: Due to the high risk of prosecution, most libels were circulated anonymously through scribal networks or by word of mouth rather than in print. Legal and Social Context
: The genre was predominantly characterized by an "aggressively masculine" voice that often used female bodies as metaphors for political corruption.
: In England, the Star Chamber was the primary venue for prosecuting "famous libels" (libellis famosis), often viewing written defamation as more dangerous than spoken slander because of its permanent nature.
Defamation was a serious crime rigorously prosecuted by both state and local authorities.