Marchamont Needham
Encyclopedia
Marchamont Needham was a journalist
, publisher and pamphleteer
during the English Civil War
, who wrote official news and propaganda
for both sides of the conflict.
The various factions who made use of his writings could obviously overlook some of his opinions, recognising instead the value of a good propagandist. One anonymous pamphlet said of him "that mercenary soul that for a handful of earth shall be hired to assassinate the greatest fame and reputation".
, Oxfordshire
, after his father's death. His stepfather was the vicar of Burford and teacher at the local school. After obtaining a BA from All Souls College, Oxford
in 1637, Marchamont worked first as a teacher and then studied law and medicine.
He came to prominence in 1643 when he began working on Mercurius Britanicus, a weekly news-book espousing the parliamentary politics of the era, mainly written as a response to the royalist Mercurius Aulicus
of John Birkenhead
. The Britanicus, which Needham controlled after 1644, was more overtly polemical and savage than the satirical Aulicus. The publication in the Britanicus of Charles I
's personal letters which were captured after the battle of Naseby
was a significant propaganda coop for the parliamentary forces. But this and Needham's attacks on the personality of the king drew censure from the House of Lords
and when Needham again attacked the king in print, during delicate negotiations in May 1646, he was sent to the Fleet prison
for two weeks.
Upon his release he was banned from publishing but probably authored some of the many anonymous pamphlets around at the time. In 1647 Charles I, surprisingly, seems to have forgiven him and he began publishing Mercurius Pragmaticus, a royalist supporting news-book. At the fall of the royalists and the execution of Charles I, Needham was arrested and imprisoned in Newgate prison
. His time in prison allowed him to square the politics of the new Commonwealth
with classical ideas of republic
and he began to write pamphlets in support of the new regime. They began with his apologies for past actions and exhortations for co-operation of all parties with the new government, quoting authorities from both sides.
For the next ten years Needham published Mercurius Politicus, the official news-book of the new republican state, albeit under the editorial aegis of John Thurloe
, spymaster of Cromwell
. With the royalist faction suppressed or in exile abroad, Needham foreswore his previous scurrilous reporting and aimed to educate his readers in political principles of humanism
and republicanism. As the early radicalism of the Commonwealth began to wane, the revolutionary ideas expressed in Politicus also softened, with a greater emphasis on the merit of a stable state. This did not mean that he did not on occasion criticise some of the conservative and authoritarian aspects of Cromwell's Protectorate
and, like others, called for a return to more republican ideals. The newspaper was widely read in England
and Europe
amongst exiles and Europeans alike. Another significant innovation was the inclusion of regular advertising.
Needham predicted and wrote pamphlets agitating against the restoration
of the monarchy and when the restoration occurred he went into hiding, possibly in Holland. Despite ferocious pamphlets written about him, he was allowed to return to London under the new regime's relatively open climate for writers, which also saw his friend John Milton
released from prison. Needham helped his case by re-printing some poems, written in Mercurius Pragmaticus, while supporting Charles I during the late 1640s. He retired from political pamphleteering and worked as a doctor, although he could not entirely avoid publishing, producing two pamphlets on education and medicine.
One final foray into the field of political writings came in the mid-1670s when he wrote several pamphlets attacking the Earl of Shaftesbury. The motive for these seems to have been simply money; but he used the occasion to renew his attacks on presbyterianism, and his final pamphlet before his death in 1678, a call for war against the French, was probably sincere.
Nedham's political reversals were depicted as dishonest; but he seems to have regarded religious toleration, usually advocated by the king's party, as the best way to cure the political problems of the times. Presbyterianism
, and the Scots in general, he attacked at almost every opportunity. He also used the self-interest theories of Henri, duc de Rohan
and Machiavelli to compare the motivations for each side's actions and predicting the ensuing political climate. He pioneered this kind of analysis of an on-going event and used it to determine his own stance. His writing continued to be influential among the Whigs.
In the 18th century, Needham's theories of republicanism were severely criticized by American Founding Father John Adams
in the third volume of his A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America (1787-88).
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
, publisher and pamphleteer
Pamphleteer
A pamphleteer is a historical term for someone who creates or distributes pamphlets. Pamphlets were used to broadcast the writer's opinions on an issue, for example, in order to get people to vote for their favorite politician or to articulate a particular political ideology.A famous pamphleteer...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, who wrote official news and propaganda
Propaganda
Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit oneself or one's group....
for both sides of the conflict.
The various factions who made use of his writings could obviously overlook some of his opinions, recognising instead the value of a good propagandist. One anonymous pamphlet said of him "that mercenary soul that for a handful of earth shall be hired to assassinate the greatest fame and reputation".
Life
Marchamont was raised by his mother, the innkeeper of The George inn, BurfordBurford
Burford is a small town on the River Windrush in the Cotswold hills in west Oxfordshire, England, about west of Oxford, southeast of Cheltenham and only from the Gloucestershire boundary...
, Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
, after his father's death. His stepfather was the vicar of Burford and teacher at the local school. After obtaining a BA from All Souls College, Oxford
All Souls College, Oxford
The Warden and the College of the Souls of all Faithful People deceased in the University of Oxford or All Souls College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England....
in 1637, Marchamont worked first as a teacher and then studied law and medicine.
He came to prominence in 1643 when he began working on Mercurius Britanicus, a weekly news-book espousing the parliamentary politics of the era, mainly written as a response to the royalist Mercurius Aulicus
Mercurius Aulicus
Mercurius Aulicus was one of the "most important early newspapers" in England, famous during the English Civil War for its role in Royalist propaganda.-Creation:...
of John Birkenhead
John Birkenhead
Sir John Birkenhead or Berkenhead was a British political writer and journalist, imprisoned several times during the Commonwealth for his obtrusive royalism....
. The Britanicus, which Needham controlled after 1644, was more overtly polemical and savage than the satirical Aulicus. The publication in the Britanicus of Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
's personal letters which were captured after the battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
was a significant propaganda coop for the parliamentary forces. But this and Needham's attacks on the personality of the king drew censure from the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
and when Needham again attacked the king in print, during delicate negotiations in May 1646, he was sent to the Fleet prison
Fleet Prison
Fleet Prison was a notorious London prison by the side of the Fleet River in London. The prison was built in 1197 and was in use until 1844. It was demolished in 1846.- History :...
for two weeks.
Upon his release he was banned from publishing but probably authored some of the many anonymous pamphlets around at the time. In 1647 Charles I, surprisingly, seems to have forgiven him and he began publishing Mercurius Pragmaticus, a royalist supporting news-book. At the fall of the royalists and the execution of Charles I, Needham was arrested and imprisoned in Newgate prison
Newgate Prison
Newgate Prison was a prison in London, at the corner of Newgate Street and Old Bailey just inside the City of London. It was originally located at the site of a gate in the Roman London Wall. The gate/prison was rebuilt in the 12th century, and demolished in 1777...
. His time in prison allowed him to square the politics of the new Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
with classical ideas of republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...
and he began to write pamphlets in support of the new regime. They began with his apologies for past actions and exhortations for co-operation of all parties with the new government, quoting authorities from both sides.
For the next ten years Needham published Mercurius Politicus, the official news-book of the new republican state, albeit under the editorial aegis of John Thurloe
John Thurloe
John Thurloe was a secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell.-Life:...
, spymaster of Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
. With the royalist faction suppressed or in exile abroad, Needham foreswore his previous scurrilous reporting and aimed to educate his readers in political principles of humanism
Humanism
Humanism is an approach in study, philosophy, world view or practice that focuses on human values and concerns. In philosophy and social science, humanism is a perspective which affirms some notion of human nature, and is contrasted with anti-humanism....
and republicanism. As the early radicalism of the Commonwealth began to wane, the revolutionary ideas expressed in Politicus also softened, with a greater emphasis on the merit of a stable state. This did not mean that he did not on occasion criticise some of the conservative and authoritarian aspects of Cromwell's Protectorate
The Protectorate
In British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
and, like others, called for a return to more republican ideals. The newspaper was widely read in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
amongst exiles and Europeans alike. Another significant innovation was the inclusion of regular advertising.
Needham predicted and wrote pamphlets agitating against the restoration
English Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
of the monarchy and when the restoration occurred he went into hiding, possibly in Holland. Despite ferocious pamphlets written about him, he was allowed to return to London under the new regime's relatively open climate for writers, which also saw his friend John Milton
John Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
released from prison. Needham helped his case by re-printing some poems, written in Mercurius Pragmaticus, while supporting Charles I during the late 1640s. He retired from political pamphleteering and worked as a doctor, although he could not entirely avoid publishing, producing two pamphlets on education and medicine.
One final foray into the field of political writings came in the mid-1670s when he wrote several pamphlets attacking the Earl of Shaftesbury. The motive for these seems to have been simply money; but he used the occasion to renew his attacks on presbyterianism, and his final pamphlet before his death in 1678, a call for war against the French, was probably sincere.
Nedham's political reversals were depicted as dishonest; but he seems to have regarded religious toleration, usually advocated by the king's party, as the best way to cure the political problems of the times. Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
, and the Scots in general, he attacked at almost every opportunity. He also used the self-interest theories of Henri, duc de Rohan
Henri, duc de Rohan
Henri de Rohan, Viscount then Duke of Rohan , later duke of Rohan, French soldier, writer and leader of the Huguenots, was born at the Château de Blain , in Brittany....
and Machiavelli to compare the motivations for each side's actions and predicting the ensuing political climate. He pioneered this kind of analysis of an on-going event and used it to determine his own stance. His writing continued to be influential among the Whigs.
In the 18th century, Needham's theories of republicanism were severely criticized by American Founding Father John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
in the third volume of his A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America (1787-88).