CALAMY, EDMUND, an eminent Presbyterian divine, born at London in the year 1600, and educated at Pembroke-hall, Cambridge, where his attachment to the Arminian party excluded him from a fellowship. Dr Felton bishop of Ely, however, made him his chaplain; and, in 1639, he was chosen minister of St Mary Aldermary, in the city of London. Upon the opening of the long parliament, he distinguished himself in defence of the Presbyterian cause; and had a principal hand in writing the famous Smectymnus, which, himself says, gave the first deadly blow to Episcopacy. The authors of this tract were five, the initials of whose names formed the name under which it was published; viz. Stephen Marishal, Edmund Calamy, Thomas Young, Mathew Newcomen, and William Sparrow.
He was after that an active member in the assembly of divines, was a strenuous opposer of sectaries, and used his utmost endeavours to prevent those violences committed after the king was brought from the Isle of Wight. In Cromwell's time, he lived privately, but was assiduous in promoting the king's return; for which he was afterwards offered a bishopric, but refused it. He was ejected for nonconformity in 1662; and died of grief at the sight of the great fire of London.