Censorship during the English Commonwealth
Censorship during the English Commonwealth (1649-1660) emerged after the execution of King Charles I, which led to the establishment of a Puritan-led government under Oliver Cromwell. Initially, Cromwell's regime allowed greater freedom for Protestant writers compared to the previous monarch, but it also imposed strict regulations on publication and expression. The Puritan leaders enforced a moral code that prohibited various cultural practices such as swearing, theater, and even traditional celebrations like Christmas and Easter, reflecting their vision for a "land of saints." The authorities monitored personal conduct, and dissenters faced severe repercussions; for instance, Quaker leader James Nagler was tried for blasphemy. While some religious sects were tolerated, radical groups advocating political equality, like the Levellers and Diggers, were suppressed. The end of Cromwell’s rule in 1658 ushered in a period of cultural revival, yet literary censorship persisted with laws like the Licensing Act of 1662, which required publications to conform to the Church of England. This act remained until 1694, when it was replaced with strict libel laws, indicating a shifting landscape of expression in post-Commonwealth England.
Censorship during the English Commonwealth
Date: 1649-1660
Place: England
Significance: Under Oliver Cromwell’s Puritan-dominated government, which briefly replaced England’s monarchy, censorship controls over publishing were increased and many aspects of traditional English life were subjected to tight government regulation
In May, 1649, four months after the execution of King Charles I for treason, England was declared to be a “Commonwealth and Free State.” The leader of the new government was a Puritan, Oliver Cromwell. Charles I also had been an enemy of free speech. In 1637 a Star Chamber decree established serious punishment for the printing, reprinting, or importing of any book without first obtaining a royal license. Censorship had caused John Milton to defend free speech in his Areopagitica (1644) on the grounds that truth will always prevail over error. While Cromwell’s Commonwealth permitted a large number of Protestant writers to publish, he strictly regulated publication and imposed levels of censorship not dreamed possible by Charles I. One of Cromwell’s first acts was drowning out the final words of Charles I with a roar of drums shortly before the unfortunate king’s execution.
During Cromwell’s rule as Lord Protector, England was divided into districts, each supervised by a major general who possessed full administrative jurisdiction. The new Puritan rulers were, by the standards of many, religious prudes. Strict morality laws were passed. Swearing and even flirting were prohibited. Field sports, musical concerts, theater, and church festivals came to an abrupt end. Dress was strictly regulated, as was personal conduct on the sabbath. The greatest attack on British culture, however, was the closing of ale houses. The banning of overt celebration of Christmas and Easter ranked as a close second. Feasting on Easter or Christmas could mean confiscation of the roast by eager soldiers. Too enthusiastic preaching on these holidays resulted in numerous ministers being taken into custody. May Day celebrations, with dancing around the Maypole, was another practice to be stamped out in an effort to turn England into a land of saints.
Cromwell’s regime did tolerate a large number of diverse Protestant sects. Even Quakers, who believed in direct communion with the Spirit and hated formal worship, were tolerated to a point. This point, however, was transgressed by James Nagler, a Quaker leader, who was tried and convicted of blasphemy. Parliament deliberated several hours over which parts of him should be cut off. The Levellers and the Diggers, who advocated a more social and political equality, found themselves purged from army ranks and silenced. The famous Barebones Parliament, which allied itself squarely behind Cromwell’s religious policies, was nevertheless dissolved by Cromwell for criticizing the expense of maintaining a large standing army in times of peace.
The passing of the Commonwealth after the death of the Lord Protector in 1658, and the restoration of the Stuart Dynasty in 1660, ended the obnoxious attempts to censor a wide section of society. Merry England returned, but strict laws on literary censorship continued. The Licensing Act of 1662 forbade the printing of books or pamphlets that did not conform to the Church of England, and required all publications to be licensed and registered with the Stationers Company, a book publishing guild. The Licensing Act was ultimately allowed to lapse in 1694, when strict libel laws were substituted in its place.