Marsham, Sir John

Marsham, Sir John an English scholar, celebrated for his acquirements in history, languages, and chronology, was born in London in 1602, and was educated at St. John's College, Oxford. He embraced the cause of the Royalists in the civil war. He died in 1685. He was the author of a work entitled Chronologicus Canon l'Egyjptiacus, Elbruaicsus, etc. (Lond. 1672, fol.), in which he attempts to reconcile Egyptian chronology with the Hebrew Scriptures, by supposing four collateral dynasties of Egyptian kings reigning at the same time. This theory has been adopted by several eminent scholars, He also wrote the preface to the first volume of Dugdale's Monasticon Anglicanum, and left behind him at his death, unfinished, Canonis chronici liber quintus: sive, Imperium Persicum: — De provinciis et legionibus Romanis: — De re aumetaria; etc. We are likewise in some measure obliged to him for the History of Philosophy by his very learned nephew, Thomas Stanley, Esq., since it was chiefly at his instigation that that excellent work was undertaken. See Wood, Athenae Oxonienses; Shuckford, Sacred and Profane History; Gen. Biog. Dict. s.v.