The Licensing of the Press Act 1662 was an Act of the Parliament of England (14 Cha. 2. c. 33) with the long title "An Act for preventing the frequent Abuses in printing seditious treasonable and unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing Presses". Having expired in 1695,[1] it was officially repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1863, which repealed a large set of superseded acts.[2]
An Act for preventing the frequent Abuses in printing seditious treasonable and unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing Presses
The Act was originally limited to two years. The provisions as to importation of books, the appointment of licensers, and the number of printers and founders were practically re-enactments of the similar provisions in an order of the Star Chamber of 1637.
Printing presses were not to be set up without notice to the Stationers' Company. A king's messenger had power by warrant of the king or a secretary of state to enter and search for unlicensed presses and printing. Severe penalties by fine and imprisonment were denounced against offenders. The act was successively renewed up to 1679.[1]
Under the powers of the act Sir Roger L'Estrange was appointed licenser, and the effect of the supervision was that practically the newspaper press was reduced to the London Gazette. The objections[citation needed] made to lines 594–599 of the first book of Paradise Lost by the archbishop of Canterbury's chaplain, acting as licenser, are well known[citation needed]. The act expired in 1679, and for the remainder of the reign of Charles II, as in the reign of George III, the restrictions on the press took the form of prosecutions for libel.[1]
In 1685 the Licensing Act was renewed for seven years (1 Ja. 2. c. 17, s. 15).[1] No mention of the liberty of the press was made in the Bill of Rights of 1689. On the expiration of the Licensing Act in 1692 it was continued till the end of the existing session of Parliament (4 Will. & Mar. c. 24, s. 14). In 1695 the Commons refused to renew it. The stationers petitioned Parliament for new censorship legislation, and when that failed they argued that authors had a natural and inherent right of ownership in what they wrote (knowing there was little an author could do with such rights other than sign them over to a publisher).[3] This argument persuaded the Parliament and in 1710 the first Copyright Act (8 Ann. c. 19) was enacted.[4]
The power of a secretary of state to issue a warrant, whether general or special, for the purpose of searching for and seizing the author of a libel or the libellous papers themselves – a power exercised by the Star Chamber and confirmed by the Licensing Act – was still asserted, and was not finally declared illegal until the case of Entick v. Carrington in 1765 (St. Tr. xix. 1030). In 1776 the House of Commons came to a resolution in accordance with this decision. The compulsory stamp duty on newspapers was abandoned in 1855 (18 & 19 Vict. c. 27), the duty on paper in 1861 (24 & 25 Vict. c. 20), the optional duty on newspapers in 1870 (33 & 34 Vict. c. 38). From that time the English press may be said to date its complete freedom, which rests rather upon an oral constitutional rather than a statutory foundation. No legislative provision confirms the freedom of the press, as is the case in many countries.[citation needed]
^ abcdAstbury, Raymond (1 December 1978). "The Renewal of the Licensing Act in 1693 and its Lapse in 1695". The Library (Journal of the Bibliographical Society). s5-XXXIII (4): 296–322. doi:10.1093/library/s5-XXXIII.4.296. ISSN 0024-2160.
^"Public General Act, 26 & 27 Victoria I, c. 125". UK Parliament Parliamentary Archives. p. 1291. Retrieved 21 August 2020.
^Statute of Anne, London (1710) "Primary Sources on Copyright (1450–1900)". . Archived from the original on 19 March 2013. Retrieved 1 August 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Press Laws". Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 22 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 299–304.
'Charles II, 1662: An Act for preventing the frequent Abuses in printing seditious treasonable and unlicensed Bookes and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing Presses.', Statutes of the Realm: volume 5: 1628–80 (1819), pp. 428–35. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47336. Date accessed: 5 March 2007.
October 20, 2023
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The Licensing of the Press Act 1662 was an Act of the Parliament of England 14 Cha 2 c 33 with the long title An Act for preventing the frequent Abuses in printing seditious treasonable and unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing Presses Having expired in 1695 1 it was officially repealed by the Statute Law Revision Act 1863 which repealed a large set of superseded acts 2 Licensing of the Press Act 1662Act of ParliamentParliament of EnglandLong titleAn Act for preventing the frequent Abuses in printing seditious treasonable and unlicensed Books and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing PressesCitation14 Cha 2 c 33 Ruffhead 13 amp 14 Cha 2 c 33 Territorial extent England and WalesDatesRoyal assent19 May 1662Commencement10 June 1662Expired9 June 1664Repealed28 July 1863Other legislationAmended byAdministration of Intestates Estate Act 1685Estreats Personal Representatives Act 1692Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1863Relates toLicensing of the Press Act 1664Licensing of the Press No 2 Act 1664Status RepealedText of statute as originally enactedLicensing of the Press Act 1664Act of ParliamentParliament of EnglandLong titleAn Act for continuance of a former Act for regulateing the Presse Citation16 Cha 2 c 8DatesRoyal assent17 May 1664Commencement16 March 1664Expired2 March 1665Other legislationAmendsLicensing of the Press Act 1662Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1863Status RepealedText of statute as originally enactedLicensing of the Press No 2 Act 1664Act of ParliamentParliament of EnglandLong titleAn Act for continuance of a former Act for regulateing the Presse Citation16 amp 17 Cha 2 c 7DatesRoyal assent2 March 1665Commencement24 November 1664Expired31 October 1665Other legislationAmendsLicensing of the Press Act 1662Repealed byStatute Law Revision Act 1863Status RepealedText of statute as originally enactedThe Act was originally limited to two years The provisions as to importation of books the appointment of licensers and the number of printers and founders were practically re enactments of the similar provisions in an order of the Star Chamber of 1637 Printing presses were not to be set up without notice to the Stationers Company A king s messenger had power by warrant of the king or a secretary of state to enter and search for unlicensed presses and printing Severe penalties by fine and imprisonment were denounced against offenders The act was successively renewed up to 1679 1 Under the powers of the act Sir Roger L Estrange was appointed licenser and the effect of the supervision was that practically the newspaper press was reduced to the London Gazette The objections citation needed made to lines 594 599 of the first book of Paradise Lost by the archbishop of Canterbury s chaplain acting as licenser are well known citation needed The act expired in 1679 and for the remainder of the reign of Charles II as in the reign of George III the restrictions on the press took the form of prosecutions for libel 1 In 1685 the Licensing Act was renewed for seven years 1 Ja 2 c 17 s 15 1 No mention of the liberty of the press was made in the Bill of Rights of 1689 On the expiration of the Licensing Act in 1692 it was continued till the end of the existing session of Parliament 4 Will amp Mar c 24 s 14 In 1695 the Commons refused to renew it The stationers petitioned Parliament for new censorship legislation and when that failed they argued that authors had a natural and inherent right of ownership in what they wrote knowing there was little an author could do with such rights other than sign them over to a publisher 3 This argument persuaded the Parliament and in 1710 the first Copyright Act 8 Ann c 19 was enacted 4 The power of a secretary of state to issue a warrant whether general or special for the purpose of searching for and seizing the author of a libel or the libellous papers themselves a power exercised by the Star Chamber and confirmed by the Licensing Act was still asserted and was not finally declared illegal until the case of Entick v Carrington in 1765 St Tr xix 1030 In 1776 the House of Commons came to a resolution in accordance with this decision The compulsory stamp duty on newspapers was abandoned in 1855 18 amp 19 Vict c 27 the duty on paper in 1861 24 amp 25 Vict c 20 the optional duty on newspapers in 1870 33 amp 34 Vict c 38 From that time the English press may be said to date its complete freedom which rests rather upon an oral constitutional rather than a statutory foundation No legislative provision confirms the freedom of the press as is the case in many countries citation needed See also EditFreedom of the press Lapse of the Licensing Act 1695 Licensing Order of 1643 Statute of Anne 1710 United Kingdom constitutional lawReferences Edit a b c d Astbury Raymond 1 December 1978 The Renewal of the Licensing Act in 1693 and its Lapse in 1695 The Library Journal of the Bibliographical Society s5 XXXIII 4 296 322 doi 10 1093 library s5 XXXIII 4 296 ISSN 0024 2160 Public General Act 26 amp 27 Victoria I c 125 UK Parliament Parliamentary Archives p 1291 Retrieved 21 August 2020 Professor Lyman Ray Patterson Copyright And The Exclusive Right Of Authors Journal of Intellectual Property Vol 1 No 1 Fall 1993 http digitalcommons law uga edu cgi viewcontent cgi article 1342 amp context fac artchop Statute of Anne London 1710 Primary Sources on Copyright 1450 1900 Archived copy Archived from the original on 19 March 2013 Retrieved 1 August 2012 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint archived copy as title link nbsp This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Chisholm Hugh ed 1911 Press Laws Encyclopaedia Britannica Vol 22 11th ed Cambridge University Press pp 299 304 Charles II 1662 An Act for preventing the frequent Abuses in printing seditious treasonable and unlicensed Bookes and Pamphlets and for regulating of Printing and Printing Presses Statutes of the Realm volume 5 1628 80 1819 pp 428 35 URL http www british history ac uk report asp compid 47336 Date accessed 5 March 2007 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Licensing of the Press Act 1662 amp oldid 1168430295, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
