CALAMY, EDMUND, was born iu Loudon in 1600. He entered Pembroke Hall, Cambridge, at the age of fifteen, and was honourably distinguished for his scholarship ; but having incurred the rescutmeut of the Arminian party by his opposition to their opinions, he was disappointed in obtaining a fellowship. His conduct however attracted the notice of the Bishop of Ely, Dr. Felton, who made him his domestic chaplain, and gave him the living of Swafflutre Prior, iu Cambridgeshire. Calamy lived with the bishop till his death. Soon after this event, in 1626, he resigned his vicarage, having been appointed one of the lecturers of Bury St. Edmunds. For the ten years that he officiated in this capacity he ranked among the Con formists, though of that class which was opposed to the measures of the high church party. When at length Bishop Wren's 'Articles' were published, and the order for reading the Book of Sports' began to be enforced, he publicly declared his objections to them, and left the diocese. Thirty other clergymen did the same. Soon afterwards he was presented to the valuable rectory of Rochford iu Essex ; but this place was so unhealthy that it brought on a quartan ague, from which he never perfectly recovered, and he was compelled to quit it. In 1639, being chosen minister of the church of St. Mary, Alderman bury, he removed to the metropolis, having separated from the Church, and openly avowed his attachment to the Presbyterian dis cipline. In the contentious controversies of that period on the subject of ecclesiastical affairs, Mr. Calamy bore a distinguished part. His opinions against episcopacy were stated in a work, very popular in its day, entitled Sineetymnuus: written in answer to Bishop Hall's `Divine Right of Episcopacy.' This composition was the work of five individuals—S. Marshal, E. Calamy, T. Young, M. Newcomen, and W. Spuratow — the initial letters of whose names were put together to form this singular title. As a preacher Mr. Calamy was greatly admired, and listened to by persons of the first distinction during the twenty years that he officiated in St. Mary's. His celebrity was so well established by his writings, as well as by the distinguished station which he occupied among the ministers in the metropolis, that he was one of the divines appointed by the House of Lords in 1641 to devise a plan for reconciling the differences which then divided the church, in relation to ecclesiastical discipline. This led to the Savoy conference, at which he appeared in support of some alterations in the Liturgy, and replied to the reasons urged against them by the episcopal divines.
Like most of the Presbyterian clergy, be was averse to the execution of the king, and to the usurpation of Cromwell; during whose ascendancy ha held himself aloof from public affairs, resisted his pro position for a single government, and did not scruple to declare his attachment to the dethroned prince. Accordingly he was among the foremost to encourage and promote the efforts that were made for the restoration of Charles. He strongly recommended it iu a sermon preached before the Howe of Commons, on the day prior to that on wiakh the Home tmolru1 to Invite the king bank to his kingdom ; end loe wait oat of them deputed to neon Charles in HolLind with the wogratuletlens of the natio.. On hie meaestre return, he appointed Mr tasfamy sae of Lis chaplains; the duty of which office, owing to peeve:1M( animenithre, be perforate I, it is aemerally said no more than ewes but Peps. is hie' Dtarya June 6, 1660, mitre that "his letters tell Wm that Mr. Calamy lead preached before the king in • surplice :" he indeed aide a note, "this I heard afterwards to be ham," but he appears to mean the nee of the surplice. It la certain that Calamy peas:hal caws saborauently. Pepya notes under August 12, 1660, "(Loa. Day.) To Ali hit. Hall Chapel, where air. Calamy preached. and mole a rural sermon, upon them words, ' To whom much le gases. of Um much is required' He was very ofacietu with his three reoervoses to the king, se others do." It 1i evident that the king's PrIsbyteriass chaplain was closely watched; but it appears also evident, jades; from his teat, that If be was ready to pay all the wad masks of reeersoes to his majesty, he was not disposed to shrink from resnindhig him of the duties as well ra the privileges which his smelted position devolved upon him. Besides his chaplaincy Calatny was °floral the bishopric of Lichfield and Coventry, which it is thought he would have accepted. If he could have subscribed to the terms of the king's declaration. His moderation was such, that he only desirous of removing those restrictions which affected appeared chore, accompanied with such reforms In the services of the church as would have allowed • oonsrientioua performance of thole pastoral duties But Gliding the temper of the high Church party setepos their rejection by acts of further restraint and Intake.