1662 in literature

Events

• February 15 – The first performance of Sir William Davenant's The Law Against Lovers – the first Restoration adaptation of Shakespeare, consisting of an amalgam of Measure for Measure and Much Ado About Nothing – is given by the Duke's Company at its new theater in Lincoln's Inn Fields, London.
• September 29 – Samuel Pepys in his diary calls the King's Company production of A Midsummer Night's Dream in London "the most insipid, ridiculous play that ever I saw in my life."
• October 18 – John Ogilby, Master of the Revels in Ireland, opens the first Theatre Royal, Dublin, in Smock Alley.
• December 26 – The première of Molière's comedy The School for Wives is held at the Théâtre du Palais-Royal in Paris.
• unknown dates
• *Two autos sacramentales by Pedro Calderón de la Barca – Las órdenes militares and Mística y real Babilonia – are the subject of an inquiry by the Spanish Inquisition. The former is censured and its manuscript copies confiscated, and remains condemned until 1671.
• *The Parliament of England passes the first Printing Act of the Restoration era, the Licensing of the Press Act, which restricts London printing to a total of 24 printing houses, each with no more than three presses and three apprentices. Books printed abroad are banned. Roger L'Estrange is granted a warrant to seize seditious books or pamphlets.

  New books

Prose

• Book of Common Prayer
• Sarah Blackborow – The Oppressed Prisoners' Complaint
• Margaret Cavendish – Orations of Diverse Persons
• Cyrano de Bergerac – États et Empires du Soleil
• Franciscus van den Enden – Kort Verhael van Nieuw-Nederland
• John Evelyn – Sculptura: or The history, and art of chalcography and engraving in copper...
• Thomas Fuller – The History of the Worthies of England
• John Heydon
• *The Harmony of the World
• *The English Physician's Guide
• Adam Olearius – The Voyages & Travels of the Ambassadors

  Drama

• Margaret Cavendish – Plays Written by the Thrice Noble, Illustrious and Excellent Princess, the Lady Marchioness of Newcastle
• Aston Cockayne – The Tragedy of Ovid published
• Pierre Corneille – Sertorius
• Sir William Davenant – The Law Against Lovers
• William Heminges – The Jews' Tragedy published
• Robert Howard – The Committee
• Francis Kirkman – The Wits, or Sport for Sport
• Thomas Middleton and John Webster – Anything for a Quiet Life published
• Molière – The School for Wives
• John Wilson – The Cheats

  Poetry

• Joost van den Vondel – Joannes de Boetgezant
• Michael Wigglesworth – The Day of Doom, or A Poetical Description of the Great and Last Judgement

  Births

• January 27 – Richard Bentley, English classicist
• October 18 – Matthew Henry, English Bible commentator
• Baptized December 17 – Samuel Wesley, English poet and author
• unknown date – John Hudson, English classicist and librarian

  Deaths

• March 10 – Samuel Hartlib, German-born English polymath
• March 30 – François le Métel de Boisrobert, French poet
• May – Daniel de Priézac, French political writer
• August 17 – Richard Hubberthorne, English Quaker preacher and writer
• August 19 – Blaise Pascal, French philosopher
• unknown date – Henry Jeanes, English controversialist and pamphleteer