The internet is a wonderful thing. Most of Marchamont Nedham’s many publications can be read on line. The best place to start is here:
Not widely available but indispensable are “Cromwell’s Press Agent” by Joseph Frank (University Press of America, 1980) and Frank’s “The Beginnings of the English Newspaper” (Harvard University Press, 1961) as well as “Making the News, An Anthology of the Newsbooks of Revolutionary England, 1641-1660” edited by Joad Raymond (Windrush Press, 1993).
There are many books and scholarly articles available on the internet, some of which have been very helpful. Everybody starts with the biography of Nedham in Anthony Wood’s “Athenae Oxonienses” which was published shortly after his death but remains the closest thing to a contemporary biography.
Other articles, online books and publications I have benefited from include:
“The Gentry are Sequestered All” by Charlotte Young.
“To Have No Newes Is Good Newes” by Nick Poyntz.
“The Counterfeit Silly Curr” by Jason Peacey
“Merciurius Britanicus” by Angela Macadam
“Marchamont Nedham and the Mystery of State” by Rachael Foxley
“The Levellers Movement” by Peta Steel
“History of Burford” by William Monk
On the wider civil war, these are the books which were of most value to me:
“The English Civil War” by Blair Worden (Weidenfeld & Nicholson)
“The English Civil War at First Hand” by Tristram Hunt (Weidenfeld & Nicholson)
“The English Civil War, A People’s History” by Diane Purkiss (Harper Perennial)
“The English Civil Wars, Roundheads, Cavaliers and the Execution of the King” by John Miller (Robinson)
“Cavaliers and Roundheads, The English at War 1642-1649” by Christopher Hibbert (Harper Collins)
“God’s Englishman” by Christopher Hill (Pelican)
“The Levellers and the English Revolution” by HN Brailsford (Spokesman Books)
“The History of the Rebellion” by Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon (Oxford)
“King Charles II” by Antonia Fraser (Macdonald Futura)
“Prince Rupert, The Last Cavalier” by Charles Spencer (Phoenix)
“The Restless Republic” by Anna Keay (William Collins)
Then, of course, there is “Paradise Lost” not to mention other works by John Milton and Andrew Marvell.
Chapter headings revealed
The 50 chapters of “The Man Who Invented The News” are headed by quotes, titles, phrases and expressions from the 17th century. For anyone interested, I have identified the source of each quote but one.
Chapter 1
Communicating the affaires of great Britaine: For the better Information of the People
Tagline of “Mercurius Britanicus”, Marchamont Nedham
Chapter 2
Speciall Passages and certain Informations from several places
Newsbook title
Chapter 3
A Trve Relation of Certaine Speciall and Remarkable Passages from both Houses of Parliament
Newsbook title
Chapter 4
Communicating the Intelligence and affaires of the Court, to the rest of the KINGDOME
Tag-line of “Mercurius Aulicus”, the “Court Mercury”
Chapter 5
A True Catalogue, Or An Account of the Several Places and most Eminent Persons
Newsbook title
Chapter 6
A check to the checker of Britanicus
Marchamont Nedham, Title of a pamphlet attacking William Prynne
Chapter 7
Thou art an underling pimpe to the whore of Babylon
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Britanicus”
Chapter 8
Lead, when moulded into Bullets, is not so mortal as when founded into Letters
Andrew Marvell, The Rehearsal Transprosed
Chapter 9
Good Newes from all Quarters of the Kingdome
Newsbook title
Chapter 10
We cannot say, that this Fellow writes, but vomits
Attack on Nedham in “Mercurius Anti-Britanicus”
Chapter 11
Send a hue and cry after the king
Nedham, “Mercurius Britanicus”
Chapter 12
The vomitting out of poisoned Crocodile teares
“Mercurius Rusticus”
Chapter 13
The poets are dead, beggared, or run away
“Mercurius Rusticus”
Chapter 14
Tending to the rescue of mankind from the tyranny of diseases, and of physicians themselves, from the pedansism of old authors and present dictators.
Marchamont Nedham, “Medela medicinæ a plea for the free prosestion and renovation of the art of physick”
Chapter 15
Mercurius Britanicus His Welcome to Hell: With the Devills Blessing.
Title of a poem by Sir Francis Wortley
Chapter 16
Here lies Britanicus, Hell’s barking cur
From the same poem by Sir Francis Wortley
Chapter 17
Here lyes Ambition, Envy, Pride and Lust,
All huddled up in this Rebellious Dust.
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Pragmaticus”
Chapter 18
Fetters are th’onely favors now
The Houses give (we see)
And since the King them wears, I vow,
‘Twere baseness to be free.
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Pragmaticus”
Chapter 19
Divers scandals Libels, and treasonous Pamphlets
Sir Roger L’Estrange, “Considerations and Proposals In Order to the Regulation of the Press”.
Chapter 20
They have blown away Popery and Protestantisme all in a breath, to make way for that grand Idolatry Covetousnes; the roote of al our evils.
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Pragmaticus”
Chapter 21
In vain doth Valour bleed
While Avarice and Rapine share the land.
John Milton, “On the Lord General Fairfax at the Siege of Colchester”
Chapter 22
Mr Nath. Fines, who demanding by what power he was committed, it was answered, By the power of the sword.
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Pragmaticus”
Chapter 23
In came that pure holy Goblin Nol Cromwell, who brought in along his fellow saint Henry Marten, who looks thin, as if he had gotten a Scottish clap.
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Pragmaticus”
Chapter 24
When God extends himself to any man, he must doe whatsoever he would have of him, though it be to the committing of Adultery.
News report, Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Pragmaticus”
Chapter 25
A True Relation of the Proceedings in the Business of Burford with other Discourse of public concernment
Pamphlet title by Major Francis White
Chapter 26
When pay-day comes the Souldier drinks and sings,
There is no musick without silver strings.
Popular ballad
Chapter 27
Now Nol have at thy nose, I have shot nothing but paper bullets all this while. Therefore Snout looke about thee, for if thou be cacht we’le put thy neck (in stead of thy nose) in a noose
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Pragmaticus”
Chapter 28
By reason of the foetid and corrupt atmosphere that is in the heinous gaol of Newgate many persons are now dead who would be alive.
Dick Whittington, Mayor of London (1419, Oh yes it is)
Chapter 29
Those bitter Arrowes shot out of mens Mouthes, and Pulpits: being my selfe brought under the Lash, and persecuted
Marchamont Nedham, “Certain considerations tendered in all humility to an honorable member of the councell of state”
Chapter 30
Upon so sandy a Foundation, the man in the moons Dogge would run it down with his tayle, or, holding up his legge against it, pisse it into a confused chaos\
John Crouch, “The Man in the Moon”
Chapter 31
The power of the sword is, and ever hath been, the foundation of all titles to government.
Marchamont Nedham, “The Case of the Commonwealth of England, Stated”
Chapter 32
‘Tis incredible what influence it has upon numbers of unconsidering persons who have that strange presumption that all must needs be true that is in Print.
Anon., “A Rope for Pol. or, a Hue and Cry after Marchemont (sic) Nedham”
Chapter 33
This seems to be the setting of the young King’s glory – Being an Extract of the chiefest of that intelligence which is yet come to hand.
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Politicus”
Chapter 34
The Rump’s trumpeter, being he that first found the way to make a Fart sound in paper
Samuel Butler, “The Character of the Rump”
Chapter 35
What is Democracy but a toss’d ship,
Void both of Pole and Pilot in the deep;
Where who’s most bold, busie and void of wit
And speaks least sence, is thought the nail to hit
Henry Oxenden, “Eikon Basilike, or an Image Royal, etc”
Chapter 36
Solemn expressions of affection to his highness
Marchamont Nedham, “Mercurius Politicus”
Chapter 37
Had the Devil himself been in his news office, he could not have exceeded him
Anon., “A Rope for Pol. or, a Hue and Cry after Marchemont (sic) Nedham”
Chapter 38
It is pity the people of England, being born free, should bow under the ignoble pressures of an Arbitrary Tyranny.
Marchamont Nedham, “The Excellencie of a Free-State”.
Chapter 39
Good against all malignant and Pestilent diseases, French pox, Small Pox, Measles, Plague, Pestilence, malignant or Scarlet Fevers, (and) good against Melancholy.
The Countess of Kent, “A Choice Manuall, or Rare and Select Secrets in Physick and Chyrurgery”
Chapter 40
Thundering, Lightning, and Tempestous Winds tore up Trees to the Terror and Amazement of the Inhabitants
Anthony Mithnal, “A True relation of what hapned at Bedford on Munday last”
Chapter 41
Give me Elbow room in these tottering times
Alas I can’t now find the source of this line and if you have read this far, I apologise for the omission.
Chapter 42
To old Margarett ffive markes, to Mr. Marcham’t. Nedham tenne pounds, and to Mr. John Milton tenne poundes.
John Bradshaw’s will
Chapter 43
A thought of mercy more hateful is than Hell
Marchamont Nedham, “Newes from Brussels”
Chapter 44
Fallen on evil days and evil tongues; and with dangers compassed round
John Milton, “Paradise Lost”
Chapter 45
Having made the French Language and Humors Universal, I cannot but look on it as a sad Omen of Universal Slavery
Marchamont Nedham, “Christianissimus Christianandus, Or, Reason for the Reduction of France to a More Christian State ion Europe”
Chapter 46
Then let us chear, this merry New-year;
For CHARLES shall wear the Crown
Marchamont Nedham, “A Short History of the English Rebellion”
Chapter 47
There is no pleasure in the memory of the past
Lord Saye and Sele, inscription at Broughton Castle
Chapter 48
It mattered not from whence the plague came; but all agreed it was come into Holland again.
Daniel Defoe, “Journal of the Plague Year”
Chapter 49
Valuing money rather than conscience, friendship, or love to his prince, many can not endure to hear him spoken of.
Anthony Wood, “Athenae Oxoniensis”
Chapter 50
I owe thee nothing, (Reader) and look for no favour at thy hands
Robert Burton, “The Anatomy of Melancholy”
Afterword
We have been all ill-us’d, by this day’s poet. ‘Tis our joint cause; I know you in your hearts Hate serious plays
Spoken by Nell Gwynn, epilogue to “The Great Favourite: or, The Duke of Lerma” by Sir Robert Howard
The Man Who Invented The News 