Above is an “imprimatur” from a 1662 edition of Virginia laws with the King’s Arms (below) that accompanied it.

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Imprimatur,

Geo. Stradling. S.T.P.
Rev. in Christo Pat. D.
Gilb. Epist. Lond. à
Sac. domest.

Ex Æd. Saband.
Maii 28. 1663.

Considerations and Proposals
In Order to the
Regulation
OF THE
PRESS:
TOGETHER WITH
Diverse Instances of Treasonous, and
Seditious Pamphlets, Proving the
Necessity thereof.

BY
ROGER L’ ESTRANGE.

LONDON, Printed by A. C. June 3d.
M.DC.LXIII.

TO THE
KINGS
Most EXCELLENT
MAJESTY.

SIR,
IT is not without some Force
upon my self, that I have
Resolv’d upon This Dedi-
cation; for I have no Am-
bition to appear Pragma-
tical, and to become the
Marque of a Peevish Faction: But since my
Duty will have it Thus, I shall accompt all
Other Interests as Nothing in Competition
with my Allegiance.

If Your Majesty shall vouchsafe to look
so far, and so low, as into the Ensuing Treatise,
You will find it, Sir, to be Partly, a Delibera-
tive Discourse about the Means of Regulating
the Press; (the matter being at This Instant
under Publique Debate) and in Part, an
Extract of certain Treasonous, and Seditious
Passages, and Positions, which may serve to
Evince the Necessity of That Regulation. The
Latter of which, I do most Humbly Offer
to Your Royal Consideration, not presuming
in any Sort, to Concern Your Majesty in the
Former.

In This Extract, is presented to your Ma-
jesties view; First, That Spirit of Hypocrisie,
Scandal, Malice, Errour, and Illusion, that Actu-
ated the Late Rebellion.^*Likely referring to the English Civil War (1641-1649). Secondly, A Mani-
festation of the same Spirit Reigning still, and
working, not only by the same Means, but in
very many of the same Persons, and to the
same Ends; That is, There is a Combination, ^*Conspiracy. and Design against Your Sacred Life, and
Dignity, which is carryed on by the same Ar-
guments, Pretences, Wayes, and Instruments,
that Ruin`d Your Royal, and Blessed Father.

All which, I think my self Bound, not only
in Generals, to Declare; but more Particularly,
to Trace, and to Discover to Your Majesty, as a
Duty which I owe both to God, and to my
Sovereign.

The first part of the Conspirators Work, is
to disaffect the People toward Your Majesties
Person and Government; and their next Bu-
siness is to Encourage, and Carry on those Sedi-
tious Inclinations into Action.

Touching the Former; Scarce any one
Regicide or Traytor has been brought to Pub-
lique Justice, since Your Majesties Blessed Re-
turn, whom either the Pulpit hath not Cano-
nized for a Saint, or the Press Recommended
for a Patriot, and Martyr. (beside the Arraign-
ment of the Bench, for the very Formalityes of
their Tryals) What is the Intent, or what
may be the Effect of Suggesting to the People,
that there is no Justice to be found, either in
Your Cause, or in Your Courts; (Both which
are Struck at in the same Blow) is submit-
ted humbly to Your Royal Wisdom. Nor is
the Faction less Industrious to draw an
Odium upon Your Majesties Person, and to
Perplex, Seduce, and Exasperate the Multitude,

All which, I think my self Bound, not only
in Generals, to Declare; but more Particularly,
to Trace, and to Discover to Your Majesty, as a
Duty which I owe both to God, and to my
Sovereign.

The first part of the Conspirators Work, is
to disaffect the People toward Your Majesties
Person and Government; and their next Bu-
siness is to Encourage, and Carry on those Sedi-
tious Inclinations into Action.

Touching the Former; Scarce any one
Regicide or Traytor has been brought to Pub-
lique Justice, since Your Majesties Blessed Re-
turn, whom either the Pulpit hath not Cano-
nized for a Saint, or the Press Recommended
for a Patriot, and Martyr. (beside the Arraign-
ment of the Bench, for the very Formalityes of
their Tryals) What is the Intent, or what
may be the Effect of Suggesting to the People,
that there is no Justice to be found, either in
Your Cause, or in Your Courts; (Both which
are Struck at in the same Blow) is submit-
ted humbly to Your Royal Wisdom. Nor is
the Faction less Industrious to draw an
Odium upon Your Majesties Person, and to
Perplex, Seduce, and Exasperate the Multitude,

in Matters of Religion, and concerning the
Government of the Church.

There have been Printed, and Reprinted,
since Your Majesties Happy Restauration,
not so few as a Hundred Schismatical Pam-
phlets, against Bishops, Ceremonies, and Com-
mon-Prayer: in many of which, Your Ma-
jesty is Directly, and in All of them Implicitly,
Charg`d with an Inclination to Popery. The
Instruments that Menage This Part of the
Plot, are Ejected Ministers, Booksellers, and
Printers: and it is believed, by men of
Judgment, and Experience, in the Trade of
the Press, that since the late Act for Uniformity,
there have been Printed near Thirty Thousand
Copies of Farewel-Sermons (as they call them)
in Defiance of the Law. All which, as they
are now drawn together into one Binding,
(to the Number of betwixt Thirty and For-
ty) and represented with Figures, do certain-
ly make up one of the most Audacious, and
Dangerous Libels, that hath been made
Publique under any Government; and they
are now Printing it in Dutch too, for the
greater Honour of the Scandal. By These
Arts, and Practices, the Faction works upon

the Passions and Humours of the Common-
People; and when they shall have put Mischief
into their Hearts, their next Business is to
put Swords in their Hands, and to Engage
them in a direct Rebellion: which Intent of
theirs, together with the Means whereby they
hope to Execute it, I shall humbly lay before
Your Majesty in a few words.

That they Propose, and Labour another
Change, appears, First; From the Recourse they
have in almost all their Schismatical Papers to
the Obligation of the Covenant; which
is no other, than to Conjure the People under
the Peyn of Perjury, to Treat Your Majesty,
as the Covenanters did Your Father; and (in
a flat Contradiction to the Blessed Apostle)
to pronounce, that Hee that [OBEYES]
shall receive to himself Damnation. A Second
Proof of their Designe may be drawn from
their still pleading the Continuance of the
Long-Parliament; & the Sovereignty
of the People; which is but in Plain Terms,
to Disclayme Your Authority-Royal, and to De-
clare to the World, that they want nothing but
Another Opportunity for Another Rebel-
lion. What may be the Event of These Li-

bertyes, belongs not to Mee to divine; but
that such Libertyes are taken, I do, with great
Reverence, presume to Enform Your Ma-
jesty: And further; that the Visible Boldness,
and Malice of the Faction, seems not to be the
only Danger; Diverse of the very Instruments,
who are Entrusted with the Care of the Press,
being both Privy, and Tacitly Consenting to
the Corruptions of it; by virtue of which
Connivence, many Hundred-Thousands of Sedi-
tious Papers, since your Majestyes Return,
have passed Unpunished. And yet in This
Prodigious Licence, and Security of Libelling
Your Sacred Majesty, and the Government,
let but any Paper be Printed that Touches
upon the Private Benefit of some Concerned
Officer; The Author of That Paper is sure
to be Retriv`d, and Handled with sufficient
Severity.

Finally; To present Your Majesty with
some Common Observations: It is noted,
First, as a very Rare Thing, for any Presbyte-
rian Pamphlet to be Seiz`d, and Suppressed, un-
less by Order from Above. Secondly, It is ob-
served of Those Offenders that are Discove-
red, that Generally the Rich have the Fortune

to Come off, and the Poor to Suffer: and
Thirdly; that scarce One of five, though under
Custody, is ever brought to either of Your Ma-
jesties Principal Secretaryes of State.

I have now Discharg’d my Soul both to
God, and to Your Majesty; in what I take to
be an Honest, and a Necessary Office; and I
have done it with This Choice before me,
either to suffer the worst that Malice, or Ca-
lumny can cast upon me, or to Forfeit my
Duty. I should not speak This but upon
Experience, nor dare to mention it upon This
Occasion, but that I think it highly Imports
Your Majesty to know how Dangerous a
Matter it is to Render you a Publique Service.
To present Your Majesty with a Fresh In-
stance; I was lately Engaged as a Commissi-
oner, in a Publique Debate on the behalf of
the Loyal Officers; and for no other Crime,
or Provocation, but for Asserting the Profess`d
Desires of the Whole Party: A Certain Gen-
tleman took such a Heat, and Confidence, as
Openly to Charge me with Writing against
Your Majesty; Affirming withal, that Your
Majesty had Accused me for it to the Parlia-

ment, and that my Lord Chancellor would Ju-
stifie it: Since which time, it appears, not
only that Hee Himself was the first Person
that by a Private Tale had Endeavoured to
Exasperate my Lord Chancellor against Me;
but that being called to Account by my Lords
Order, for so Great, and so Injurious a Bold-
ness, both towards Your Majesty, and his Lord-
ship, he desired God to Renounce him, if
ever he spake the Words, (Although
Delivered in the Face of a Full Committee.) If
I were Impudent enough to trouble Your
Majesty with a Personal Character, His Fa-
miliar Discourses, both concerning your Sa-
cred Majesty, and the Honourable House of
Commons, would afford matter for it; but
let God witness for me, that I have no
Passion, but for your Majesties Service, and
for the General Good of Your Loyal Sub-
jects: Both which Interests, I do humbly
conceive to be very much concern`d in some
Provision, that men may not suffer in their
Reputations, for doing their Duties; and
that Those Persons who have Chearfully, and
Honourably passed through the utmost ex

tremities of a Long and Barbarous Warr,
out of a sence of Loyalty to Your Royal
Father, may not now at last, be stung to
Death by the Tongues of Tale-Bearers, and
Slanderers for being Faithful to Your Majesty.
Which is the Case of Many, more Conside-
rable then my Self, and among the Rest in
Particular of

Your MAJESTIES

Most Loyall and Obedient Subject

Roger L’Estrange.

To the Right Honourable the
LORDS
And, To the Honourable the
COMMONS
Assembled in Parliament.

HAving been lately Employ’d,
to Draw up some Proposals
touching the Regulation of the
Press, and to Search for cer-
tain Seditious Books, and Pa-
pers: I think it Agreable both
to my Reason, and Duty, that I
Dedicate to your Honours some Accompt of my
Proceeding; especially in This Juncture, when both

the Danger, and the Remedy, are the Subject of
your Present Care. The Drift, and Argument of
This Little Treatise, is Express’d in the Title.
One Particular only was forgotten in the Body of
the Discourse, which I must now Crave Leave to
Insert in my Dedication; (i. e.) An Additional
Expedient for the Relief of Necessitous, and Supernu-
merary Printers; Many of which would be well
enough Content to Quit the Trade, and Betake
themselves to Other Employments, upon Condition
to be Re-imburst for their Presses, Letter, and Print-
ing-Materials: and it is Computed that 4000 l. or
thereabouts, would Buy off their Stock; for the
Raising of which Sum, and so to be Employ`d, there
occurrs This Expedient.

It is Credibly Reported, That there have been
Printed at least Ten, or Twelve Impressions of a Col-
lection Entituled, The First, Second, and Third Vo-
lume of Farewel-Sermons: (with the Figures of the
Ejected Ministers) which is no Other, then an Ar-
raignment of the Law, and a Charge of Persecution,
against the King, and his Parliament.

Upon a Supposition of Twelve Impressions, (at a
Thousand a piece, which is the Lowest) the clear
Profit, beside the Charge of Paper and Printing,
Comes to 3300 l. which Sum, being Impos’d as a
Fine, upon Their Heads, for whom the Books were
Printed, will defray a Considerable Part of the afore-
said Charge, and what is wanting, may be abundantly
made up by the like Course upon the Publishers of
Other Seditious Pamphlets, Keeping the Same Pro-
portion betwixt the Profit, and the Punishment.

Of the Farewel-Sermons, I Seiz’d the other day
in Quires, to the Quantity of betwixt Twenty and
Thirty Ream of Paper; and I Discovered likewise
the Supposed Author of Another Pamphlet, En-
tituled [A Short Survey of the Grand Case of the Mi-
nistry, &c.] Wherein is Maintain`d, in opposition to
the Declarations Required by the Act of Uniformi-
ty; That in some Cases It may be lawful to take {P. 21.}
Arms against the King—To take Arms by the {P. 22.}
Kings Authority, against his Person, or Those Commis-
missioned by Him— And that the Obligation of {P. 23.}
the Covenant is a Knot cut by the Sword of Authority,
whilst it cannot be Loosed by Religious Reason. Con-
cerning which, and many other Desperate Libels, if
your Honours shall think fit to Descend into any
Particular Enquiry, it may be made appear, that
whereas not One of Twenty is Now taken, scarce One
of a Hundred could Scape, if there were not Conni-
vence (at least, if not Corruption) joyn’d to the Craft
and Wariness of the Faction.

How the World will understand This Freedome,
and Confidence, in a Private Person, I do not much
Concern my Self; (provided that I offend not Au-
thority) but the Question to Me seems short, and easy,
Whether it be Lawful, or not, for any Man that sees
his Countrey in Danger, to Cry out TREASON?
and Nothing Else hath Extorted This Singularity of
Practice, and Address, from

Your Honours
Most Dutiful Servant

Roger L`Estrange.

[1]

Considerations and Proposals
In Order to the
Regulation
OF THE
PRESS.

I Think no man denyes the Necessity of Suppres-
sing Licentious and Unlawful Pamphlets, and of
Regulating the Press; but in what manner, and
by what means This may be Effected, That’s
the Question. The Two Main-points are
Printing, and Publishing.

{The Promoters,} The Instruments of setting the work afoot are These.
The Adviser, Author, Compiler, Writer, Correcter, and the
Persons for whom, and by whom; that is say, the Stationer
(commonly), and the Printer. To which may be Added,
the Letter-Founders, and the Smiths, and Joyners, that work
upon Presses.

{and Publishers of Pamphlets.} The usual Agents for Publishing, are the Printers them-
selves, Stitchers, Binders, Stationers, Hawkers, Mercury-wo-
men, Pedlers, Ballad-singers, Posts, Carryers, Hackney-Coach-
men, Boat-men, and Mariners. Other Instruments may
be likewise employ’d, against whom a General Provision
will be sufficient. Hiding, and Concealing of unlaw-

[2]

ful Books, is but in order to Publishing, and may be
brought under the same Rule.

Touching the Adviser, Author, Compiler, Writer, and
Correcter, their Practices are hard to be Retriv’d, unless
the One Discover the Other.

{A General Expedient in Order to Discovery.} This Discovery may be procur’d partly by a Penalty upon
refusing to Discover, and partly by a Reward, to the Discove-
rer; but let both the Penalty, and the Reward be Considerable,
and Certain: and let the Obligation of Discovery run quite
Through, from the first Mover of the Mischief, to the Last
Disperser of it. That is to say; If any unlawful Book
shall be found in the Possession of any of the Agents, or In-
struments aforesaid, let the Person in whose possession it is
found, be Reputed, and Punish`d as the Author of the said
Book, unless he Produce the Person, or Persons, from whom
he Receiv’d it; or else acquit himself by Oath, that he knows
neither Directly, nor Indirectly, how it came into his Posses-
sion.

Concerning the Confederacy of Stationers, and Printers,
we shall speak anon: but the thing we are now upon, is,
singly Printing, and what necessarily relates to it.

{Multiplicity of Private Presses and Printers a great Evil. } One great Evil is the Multiplicity of Private Presses, and
Consequently of Printers, who for want of Publique, and
warrantable employment, are forc’d either to play the
Knaves in Corners, or to want Bread.

{The Remedies are,} The Remedy is, to reduce all Printers, and Presses, that
are now in Employment, to a Limited Number; and then
to provide against Private Printing for the time to come,
which may be done by the Means Following.

{To Reduce, and Limit the Number, } First; The number of Printers and Presses being resolv’d
upon, let the Number of their Journy-men, and Apprentices
be likewise Limited: and in like manner, the Number of
Master-Founders, and of their Journy-men, and Their Ap-
prentices; all which to be Allow’d of, and Approv’d by
such Person or Persons, as shall be Authoris’d for that
purpose; neither let any Joyner, Carpenter, or Smith, pre-
sume to work for, or upon any Printing Press, without such
Allowance as aforesaid, according to the Direction of the
late Act for Printing.

[3]

{And to discover the Supernumeraries; } Secondly, Let all such Printers, Letter-Founders, Joy-
ners, Carpenters, and Smiths, as shall hereafter be Allow’d,
as aforesaid, be Respectively and severally Interrogated before
their Admittance, in order to the Discovery of Supernumerary
Printers and Presses. That is;

{With the means of doing it.} 1.Let the Printers be Question`d what Private Presses
they have at any time wrought upon for so many years last past,
and the time When, and For, and with Whom: and what
other Printers and Presses they know of at Present, beside
Those of the present Establishment.

2. Let the Founders be also Examin`d, what Letter they
have Furnish’d since such a Time: When and for Whom,
and what other Printers &c.—Ut Supra.

3. Let the Joyners, Carpenters, and Smiths be Question`d
likewise what Presses they have Erected, or Amended, &c.
When, and for Whom? and what other Presses, Printers,
&c.—as before.

And if after such Examination it shall appear at any time
within so many Months, that any Man has wilfully conceal’d,
or Deny’d the Truth, let him forfeit his Employment as a
Person not fit to be Trusted, and let the Enformer be taken into
his Place if he be capable of it, and desire it; or Else, let
him be Rewarded some other way. The same course may be ta-
ken also concerning English Printers and Presses beyond the
Seas.

This may serve as the Discovery of Private Printers
and Presses already in Employment: Now to prevent un-
derhand-dealing for the Future, and to Provide against
certain other Abuses in such as are Allow`d.

{Let no Tradesmen but Printers use Printing Presses. } First; Let a special care be taken of Card-makers, Lea-
ther-Guilders, Flock-workers, and Quoyf-drawers; ei-
ther by expresly inhibiting their use of such Presses, as may be
apply’d to Printing of Books, or by tying them up to the same
Termes, and Conditions with Printers; and let no other
Tradesman whatsoever presume to make use of a Printing-
press, but upon the same conditions, and under the same Pe-
nalties with Printers.

[4]

{Cautions for Securing and Regulating the Press.} 2ly. Let no Presse or Printing-House be Erected
or Lett, and let no Joyner, Carpenter, Smith, or Letter-
Founder work for a Printing-House, without notice (accor-
ding to the late Act)

3ly. Let no Materialls belonging to Printing, no Let-
ters ready founded, or cast, be Imported or Bought with-
out the like notice, and for whom (according to the late
Act.)

4ly. Let every Master-Printer be Bound at least,
if not sworn, not to Print, cause or suffer to be Printed in
his House, or Press, any Book or Books without Lawful Li-
cence (according to the late Act.)

5ly. Let no Master-Printer be Allow`d to keep a Press
but in his own Dwelling-House, and let no Printing-House
be permitted with a Back-dore to it.

6ly. Let every Master-Printer certifie what Warehou-
ses he Keeps, and not Change them without giving Notice.

7ly. Let every Master-Printer set his Name to
whatsoever he Prints, or causes to be Printed (according to
the late Act.)

8ly. Let no Printer presume to put upon any Book, the
Title, Marque, or Vinnet, of any other Person who has the
Priviledge of Sole Printing the same, without the Consent of
the Person so Priviledg’d (according to the late Act) and let
no man presume to Print another mans Copy.

9ly. Let no Printer presume either to Re-Print, or
Change the Title of any Book formerly Printed, without Li-
cence; or to Counterfeit a Licence, or knowingly to put any
mans Name to a Book as the Author of it, that was not so.

10ly. Let it be Penall to Antedate any Book; for by so
doing, New Books will be shuffled among Old Ones to the En-
crease of the Stock.

11ly. Let the Price of Books be Regulated.

12ly. Let no Journy-man be Employ`d, without a
Certificate from the Master where he wrought last.

13ly. Let no Master discharge a Journy-man, nor
Hee Leave his Master, under 14 dayes Notice, unlesse by
Consent.

[5]

14ly. Let the Persons employ`d, be of Known Inte-
grity, so near as may be; Free of the sayd Mysteries,
and Able in their Trades (according to the late Act.)

{Obj.} But if 60 Presses must be reduc`d to 20, what shall all
those People do for a Livelyhood that wrought at the o-
ther 40?

{Ans.} It is provided by the Late Act, that as many of them
shall be employ’d as the Printers can find Honest work for,
and a sufferance of more, is but a Toleration of the Rest to
Print Sedition, so that the Supernumeraryes are in as ill a
Condition now, as they will be Then; and yet somthing
may be thought upon for their Relief.

{A Provision for Poor Printers.} There have been divers Treasonous and Seditious Pamphlets
printed since the Act of Indemnity; as, The Speeches of the
Late King’s Judges; Sir Henry Vane’s [Pretended] Tryal;
The Prodigies 1 Part and 2. and the Like. Let any of These
Necessitous Persons, make known at whose Request, and for
whose Behoofe These, or the Like Seditious Libells have been
Printed, and they shall not only be Pardon’d for having had a
hand in it Themselves, but the first Enformer shall upon Proof
or Confession be Recommended to the first Vacancy whereof he is
Capable in the New-Regulation, and the Next to the Second,
and so successively: And moreover a Fine shall be set upon the
Heads of the Delinquents, to be Employ’d toward the Mainte-
nance of so many of the Indigent Printers as shall be Interpreted
to Merit that Regard, by such Discovery.

{Publishers and Dispersers about the Town} Next to Printing, follows Publishing or Dispersing,
which, in and about the Town, is commonly the work of
Printers, Stitchers, Binders, Stationers, Mercury-women, Haw-
kers, Pedlars, and Ballad Singers.

{[t]o be Punish’d} Concerning Printers, Stitchers, and Binders; The Penalty
may be Double, where the Fault is so: That is; where the
same Person (for Example) is found to be both Printer and
Disperser of the same unlawful Books, he may be Punished
in Both Capacities: of the Rest (the Stationer excepted) lit-
tle needs be said but that they may be Punishable, and the
Penalty Suited to the Quality of the Offender.

[6]

{The Stationers have their Private Warehouses, and Receivers. } The most Dangerous People of all are the Confederate
Stationers, and the breaking of That Knot would do the
work alone. For the Closer Carriage of their business they
have here in the Town, Their Private Ware-Houses,
and Receivers.

Let every Stationer certifie, what Ware-Houses he
keeps, and not change them without giving notice.

{Receivers and Concealers to be Punish’d as Dispersers.} Let the Receivers and Concealers of Unlawful, or Unli-
cens’d Books he Punish’d as the Dispersers of them, unless
within 12 houres after such Receipt they give notice to—
that they have such Quantityes of Books in their Custody, and
to whom they belong.

{The Stationers Agents for Dispersing their Books Abroad. Their wayes of Privy Correspondence and} They hold Intelligence Abroad by the means of Posts,
Carryers, Hackny-Coachmen, Boatmen, and Marriners: and
for fear of Interceptions they Correspond by False Names,
and Private Tokens; so that if a Letter, or Pacquet mis-
carry, people may not know what to make on’t. As for
the Purpose; so many Dozen of Gloves stands for so many
Dozen of Books. Such a Marque for such a Price, &c.

{Concealment.} They enter in their Day-Books, only in General terms,
such and such Parcells of Books, without naming Particu-
lars.

{The means of Prevention & Discovery.} 1. Let every Stationer, living in or about London, be ob-
lig’d to keep a Day-Book of the Particulars of all the Unli-
cens’d Books, and Papers, which he sends, causes or allowes
to be sent, by any of the Messengers above-mentioned, into any
parts of his Majestyes Dominions; and let him Enter the
Names likewise of the Persons to whom he sends them, un-
der a Penalty; if either he be prov`d, to have kept a False
Book, or to have Corresponded under a False Name, and
let every Stationer elsewhere (i. e. within the Kingdom of
England, and Dominion of Wales) be oblig`d to keep a Day-
Book likewise, of what Unlicens’d Books, and Papers, he
Receives, and from whom, upon the like Penalty.

2. Let no Stationer presume to send, cause or allow to be sent,
either by Land, or Water, any Dry-Fatts, Bales, Packs,
Maunds, or other Fardells, or Packquets of Printed Books,
or Papers, without superscribing them in such sort, that they

[7]

may be known to be Books, together with the Names of the
Persons from whom they are sent, and to whom they are Di-
rected: Under peyn^*Pain.of Forfeiting all Parcels of Books that
are not so superscrib’d, or otherwise that are advertis`d un-
der False Names.

3. Let every Hackny-Coach-man, Carrier, Boatman, or
Mariner, that knowingly Transgresses in the Private Con-
veighance of such Letters or Packquets as aforesaid, be sub-
jected to a Particular Penalty.

Concerning Books Imported. They must be First Prepar’d
beyond the Seas; Secondly, conveighed hither; and Third-
ly, Received and Distributed here.

{An Expedient against Printing of English Books beyond the Seas;} Let the English Printer, Vender, or Utterer of any
Books written in the English Tongue, or by an English man,
in any Other Tongue and Printed beyond the Seas, to the di-
shonour of his Majestie or of the Establish’d Government, be
required to appear from beyond the Seas, by a Certain Day, and
under such a Penalty; which if he Refuse, or wilfully fayl
to do, Let it be made Penall for any Person Living within his
Majestys Dominions, (after sufficient Notice of his such Con-
tempt) to hold any further Correspondence with him, Either by
Message, Letter, or otherwise, till he hath given satisfaction for
his Offence.

{and Importing and Disposing of them.} Let a General Penalty be layd upon the Importers of any
English Books, whatsoever, Printed beyond the Seas. And
so likewise upon the Contracters, for; the Receivers, Con-
cealers, and Dispersers of, any Books whatsoever, Imported in-
to This Realm, and Disposed of without due Authority. It rests
now to be Consider’d. First What Books are to be supprest,
and Secondly, Into what hands the Care of the Press is to
be Committed.

The Books to be supprest are as follows.

[8]

{What Books, Libels, and Positions are to be suppressed, and} FIrst, All Printed Papers pressing the Murther of the
late King.

Secondly, All Printed Justifications of that Execrable
Act.

Thirdly, All Treatises Denying His Majesties Title to
the Crown of England.

Fourthly, All Libels against the Person of His Sacred
Majesty, His Blessed Father, or the Royal Family.

Fifthly, All Discourses manifestly tending to stirr up
the People against the Establish`d Government.

Sixthly, All Positions Terminating in This Treasonous
Conclusion, that, His Majesty may be Arraign`d, Judg`d,
and Executed, by his People: such as are These Follow-
ing.

Coordination, The Sovereignty of the Two Houses, or of
the House of Commons; or of the Diffusive Body of the
People, in Case of Necessity. The Justification of the Warr
Rais’d in 1642. in the Name of King and Parliament. The
Defence of the Legality and Obligation of the Covenant. The
Separation of the Kings Person from His Authority. The De-
nyal of His Majesties Power in Ecclesiastical Affairs. The
Mainteyning that the Long-Parliament is not yet Dissolv`d.

If it be objected that This Looks too farr Back; It may
be Answer’d that Persons are Pardon’d, but not Books.
But to more Particular Reasons for the Suppressing of Old
Pamphlets.

{Reasons for the suppressing of old Pamphlets as well as new.} First; It is (with Reverence) a Duty both from his Sacred
Majesty and his Parliament, to the Honour, and Memory of
the Late King, to deliver the Reputation of That Blessed Mar-
tyr, from the Diabolical Calumnies, and Forgeries, which are
yet Extant against his Person, and Government.

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