Richard Overton (Leveller) facts for kids

Richard Overton (active from 1640 to 1664) was an English writer and a member of the Leveller group. He lived during a very exciting time in England, known as the Civil War and the period after it, called the Interregnum (England). He was known for writing many short books, called pamphlets, that shared his ideas about how society should be run.

Biography

Early Life and Beginnings

Richard Overton might have spent some of his younger years in Holland. However, some of his writings show he was very interested in farming issues, like the "enclosure" of common land. This means he cared about how shared land was being taken over by private owners. This interest might suggest he spent his early life in rural England, perhaps in a county called Lincolnshire, where the name Overton was quite common.

He started publishing anonymous writings around the time the Long Parliament began. These writings often attacked the bishops, who were important church leaders. He also wrote funny poems, called satires, such as Lambeth Fayre and Articles of High Treason against Cheapside Cross in 1642.

Man's Mortality

Overton then wrote about religious ideas in a pamphlet called Man's Mortality. He wrote this anonymously during the Civil War. In this work, he argued that humans are completely mortal, meaning our bodies and souls are connected and both die. He believed that souls do not go straight to heaven or hell after death. Instead, he thought that immortality, or living forever, begins only at the resurrection, when people are brought back to life.

This pamphlet caused a big stir! A small group of people, called "Soul Sleepers," started to follow Overton's ideas. Because of the controversy, the House of Commons ordered an investigation into the authors and printers of pamphlets like Overton's.

Martin Marpriest

Overton also began a strong attack on the Westminster Assembly, a group of religious leaders. He used a fake name, "Martin Marpriest." This name was a nod to "Martin Marprelate," who had challenged bishops in earlier times.

He published several pamphlets under this name, including The Arraignment of Mr. Persecution and Martin's Echo. These were printed secretly in 1646, often with funny, made-up names for the printers. For example, one pamphlet claimed to be "printed by Martin Claw-Clergy, printer to the reverend Assembly of Divines." These writings were seen as very rude and even blasphemous by some, but Overton's authorship was not proven until 1649.

Standing Up to the Lords

In 1646, Overton got involved in printing pamphlets for John Lilburne, another important Leveller. Overton then took up Lilburne's case against the House of Lords. He published An Alarum to the House of Lords, which criticized the Lords for trying to control people's freedoms.

Because of this, he was arrested in August 1646 and sent to Newgate Prison. But even from prison, he managed to publish more writings, like A Defiance against all Arbitrary Usurpations and An Arrow shot from the Prison of Newgate. His wife, Mary, and his brother, Thomas, were also imprisoned for similar actions.

The New Model Army, a powerful military force, supported Overton and others who were imprisoned. They demanded that these prisoners either be given a fair trial or released. Overton was finally released without conditions in September 1647.

His time in prison did not stop Overton's passion for democracy. He helped promote a petition from the London Levellers in September 1648. He also helped present the Plea for Common Right and Freedom in December 1648. This was a protest against changes made to the Agreement of the People, a plan for how England should be governed.

Later Challenges

In March 1649, Overton was arrested again, along with Lilburne and other Leveller leaders. They were accused of writing England's new Chains Discovered. He refused to accept the authority of the Council of State and was sent to the Tower.

While in the Tower, he and three other prisoners published the Agreement of the Free People of England in May 1649. They also published a pamphlet denying that they wanted to overthrow property or social order.

Overton was released in November 1649. He continued to be involved in political movements and faced challenges for his writings against the government of Charles II in later years.

Works

It is hard to list all of Overton's works because many were published anonymously. Here are some of his main known writings:

• Monopolists as Frogs and Vermin, 1641.
• New Lambeth Fair newly Consecrated, wherein all Rome's Relics are set at sale (a funny poem), 1642.
• Articles of High Treason exhibited against Cheapside Cross, with the last Will and Testament of the said Cross (a funny poem), 1642.
• Man's Mortality, Amsterdam, 1643; a second, bigger edition was published in 1655, called Man wholly Mortal.
• The Arraignment of Mr. Persecution … by Reverend young Martin Marpriest, 1645.
• A Sacred Synodical Decretal for the Apprehension of Martin Marpriest, 1645.
• Martin's Echo; or a Remonstrance from his Holiness, Master Marpriest (around 1645).
• An Alarum to the House of Lords, 1646.
• A Defence against all arbitrary Usurpations, either of the House of Lords or any other, 1646.
• An Arrow against all Tyrants or Tyranny, 1646.
• The Commoners' Complaint, 1646.
• The Outcries of oppressed Commons (written with Lilburne), 1647.
• An Appeal from the Degenerate Representative Body, the Commons of England, assembled at Westminster, to the … Free People in general, and especially to his Excellency, Sir Thomas Fairfax, 1647.
• The Copy of a Letter written to the General from Lieutenant-colonel Lilburne and Mr. Overton on behalf of Mr. Lockyer, 1649.
• A Picture of the Council of State (written with three others), 1649.
• A Manifestation of Lieutenant-colonel Lilburne and Mr. Overton, &c., 1649.
• An Agreement of the Free People of England tendered as a Peace-offering to this distressed Nation, by Lieutenant-colonel Lilburne, Mr. Overton, &c., 1649.
• Overton's Defiance of Act of Pardon, 1649.
• The Baiting of the Great Bull of Bashan, 1649.

Overton also wrote many petitions, which are formal requests, to both houses of parliament.