Luke Robinson (died 1669) facts for kids

Luke Robinson (born around 1610, died 1669) was an important English politician from Riseborough. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) and part of the Council of State during the time when England was a republic, known as the Commonwealth.

Early Life and Education

Luke Robinson was the oldest son of Sir Arthur Robinson. He was born in 1610 and grew up in Yorkshire. He went to several schools, including St Peter's in York. Later, he studied at Christ's College, Cambridge in 1627. He also trained to be a lawyer at Gray's Inn in 1630.

A Member of Parliament

Robinson became an MP for Scarborough in 1645. He took the place of someone who had been removed for supporting the King during the English Civil War. He stayed an active MP through different periods of Parliament, including the Rump. He also served as a local official in Scarborough in 1652.

Later, he represented Yorkshire and Malton in other Parliaments. When the Rump Parliament was brought back in 1659, he again represented Scarborough. He was also chosen to be a member of the Council of State in 1649, 1650, and 1659. This council helped govern England when there was no king.

Meeting General Monck

In January 1660, Robinson and another politician, Thomas Scot, were sent to meet General Monck. Monck was a powerful general whose army was marching towards London. Robinson and Scot were supposed to congratulate Monck. But their real job was to watch him closely and try to stop him from doing anything that might hurt the Parliament they belonged to. At this time, it wasn't clear if Monck planned to bring back the King.

Robinson and Scot followed Monck everywhere. They stayed in the same inns and even tried to spy on him. They wanted to show that Monck's power came only from Parliament. However, their efforts didn't stop Monck. He continued with his own plans, which eventually led to the King returning to power. Soon after, Robinson and Scot lost their positions on the Council of State.

The King Returns

After the Restoration (when King Charles II returned to the throne), Robinson was again elected as an MP for Scarborough. This was for the Convention Parliament. On May 1, 1660, a letter from the King was read out. It promised forgiveness to many who had opposed him.

Luke Robinson, who had been against the King, seemed to change his mind completely. He was the first to speak after the letter was read. People said he was "bathed in tears" and promised to be loyal to the King. This event was even written about in the famous diary of Samuel Pepys.

However, despite his public change of heart, Robinson was soon removed from Parliament on June 21, 1660. The exact reason wasn't written down, but it's thought that his past actions during the Commonwealth period were not acceptable to the new government. After this, he didn't take part in public life anymore. He died in 1669.

How He Was Seen by Others

Luke Robinson was clearly a well-known figure, and many who supported the King did not like him. He was even made fun of in popular songs of the time. These songs called him names like a "snarling northern tyke" and a "clownado," showing how much the Royalists disliked him and his political views.