these we are in a position to turn for confirmation or qualification of their statements. Unfortunately, the ordinances or constitutions under which the master and wardens acted from the time of the incorporation have not been preserved, and any additions made to these by the Court of Assistants before the Restoration have not been printed. We have some revised ordinances of 1678-82, and these help us by recording as of 'ancient usage' a practice of entering all publications, other than those under letters patent, in 'the register-book of this company'. till the Starre-chamber Decree 28^o Elizabeth [1586], many were licensed by the Master and Wardens, some few by the Master alone, and some by the Archbishop and more by the Bishop of London. The like was in the former parte of the Quene Elizabeth's time. They were made a corporacon but by P. and M. Master Kingston, y^e now master, sayth that before the Decree the master and wardens licensed all, and that when they had any Divinity booke of muche importance they would take the advise of some 2 or 3 ministers of this towne'.]*