The Continental Monthly, Vol. 5, Issue 2, February, 1864 | Page 9

the people over the Parliament acknowledged, for the

very publication of its transactions was an appeal to the people for
approval and support. This printed record of parliamentary affairs came
out in 1641, and was entitled The Diurnal Occurrences, or Daily
Proceedings of both Houses in this great and happy Parliament, from
the 3d of November, 1640, to the 3d of November, 1641. The speeches
delivered from the first date down to the following June were also
published in two volumes, and in 1642 weekly instalments appeared
under various titles, such as The Heads of all the Proceedings of both
Houses of Parliament--Account of Proceedings of both Houses of
Parliament--A perfect Diurnal of the Passages in Parliament, etc., etc.
There was no reporter's gallery in those days, and the Parliament only
printed what they pleased; still this was a step in the right direction.
After Parliaments occasionally evinced bitter hostility toward the press,
but that which boasted Sawyer Lenthal for its speaker was its friend (at
all events, at first, though afterward, as we shall notice by and by, it
displayed some animosity against its early protegé), and from this
meagre beginning took its rise that which is beyond doubt one of the
most important domestic functions of the press at the present day.
The abolition of the great bugbear and tyrant of printers--that infamous
mockery of a legal tribunal, the Star Chamber--was another gigantic
obstacle cleared away from the path of journalism. The Newes Bookes,
which, in spite of all difficulties, had already become abundant, now
issued forth in swarms. They treated de rebus omnibus et quibusdam
aliis. Most of them were political or polemical pamphlets, and boasted
extraordinary titles. There is a splendid collection of these in the British
Museum, collected by the Rev. W. Thomason, and presented to the
nation by King George III. We will mention a few of them. A
controversial religious tract rejoices in the title of A fresh bit of Mutton
for those fleshy-minded Cannibals that cannot endure Pottage. A
political skit upon Prince Rupert is styled An exact Description of
Prince Rupert's malignant She-Monkey, a great Delinquent, and has a
comical woodcut upon the title page of the animal, in a cap and
petticoat and with a sword by its side. This pamphlet is printed partly in
ordinary modern type and partly in black letter. Another pamphlet in
the form of dialogue is directed against the abuses of the laws,
especially at one of the infamous 'comptoirs' of the time. It is called

Wonderfull Strange Newes from Wood Street Countor--yet not so
Strange as True, being proved by lamentable Experience, the relation
of which
'Will make you laugh, 'twill make you cry; 'Twill make you mad, 'twill
make you try.'
Another is Newes, true Newes, laudable Newes, Citie Newes, Countrie
Newes, the World is Mad or it is a Mad World, my Masters, especially
in the Antipodes, these Things are come to passe. This is a satirical
description of manners and customs on 'the other side of the world,' the
writer asserting that in those regions everything is the exact opposite of
what takes place among us, so that there beggars ride in carriages and
are highly esteemed, men of title are of no account, lawyers take no
fees, and bailiffs decline to arrest debtors, etc., etc. There is also a very
quaint woodcut of the world and the heavens, the four winds, etc., with
an astrologer and other persons looking at them. Very many of these
pamphlets are actual relations of occurrences in different parts of the
kingdom and in foreign countries. Thus we find, Victorious Newes from
Waterford; The joyfullest Newes from Hull that ever came to London of
the Proceedings of the Earl of Warwick's Shipps; The best and happiest
Newes from Ireland, from the Army before Kildare; Newes from
Blackheath concerning the Meeting of the Kentish Men; Exceedingly
joyfull Newes from Holland; The best Newes that ever was Printed,
consists of, 1. Prince Rupert's Resolution to bee gone to his Mother,
who hath sent for him; 2. His Majestie's royall Intentions declared to
joyne with the Parliament in a treaty of Peace; 3. The Particulars of the
High Court of Parliament drawn up to be sent to his Majesty for Peace;
4. Directions from the Lords and Commons directed to the
Commanders for the ordering of the Army. One quaint title presents a
very odd association: Newes from Hell and Rome and the Innes of
Court. The contending parties appear to have suited their titles to the
substance of the Newes they chronicled accordingly as it affected their
interests. Thus, while many pamphlets bore the titles of Glorious,
Joyful, Victorious, etc., others were dubbed Horrible Newes, Terrible
News, and so forth. By far the greater number of these were issued