h many obstacles, and to contend against many and powerful
foes. In 1637, Archbishop Laud procured the passing of an ordinance
limiting the number of master printers to twenty, and punishing with
whipping and the pillory all such as should print without a license.
Butler's name does not occur in this list; so we may conclude that he
was particularly obnoxious to the haughty prelate and his party. But
this persevering journalist, whose name had for a long time appeared
alone as the printer of his newspaper, contrived to surmount this
difficulty, for in a manifesto, dated January 11th, 1640, he says:

'Courteous reader! we had thought to have given over printing our
foreign avisoes, for that the licenser (out of a partial affection)
would not oftentimes let pass apparent truth, and in other things
(oftentimes) so crosse and alter, which made us weary of printing;
but he being vanished (and that office fallen upon another more
understanding in these forraine affaires, and as you will find more
candid) we are againe (by the favour of his Majestie and the state)
resolved to go on printing, if we shall find the world to give a
better acceptation of them (than of late) by their weekly buying of
them. It is well known these novels are well esteemed in all parts
of the world (but heere) by the more judicious, which we can impute
to no other but the discontinuance of them, and the uncertaine
daies of publishing them, which, if the post fail us not, we shall
keep a constant day everie weeke therein, whereby everie man may
constantly expect them, and so we take leave.'

This number of his journal is entitled _The continuation of the Forraine
Occurrents, for five Weeks past, containinge many remarkable Passages of
Germanie, etc.; examined and licensed by a better and more impartiall
hand than heretofore_. Another noticeable thing in this manifesto is the
first occurrence of the autocratic editorial 'we.'

Butler had also to contend with the opposition of the news writers or
news correspondents, who doubtless found his undertaking interfere with
their trade. These gentry covenanted for the sum of L3 or L4 a year to
write a news letter every post day to their subscribers in the country.
That this curious trade was thoroughly systematized is evident from the
following passage in Ben Jonson's 'Staple of News,' published in 1635:

'This is the outer room where