Press Censorship

Horowhenua Chronicle, 6 January 1917, Page 3

Press Censorship

« HOW IT ORIGINATED. Not much was heard of press 'censorship until the outbreak of the Great Wan*, but it dates back more than four centuries. Ma-yence wa.s the crad.j as well of the art of printing as ot the efforts made by its enemies to fetter the- '.spread of knowledge. Towards the close of the fifteenth ce/i- 1 tury—that memorable epoch in the annals of religious liberty—Bert-hold, airchbishop and elector of Ma-yence, was the firsrfc to take alarm at -the dan-

gel's which impended over the dominion of darkness." He enjoys the unenviable' distinction of having been the author, of the first edict which established a. censorship of books. It is dated. January 4th, 1486. It prohibits any individual within the archbishop's domains, whether eccle.siast :• or layman, from translating into the vernacular German any book -whatever, be ifc Greek, Latin, tor any living foreign tongue; or from buying-, selling, or bartering; it. or in any way circulating it, unless -he shall havo previously sought and obtained license to dtv so from a board appointed far that, purpose. . This board was composed of the professors of the fout faculties of the then existing university of Maiyence, Drs Bertram. Diet rich, von Meschede and Eler. It was their duty to examine all manuscript, etc.. arid pronounce, whether they sho uld be allowed to' "be printed or not. And they showed much zeal, as well 11s tact, in preventing any outcr.v fran. being raised in the execution of this duty. The penalties inflicted on offenders against the- odict wore very severe for that time of day; the publication was confiscated, the author was excommunicated, iand he was mulcted in a sum of one hundred golden guilders for behoof of the archicpiscopal chest. A 'regular code of instructions was also drawn up for the ■ guidance of censors.