# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/March, John (1612-1657)

​MARCH, JOHN (1612–1657), legal writer, was possibly descended from the Marches of Edmonton or Hendon, and was second son of Sam March of Finchampstead, Berkshire (see Visitation of London, Harl. Soc. vol. xvii., and Nicholas, Visitation of Middlesex), He was apparently admitted at Gray's Inn 18 March 1635-6, being described as 'late of Barnard's Inn, Gentleman,' and was possibly the John March called to the ​bar on 1 June 1641 (Foster, Registers of Gray's Inn, and information from W. R. Dowthwaite, esq.) He seems subsequently from 1644 to have acted in some secretarial capacity to the committee for safety of both kingdoms which sat at Derby House (State Papers, Dom. Car. I, 1644, May 25). On 20 Aug. 1649 the council of state nominated him to the parliament as one of four commissioners to go to Guernsey to order affairs there (ib. Interreg. ii. 61, 75, iii. 104), and three years later (6 April 1652) he was chosen by the council of state to proceed to Scotland along with three others to administer justice in the courts, 100l. each being allowed them as expenses for the journey (ib. xxiv. 5). In 1656 he seems to have been acting as secretary or treasurer to the trustees for the sale of crown lands at Worcester House (ib. 20 Nov. 1656), and he died early in 1657. By license dated 23 March 1637-1638, 'John March of St. Stephen's, Walbrook, scrivener, bachelor, 26,' married Alice Mathews of St. Nicholas Olave ('Marriage Licenses granted by the Bishop of London,' Harl. Soc. Publ vol. xxvi.) On 5 Feb. 1656-7 the legal writer's widow, Alice, petitioned the Protector: 'My truly Christian and pious husband was delivered from a long and expensive sickness by a pious death, and has left me with two small children weak and unable to bury him decently without help. I beg relief from your compassion on account of his integrity in his employment in Scotland, and his readiness to go thither again had not Providence prevented.' On the same day the council ordered her a payment of 20l. (State Papers, Dom. Interreg. cliii. 84). On 20 Jan. 1667-8 March's daughter Elizabeth 'of Richmond, Surrey, about 18,' was married to James Howseman of St. Margaret's, Westminster, gent. ('Marriage Licenses issued by the Dean and Chapter of Westminster,' Harl. Soc. Publ. vol. xxiii.)
Another John March was admitted to the degree of B.C.L. 27 Nov. 1632, as a member of St. Edmund Hall, Oxford, while a 'gentleman,' of Gray's Inn, of the same names obtained a license 17 Aug. 1640 to marry Elizabeth Edwards of St. Mary Aldermanbury, he being then twenty-four years of age (ib.)
March's legal works are: 1. 'An Argument or Debate in Law of the great question concerning the Militia as it is now settled by Ordinance of Parliament, by which it is endeavoured to prove the Legality of it and to make it warrantable by the Fundamental Laws of the Land,' London, 1642, 4to. The title-page bears only the initials J. M., whence it has been attributed to Milton. At present it stands assigned to March in both Halkett and Laing and the Brit. Mus. Catalogue, but only on the authority of a manuscript note (apparently not in Thomasson's hand) on the title-page of the copy among the Thomasson tracts. 2. 'Actions for Slander, or a Methodical Collection under certain Grounds and Heads of what Words are Actionable in the Law and what not, &c. ... to which is added Awards or Arbitrements Methodised under several Grounds and Heads collected out of our Year-Books and other Private Authentic Authorities, wherein is principally showed what Arbitrements are good in Law and what not,' London, 1648, 8vo. 3. A second edition of No. 2, London, 16mo, 1648, augmented by a second part bearing the title, 'The Second Part of Actions for Slanders, with a Second Part of Arbitrements, together with Directions and Presidents to them very usefull to all Men. To which is added Libels or a Caveat to all Infamous Libellers whom these distracted times have generated and multiplied to a common pest. ... A third edition, reviewed and enlarged, with many useful additions, by W. B.,' London, 1674. 4. ' Reports, or New Cases with divers Resolutions and Judgments given upon solemn arguments and with great deliberation, and the Reasons and Causes of the said Resolutions and Judgments,' London, 1648, 4to (contains the reports from Easter term 15 Caroli I to Trinity term 18 Caroli I). 5. 'Amicus Reipublicae, the Commonwealth's Friend, or an Exact and Speedie Course to Justice and Right, and for Preventing and Determining of tedious Law Suits, and many other things very considerable for the good of the Public, all which are fully Controverted and Debated in Law,' London, 1651, 8vo. This work is dedicated to John Bradshaw [q. v.], lord president, and is remarkable for the enlightenment with which March discusses a series of eighteen questions (such as common recovery, arrest for debt, the burden of the high court of chancery, bastardy, privilege of clergy, &c.) 6. 'Some New Cases of the Years and Time of Hy. VIII, Ed. VI, and Queen Mary, written out of the "Great Abridgement," composed by Sir Robert Brook, Knight [see Broke, Sir Robert], there dispersed in the Titles, but here collected under Years, and now translated into English by John March of Gray's Inn, Barrister,' London, 1651, 8vo. In 1878 the Chiswick Press reprinted Sir Robert Broke's 'New Cases' and March's 'Translation' in the same volume.
[Authorities quoted; works in Brit. Mus. and Bodleian.]
W. A. S.