The censorship of the Church of Rome and its influence upon the production and distribution of literature, volume 1 (of 2)Putnam, George Haven
History
The censorship of the Church of Rome and its influence upon the production and distribution of literature, volume 1 (of 2)
Putnam, George Haven
Freedom of the press; Liberty of conscience; Prohibited books
In August, 1581, the Jesuit Peter Canisius wrote to Duke William,
referring with approval to the Index then in preparation, and adds the
recommendation that a _Censor Librorum_, to be appointed by the
Duke and the bishops, should be sent to Munich, Ingolstadt, Straubing,
Burghausen, and other places where annual fairs were held, to examine
the books offered for sale, and particularly those imported, and to
inspect all libraries, both public and private. They were to have
authority to confiscate and to destroy all copies of books condemned or
likely to prove pernicious.[154] He suggests further the desirability
of an Index published as a serial from year to year. This idea of
Canisius was, some twenty years later, carried out, though not in
Bavaria. From 1606 to about 1619 was published in Mayence a yearly
list, prepared for the use of booksellers in Catholic States, and
presenting titles selected from the annual catalogue of the Frankfort
Fair. The title was: _Index novus librorum imprimis Catholicorum
theologorum aliorumque celebrium auctorum quarumcunque facultatum et
linguarum, causas religionis tamen non tractantium ... pro Italia
ceterisque nationibus confectus_. The first issue includes a preface
from Leuchtius, _Sedis Apost. librorum revisor_, an authorisation
from Paul V, and a privilege from the emperor. The Index is devoted to
the titles of books the reading of which is permitted.[155]
3. Censorship under Pius V and Gregory XIII, 1570–1585.
_1570._ _Pius_ gives instructions for the preparation of a new _Index
expurgatorius_, but the plan was not carried out.
_1572._ _Gregory XIII_ issues a Bull directing the production of an
_Index expurgatorius_ on the lines of that published in Antwerp. The
work was, however, delayed so that it was not until 1590, five years
after Gregory’s death, that this Roman Index appeared.
During the reigns of both Pius and Gregory, however, attention was
given to the production of expurgated editions of the works of a number
of authors, such as Erasmus, Boccaccio, Polydorus, Vergilius, Zasius,
Harphius, etc. Under Pius, condemnation was ordered for the teachings
of Bajus, but this did not bring any new titles into the Index.
In 1569, Guido Zanetti de Fano was put under arrest for heretical
teaching. The Senate of Venice demanded that the trial should take
place in Venice. The Pope Pius replied that the civil authorities had
no proper concern with matters of heresy, except to carry out in due
course the verdicts or judgments given by the Church.[156]
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