Originally the term stationery referred to all products sold by a stationer, whose name indicated that his book shop was on a fixed spot,
usually near a university, and permanent, while medieval trading was mainly carried on by itinerant peddlers (including chapmen,
who sold books and others (such as farmers and craftsmen) at markets and fairs. It was a special term used between the 13th and 15th centuries in the manuscript culture. The Stationers'
Company formerly held a monopoly over the publishing industry in England and was responsible for copyright regulations.