(Vol. ix., pp. 78. 226.)
As the subject is interesting, you will probably permit me to cite a few
more examples:--In Geo. Chalmers' _Catalogue_, "Burnt by the hangman" is
appended to a copy of Wm. Thomas' _Historie of Italie_, 1549; but I do not
find this stated elsewhere. The opinions emitted in this work are of a free
nature certainly, in respect to the governed and governing powers; but
whatever was the fate of his book, I rather think Thomas (who was executed
in Mary's reign) suffered for some alleged act of overt treason, and not
for publishing seditious books. _An Information from the States of the
Kingdome of Scotland to the Kingdome of England, showing how they have bin
dealt with by His Majesty's Commissioners_, 1640: in a proclamation (March
30, 1640) against seditious pamphlets sent from Scotland, this tract was
prohibited on account of its containing many most notorious falsehoods,
scandals, &c.; it was ordered to be burnt by the common hangman. (Rymer's
_Foed._, as quoted by Chalmers.)
There is now before me a modern impression of an old cut in two
compartments: the upper representing the demolition of the "Crosse in
Cheapeside on the 2nd May, 1643;" and the lower a goodly gathering of the
public around a bonfire, viewing, with apparent satisfaction, the committal
of a book to the flames by the common executioner, with this inscription:
"10th May, the Boocke of Spartes vpon the Lord's Day, was burnt by the
hangman in the place where the Crosse stoode, and at (the) Exchange."
That great lover of sights, Master Pepys, notices one of these exhibitions:
"1661, 28th May, with Mr. Shipley," says our gossip, "to the Exchange
about business; and there, by Mr. Rawlinson's favour, got into a
balcone over against the Exchange, and there saw the hangman burn, by
vote of Parliament, two old acts: the one for constituting us a
Commonwealth, and the other I have forgot; which still do make me think
of the greatness of this late turne, and what people will do to-morrow
against what they all, thro' profit or fear, did promise and practise
this day."
A note to this passage in the _Diary_ (vol. i. p. 236., 3rd edit.) supplies
the defective memory of Pepys, by informing us that the last was an "Act
for subscribing the Engagement;" and adds, on the same day there had been
burnt by the hangman, at Westminster Hall, the "Act for erecting a High
Court of Justice for trying and judging Charles Stuart." They seem to have
been just then cleansing out the Augean stable of the Commonwealth: for it
is added, "two more acts" were similarly burnt next day.
In _A Letter to a Clergyman, relating to his Sermon on the 30th Jan._, by a
Lover of Truth, 1746, the lay author (one Coade, I believe), inveighing
against high churchmen, reminds the preacher that he--
"Was pleased to dress up the principles of the Presbyterians in a
frightful shape; but let me tell you, Sir, in my turn, that the
principles of your party have been burnt, not by a rude and lawless
rabble, but by the common hangman, in broad day-light, before the Royal
Exchange in London, and by authority of Parliament. Perhaps," he
continues, "you never heard of this contemptuous treatment of the
Oxford principles, and therefore I will give it you from the
Parliamentary Records:--'Anno Domini 1710. The House of Lords, taking
into consideration the judgment and decree of the University of Oxford,
passed in their Convocation July 21, 1683,--it was resolved by the
Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, that the said
judgment and decree contains in it several positions contrary to the
Constitution of this kingdom, and destructive to the Protestant
Succession as by law established. And it was thereupon ordered, by the
Lords Spiritual and Temporal in Parliament assembled, that the said
judgment and decree shall be burnt by the hands of the common hangman
before the Royal {426} Exchange, between hours of twelve and one, on
Monday the 17th March, in the presence of the Lord Mayor of the City of
London,' &c."
Doleman's _Conference about the next Succession to the Crown of England_,
reprinted at N. with licence, in 1681, was, in 1683, condemned by the
University of Oxford, and burnt by the common hangman.
In the above examples I have confined myself to those books, &c. only which
were expressly consigned to the flames by the hangman. The instances of
book-burning where this indignity was either not imposed, or its infliction
not recorded, are numerous. Among the curiosities of literature of
Elizabeth's reign, were certain books ascribed to a Dutchman, by name Henry
Nicholas, translated into English, and probably imported from the Low
Countries. This person, imbibing the "damnable heresies" of David George,
of Leyden, became the apostle of a sect who styled themselves "The Family
of Love," and their fanatical books becoming obnoxious to the dominant
party, they were, by proclamation, ordered to be burnt; and, as such
manifestations of the royal will usually ran, all persons were held
punishable for having them in their possession. (See Herbert's _Ames._) As
an example of the spiritual power thus dealing with a book, apparently upon
its own authority, the following may be offered:--_Servetus de Trinitate,
&c._ (London, 1723.) This edition, which is without name of place or
printer, and without date, was printed by Palmer for Osborne the
bookseller; but, as soon as completed was seized at the instance of Dr.
Gibson, Bishop of London, and burnt, with the exception of a very few
copies. (Davis' _Journey round the Library, &c._) The last unfortunate book
I shall mention is the _Metrical Psalms_ of Dod; which was also, most
likely, an episcopal seizure. Mr. Holland, in his _Psalmists of Britain_,
quoting from George Withers' _Scholler's Purgatory_, says, "Dod the
silkman's late ridiculous translation of the Psalms was, by authority,
worthily condemned to the fire," and, judging from its extreme scarcity, I
should say very few escaped.