A Dictionary of the Booksellers and Printers who Were at Work in England, Scotland and Ireland from 1641 to 1667/Bellamy, or Bellamie (John)

by Henry Robert Plomer

BELLAMY, or BELLAMIE (JOHN), bookseller in London, (1) South entrance, Royal Exchange; (2) Two Greyhounds, Cornhill; (3) Three Golden Lyons, Cornhill. 1620-54. A noted publisher of Americana. A native of Oundle, in Northamptonshire. [Price, J. The City Remonstrance Remonstrated. 1646. E. 345 (18).] He served his apprenticeship with Nicholas Bourne, stationer, q.v., and took up his freedom in February, 1620. For some time afterwards he continued to work for Bourne, and several books, including Richard Braithwaite's volume of verse entitled Time's Curtaine Drawne, bear Bellamy's name as publisher, but were sold at Bourne's shop. Some time during the year 1622 he set up for himself at the Two Greyhounds in Cornhill, and began to publish books relating to New England. The first was A Sermon preached at Plymouth in New England Dec^r. 9^th 1621. Together with a preface shewing the state of the contree, and condicon of the inhabitants, which he entered on the Register on March 22nd, 1621/2, and published shortly afterwards. In the same year he also published Patrick Copland's Virginia's God be thanked, a sermon of thanksgiving for the happie successe of the affayres in Virginia; A Brief Relation of the Discovery and Plantation of New England, and The Relation or Journal of the beginning and proceedings of the English Plantation settled at Plymouth in New England, edited by G. Mourt. In 1623 he moved to his third address, and from there issued Good Newes from New England … Written by E. W., which bore the date 1624 on the title-page. In 1630 he published The humble request of his Majesties loyal subiects the Governor & the Company late gone to New England, to the rest of their brethren in and of the Church of England, and very shortly afterwards the Rev. J. Cotton's sermon, Gods promise to his plantation. Bellamy also published William Wood's New Englands Prospect 1634, 1635, and 1639; Governor Winslow's Hypocrisie Unmasked … 1646; Thomas Hooker's Survey of the summe of Church Discipline, 1648; John Cotton's The Way of Congregational Churches Cleared, 1648, and Thomas Sheppard's Clear Sunshine of the Gospel, 1648. John Bellamy took an active part in the political and religious controversies of the time. On the outbreak of the Civil War he took up arms for the Parliament and was given the rank of colonel. He also represented the Ward of Cornhill on the Common Council, and when the split took place between the Presbyterians and Independents he published The humble Remonstrance and Petition of the Lord Mayor Aldermen & Commons of the City of London, which was printed for him by Richard Cotes in 1646. This led him into a pamphlet war with the opposite party, and he wrote A Vindication of the humble remonstrance, and in answer to a further attack, A Justification of the City Remonstrance and its Vindication. [B.M. E. 350 (23).] In these pamphlets are some interesting biographical details concerning the publisher. Bellamy appears to have retired from business about 1650, and settled at Cotherstock, or Cotterstock, in his native county of Northamptonshire, where he died about January 20th, 1653/4. By his will, which was dated January 14th, 165 3/4, he left the bulk of his property to his brothers and sisters and their children. Special mention was made of his house and two shops in St. Paul's Churchyard, London, one of which, the White Lion, was then in the occupation of Philemon Stephens, stationer, q.v., and he bequeathed a certain number of books to form a standing library for the ministers of Cotherstock. The will was proved on February 7th, 1653/4 [P.C.C. 92, Alchin.]