ballad, libel, or sheet of news, without the licence of both, or either
House of Parliament, or such persons as should be thereunto authorised by
one or both Houses. Offending hawkers, pedlars, and ballad-chappers were to
be whipped as common rogues. (_Parliamentary History_, xvi. 309.) We get
some insight into the probable cause of this ordinance from a letter of Sir
Thomas Fairfax to the Earl of Manchester, dated "Putney, 20th Sept., 1647."
He complains of some printed pamphlets, very scandalous and abusive, to the
army in particular, and the whole kingdom in general; and expresses his
desire that these, and all of the like nature, might be suppressed for the
future. In order, however, to satisfy the kingdom's expectation for
intelligence, he advises that, till a firm peace be settled, two or three
sheets might be permitted to come out weekly, which might be licensed; and
as Mr. Mabbott had approved himself faithful in that service of licensing,
and likewise in the service of the House and the army, he requested that he
might be continued in the said place of licenser. (_Lords' Journals_, ix.
457.) Gilbert Mabbott was accordingly appointed licenser of such weekly
papers as should be printed, but resigned the situation 22nd May, 1649.
(_Commons' Journals_, vi. 214.) It seems he had conscientious objections to
the service, for elsewhere it is recorded, under the same date, "Upon Mr.
Mabbott's desire and reasons against licensing of books to be printed, he
was discharged of that imployment." (Whitelock's _Memorials_, 389.) On the
20th September, 1649, was passed a parliamentary ordinance prohibiting
printing elsewhere than in London, the two Universities, York, and
Finsbury, without the licence of the Council of State (Scobell's
_Ordinances_, Part ii. 90.); and on the 7th January, 1652-3, the Parliament
passed another ordinance for the suppression of unlicensed and scandalous
books. (Scobell's _Ordinances_, Part ii. 231.) In 1661 a bill for the
regulation of printing passed the Lords, but was rejected by the Commons on
account of the peers having inserted a clause exempting their own houses
from search; but in 1662 was passed the statute 13 & 14 Car. II. c. 33.,