Henry Parker (writer) facts for kids

Henry Parker (born 1604, died 1652) was an English barrister (a type of lawyer) and a political writer. He strongly supported the Parliamentarian side during the English Civil War.

Parker was a very important writer who helped convince people to support Parliament in the 1640s. He wrote many pamphlets, which were like short books or essays, to spread his ideas. He helped create the main ideas for Parliament's side in their fight against Charles I of England. He believed that the power to rule should come from the people's agreement, not just from the King.

Early Life and Education

Henry Parker was born in Ratton, Sussex. His father, Sir Nicholas Parker, was a local judge and a member of Parliament. His mother, Kathryn Temple, came from an important family. Henry's brother, Thomas Parker, also became a Member of Parliament.

Henry went to Winchester College, a famous school, and then studied at St Edmund Hall, Oxford university. He later trained to be a lawyer at Lincoln's Inn in London, becoming a barrister in 1637. He was connected to William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele, a powerful supporter of Parliament, and his early writings were often about the political ideas of this important person.

Working for Parliament

As the English Civil War began, Henry Parker became a key figure for Parliament. In 1642, he was a secretary for the Parliamentary Army. Later, in 1645, he became a secretary for the House of Commons, which is a part of Parliament.

He also worked for Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex, who was a main military leader for Parliament. Parker's book, Observations upon some of his Majesty's late answers and expresses (1642), was very important at the time. Many people said it was the most influential writing of that period, helping to explain Parliament's views.

Key Publications

After Parliament won the Battle of Naseby in 1645, they captured letters from King Charles and Queen Henrietta Maria. Henry Parker, along with John Sadler and Thomas May, helped publish these letters in a book called The Kings Cabinet Opened. They added notes to the letters, letting the King's own words show his plans. This was a very effective way to influence public opinion.

Later Career and Ideas

After the Earl of Essex died in 1646, Parker took a job in Germany. He worked in Hamburg as an agent for English merchants, helping with trade. During this time, he wrote an economic pamphlet called On a free trade. This pamphlet supported mercantilism, which was an idea that a country should try to get rich by controlling its trade.

Parker also became interested in the political situation in Ireland. He wrote pamphlets about it and, after returning to England, supported Henry Ireton, a leader in Oliver Cromwell's army. From 1649, Parker served as a secretary for Cromwell's army in Ireland. It is believed he died there.

In 1649, Parker and Henry Robinson argued for 'engagement'. This was a type of loyalty promise that the winning Parliamentarian side wanted people to make. It was meant to ensure everyone recognized Parliament's new power. Parker also disagreed with John Lilburne, a political thinker called a Leveller. Parker wrote in favor of jury trial, a system where a group of ordinary people decides if someone is guilty, which Lilburne had criticized.

Parker's Main Ideas

Henry Parker wrote more than 20 political pamphlets starting in 1640. In these writings, he developed several important ideas:

• He believed Parliament should have absolute power.
• He thought the government should control the church, not the other way around. This idea is called Erastianism.
• He argued that political power should be based on natural law, or the "law of nature."

In his book The Case of shipmony (1640), Parker argued against the King's right to collect a tax called "ship money." He said that the safety of the people (salus populi) was more important than the King's special powers. He believed that the King's power was held "by way of trust," meaning it was given to him by the people. Parker argued that society is like a contract, and it needs the agreement of the people. He strongly believed that Parliament truly represented the people.

Royalist Responses to Parker

Henry Parker's ideas were very influential, and many people who supported the King (called Royalists) wrote replies to him. For example, Dudley Digges and John Spelman wrote books in 1642 that criticized Parker's Observations.

Robert Filmer, another Royalist writer, disagreed with Parker's idea that government was based on a contract. He thought it was an artificial idea. John Maxwell also wrote against Parker in 1644, arguing strongly that the King's power did not come from the people's agreement.

Parker's Lasting Influence

Henry Parker's writings had a big impact on political thought. Historians believe that the ideas of Parker, along with other writers like John Lilburne and Richard Overton, helped shape the later political theories of famous thinkers such as John Locke, James Harington, and Algernon Sidney. These later thinkers built on Parker's ideas about government, the rights of the people, and the source of political power.

Works by Henry Parker

• Divine and Publike Observations (1638)
• The case of shipmony briefly discoursed (1640)
• The question concerning the divine right of episcopacie truly stated (1641)
• A discourse concerning Puritans. A vindication of those, who unjustly suffer by the mistake, abuse, and misapplication of that name (1641)
• The altar dispute (1641)
• The true grounds of ecclesiasticall regiment (1641)
• An answer to Lord Digbies speech (1641)
• The Vintner's Answer to some scandalous Phamphlets (1642)
• The danger to England observed, upon its deserting the high court of Parliament (1642)
• Some few observations upon His Majesties late answer (1642)
• Observations upon some of His Majesties late answers and expresses (1642)
• A petition or declaration, humbly desired to be presented to the view of His most Excellent Majestie (1642)
• The manifold miseries of civill warre and discord in a kingdome (1642)
• Accommodation cordially desired and really intended (1642)
• An appendix to the late answer printed by His Majesties command (1642)
• The generall junto or The councell of union, chosen equally out of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1642)
• The Observator defended (1642)
• A question answered: how laws are to be understood, and obedience yeelded? (1642)
• Animadversions animadverted (1642)
• An appendix to the late answer printed by His Majesties command (1642)
• The Contra-Replicant, his complaint to his majestie (1643)
• A political catechism (1643)
• The Oath of Pacification (1643)
• To the High Court of Parliament: the humble remonstrance of the Company of Stationers London (1643)
• Jus populi (1644)
• Mr. William Wheelers case from his own relation (1644/5)
• The Kings cabinet opened (1645) with others
• The speech of Their Excellencies the Lords Ambassadours Extraordinary (1645)
• Jus Regum (1645)
• The Irish massacre (1646)
• The Trojan horse of the Presbyteriall government unbowelled (1646)
• An elegie upon ye death of my most noble & most honourable master Robert Earle of Essex (1646)
• Henry Parkers answer to the retreate of the armie. 24 Sept.. 1647 (1647)
• An answer to the poysonous sedicious paper of David Jenkins (1647)
• Severall poysonous and sedicious papers of Mr. David Jenkins answered (1647)
• The cordiall of Mr. D. Jenkins ... answered (1647)
• Memoriall. That in regard Mr. John Abbot register of the Prerogative Office had deserted his trust (1648)
• Of a free trade (1648)
• A letter of due censure, and redargution [sic] to Lieut: Coll: John Lilburne (1650)
• The true portraiture of the kings of England (1650)
• Reformation in courts, and cases testamentary (1650)
• Scotlands holy war (1651)
• The chief affairs of Ireland truly communicated (1651)