CENSORS of books, are a body of doctors or others established in divers countries, to examine all books before they go to the press, and to see they contain nothing contrary to faith and good manners.
At Paris, the faculty of theology claim this privilege, as granted to them by the pope; but in 1624, new commissions of four doctors were created, by letters-patent, the sole censors of all books, and answerable for every thing contained therein.
In England, we had formerly an officer of this kind, under the title of Licensor of the press; but, since the revolution, our press has been laid under no such restraint.