This dissertation focuses on the career of Gilbert Mabbott, a little known but influential player in the British Civil Wars of the seventeenth century. As both a newswriter and print licenser, he played an integral role in the development and shape of the news industry during a period famous for the profundity, contentiousness, and turbulence of its presses. By examining his licensing strategies and publication record, I have better defined the nature of censorship and its limits. In the process, this dissertation proves that he was the editor of the radical newsbook, The Moderate. Mabbott's licensing and his stewardship of the Moderate show that he was not a Leveller, but a radical Independent who favored the settlement of England according to the Agreement of the People. His licensing and resignation from the post of licenser illustrate his advocacy for a greater freedom of the press. Mabbott also serves as a telling example of early modern political culture. His work as a parliamentary clerk led to a career as a London agent. Similar to a modern lobbyist, he was responsible for securing the personal and public interests of a wide range of employers, from private individuals to city governments and even the army itself. These various lines of employment challenged traditional authorities, disrupted the patron-client relationship, and ultimately helped Mabbott to break free of the patron-client system.