17세기 영국의 커피ㆍ커피하우스 논쟁에 관한 일고

A Study of Controversy on Coffee and Coffeehouses in Seventeenth Century England

This article aims to investigate the arguments for and against coffeeㆍcoffeehouses in early post-Restauration era by examining seven pamphlets. Coffeehouses in England opened for the first time in 1650-1660s. They are usually advertised on pamphlets in which coffee has miraculous healing properties for various diseases. With the sober and curative drink, coffeehouse has attracted regular customers of pubs and ale-houses. And it has a ideal space at that time for discussion and formation of public opinion. What is still better is that it’s keeper issues news release on various topics. Because of temperance and sober drink and cheap price plus a lively argument, coffeehouse wins popularity over pubs and ale- houses. But the appearance of a new social beverage and it’s space are undesirable for the publicans, some stick-in-the-mud, xenophobes and islamophobes. They publicly denounced coffee by pamphlets and news papers home grown that the drink is a hell-burnt liquor(Merc. Democ) or abominable, heathenish liquor (A well-willer) or Turkish enchantress. King Charles Ⅱ and his government even the universities expressed concern about general air of coffeehouse in which anyone can just come and speak in freedom exactly what he thinks. Because this space would be a source of worry for them in order for society to remain stable. But the king and his cabinet couldn’t effectively control coffeehouse and his news paper owing to the nation-wide protests. Thus the men involved in literature, in overseas trade, in business and in stocks patronized coffeehouses. But somebodies who mind about spread of false rumors, of political intrigues and of social disorder keep their eyes on the coffeehouse space. These different views of the same age were reflected in the seven pamphlets, in which this article has interest.