The second son of Sir Henry Neville, and grandson of Sir Henry Neville
(1564?-1615), courtier and diplomatist under Elizabeth and James I,
Henry Neville was born in Billing-bear, Berkshire, in 1620. He became
a commoner of Merton College in 1635, and soon after migrated to
University College, where he passed some years but took no degree. He
travelled on the continent, becoming familiar with modern languages and
men, and returned to England in 1645, to recruit for Abingdon for the
parliament Wood states that Neville "was very great with Harry
Marten, Tho. Chaloner, Tho. Scot, Jam. Harrington and other zealous
commonwealths men." His association with them probably arose from his
membership of the council of state (1651), and also from his agreement
with them in their suspicions of Cromwell, who, in his opinion, "gaped
after the government by a single person." In consequence he was banished
from London in 1654, and on Oliver's death was returned to parliament
December 30,1658, as burgess for Reading. An attempt to exclude him on
charges of atheism and blasphemy failed.
He was undoubtedly somewhat closely associated with James Harrington,
the author of "Oceana," and was regarded as a "strong doctrinaire
republican." He was a member of the club--the Rota--formed by Harrington
for discussing and disseminating his political views, a club which
continued in existence only a few months, from November, 1659, to
February, 1660; but its name is embalmed in one of Harrington's
essays--"The Rota"--published in 1660, and extracted from his "Art of
Law-giving," [31]which was itself an abridgment of the "Oceana."
At this time, says Wood, Neville was "esteemed to be a man of good
parts, yet of a factious and turbulent spirit." On the restoration he
"sculk'd for a time," and, arrested for a supposed connection in the
Yorkshire rising of 1663, he was released for want of evidence against
him, retiring from all participation in politics. For twenty years
before his death he lived in lodgings in Silver Street, near Bloomsbury
market, and dying on September 20, 1694, he was buried in the parish
church of Warfield, Berkshire. By his wife, Elizabeth, daughter of
Richard Staverton of Warfield, he had no issue.{2} In his retirement he
found occupation in political theory. He translated some of the writings
of Machiavelli, which he had obtained in Italy in 1645, and published
some verses of little merit.
{1} Wood.
{2} Dictionary of National Biography, XL. 259.
It cannot be said that a reading of Neville's productions before 1681
raises him in our estimation, it certainly does not give the impression
of a man of letters, a student of government, or even a politician of
the day. There is always the possibility in these casual writings of
a purpose deeper than appears to the reader of the present day, of a
meaning which escapes him because the special combination of events
creating the occasion cannot be reconstructed. The "Parliament of
Ladies," which was published in two parts in 1647, has little meaning
to the reader, though they appeared in the year when the Parliament took
notice of the "many Seditious, False and Scandalous Papers and Pamphlets
daily printed and published in and about the cities of London and
Westminster, and thence dispersed [32]into all parts of this Realm, and
other parts beyond the Seas, to the great abuse and prejudice of the
People, and insufferable reproach of the proceedings of the Parliament
and their Army."{1}
To write, print, or sell any unlicensed matter whatsoever would be
liable to fine or imprisonment, and to whet the zeal of discovery
one-half of the fine was to go to the informer. Every publication,
from a book to a broadsheet, must bear the name of author, printer,
and licenser. Neither of Neville's pamphlets of 1647 conformed to the
requirements of this act, which is not, however, positive evidence that
they did not appear after the promulgation of the law. Suppression of
printing has proved a difficult task to rulers, even when supported
by public opinion or an army. The Stationers' Registers show that the
"Parliament of Ladies" and its sequel were not properly entered; nor do
they contain any reference to Neville's "News from the New Exchange,"
issued in 1650.{2}
Nine years passed before he printed a pamphlet which marked his
break with Cromwell--"Shuffling, Cutting, and Dealing in a Game of
Picquet."{3}
1 Acts and Ordinances of the Interregnum, i. 1021. Though
dated September 30, the act was entered at Stationers' Hall
September 19. Eyre and Rivington, i. 276.