Supervision of Books in a Manuscript Culture: Theory and Practice of Censorship in Late Medieval England

ISBN-13: 9783631917831 / Angielski / Twarda / 2025 / 464 str.

Eva Schaten

Opis

Did censorship exist before the invention of the printing press and the Index Librorum Prohibitorum? This study examines the attempted suppression of written religious and political dissent in pre-Reformation England, with a focus on legal aspects and historical context. A wide range of instruments was in use to discourage the circulation of unwelcome books. They ranged from drastic measures such as executions and public book burnings to more subtle approaches like erasures and reader warnings. Wycliffite writings were the most obvious target, but civil censorship developed at the same time. Even books of magic make a rare appearance in the records. An interesting aspect is the paradox of censorship: The very act of suppression generated publicity, and many heterodox doctrines are only known from their own condemnation.

This study explores censorship in late medieval England, focusing on legal aspects and historical context. Censorship instruments are categorized by their focus - doctrines, books, or people. They ranged from book burnings to more subtle methods. While heresy was the most prevalent cause for censorship, sedition and magic were other areas.