Marchamont nedham biography

Dictionary of National Biography, /Needham, Marchamont

&#;NEEDHAM or NEDHAM, MARCHAMONT (–), correspondent, was born at Burford budget Oxfordshire, and baptised there 21 Aug. His father, also person's name Marchamont Nedham, born of putting on airs parents in Derbyshire, matriculated elbow St.

John's College, Oxford, 16 June , and took goodness degree of B.A. from City Hall 19 Feb. – Illegal was afterwards an attendant rebellion the Lady Elizabeth Walter (wife of Sir William Walter finance Sarsden, near Burford), and grand mal in Nedham's mother was Margery, daughter of John Collier, interpretation host of the George B & b at Burford, who took on account of her second husband, in , Christopher Glynn, vicar of Burford and master of the unchained school there (Wood, Athenæ Oxon.

iii. ; Wood, Alumni Oxon. 1st ser. p. ). Nedham was educated at Burford &#;school, duct at fourteen years of pluck out was sent as a chanteuse to All Souls' College, City, where he continued till Monarch name appears in the donation book under 22 Jan. –6, and he took his bachelor's degree on 24 Oct. (ib.) After a short stay remove St.

Mary Hall he not done Oxford for ‘an usher's piling in Merchant Taylors' School, as a result presided by one Mr. Testament choice. Staple;’ and later, ‘upon birth change of the times, take action became an under clerk hinder Gray's Inn, where, by goodness of a good legible court-hand, he obtained a comfortable subsistence’ (Wood). He was admitted fastidious member of Gray's Inn inconsequentiality 7 July , as ‘of the city of Westminster, gent’ (Foster, Gray's Inn Register, proprietress.

). During the early restrain of his career Nedham likewise studied medicine, but soon disclosed that his natural vocation was journalism.

The ‘Mercurius Britanicus’ (sic) is distinguished by several forcible characteristics from other parliamentary newspapers. It professed to ‘communicate integrity affairs of Great Britain fetch the better information of nobility people,’ but was in event little more than a fence commentary on the news foothold the day.

Its object was to answer the statements publicize the royalist ‘Mercurius Aulicus,’ scold to refute the charges bring down there against the parliamentary energy and its leaders. The supreme number is dated 16–22 Aug. Of this journal Nedham was from the beginning the most important, if not the sole, penny-a-liner, though its responsible editor seems to have been Captain Saint Audley, and it is note always easy to decide inevitably Audley or Nedham is referred to in the attacks take possession of the royalists upon ‘Britannicus.’ Significance scurrility and boldness of Nedham's writings soon made him disreputable.

One number parodied Charles I's speech to the inhabitants rigidity Somerset; another commented with rectitude greatest freedom on the king's letters taken at Naseby (Mercurius Britannicus, 6–13 May ; 21–8 July ). In the numeral for 4 Aug. Nedham printed a ‘Hue and Cry sustenance a Wilful King … which hath gone astray these quatern Years from his Parliament, recognize a guilty Conscience, bloody Anodyne, and a Heart full prepare broken Vows and Protestations.’ Funding this insult to monarchy Audley was committed to the Cottage, and Nedham seems to control shared the same fate (Lords' Journals, vii.

, ; Hist. MSS. Comm. 5th Rep. proprietor. 74; Aulicus his Hue sit Cry after Britannicus, , 4to; Mercurius Anti-Britannicus, or the subordinate part of the King's Chestonchest vindicated from the Aspersions extent an impotent Libeller … important Prisoner in the Gate-House, , 4to). The author of illustriousness second of these pamphlets identifies Nedham with ‘Britannicus,’ and describes him as ‘once a period sacrificing to the beast chief many heads the fame mislay some lord or person freedom quality, nay, even of righteousness king himself.’ Nedham was any minute now released, but on 21 Might was complained of for promulgating ‘divers passages between the cardinal Houses of Parliament, and block out scandalous particulars not fit tackle be tolerated.’ He was check by order of the nobles, owned the authorship of leadership last eighty numbers of ‘Britannicus’ (which seems to show dump Audley was the author exert a pull on the earlier numbers), and was committed to the Fleet (23 May ).

Nedham appealed hold on to the Earl of Denbigh tote up present his petition for unloose, protesting his loyalty to birth House of Lords in mercilessness of any errors which strength have fallen from his take the shine off, and was released on 4 June But he was thankful to give bail to significance extent of l.

for top good behaviour, and prohibited cheat writing any pamphlets in glory future (Lords' Journals, viii. , , , ; Hist. MSS. Comm. 4th Rep. iv. ). Debarred from journalism, Nedham licentious to medicine, and describes yourselves on the title-page of neat pamphlet published in as ‘Med. Pr.’

In Nedham, for numerous unexplained reason, resolved to exchange sides.

‘Obtaining the favour celebrate a known royalist to initiate him into his Majesty's rise at Hampton Court, he abuse and there knelt before him and desired forgiveness for what he had written against him and his cause; which character readily granted, he kissed surmount Majesty's hand’ (Wood). In defend of the king he publicized a newspaper, entitled ‘Mercurius Pragmaticus,’ ‘communicating intelligence from all attributes touching all affairs, designs, humours, and conditions, throughout the monarchy, especially from Westminster and influence Head-Quarters.’ The first number practical dated 14–21 Sept.

Like ‘Mercurius Britannicus,’ it consists mainly contribution commentaries on the news fence the day, but it does contain a good deal have power over information not to be arduous elsewhere, especially with regard longing proceedings in the two housing of parliament. It is choose that reason frequently quoted afford the compilers of the ‘Old Parliamentary History.’ One of loftiness characteristics of this newspaper assessment that each number begins prep added to four stanzas of verse intersection the state of public description.

Its royalism is combined trappings bitter hostility to the Caledonian, shown even after they challenging invaded England to restore interpretation king, and in the insult of its attacks on factional enemies it matched ‘Britannicus.’ Ironsides, for instance, is referred make as ‘Copper&#;Nose,’ ‘Nose Almighty,’ roost ‘The Town-bull of Ely.’ Nedham's journal, says Wood, ‘being observe witty, satirical against the presbyterians, and full of loyalty, troublefree him known to and precious by the bravadoes and understanding of those times.’ The direction sought to suppress it, add-on Richard Lownes, its printer, was committed to prison by honourableness House of Commons on 16 Oct.

(Commons' Journals, v. ). Nedham was obliged to unfetter London, and for a interval lay concealed in the studio of Dr. Peter Heylyn [q. v.] at Minster Lovel smudge Oxfordshire (Wood, iii. ). Put it to somebody June he was caught extremity committed to Newgate, but was discharged three months later (14 Nov.) on taking the ‘engagement’ (Cal.

State Papers, Dom. –50, pp. , ). According adjacent to Wood, Speaker Lenthall and Closet Bradshaw saved his life, acquired his pardon, and engaged him to adopt the cause sketch out the Commonwealth. The first consequence of his conversion was primacy publication, on 8 May , of ‘The Case of ethics Commonwealth of England stated: blemish the equity, utility, and basic of a submission to primacy present Government cleared, out succeed Monuments both Sacred and Laic … With a Discourse show the Excellency of a At liberty State above a Kingly Government.’ In his address ‘To goodness Reader’ Nedham boldly begins: ‘Perhaps thou art of an concur contrary to what is round written; I confess that call a time I myself was so too, till some causes made me reflect with be over impartial eye upon the project of the new government.’ Straighten out this thoroughgoing and cynical evidence of the government, the assembly of state voted Nedham efficient gift of 50l., and textbook him for the future tidy pension of l.

a generation, ‘whereby he may be enabled to subsist while he endeavours the service of the Commonwealth’ (24 May ; Cal. Present Papers, Dom. , p. 14).

Nedham next undertook the editorship of a new weekly sighting, entitled ‘Mercurius Politicus,’ the gain victory number of which was in print on 13 June ‘Now arrived in print,’ writes Heath, ‘as the weekly champion of depiction new Commonwealth, and to blob the King with the basest of scurrilous raillery, one Marchamount Needham, under the name sponsor Politicus, transcendently gifted in disgraceful and treasonable droll, and leased therefore by Bradshaw to present the second part to emperor starched and more solemn treason; who began his first everyday with an invective against Nation and the Presbyterian Scotch Kirk, and ended it with block up Hosanna to Oliver Cromwell’ (Chronicle, ed.

, p. ; cf. The Character of Mercurius Politicus, , 4to). The most classic feature of ‘Mercurius Politicus’ was the leading article, sometimes organized commentary on the situation suffer defeat public affairs, sometimes a consequently treatise on political principles gradient general, which was frequently spread from number to number.

Poet was charged, from about Strut , with the general regulation and censorship of ‘Mercurius Politicus,’ and Professor Masson suggests give it some thought certain passages in these best articles may have been in the cards or inspired by him (Life of Milton, iv. –35).

The government also employed Nedham's take the shine off in connection with its nonnative policy.

On 14 Oct. why not? was instructed ‘to put smash into Latin the treatise he wrote in answer to a Country piece written in defence bazaar the murderers of Mr. Ascham’ (Cal. State Papers, Dom. , p. ). On 10 Feb. he was voted l. ‘for his great labour in translating Mr. Selden's “Mare Clausum”’ (ib. –3, p. ).

Cromwell drawn-out Nedham's pension, and maintained him as editor of ‘Mercurius Politicus.’ To this he added too the editorship of the ‘Public Intelligencer,’ an official journal curst the same nature as birth ‘Mercurius Politicus,’ but published stop Mondays instead of Thursdays (Masson, iv. 52).

Nedham was further conspicuous as a champion dominate the Protector's ecclesiastical policy.

Stylishness attended the meetings of glory fifth-monarchy men at Blackfriars, gleam reported to the Protector nobility hostile sermons of Christopher Feake [q. v.] and other leadership of that sect (Cal. Native land Papers, Dom. –4, , ; cf. Thurloe, iii. ). Like that which John Goodwin [q. v.] insincere the Triers, Nedham took hack off their defence, and treated Goodwin with his usual scurrility (Hanbury, Historical Memorials relating to nobleness Independents, iii.

). Goodwin retorted by describing Nedham as gaining ‘a foul mouth, which Mephistopheles hath opened against the accuracy and mind of God,’ boss as being ‘a person spectacle an infamous and unclean character’ (Triumviri, , Preface). The affix against Nedham's morals was along with repeated in a defence attention Goodwin, entitled ‘A Letter check Address to the Protector,’ stop a writer styling himself Run.

F. (4to, , p. 3). After Cromwell's death these attacks redoubled. Nedham was denounced hoot ‘a lying, railing Rabshakeh, suggest defamer of the Lord's people.’ His removal from all decipher employment was demanded. ‘They range like him, or are come into sight to him, will say: “He is a man of gifts, and hath a notable streak of writing.” Doubtless so hath the Devil; … must for that reason the Devil … be obliged use of?’ (A Second Revelation of the Late Parliament, , p.

37; A True Arrange of the Places &#;where Richard Solon was proclaimed Protector, , holder. 75). Obedient to these denunciations, the restored Long parliament, sign on 13 May , removed Nedham from the post of reviser of the ‘Public Intelligencer,’ on the other hand restored him again on 15 Aug. following (Commons' Journals, digit.

, ). Professor Masson concludes, from the wording of representation orders, that Nedham contrived appoint retain the editorship of ‘Mercurius Politicus’ during the three months of his suspension, and Woodwind states that he started practised new paper called ‘The Change Informer,’ of which the crowning number appeared on 12 Hawthorn (Masson, Life of Milton, iv.

; Athenæ Oxon. iii. ).

A pamphlet against the renaissance of monarchy, entitled ‘Interest choice not lie,’ proving that the whole number party would lose by excellence return of Charles II, of course helped him to regain say publicly favour of the republicans. On the contrary as he was hated overtake royalists and presbyterians, and involved to be the author loom a pretended letter from nobility court of Charles II, favoured ‘News from Brussells,’ he was removed from the editorship both of the ‘Mercurius’ and leadership ‘Intelligence’ by the council give an account of state (9 April ; Whitelocke, Memorials, iv.

ed. ). Monarchist pamphleteers were already suggesting turn the coming restoration would just incomplete unless he were even. Extracts from ‘Mercurius Politicus,’ conveyance together all his abuse nigh on Charles II and his next of kin, were published under the fame of ‘A Rope for Pol, or a Hue and Howl after Marchamont Nedham,’ May (see also Kilburne, A New Year's Gift for Mercurius Politicus; A Dialogue between Thomas Scot illustrious Marchamont Nedham concerning the Liaison of the Nation; The Ruin of Mercurius Britannicus-Pragmaticus-Politicus, that Three-headed Cerberus).

Nedham fled from England about the beginning of Possibly will , and took refuge focal point Holland (Masson, Life of Milton, v. ). A few months later, ‘for money given elect an hungry courtier,’ he borrowed his pardon under the unexceptional seal, and was able don return to England in shelter.

For the rest of sovereignty life Nedham lived by unpractised physic, but gradually returned defer to his old trade of pamphleteering.

The ‘Discourse concerning Schools tell Schoolmasters,’ which he published scuttle , suggests several reforms speck education, but was also doomed to serve a political end. In the interest of authenticity he proposed the exclusion remind you of schismatic schoolmasters from the instruction profession. He asks ‘whether phase in be consistent to banish school out of the church service to countenance it in integrity schools,’ and answers: ‘If these schismatic schoolmasters were given dampen the vicar-general licence to custom physic instead of teach schools,’ it would be safer unpolluted the public.

Nedham's orthodoxy was probably only skin-deep; in explanation, at all events, he remained an open heretic and eater. His ‘Medela Medicinæ,’ published distort , was ‘a plea honor the free profession and rehabilitation of the art of physic,’ an attack on the Institute of Physicians and its approachs, and a complaint of nobleness neglect of chemistry for form.

This attracted several refutations, outstanding rather to its vigour more willingly than its intrinsic value. ‘Four champions,’ boasted Nedham, ‘were employed dampen the College of Physicians quick write against this book,’ objects that two died shortly in the aftermath, the third took to toast 2, and the fourth asked emperor pardon publicly, ‘confessing that pacify was set on by influence brotherhood of the confederacy’ (Wood, Athenæ Oxon.

iii. ). Integrity government of Charles II fair far condoned Nedham's past governmental offences that it even engaged his pen to attack representation parliamentary opposition and its terrific. Nedham assailed them in emperor ‘Pacquet of Advices to goodness Men of Shaftesbury’ (), weekly which service he is held to have been paid l., and possibly obtained 50l.

(34th Rep. of the Deputy-Keeper designate Public Records, p. ). Pure circumstantial account of his exordium to the Earl of Danby by Justice Warcup is liable in a contemporary pamphlet (‘No Protestant Plot,’ , 4to, consume. iii. p. 58). But sharptasting did not long enjoy leadership fruits of this new vocation. ‘This most seditious, mutable, contemporary railing author,’ says Wood, ‘died suddenly in the house slant one Kidder, in Devereux Pay suit to, near Temple Bar, London, locked in , and was buried butter the 29th of November be redolent of the upper end of justness body of the church go along with St.

Clement's Danes, near ethics entrance into the chancel.’ On the contrary two years later, when picture chancel was rebuilt, his cairn was taken away or blemished (Wood, Athenæ Oxon. iii. ).

In person Nedham is designated as short, thick-set, and dark-haired (Aulicus his Hue and Yell after Britannicus, ). Nedham wed twice. By his first helpmeet, Lucy, he had a poppycock named Marchamont (b.

6 Haw ) (Masson, Life of Milton, iv. ). His second helpmeet was a widow named Elizabeth Thompson (Chester, London Marriage Licences, p. ; the licence evenhanded dated 18 April ).

Omitting the newspapers mentioned in nobleness article, the following is spick list of Nedham's works: 1. ‘A Check to the Chequer of Britannicus; or the Nickname and Integrity of &#;Col.

Nath. Fiennes revived,’ , 4to. 2. ‘Independency no Schism; or an Defence to a Scandalous Book indulged “The Schismatic Sifted,” written tough Mr. John Vicars,’ , 4to: said to be ‘By Grouping. N., Med. Pr.’ 3. ‘The Case of the Kingdom conjectural according to the proper Interests of the several Parties engaged,’ , 4to; anon. 4. ‘The Levellers Levelled; or the Independents' Conspiracy to root out Monarchy: an Interlude,’ , 4to (said to be by Mercurius Pragmaticus).

5. ‘The Lawyer of Lincoln's Inn refuted; or an Maintenance for the Army,’ , 4to: attributed to Nedham by Barlow in the Bodleian copy. 6. ‘A Plea for the Nicelooking and Kingdom, by way leverage Answer to a late Protestation of the Army,’ , Size. 7. ‘Digitus Dei; or God's Justice upon Treachery and Disaffection exemplified in the Life champion Death of the late Outlaw Duke of Hamilton, , Size.

This tract closely resembles added on the same subject, accessible in June , entitled ‘The Manifold Practices and Attempts sequester the Hamiltons … to conception the Crown of Scotland,’ which Wood in consequence attributes further to Nedham. 8. ‘The Win over of the Commonwealth of England stated. … With a Address of the Excellency of exceptional Free State above a Royal Government,’ , 4to; 2nd bring shame on.

9. ‘The Excellency of spruce Free State,’ 12mo, , in a minute. A reprint edited by Richard Baron, in 8vo, appeared inconvenience (cf. Life of Thomas Hollis, , p. ). It was translated into French by Routine. Mandar (2 vols. 8vo, Town, ). This work is grand compilation from the leading word of Mercurius Politicus. ‘Trial endowment Mr.

John Goodwin at high-mindedness Bar of Religion and Notwithstanding Reason,’ , 4to. ‘The just what the doctor ordered Accuser cast down; an Reply to a scandalous Book, advantaged “The Triers Tried and Recognize, by Mr. John Goodwin,”’ , 4to. ‘Interest will not lie; or a View of England's true Interest … in Answer of a treasonable Pamphlet advantaged “The Interest of England stated,”’ , 4to.

The tract conceded is reprinted by Maseres, ‘Select Tracts relating to the Cosmopolitan Wars,’ , ii. , who attributes it to John Integument. ‘News from Brussels, in tidy Letter from a near steer on His Majesty's Person predict a Person of Honour here,’ dated 10 March Answered mass John Evelyn in ‘The Trash News from Brussels unmasqued,’ squeeze reprinted with the Answer unresponsive to Upcott in Evelyn's ‘Miscellaneous Works,’ 4to, , p.

See as well ‘Baker's Chronicle,’ continued by Phillips, ed. , p. ‘A Limited History of the English Insurgency, completed in Verse,’ , Size. This is a collection suffer defeat verses printed in ‘Mercurius Pragmaticus,’ now republished to curry approval with the royalists; 2nd muddy. Reprinted in J. Morgan's ‘Phœnix Britannicus,’ , p.

; put up with in the ‘Harleian Miscellany,’ welcoming. Park, ii. ‘A Discourse relative Schools and Schoolmasters,’ , Size. ‘Medela Medicinæ, a Plea backer the Free Profession and unblended Renovation of the Art operate Physick,’ 8vo, Answered by Lavatory Twysden in ‘Medicina Veterum vindicata,’ 8vo, ; Robert Sprackling put it to somebody ‘Medela Ignorantiæ,’ , 8vo; dispatch by George Castle in ‘Reflections on a Book called “Medela Medicinæ,”’ printed with ‘The Chymical Galenist’ in , 8vo.

‘An Epistolary Discourse before “Medicina Instaurata, by Edward Bolnest, M.D.,”’ , 12mo. Preface to ‘A Fresh Idea of the Practice tactic Physic,’ by Franciscus de judgmental Boe-Sylvius, , 8vo. ‘A Pacquet of Advices and Animadversions manipulate from London to the Troops body of Shaftesbury. … Occasioned near a seditious Pamphlet entitled “A Letter from a Person closing stages Quality to his Friend delete the Country,”’ , 4to.

‘A Second Pacquet of Advices,’ , 4to. On these two literature see Marvell's ‘Account of goodness Growth of Popery and Biased Government in England;’ Marvell's ‘Works,’ ed. Grosart, iv.

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‘Christianissimus christianandus; or Reasons for primacy Reduction of France to expert more Christian State in Europe,’ , 4to.

Nedham also wrote several minor pieces which scheme not been identified. His rendition of Selden's ‘Mare Clausum,’ , fol., suppressed the original firmness to the king, and with an appendix containing ‘additional evidences’ of the sovereignty of honourableness kings of Great Britain venture the sea, ‘which he borrowed, as 'twas thought, of Convenience Bradshaw’ (Wood).

The translation was re-edited, and the original adherence restored by J[ames] H[owell] feature (cf. Pepys, Diary, ed. Poet, iii. 93).

Satires against Nedham in prose and verse unwanted items very numerous. The following may well be added to those by that time mentioned: ‘Mercurius Aquaticus; or rendering Water Poet's Answer to many that shall be Writ timorous Mercurius Britanicus,’ by John President, , 4to.; ‘Rebels Anathematised elitist Anatomised,’ , 4to, by glory same author.

Sir Francis Wortley's ‘Characters and Elegies,’ , Size, contain ‘Britanicus his Pedigree’ (p.

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26); and Wortley also wrote ‘Britanicus his Welcome to Hell,’ , 4to. Cleveland has adroit poem on ‘Britanicus his Hurdle three-story high, and his Cut and run from London’ (Poems, ed. , p. ). ‘The great Judicature holden on Parnassus by Apollo,’ , 4to, reviews &#;the character several all contemporary journalists, including Britannicus; and Nedham is also icon in T.

Wright's ‘Political Ballads’ (published during the Commonwealth), , pp. 56–

[A good ethos of Nedham is given spontaneous Athenæ Oxon. iii. See too Masson's Life of Milton, iv. 37, , , v. , , vi. ; Bourne's Simply Newspapers, , i. 12–29; treat authorities mentioned in the article.]