Marchamont Nedham

was born in a Market Town called Burford in Oxfordshire, in the month of Aug. 1620, and on the 21. of the said month received baptisme there. He was son of a Father of both his names, born of gentile parents in Derbyshire (sometimes Bach. of Arts of S. Johns Coll. and Gloc. Hall, afterwards an Attendant on the Lady Elizab. Lucas Sister to John Lord Lucas, and Wife of Sir Will. Walter of Sarsden near Burford before mention’d) by Margery his Wife, Daughter of John Collier the Host of the George inn, then the principal place for the reception of Guests in Burford. But the said Father, dying in the year following, the Mother was the next year after that (scil. in 1622) married to Christoph. Glynn Vicar of the said Town, and Master of the Free-school there: which Glynn perceiving his Son-in-law to have very pregnant parts, did take him under his tuition, and spared not to encourage his forwardness. At about 14 years of age he was sent to Alls. Coll. where being made one of the Choristers, continued there till 1637, at which time he took the degree of Bach. of Arts. So that being not capable of keeping that place any longer, because inconsistent with his degree, he retired to S. Maries Hall for a time. At length being invited to London, he had confer’d upon him an Ushers place in Merchant Taylors School then presided by one Mr. Will. Staple; but how long he continued there I cannot justly tell. Sure it is, that upon the change of the times, he became an under-clerk in Greys inn, where by vertue ((a))((a)) Mercurius Anti-Britanicus, part 2. p. 25. And in The Hue and Cry after Britanicus, by one who calls himself Aulicus, printed 1645. p. 1. of a good legible court-hand, he obtained a comfortable subsistance. Soon after siding with the rout, and scum of the people, he made them weekly sport by railing at all that was noble in his intelligence called Merc. Britan. wherein his endeavours were to sacrifice the fame of some Lord, or person of Quality, nay of the King himself, to the beast with many heads. Diego writeth ((b))((b)) Diego Tornis, edit. Venet. 1604. See the character of Britanicus at large in Sacra Nemesis, written by Dan. Featly. that Barcaeus meeting with the Devil sitting at his ease upon a chair, bid him rise up and give place to his betters. The tale was moraliz’d in Britanicus, who might very well have challenged the precedency of Satan, and to have thrust him out of his chair, the seat of the scornful, wherein he sate several years, and out-railed all the Shimies and Rabsekehs, and out-lyed all the Simmeasses and Psedolusses that ever sate in that chair. So that this Nedham being become popular, and an active man in person among the rout, he was commonly called Capt. Nedham of Greys inn, and what he said or wrot was looked upon as Gospel. About that time he studied Physick, followed the chymical way, and in 1645 began to practice it, and by that and his writing, maintained himself in very gentile fashion. But so it was, that whether by his imprisonment in the Gatehouse for his aspersions of his Majesty, in the opening or explaining his Cabinet Letters, an. 1645, or for some scorn or affronts put upon him, he forthwith left the blessed cause, and obtaining the favour of a known Royallist to introduce him into his Majesties presence at Hampton-court, an. 1647, he then and there knelt before him, and desired forgiveness for what he had written against him and his cause: which being readily granted, he kiss’d his Majesties hand, and soon after wrot Mercurius Pragmaticus: which being very witty, satyrical against the Presbyterians and full of Loyalty, made him known to and admired by the Bravadoes and Wits of those times. But he being narrowly sought after, left London, and for a time sculk’d at Minster Lovel near Burford in Oxfordsh. in the house there of Dr. Pet. Heylyn. At length being found out, imprison’d in Newgate and brought into danger of his life, Lenthall the Speaker of the House of Commons, who knew him and his Relations well, and John Bradshaw President of the High Court of Justice, treated him fairly, and not only got his pardon, but, with promise of rewards and places, perswaded him to change his stile once more, meaning for the Independents, then carrying all before them. So that being brought over, he wrot Merc. Politicus, so extream contrary to the former, that the generality for a long time, especially the most generous Royallists, could not believe that that intelligence could possibly be written by the same hand that wrot the M. Pragmaticus. The truth is, these last were written for about an year and an half, and were endeavoured by the Parliamenteers to be stifled, but the former (the Politici) which came out by authority, and flew every week into all parts of the Nation for more than 10 years, had very great influence upon numbers of inconsiderable persons, such who have a strange presumption that all must needs be true that is in print. He was then the Goliah of the Philistines, the great Champion of the late Usurper, whose pen in comparison of others, was like a weavers beam. And certainly he that will, or can, peruse those his Intelligences called Merc. Politici, will judge that had the Devil himself (the Father of all lies) been in this Goliahs office, he could not have exceeded him, as having with profound malice calumniated his Soveraign, scurrility abused the Nobility, impudence blasphemed the Church and Members thereof, and industry poysoned the People with dangerous principles. At the happy return of the times in 1660 he being conscious to himself that he might be in danger of the halte [•] once more, sculk’d (some said fled into Holland) till s [•] ch time he could get his pardon, or that the Act of Oblivion should pass. In the mean time were not wanting some forward Loyallists to complain of, and write against, him: Among which was a nameless author entit. A rope for Pol. or a hue and crie after March. Nedham the late scurrulous News-writer, print. (in May) 1660. qu, wherein he sheweth to the world the horrid blasphemies and revilings against the Kings Majesties Person, his cause and his friends, published in his weekly Politicus. In Apr. also the same year, was put forth A conference between Tho. Scot and March. Nedham concerning the present Affairs of the Nation; wherein many of Nedhams rogueries are ript up and laid open to the world. In the beginning also of Jan. before going, when great hopes depended upon Monks proceeding, a poem entit. A New-years gift for Politicus, said to be written by Will. Kilburne, flew about, wherein he tells you that Nedham wrot,

Politicus, Intelligencer

(As famous as old Meg Spencer)

Pragmaticus, The Spy, what not?

Britanicus; The Counter plot

Of Hell, &c.

But notwithstanding all verbal and printed complaints, he, for money given to an hungry courtier obtained his pardon under the Great Seal, which was his defence oftentimes, particularly at Oxford Act in 1661, when then several set upon him in S. Maries Church to hale him before a Justice, and so to prison for treason: so that I say being free, and at liberty by vertue of that Seal, which he several times produced, he exercised the faculty of physick to his dying day among the Brethren, which was a considerable benefit to him. He was a person endowed with quick natural parts, was a good humanitian, Poet and boon Droll: And had he been constant to his Cavaleering principles he would have been beloved by, and admired, of all; but being mercenary, and valuing money and sordid interest, rather than conscience, friendship, or love to his Prince, was much hated by the Royal Party to his last, and many cannot yet endure to hear him spoken of. Among several things that he hath written and published, these following have only come to my sight.

Mercurius Britanicus, communicating the affairs of Great Britaine for the better information of the people.—These Mercuries began about the middle of Octob. 1643, and were carried on thence week by week every Munday in one sh. to the latter end of 1646, or beginning of 1647. I have seen a Trag. Com. intit. Merc. Britanicus or the English intelligencer, reprinted in 1641. qu. but the author of that was Rich. Brathwayte.

A check to the checker of Britanicus: or the honour and integrity of Coll. Nath. Fiennes revived, re-estated from certain prejudices and mistakes, occasion’d by late misreports. Lond. 1644. qu.

A Hue and crie after the King, &c.—Generally reported to have been written by this author, particularly (1) By the writer ((c))((c)) Jam. Heath, under the year 1647. of the Brief Chron. of the late intestine war, &c. who tells us that when the King fled from Hampton Court in Nov. 1647 to the Isle of Wight, one Nedham published a most execrable and blasphemous paper called A hue and crie after the King, &c. But how it can be so, I cannot judge, unless our author Nedham could write treason and loyalty in one breath; for at that time and some weeks before, he wrot Merc. Pragm. as I shall anon tell you (2) The writer of the witty ((d))((d)) Printed at Lond. in one sh. in qu. 1647. Poem entit Merc. Britanicus his welcome to Hell, wherein reckoning up most of the Intelligencies that were wrot for the Parliament, saith thus.

Amongst all these (dear son Britanicus)

Thou hast shew’d thy self the best Mercurius;

Thou hast out-slander’d Slander, and prevail’d,

And every railing Rogue thou hast out-rail’d.

Thou bravely didst thy Soveraigne vilifie,

Persu’dst his honour with an Hue and Cry.

Abus’d the Queen with scandals, &c.

The case of the Kingdom stated according to the proper interests of the several parties engaged, &c.—When first published, I know not: the third edition was printed at Lond. 1647. in qu.

The Levellers level’d: or the Independents conspiracy to root out Monarchy. An interlude. Lond. 1647. in two sh. in qu. Said in the title to be written by Merc. pragmaticus. See in Will. Prynne, under the year 1669. p. 320.

Mercurius pragmaticus, communicating intelligence from all parts, touching all affairs, designs, humours and conditions throughout the Kingdom, especially from Westminster and the Head-quarters.—There were two parts of them, and they came out weekly in one sheet in qu. The former part commenced the 14 Sept. 1647, and ended the 9 Jan. 1648. The other which was intit. Merc. pragm. for K. Ch. 2, &c. commenced 24 Apr. 1649, but quickly ended. There were now and then other Pragmatici that peeped forth, but they were counterfeit.

A plea for the King and Kingdom, by way of answer to a late remonstrance of the Army. Lond. in Nov. an. 1648 in 3 sh. in qu.

Digitus Dei: or Gods Justice upon treachery and treason, exemplified in the life and death of the late James Duke of Hamilton, being an exact relation of his traiterous practices since the year 1630, &c. with his epitaph. Lond. 1649. in 4 sh. in qu. In the year before came out a book intit. The manifold practices and attempts of the Hamiltons, and particularly of the present Duke of Hamilton now General of the Scottish Army, to get the Crown of Scotland; in a letter from a Malignant in London to his friend in Scotland. Lond. 1648. qu. But who the author of this was I cannot tell

Mercurius Politicus. Comprising the sum of forein intelligence, with the affairs now on foot in the three Nations of England, Scotland and Ireland.—These Mercuries came out weekly every Wednesday in two sheets in qu. commencing with the 9 of June 1649, and ending with the 6 of June 1650. At which time being Thursday he began again— “Now appeared in print (saith a certain ((e))((e)) Jam. Heath, as before, in his Chron. under the year 1650. writer) as the weekly Champion of the new Commonwealth, and to bespatter the King (Ch. 2.) with the basest of scurrulous raillery, one Marchamont Nedham, under the name of Politicus, a Jack of all sides, transcendently gifted in opprobrious and treasonable droll, and hired therefore by Bradshaw to act the second part to his starcht and more solemn treason—Who began his first Diurnal with an invective against Monarchy and the Presbyterian Scotch Kirk, and ended it with an Hosanna to Oliver Cromwell, who in the beginning of June returned by the way of Bristoll from Ireland to London, &c.” These Mercurii Politici (wherein were many discourses against Monarchy, and in behalf of a Free-state, especially in those that were published before Ol. Cromwell gaped after the Supremacy) were constantly carried on till about the middle of Apr. 1660, when then (as several times before) the author was prohibited by order of the Council of State. By vertue of which order, Hen. Muddiman and Giles Dury were authorized to publish their Intelligence every Munday and Thursday, under the titles of Parliamentary Intelligencer and Mercurius Publicus, which continued (Dury soon after giving over) till the middle of Aug. 1663, and then Rog. L’estrange published the Intelligence twice every week in quarto sheets, under the titles of The publick Intelligencer and The News. The first of which came out 31 of Aug. and the other on the 3 of September an. 1663. These continued till the 29 of Jan. 1665, at which time L’estrange desisted because in Nov. going before were other kind of News-papers published twice every week in half a sheet in folio. These were. called The Oxford Gazette, and the first commenced 7 Nov. 1665, the King and Queen with their Courts being then in Oxon. These for a little time, were written, I think, by Hen. Muddiman: But when the said Courts removed to London, they were intituled and called The London Gazette; the first of which that was published there, came forth on the 5 of Feb. following, the King being then at Whitehall. Soon after Mr. Joseph Williamson Under-Secretary of State, procured the writing of them for himself; and thereupon employed Charles Perrot M. A. and Fellow of Oriel Coll. in Oxon, who had a good command of his pen to do that office under him, and so he did, tho not constantly, to about 1671. After which time they were constantly written by Under-Secretaries, belonging to those that are Principal, and do continue so to this day.

The publick Intelligencer, communicating the chief occurrences and proceedings within the Dominions of England, Scotland and Ireland, &c.—These Mercuries came out weekly every Munday, but contained mostly the same matter that was in the Politici.

The case of the Commonwealth of England stated: or the equity, utility and necessity of a submission to the present Government, against all scruples and pretences of the opposite parties, viz. Royalists, Scots, Presbyterians, Levellers, &c. Lond. 1649. in two parts in quarto. There again in 1650, in qu. also.

Discourse of the excellency of a Free-state above Kingly government. Lond. 1650. qu. published with the former.

An appendix added out of Claud. Salmasius his Defensio Regis and Mr. Hobbes De corpore politico.

Tryal of Mr. Joh. Goodwin at the bar of religion and right reason, &c. Lond. 1657. qu.

The great accuser cast down, &c. An answer to a scandalous book intit. The Triers or Tormentors tried and cast, &c. Written by Mr. Joh. Goodwin. Lond. 1657. qu. The said Goodwin did not reply in another Pamphlet, only in a book ((f))((f)) Triumviri: Or the Genius, Spirit and Deportment of three men, Mr. Rich. Resbury, John Pawson and George Kendall, in their late writings &c. Lond. 1658. in the pref. which he the year after published against other persons, doth characterize our author Nedham as having a foul mouth which Sathan hath opened against the truth and mind of God, &c. as being a person of an infamous and unclean character for the service of the Triers, &c. A man that curseth whatsoever he blesseth, and blesseth whatsoever he curseth, &c. That his book hath a double image visibly stampt upon it, like our Philip and Mary Coine, and therein is a Nye ((g))((g)) Philip Nye one of the chief Triers. of Oxford learning, as well as a Mouth of Oxford railing in the composition, &c.

Interest will not lye: or a view of Englands true interest in reference to the Papist, Royallist, Presbyterian, &c. in refutation of a treasonable Pamphlet intit. The interest of England stated. Lond. 1659. in 6 sh. in large quarto paper.

The moderate informer, communicating the most remarkable transactions both civil and military in the Commonwealth of England, &c.—It commences with the 12 of May 1659, but not carried on for above two or three weeks. Nedham, it seems, was put out of his place of writing the weekly news in the time of Richard L. Protector, occasion’d by the Presbyterians: yet notwithstanding tho Joh. Can was put in his place, yet in spight of opposition he carried on the writing of his Mercuries.

Newes from Brussels, in a Letter from a near Attendant on his Majesties person, to a person of honour here, dat. 10 March stil. vet. 1659.—There is no name to this Letter, (full of rascallities against K. Ch. 2. and his Court) but the general report was then, that it was written by M. Nedham, and conveyed to the Printer or Bookseller by that notorious Schismatick and grand Zealot for the Good Old Cause called Praise-God Barebone. It was answer’d about a week after in another thing in qu. intit. The late news or message from Brussels unmasked; but by whom it. was written I know not.

A short History of the English Rebellion completed in verse. Lond. 1661. qu. ’Tis a collection of all such verses which he before had printed before each of his Merc. pragmat. and was then by him published to curry favour with the Royallists. This short History was printed again in 1680. qu. when the Presbyterians were busie to carry on their designs under the pretence of the Popish Plot. He did prefix to it The true character of a rigid Presbyter, and added the Coat of Arms of Sir John Presbyter to that edit. of 1661, but the said character was not of his writing.

Discourse concerning Schooles and Schoolmasters Lond. 1663. in one sh. and an half in qu.

Medela medicinae. A plea for the free profession and renovation of the art of Physick, &c. Lond. 1665 in a large oct. Answer’d by two Doctors of that faculty, Fellows of the Coll. of Physitians at London, namely Joh. Twysden in his Medicina veterum vindicata, &c. and Rob. Sprackling in his Medela ignorantiae, &c. Our Author Nedham ((g))((g)) In his Pref. to Fr. de le Boe his New idea of the practice of physick—Printed 1675. saith that four Champions were employed by the Coll. of Physitians to write against this book. Two of which (he saith) are gone already: The third I hear (saith he) is often buried in ale at a place called The hole ((h))((h)) The Hole in the Wall is a noted Alehouse in Baldwins Gardens in Holbourne. in the Wall, and the fourth hath asked me pardon before company, confessing that he was set on by the brotherhood of the confederacy.

An epistolary discourse before Medicina instaurata, or a brief account of the true grounds and principles of the art of Physick, &c. by Edw. Bolnest M. D. Lond. 1665.

A pacquet of Advices and Animadversions sent from London to the men of Shaftsbury, &c. Occasioned by a seditious Pamphlet intit. A Letter from a person of Quality to his friend in the Country, &c. Lond. 1676. qu. Of which book and its author, you may see in another intit. An account of the growth of Popery and Arbitrary Government in England. Lond. 1678. in a thin fol. p. 22. Written by Andr. Marvel Esq.

A second Pacquet of Advices &c. occasion’d by several seditious Pamphlets spread abroad to pervert the people, since the publication of the former Pacquet, &c. Lond. 1677. qu. This answers first a Pamphlet intit. Some considerations upon the question, whether the Parliament be dissolved by its prorogation for 15 months. (2) Another intit. The long Parliament dissolved, written by Denzill L. Holles: the author of which being sought after, his Chaplain, a Nonconformist, named Cary or Carew, own’d it to free his Lord; whereupon he was committed Prisoner to the Tower of London, in the beginning of Feb. 1676. This Cary after his Lords death lived in Hatton Garden in Holborne, and practised Physick. (3) A letter from a person newly chosen to sit in this Parliament, to a Bencher in the Temple; with a pretended answer of the Bencher to the same. (4) A narrative of the cause and manner of the imprisonment of the Lords, now close prisoners in the Tower of London: The said two Pacquets of Advices were written as ’tis ((i))((i)) See the third part of No Protestant Plot, p. 58.59. said by Nedham, and he encouraged thereunto by Edm. Warcup a Justice of Peace, and Thomas Earl of Danby.

Christianissimus Christianandus: or, reasons for the reduction of France to a more Christian state in Europe. Lond. 1678. in 10 sh. in qu. Besides all these, he hath written several other small things, which I have not yet seen. He hath translated into English Mare clausum, printed in fol. 1652 or thereabouts; but he being then no way affected to Monarchy, gave himself therefore the license to foist in the name of a Commonwealth instead of the Kings of England, and also to suppress the Epist. ded. to the King. He also added an Appendix to it concerning the Soveraignty of the Kings of Great Britaine on the sea, intit. Additional Evidences, which he procured, as ’twas thought, of Joh. Bradshaw. All which, besides treasonable Comments and false Glosses, were done in the life time of the learned author Joh. Selden. After the restauration of K. Ch. 2. the English copy was corrected, perfected and restored, by J. H. Gent. and pr. at London 1662. fol. He the said Nedham also hath written a Preface before the book intit. A new idea of the practice of Physick, written by ((k))((k)) Fr. de le Boe, died at Leyden in Holl. 1665. Frane. de le Boe, Sylvius; published in English at London in 1675. oct. In which Pref. towards the latter end, our author Nedham saith that he had then (1675 and before) a purpose to publish some Essays to discover what may be done by able men towards an advancement of knowledge in the power of Plants, by the examining their natures by the principles and operations of the Chymists: also that he was about to form divers Treatises for publick view, &c. By the way it must be known that our author in the said Preface doth shew himself a great disliker of the common way of the first studying of Physick in the Universities, and seems also to run down University promotions or degrees, calling them in derision the doctoral confederates, the scholastic family of a fine breed, who come to town with the learned Cushion, Cap, and Scarlet—The Apothecaries boys are able to tutour them in Town-practice—They vaunt and make a noise with their anatomical rattle—spend much time in Anatomy—neglect the chymical way, &c. Several things are fathered also upon him, of which he was not in the least the author, as the publication of The Speeches of Oliver Cromwell, Hen. Ireton and Joh. Bradshaw, intended to have been spoken at their execution at Tyburne, 30 Jan. 1660, &c. Lond. 1660. in one sh. and half in qu. said in the title to be published by Marcham. Nedham and Payne Fisher, Servants, Poets and Pamphleteers to his infernal Highness. At length this most seditious, mutable and railing author M. Nedham died suddenly in the house of one Kidder in D’eureux Court near Temple bar, 1678. London, in sixteen hundred seventy and eight, and was buried on the 29 of Novemb. (being the Vigil of S. Andrew) at the upper end of the body of the Church of S. Clements Danes, near the entrance into the chancel. Soon after, that Church being pull’d down and rebuilt, and the letters on his grave taken away or defaced, you shall have in their place this Epitaph made on him an. 1647, printed at the end of Merc. Britanicus his welcome to hell.

Here lies Britanicus, Hell’s barking Cur,

That son of Belial, who kept damned stir:

And every Munday spent his stock of spleen,

In venomous. railing on the King and Queen.

Who, though they both in goodness may forgive him,

Yet (for his safety) we’ll in hell receive him.