Adam Martindale

Adam Martindale (1623–1686) was a British presbyterian minister, closely involved in the evolution of presbyterianism in Lancashire in the seventeenth century.

Biography Adam Martindale (1623–1686), fourth son of Henry Martindale, was born at High Heyes, in the parish of Prescot, Lancashire, about 15 September 1623. His father, originally a substantial yeoman and builder, was reduced in circumstances by becoming surety for a friend. Martindale was educated (1630–7) at the grammar schools of St. Helens and Rainford, was put for a short time to his father's business, and then sent back to school (1638–9) in preparation for Oxford. The troubles of the times hindered his going to the university; he became tutor in the family of Francis Shevington at Eccles, and 'would almost as soone have led beares.' Returning home at Christmas 1641, he found his father's business 'quite dead,' owing to the general sense of insecurity. Apprehensive of a summons to 'generall musters,' he obtained employment as schoolmaster at Upholland, and later at Rainford.

A summons to a muster he did not obey, being 'a piece of a clergy-man,' but became in 1642 private secretary to Colonel Moore, M.P. for Liverpool, and head of the parliamentary garrison there, whose household he described as 'an hell upon earth.' He preferred an army clerkship, and rose to be deputy quartermaster, with exemption from military service. He took the Solemn League and Covenant in 1643. (against antinomianism and anabaptism, dedicated to Captain James Jollie); also with title Divinity Knots Unloosed, 1649. Summary of Arguments for and against Presbyterianisme and Independencie, 1650 An Antidote against the Poyson of the Times, 1653, (a catechism, defending the doctrine of the Trinity against heresies then appearing among the independents at Dukinfield, Cheshire). Countrey Almanacke, 1675–6–7 (mentioned in his autobiography). The Countrey-Survey-Book; or Land-Meter's Vade-mecum, 1681; reprinted with addition of his Twelve Problems, 1702 Truth and Peace Promoted, 1682, (mentioned in his autobiography and by Calamy on justification).

Communications from him are in Philosophical Transactions Abridged, 1670, i. 539 (extracts from two letters on 'A Rock of Natural Salt' in Cheshire), 1681, ii. 482 (Twelve Problems in Compound Interest and Annuities resolved). In A Collection of Letters for the Improvement of Husbandry and Trade, 1683, by John Houghton (d 1705), are two by Martindale (vol. i. Nos. 6, 11) on Improving Land by Marle, a third (vol. ii. No. 1), A Token for Ship-Boyes; or plain sailing made more plain, and a fourth (vol. ii. No. 4), on Improvement of Mossie Land by Burning and Liming. Besides the animadversions on 'Julian,' a treatise on kneeling at the Lord's Supper (1682) was circulated in manuscript, and a critique on Matthew Smith's Patriarchal Sabbath, 1683, was sent to London for press, but not printed, owing to a dispute between Martindale's agent and the bookseller. Martindale's autobiography, to 1685, was edited in 1845 for the Chetham Society by Canon Parkinson from the autograph in the British Museum, formerly in the possession of Thomas Birch. In addition to its personal interest, it contains sketches of the social life of the period, worthy of Defoe. Its omission of proper names makes many of its allusions obscure.