passed For this purpose to Order every thing as they see cause, and the
debate of the whole matter (for certaine Reasons) not to bee resumed
till the twenty-third of October next. And this is all was done Tuesday
and Wednesday, except passing the knack for Regulating Westminster
Schoole.
Yet there was another large knack published for the suppressing
of Scandalous Bookes and Pamphlets (so called) and for the better
Regulating of Printing, which being no lesse then five sheetes of paper
I meane not to trouble my selfe or the Reader in repeating it, but whosoever
lookes on it (not to speake of the Illegalitie thereof) shall find it
so full of malice and simplicitie, as to the persons concern'd in it, and
the ends aimed at, that it is not worthy our notice, scarce our Laughter;
yet a maine Master-piece of the Well-affected Printers and Stationers,
thought it comes in one thing farre short of that dexterritie and circumspection
alwaies supposed to bee in such as are thought worthy the imployment
and protection of a High and Mightie State; for, whereas
they have (amongst other things) Enacted, That no Joyner nor Carpenter
shall make any Printing-Preffe &c. nor any Smith forge any Ironworke
&c. or any Founder cast any Printing Letters; nor any man let
any House, Vault or Cellar for Printing in, without notice first given
to the Master or Wardens of the Company of Stationers, as thinking
this sufficient to tie up the hands of the Printers: yet me thinks they
have shewed themselves simply defective in one thing, and that is, in forgetting
to restraine the Paper Merchants and Inke Makers, without both
which they cannot worke, and being things used and bought continually,
would sooner have discovered what they aime at, then by the Carpenters,
Smiths or Founders some of which they may perhaps, not make use
of once in a yeare, and if, for the most part such honest fellowes as scorne
either to betray those that imploy and pay them for what they doe, or
to bee restrained from the Lawfull Exercise of their Callings, by which
they and their Families subsist, and must otherwise perish, in obedience
to the Sweepers away of our Liberties.
But of what necessity ( I pray) is this knack, since a former hath beene
published and is yet unrepealed, whereby they have declared it High
Treason for any one to Write, Print or publish any thing derogatory
from the Government Established, or to say it is Tyrannicall or Usurped,
and the persons herein offending to bee punished accordingly:
unlesse they suppose men love their Moneys more then their lives, for
these are but pecuniary forfeitures, or at most but a Prynnifying or whiping,
whereas the other was Drawing, Hanging and Quartering; and if
the other frighted not, certainly this will not.