Section XII The Number of Apprentices which Printers (except the King's Printer) and Letter Founders are allowed to take and retain.

Proviso respecting replacing runaway Apprentices.

And be it alsoe enacted by the Authority aforesaid That no Printer or Printers (except the Kings Printers) nor Founder or Founders of Letters for printing shall take or retain any more or greater number of Apprentices then is herein after limited and appointed (that is to say) every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters for printing that is or hath been Master or Upper Warden of his Company may have three Apprentices at one time and no more And every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters for printing that is of the Livery of his Company may have two Apprentices at one time and no more And every Master Printer and Master Founder of Letters for printing of the Yeomanry of his Company may have one Apprentice at one time and no more neither by Copartnership binding at the Scriveners nor any other way whatsoever neither shall it be lawfull for any Master Printer or Master Founder of Letters when any Apprentice or Apprentices shall run or be put away to take another Apprentice or other Apprentices in his or theire place or places unlesse the name or names of him or them so gone away be rased out of the Hall Booke and never admitted againe