SEVENTEENTH CENTURY.
539
The printer and stationer come next, who, beside the common penalties of mony, loss of copies, or printing materials, may be subjected to the«e further punishments.
Let them forfeit the best copy they have, at the choice of that surreigher of the press under whose cognisance the offence lyes; the profit vrhereof the said officer shall see thus distributed, one third to the Icing, a second to the enformer, reserring the remainder to himself.
In some cases, they may be condemu'd to wear some visible badge, or marque of ignominy, as a halter instead of a hatband, one stocking blew and another red ; a blew bonnet with a r^ T or S upon it, to denote the crime to be either trea- son or sedition : and if at any time the person so condemned shall be found without the said badge or marque during the time of his obliga- tion to wear it, let him incurre some further penalty, prorided only, that if within the said time he shall discover and seize, or cause to be seized, any author, printer, or stationer, liable at the time of that discovery and seizure, to be pro- ceeded against for the matter of treasonous or seditious pamphlets, the offender aforesaid shall, from the time of that discovery be discharg'd from wearing it any longer.
This proposal may seem phantastique at first sight; but certainly there are many men who hail rather suffer any other punishment than be made publiquely ridiculous.
It is not needful here to run through every particular, and to direct in what manner and to what degree these and other offenders in the like kind shall be punished, so as to limit and appro- priate the punishment ; but it shall suffice, having specin'd the several sorts of offenders and oronces, to.have laid down likewise the several species of penalties, sortable to every man's con- dition and crime.
Concerning rewards, something is said already, and I shall only add for a conclusion, that they are every jot as necessary as punishments, and ought to be various, according to the several needs, tempers, and qualities, of the persons upon whom they are to be conferr'd. Mony is a reward for one, honour for another; and either of these misplac'd, would appear rather a mockery than a benefit." — ^the end.
The powers which he obtained by the above appointment were the sole licensing of all bal- lads, charts, printed portraictures, printed pic- tures, books, and papers; except books concerning conmion law, affairs of state, heraldry, titles of honours, and arms, the office of Earl Mar- shal, books of divinity, physick, philosophy, arts and sciences, and such as are granted to his majesty's peculiar printer; and except such books as by a late act of parliament are other- wise appointed to be licensed. He had also a grant of " all the sole privilege of writing, print- ings and publishing, all narratives, advertise- ments, mercuries, intelligencers, diumals, and other books of public intdligence; and printing all ballads, plays, maps, charts, portraictures, and pictures, not previously printed; and all
briefs for collections, playbills, quacksalvers bills, custom and excise bills, post-office bills, creditors bills and tickets in England and Wales; with power to search for and seize unlicensed and treasonable, schismatical and scandalous books and papers." — Bagford't Collectiotu, in Harl. ManuscripU, 6910, vol. ii.
The first-fruits of this new appointment ap- peared in the Intelligencer ; puDiished for the satisfaction and information of the People, with privilege. By Roger L'Estrange, Esq. Nob. I and 2, Au^. 31, and Sept 3; and on the Thursday following appeared the Newet, published for satisfaction and information of the people, with Privilege. No. 1. Thus the /nteut^cncer, and the ISewet, continued to be published, the one on Monday, the other on Thursday, till the beginning of Jan. 1 666 ; when the publication of L'Estrange was superceded by the Gazette.
The Prospectui prefixed by sir Roger L'Es- trange to the first number ol the Intelligencer, far from the modern refinements of the present day, sets out by treating its readers with perfect contempt; witti a gross insult on the public taste ; and by such restrictions on the liberty of the press, as in these times of real liberty would not for a moment be tolerated. " His sacred majesty," says the important patentee, " having been lately and graciously pleased to grant and commit the privilege of publishing all intelli- gence, together with the survey and inspection of the press,* to one and the same person ; it may be good discretion, I suppose, for the person so intrusted, to begin (as his first step toward the work) with some considerations and advertise- ments, by way of preamble and introduction to the future order and settlement of the whole affair. First, as to the point of printed intelli- gence, I do declare myself, (as I hope I may, in a matter left so absolutely indifferent, whether any or none) that, supposing the press in order, the people in their right wits, and news or no news to be the question, a public Mercury should never have my vote ; because I think it makes the multitude too familiar with the actions and counsels of their superiors, too pragmatical and censorious, and gives them, not only an inch, but a kind of colourable right and licence to be meddling with the government. All which (sap- posing as before supposed) does not yet hinder, but that in this juncture a paper of that quality may be both safe and expedient ; truly, if I should say necessary, perhaps the case would bear it ; for certainly there is not any thing which at this instant more imports his majesty's service and the publick, than to redeem the vulgar from their former mistakes and delusions, and to preserve them from the like for the time to come : to both which purposes the prudent management of a Gazette^ may contribute in a very high degree : so that, upon the main, I perceive the thing requisite, and (for ought I
- L'Estnuige flnt occurs in the statlonera' books, In the
character of a licenser, Oct. 30, 1M3. Hi< predeceaaor was sir John Birkenhead.
t Tbia was before that title was adopted in England.
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