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., which required all books to be licensed as follows:—­Law books by the Lord Chancellor, or one of the Chief Justices, or Chief Baron; books of history and state, by one of the Secretaries of State; of heraldry, by the Earl Marshal, or the King-at-Arms; of divinity, physic, philosophy, or whatsoever other science or art, by the Archbishop of Canterbury or the Bishop of London:  or if printed at either University, by the chancellor thereof.  The number of master printers (exclusive of the king’s printers and the printers of the Universities) was to be reduced to twenty, and then vacancies were to be filled up by the Archbishop of Canterbury and Bishop of London, and printing was not to be allowed elsewhere than in London, York (where the Archbishop of York was to license all books), {427} and the two Universities.  This Act was to continue for two years, from 10th June, 1662.  It was renewed by the 16 Car.  II. c. 8.; 16 & 17 Car.  II. c. 7.; and 17 Car.  II. c. 4., and expired on the 26th May, 1679,—­a day rendered ever memorable by the passing of the Habeas Corpus Act:  but in less than a year afterwards the judges unanimously advised the king that he might by law prohibit the printing and publishing of all news-books and pamphlets of news not licensed by His Majesty’s authority; and accordingly on the 17th May, 1680, appeared in the Gazette a proclamation restraining the printing of such books and pamphlets without license.  The Act of 1662 was revived for seven years, from 24th June, 1685, by 1 Jac.  II. c. 17. s. 15., and, even after the Revolution, was continued for a year longer by 4 & 5 Wm. and Mary, c. 24. s. 14.  When that year expired, the press of England became free; but on the 1st of April, 1697, the House of Commons,