FORBIDDEN BOOKS IMPORTED.

71

When all the ingenuities of cruelty had been thus tried upon Prynn, Bastwick, and Burton, they were securely locked up in prison;* but the key of the gaoler could not confine the thoughts that had escaped them at the pillory in Westminster, or obliterate from the minds of the spectators the recollection of the shameful exhibition. "The people," says Carte, "listened greedily to their speech. Notes were taken of them, and in written copies spread about the city."+ Another Royalist recorder of these events, Clarendon, dilates upon the fact that their dangerous opinions "had been faithfully dispersed by their proselytes in London." These opinions, however, no man dared reprint in England, and recourse was had to presses abroad. Books, which it was found impossible to complete in this country, were produced in Holland and elsewhere, and secretly imported. The rule of the political economists that demand will create supply held good, and the very persecution of the offending writers having assisted in spreading their fame, the demand for copies of their books, unsatisfied by English publishers, was fed by the presses of Holland. As an additional punishment to Prynn, his volumes (and they were by no means small ones) were burnt by the hangman, so close under his nose as he stood in the pillory that he was nearly

* Prynn was taken to the Tower by water; and, on his passage in the boat, composed the following Latin verses on the two letters S. L., which had been branded on his cheek, to signify Schismatical Libeller, but which he chose to translate "Stigmata Laudes," the stigmas of his enemy, Archbishop Laud—

"Stigmata maxillis referens insignia Laudis

Exultans remeo, victima grata Deo."

+Carte's History of England, Vol. IV., p. 236.

choked by the flames and smoke; yet from the ashes of their destruction they rose again Phoenix-like, more vigorous in their power to offend the authorities. Various modes were adopted to stay this invasion of foreign reprints of distasteful opinions. On the 1st of July, 1637, a Star Chamber decree was issued, “for reducing the number of master printers, and punishing all others that should follow the trade, and for prohibiting as well the impression of all new books without licence, and of such as had been licensed formerly without a new one, as the importation of all books in the English tongue, printed abroad, and of all foreign books whatever, till a true catalogue thereof had been presented to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the Bishop of London, and the books themselves had been received by their chaplains, or other learned men of their appointment, together with the masters and wardens of the Stationers' Company." Carte, who recites this order in his history, adds-" Care was taken to have this decree duly executed, and to procure from the States General of the United Provinces a proclamation against the printers and dispersers of seditious books and libels injurious to the Church and Bishops of England. The magistrates of Amsterdam and Rotterdam were likewise engaged to apprehend and punish such Englishmen as had printed any unlicensed pamphlets."

These measures were so stringently acted upon, that for a time they seemed to have the intended effect, but the difficulties of the King's government were increasing, and as the attention of his officers was called to other affairs, means were adopted for smuggling the

THE LAWS AFFECTING BOOKS.

73

forbidden publications into London. To stop this, the Star Chamber was once more brought into play.

It was an old law—a law enacted in the reign of Richard the Third, who, though the villain of Shakspear's play and of history, was yet in many things a prudent and talented king—that foreigners might import any books, and sell them, by retail or otherwise, in England.* Henry the Eighth repealed this law (in the 25th year of his reign), when books from foreign countries were likely to tell against his kingly views,t and imposed a fine on those who offended the new rule. A few years afterwards, the same monarch procured the passing of an act directing that any person printing opinions contrary to the six articles should be burnt alive.‡ His more benevolent son, the friend of education, Edward the Sixth, repealed this sanguinary decree but the edict against imported books remained in force, was aided by the proclamations of Elizabeth, and was further strengthened by the

* 1st Richard III., c. 9, § 12. +25th Henry VIII., c. 15, § 1, 31st Henry VIII., c. 14.

|| Queen Elizabeth seems to have been very fond of meddling with the spread of written opinion, as the following list of proclamations will testify:

11th Eliz.-A proclamation was issued against "bringing into the realm unlawful books."

12th Eliz.-A proclamation against "Seditious and traitorous books, bills, and writings." 1st July.

15th Eliz.-A proclamation "prohibiting the having or selling of a book called The Admonition to the Parliament, made against the book of Common Prayer." 11th June. In the same year another proclamation against slanderous and seditious books and libels. 28th September. 18th Eliz.-A proclamation "for the discovery of the authors of certain seditious and infamous libels." 26th March.

21st Eliz.-A proclamation “against such as speak evil of Monsieur

obedient Parliament of James the First, who passed an act* prohibiting altogether the importation of Popish books in any language, and imposing a fine on all "who imported Superstitious Books in English.” Superstition in Latin, therefore, might be dealt in; and such a statute emanating from the author of a work on witchcraft is very amusing to us who live in days when witchcraft no longer obtains belief. Sanctioned by these laws, and by their own decree, the Star Chamber determined upon making another example that should cast terror upon the minds of the people.

They selected two victims,-one a man in his eighty-fifth year, but whose character and exertions had strengthened the popular cause; the other a youth of twenty, who had newly arrived from a visit to Holland, the country whence the hated books were brought. This selection was most unfortunate for those who made it; for the old man, John Wharton, became in the eyes of the people a venerable martyr ; whilst the injustice and cruelty of the Star Chamber goaded the youth to a heroism of puritanical furor and soldierly zeal which bore bitter fruits to his oppressors, when Cavalier met Roundhead at Edgehill and Marston Moor.

the French King's brother, and against a book seditiously published against him by Stubs, called the Gaping Gulfe." 27th September. 25th Eliz. A proclamation "against seditious and schismatical books and libels." June.

26th Eliz.-A similar proclamation.

31st Eliz. Another repetition of the same.

43rd Eliz.-A proclamation offering a reward of £100 (a very large sum in these days) to such as shall discover any authors or writers of such libels as were scattered abroad in London. 5th April.

*3rd James I., c. 5, § 25.

THE SEIZURE OF LILBURN.

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The manner of Lilburn's seizure, and the treacherous civilities of Mr. Cockshey, the Attorney General's clerk, cannot be better told than in the words of the chief actor in the scenes:

Upon Tuesday the 11th or 12th Dec. 1637, I was treacherously and Judasly betrayed (by one that I supposed to be my friend) into the hands of the pursuivant, with four of his assistants, as I was walking in Soperlane with one John Chilburne, servant to old Mr. John Wharton, in Bow-lane, a hot-presser. And about twelve of the clock the next day, I was committed to the Gate-house, by sir John Lamb, the prelate of Canterbury's chancellor, with others, without any examination at all, for sending of factious and scandalous Books out of Holland into England. And having not been at the foresaid prison above three days, I was removed, by a warrant from the Lords of the Council, to the Fleet, where I now remain. And after my being there some time, I drew a Petition to the Lords of the Council for my liberty; and their Answer to it was, that I should be examined before sir John Banks, the king's Attorney: The copy of which examination thus follows.

Upon Tuesday the 14th Jan. 1637, I was had to sir John Banks the Attorney General's chamber, and was referred to be examined by Mr. Cockshey his chief clerk; and at our first coming together, he did kindly intreat me, and made me sit down by him, and put on my hat, and began with me after this manner; Mr. Lilburn, what is your Christian name? I said John.-Did you live in London before you went into Holland? Yes, that I did.-Where? Near London-stone.-With whom there? With Mr. Thomas Hewson.-What trade is he? A dealer in cloth, I told him.-How long did you serve him? About five years.-How came you to part? After this manner: I perceiving my master had an intention to leave off his trade, I often moved him that I might have my liberty, to provide for myself, and at the last he condescended unto it: and so I went into the country, to have the consent of my friends; and after that went into Holland.—Where were you there? At Rotterdam. And from thence you went to Amsterdam ? yes I was