23 August – an extravagant pageant on the River Thames greets the arrival of Charles II and his new queen Catherine of Braganza on their arrival at the Palace of Whitehall from Hampton Court.[1]
John Graunt, in one of the earliest uses of statistics, publishes information about births and deaths in London.
The second edition of Robert Boyle's New Experiments Physico-Mechanicall, Touching The Spring of the Air, and its Effects is published in Oxford containing Boyle's Law.
The Poor Relief Act 1662 ("Settlement and Removal Act") is passed, setting out principles for establishing the parish to which a person belongs (their place of 'settlement'), which would be responsible should they become in need of Poor Relief.
The Licensing of the Press Act is passed, restricting London printers to a total of 24. Books printed abroad are prohibited. Roger L'Estrange is granted a warrant to seize seditious books or pamphlets.