[2] We find an order of council, June 7, 1660, that the stationers' company do seize and deliver to the secretary of state all copies of Buchanan's _History of Scotland_, and _De Jure Regni apud Scotos_, "which are very pernicious to monarchy, and injurious to his majesty's blessed progenitors." Kennet's _Register_, 176. This was beginning early. [3] Commons' Journals, July 29, 1661. [4] 14 Car. II. c. 33. [5] _State Trials_, vii. 929. [6] This declaration of the judges is recorded in the following passage of the _London Gazette_, May 5, 1680: "This day the judges made their report to his majesty in council, in pursuance of an order of this board, by which they unanimously declare that his majesty may by law prohibit the printing and publishing of all news-books and pamphlets of news whatsoever not licensed by his majesty's authority, as manifestly tending to the breach of the peace and disturbance of the kingdom. Whereupon his majesty was pleased to direct a proclamation to be prepared for the restraining the printing of news-books and pamphlets of news without leave." Accordingly such a proclamation appears in the _Gazette_ of May 17. [7] _State Trials_, vii. 1127; viii. 184, 197. Even North seems to admit that this was a stretch of power. _Examen_, 564. [8] _State Trials_, viii. 163. [9] It seems that these warrants, though usual, were known to be against the law. _State Trials_, vii. 949, 956. Possibly they might have been justified under the words of the licensing act, while that was in force; and having been thus introduced, were not laid aside. [10] Kennet's _Charles II._ 277. [11] _State Trials_, vi. 837. [12] Ralph, 297; North's _Examen_, 139; Kennet, 337. Hume of course pretends that this proclamation would have been reckoned legal in former times.