Bede
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The censorship of the church of Rome and its influence upon the production and distribution of literature; a study of the history of the prohibitory and expurgatory indexes, together with some considerattion of the effects of Protestant censorship and of censorship by the state is a book by George Haven Putnam.
Excerpts
Aretino
Certain of the books of the notorious Aretino of Arezzo had been included in the Index of 1559, and the prohibition is confirmed in the Index of Trent. This author is condemned not (as might well have been expected) on the grotmd of the pornographic character of his writings, but because of their (alleged) heretical tendencies. Professor Paul van Dyke points out that "when the influence of the Council of Trent was being felt in reforming the abuses and restoring the discipline of the Church, Aretino's freedom in criticising the clergy became offensive."
Rabelais
Among the authors whose works appear in these Paris Indexes may be noted the following: Erasmus, Jo. Ferus, Polydorus Vergil (editions of whom had been issued by Stephanus), Lotiis de Berquin, Estienne Dolet (who was executed for heresy in 1556), Faber Stapulensis, Beda, Francois Rabelais, a "Benedictine monk who finally became pastor at Meudon." One would hardly recognise under this catalogue description the creator of Gargantua and Pantagruel, while it is not at all surprising that the narrative of the doings of these two world's heroes should have been found deserving of a place on the Index. The book of Pantagruel, which was first printed anonymously in 1533, was reprinted in 1546 with the name of its author, It was placed on the Index of the Sorbonne in 1553. and in the same year was condemned in the official list of the Parliament. In 1554, however, at the instance of the Cardinal de Ch&tillon, Henry II cancelled the prohibition. In the Roman Index, Rabelais stands in the first class, but is recorded under the term "Rabletius."
