''Mercurius Politicus'' was a

newsbook Newsbooks were the 17th-century precursors to today's newspapers. Originating in England and Scotland, they are distinct from the earlier news periodicals, known as corantos, which were sourced from Europe. History The first newsbook was publish ...

that was published weekly from June 1650 until the

English Restoration The Restoration of the Stuart monarchy in the kingdoms of England, Scotland and Ireland took place in 1660 when King Charles II returned from exile in continental Europe. The preceding period of the Protectorate and the civil wars came to ...

in May 1660. Under the editorship of

Marchamont Nedham Marchamont Nedham, also Marchmont and Needham (1620 – November 1678), was a journalist, publisher and pamphleteer during the English Civil War who wrote official news and propaganda for both sides of the conflict. A "highly productive propagand ...

, it supported the republican governments. From 1655 until 1659 it had a monopoly on news publication.

History

''Mercurius Politicus'' was Marchmont Nedham's most significant enterprise, which he used as a platform for the Commonwealth regime. (Nedham received a government payment of £50 in May 1650, probably to start this venture.) This third Nedham weekly began in June 1650, on a light note: "Why should not the Commonwealth have a Fool as well as the King had?" – but soon settled into a more serious vein as a voice of the republican movement of the day. He rested the case for the Commonwealth on arguments similar to those of

Hobbes Thomas Hobbes ( ; 5/15 April 1588 – 4/14 December 1679) was an English philosopher, considered to be one of the founders of modern political philosophy. Hobbes is best known for his 1651 book ''Leviathan'', in which he expounds an influe ...

: that "the Sword is, and ever hath been, the Foundation of all Titles to Government", and that it was hardly likely that the Commonwealth's adversaries would ever succeed in their designs. ''Politicus'' continued for the next decade, the term of the Commonwealth era, under alternative titles like the ''Public Intelligence'' or ''Public Intelligencer''. In 1655 the Lord Protector

Oliver Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...

rewarded Nedham with an official post, so that Nedham was then perceived as a spokesman for the regime.

Notes

References

* * * {{Authority control Defunct newspapers published in the United Kingdom Publications established in 1650 17th century in London 1650 establishments in England