Henry Muddiman
Encyclopedia
Henry Muddiman was an English
journalist
and publisher active after the restoration of the monarchy
, in 1660.
Muddiman was born in the Strand, London
. He was educated in St Clement's Temple and at St John's College, Cambridge
, after which he worked as a school teacher. He began producing two regular newsbook
s - Parliamentary Intelligencer and Mercurius Publicus - in late 1659 on the proceedings of the newly reconvened Rump Parliament
. This seems to have been at the suggestion of George Monck, who also received good publicity. On 16 April 1660 this role was secured when all other such journals
were banned particularly those of Marchamont Needham
the chief Cromwellian
publisher. Muddiman received a monopoly
of print along with arch-royalist
John Birkenhead
as a supervising editor
.
Muddiman lost the right to publish the journals three years later when it was handed to Roger L'Estrange
. He would transform the subtle propaganda
of the newsbooks into heavy-handed political polemic
s leading to the rights being returned to Muddiman in 1665. By that time, Muddiman had established a good business distributing hand-written details of parliamentary proceedings which he was not allowed to print. Once the rights were returned he began publishing the London Gazette
which remains the oldest surviving English newspaper
. With a short hiatus over the Exclusion crisis, when there were attempts to suppress all publications, he retained exclusive rights until the Glorious Revolution
of 1688. At the change of regime he was considered too close to the previous incumbents and retired, dying in 1692.
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...
journalist
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...
and publisher active after the restoration of the monarchy
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...
, in 1660.
Muddiman was born in the Strand, London
Strand, London
Strand is a street in the City of Westminster, London, England. The street is just over three-quarters of a mile long. It currently starts at Trafalgar Square and runs east to join Fleet Street at Temple Bar, which marks the boundary of the City of London at this point, though its historical length...
. He was educated in St Clement's Temple and at St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
, after which he worked as a school teacher. He began producing two regular newsbook
Newsbook
Newsbooks, also called news-books, were more sophisticated than posters. They were the 16th-century precursors to today's newspapers. They covered a single big story, such as a battle, a disaster or a sensational trial....
s - Parliamentary Intelligencer and Mercurius Publicus - in late 1659 on the proceedings of the newly reconvened Rump Parliament
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
. This seems to have been at the suggestion of George Monck, who also received good publicity. On 16 April 1660 this role was secured when all other such journals
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
were banned particularly those of Marchamont Needham
Marchamont Needham
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 chief Cromwellian
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....
publisher. Muddiman received a monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
of print along with arch-royalist
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of government, but not necessarily a particular monarch...
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....
as a supervising editor
Editor in chief
An editor-in-chief is a publication's primary editor, having final responsibility for the operations and policies. Additionally, the editor-in-chief is held accountable for delegating tasks to staff members as well as keeping up with the time it takes them to complete their task...
.
Muddiman lost the right to publish the journals three years later when it was handed to Roger L'Estrange
Roger L'Estrange
Sir Roger L'Estrange was an English pamphleteer and author, and staunch defender of royalist claims. L'Estrange was involved in political controversy throughout his life...
. He would transform the subtle 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....
of the newsbooks into heavy-handed political polemic
Polemic
A polemic is a variety of arguments or controversies made against one opinion, doctrine, or person. Other variations of argument are debate and discussion...
s leading to the rights being returned to Muddiman in 1665. By that time, Muddiman had established a good business distributing hand-written details of parliamentary proceedings which he was not allowed to print. Once the rights were returned he began publishing the London Gazette
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
which remains the oldest surviving English newspaper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
. With a short hiatus over the Exclusion crisis, when there were attempts to suppress all publications, he retained exclusive rights until the Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
of 1688. At the change of regime he was considered too close to the previous incumbents and retired, dying in 1692.