WEBB, M.

THE MALIGNANTS CONVENTICLE: or, a learned speech spoken by M. VVeb, a citizen to the rest of his Society, which did consist of Citizen[s], Malignants, Papists, Priests, Apprentices, Wenches. At their common tavern meeting-house in Lincolnes Inne-fields. In which there are many things very necessary to be observed, and of so great concernment, that if you will not believe, then taken what followes: for now all is out.

      London, printed for Anti-Dam-mee, in Tell-troth Lane, at the signe of the Holly-wand. 1643 - Large 4to (219 x 156mm), pp. [ii], 6; with a large woodcut on the title page; tear or possibly a worm-track at foot of each leaf very slightly affecting the text (repaired long since), else a fine copy in 19th century limp vellum by Riviere. A finely-illustrated satire against popish cavaliers, with a splendid woodcut on the title page which looks as though it was designed for a book about a century earlier. The text supposes that the speaker Mr Webb is one of a secret group plotting insurrection the city of London: ?You know the first designe was to frame a cunning Petition in pretence of peace, to gaine an opportunity of mutiny in the City, and this was carried very discreetly, we got many thousand of hands to it in a short time?. It is then supposed that the plotters ?drew up a most damnable abusive Booke amongst our selves, to scandalize the Parliament, I know you have all seen it, it is called the Cities Complaint to the House of Commons, &c.? - this is presumably A Complaint to the House of Commons (Wing C5620), issued from Oxford in early 1643 and reprinted in London, as a surreptitious publication, and in York. The references to the Complaint are apparently meant to imply someone who was familiar with the printing trade: ?This Booke we got a foolish Printer that did not know what he did, to print, for it was such a most wicked, invective Pamphlet, that . if he knew what it was, he would not have meddled with it? (p. 3). It is not clear whether Mr Web or Webb is intended to be a real person, or just an amalgam of hateful gossip and rumour, but if he is supposed to represent a genuine figure, then it is quite possible that the intended victim is William Webb, an Oxford stationer and binder who printed many political pamphlets in the 1640s and seems to have died in 1652. Less likely, but still conceivable, he could be the architect John Webb (1611-72), pupil and heir of Inigo Jones, who was a notorious royalist. Provenance: Britwell Court, with initials ?S C-M? (Samuel Christie-Miller) and date of purchase 2 May 1876, as well as the characteristic Britwell shelfmark 41.C.24 on the endpaper; later with Pickering & Chatto, from whom bought in April 1951 by W.A. Potter. Wing W1204.