Edward Chamberlayne
Encyclopedia
Edward Chamberlayne was an English writer, known as the author of The Present State of England.
, Gloucestershire
, on 13 December 1616. He was first educated at Gloucester
, then entered St Edmund Hall, Oxford
, at Michaelmas 1634, proceeded B.A. on 20 April 1638, and M.A. 6 March 1641. During a part of 1641 he held the office of rhetoric reader at Oxford.
When the First English Civil War
broke out he began a long continental tour, visiting France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Bohemia
, Sweden, and the Low Countries. At the Restoration
he returned to England, in 1669 became secretary to Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle
, and went to Stockholm
to invest Charles XI of Sweden
with the Order of the Garter
.
He was granted the degrees of LL.D. at Cambridge (January 1670–1) and of D.C.L. at Oxford (22 June 1672). About 1679 he became tutor to Charles II's illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton
, and he was subsequently English tutor to Prince George of Denmark. He was one of the original Fellows of the Royal Society
.
In later life he lived at Chelsea
, and he died there in May 1703. He was buried (27 May) in a vault in Chelsea churchyard. His friend Walter Harris wrote a long Latin epitaph.
, makes its first appearance; in the ninth edition of 1676 is a new dedication to the Earl of Danby
; with the eighteenth edition of 1694 is bound up a new third part, first issued separately in 1683. Thomas Hearne
states that Andrew Allam
made major contributions, to the sixteenth edition (1689), and that his information was inserted by Chamberlayne without acknowledgment. Chamberlayne issued the twentieth edition in 1702, and after his death his son John continued to edit the publication. The twenty-first edition (1708) bears the new title ‘Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia, or the Present State of Great Britain.’ John Chamberlayne died after the issue of the twenty-second edition in 1723, but fourteen editions were subsequently issued by the booksellers, the last being the thirty-sixth and bearing the date 1755.
The popular handbook had its plagiarist in Guy Miege, who brought out ‘The New State of England’ in 1691, and although both Chamberlaynes called attention to Miege's theft, Miege continued his handbook till 1748. A French translation of Chamberlayne's second edition appeared in 1669.
Chamberlayne's other books were:
Chamberlayne published in 1653 a volume of translations from Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, containing: (i) ‘Rise and Fall of Count Olivarez.’ (ii) ‘The Unparallel'd Imposture of Mich. di Molina, an. 1641.’ (iii) ‘The Right of the present King of Portugal, Don John the Fourth.’
Life
The grandson of Sir Thomas Chamberlayne, knight, at one time English ambassador in the Low Countries, and son of Thomas Chamberlayne, he was born at OddingtonOddington
Oddington may refer to:*Oddington, Gloucestershire, England*Oddington, Oxfordshire, England...
, Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, on 13 December 1616. He was first educated at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, then entered St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
, at Michaelmas 1634, proceeded B.A. on 20 April 1638, and M.A. 6 March 1641. During a part of 1641 he held the office of rhetoric reader at Oxford.
When the First English Civil War
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
broke out he began a long continental tour, visiting France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Bohemia
Bohemia
Bohemia is a historical region in central Europe, occupying the western two-thirds of the traditional Czech Lands. It is located in the contemporary Czech Republic with its capital in Prague...
, Sweden, and the Low Countries. At 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...
he returned to England, in 1669 became secretary to Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle
Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Carlisle was an English politician and military leader.The first in the Howard line of earls, he was the son and heir of Sir William Howard, of Naworth in Cumberland, by Mary, daughter of William, Lord Eure, and great-grandson of Lord William Howard, "Belted Will" , the...
, and went to Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
to invest Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI of Sweden
Charles XI also Carl, was King of Sweden from 1660 until his death, in a period in Swedish history known as the Swedish empire ....
with the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
.
He was granted the degrees of LL.D. at Cambridge (January 1670–1) and of D.C.L. at Oxford (22 June 1672). About 1679 he became tutor to Charles II's illegitimate son, Henry Fitzroy, 1st Duke of Grafton
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton
Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton KG was the illegitimate son of King Charles II by Barbara Villiers, Countess of Castlemaine....
, and he was subsequently English tutor to Prince George of Denmark. He was one of the original Fellows of the Royal Society
Royal Society
The Royal Society of London for Improving Natural Knowledge, known simply as the Royal Society, is a learned society for science, and is possibly the oldest such society in existence. Founded in November 1660, it was granted a Royal Charter by King Charles II as the "Royal Society of London"...
.
In later life he lived at Chelsea
Chelsea, London
Chelsea is an area of West London, England, bounded to the south by the River Thames, where its frontage runs from Chelsea Bridge along the Chelsea Embankment, Cheyne Walk, Lots Road and Chelsea Harbour. Its eastern boundary was once defined by the River Westbourne, which is now in a pipe above...
, and he died there in May 1703. He was buried (27 May) in a vault in Chelsea churchyard. His friend Walter Harris wrote a long Latin epitaph.
Works
His best-known work is a handbook to the social and political condition of England, with lists of public officers and statistics, entitled Angliæ Notitiæ, or the Present State of England; the publication was an adaptation of L'Estat Nouveau de la France (Paris, 1661). The first edition appeared anonymously in 1669, and was dedicated to the Earl of Carlisle. Two other editions, with the author's name, were issued later in the same year. With the fifth edition of 1671 is bound up the first edition of a second part, containing additional information; in the seventh edition of 1673 a portrait of Charles II, by William FaithorneWilliam Faithorne
William Faithorne , often "the Elder", , English painter and engraver, was born in London and was apprenticed to William Peake....
, makes its first appearance; in the ninth edition of 1676 is a new dedication to the Earl of Danby
Earl of Danby
Earl of Danby was a title that was created twice in the Peerage of England. The first creation came in 1626 in favour of the soldier Henry Danvers, 1st Baron Danvers. He had already been created Baron Danvers, of Dauntsey in the County of Wiltshire, in 1603, also in the Peerage of England. The...
; with the eighteenth edition of 1694 is bound up a new third part, first issued separately in 1683. Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne
Thomas Hearne or Hearn , English antiquary, was born at Littlefield Green in the parish of White Waltham, Berkshire.-Life:...
states that Andrew Allam
Andrew Allam
-Life:The son of a humble family, he was born at Garsington, near Oxford, and was educated under a noted schoolmaster of the time, William Wildgoose, of Brasenose College, at Denton, near his native place. In 1671, he entered at St Edmund Hall, Oxford, of which he subsequently became the principal...
made major contributions, to the sixteenth edition (1689), and that his information was inserted by Chamberlayne without acknowledgment. Chamberlayne issued the twentieth edition in 1702, and after his death his son John continued to edit the publication. The twenty-first edition (1708) bears the new title ‘Magnæ Britanniæ Notitia, or the Present State of Great Britain.’ John Chamberlayne died after the issue of the twenty-second edition in 1723, but fourteen editions were subsequently issued by the booksellers, the last being the thirty-sixth and bearing the date 1755.
The popular handbook had its plagiarist in Guy Miege, who brought out ‘The New State of England’ in 1691, and although both Chamberlaynes called attention to Miege's theft, Miege continued his handbook till 1748. A French translation of Chamberlayne's second edition appeared in 1669.
Chamberlayne's other books were:
- ‘The Present War Parallel'd, or a Brief Relation of the Five Years' Civil Wars of Henry III, King of England,’ London, 1647.
- ‘England's Wants,’ London, 1667.
- ‘The Converted Presbyterian, or the Church of England Justified in Some Practices,’ London, 1668. 4. ‘An Academy or College wherein young Ladies and Gentlemen may at a very Moderate Expence be Educated in the True Protestant Religion and in all Virtuous Qualities,’ London, 1671.
- ‘A Dialogue between an Englishman and a Dutchman concerning the late Dutch War,’ London, 1672.
Chamberlayne published in 1653 a volume of translations from Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese, containing: (i) ‘Rise and Fall of Count Olivarez.’ (ii) ‘The Unparallel'd Imposture of Mich. di Molina, an. 1641.’ (iii) ‘The Right of the present King of Portugal, Don John the Fourth.’