Samuel Luke facts for kids

Sir Samuel Luke (born March 21, 1603 – died August 30, 1670) was an important person in England's history. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like a part of the government that makes laws. He served there from 1640 to 1653 and again in 1660. Samuel Luke also fought as an officer in the army that supported Parliament during the English Civil War.

The Life of Samuel Luke

Samuel Luke was born on March 21, 1603. He was baptized just six days later in a place called Southill, Bedfordshire. His father was Sir Oliver Luke, who was also a Member of Parliament. His mother was Elizabeth.

Samuel went to Eton school from 1617 to 1619. In 1623, he traveled to other countries. He was made a knight on July 20, 1624. In April 1640, Samuel Luke was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Bedford. This was for a short time called the Short Parliament. He was chosen again in November 1640 for the Long Parliament. Many people who later followed John Bunyan supported him in this election.

During the English Civil War, Samuel Luke was in charge of a special army base. This base was in Newport Pagnell, Buckinghamshire. He was the governor there from late 1642 until June 1644. He also worked as a "Scoutmaster" for the Earl of Essex. A Scoutmaster was like a chief spy or intelligence officer for the army. He helped gather information about the enemy.

Samuel Luke agreed to something called the Solemn League and Covenant. This was an agreement to support the Parliament and the Protestant religion. In 1648, he was removed from the Long Parliament for a time. This event was known as Pride's Purge.

When his father passed away in 1651, Samuel Luke took over the family's land and property. In April 1660, he was again chosen as a Member of Parliament for Bedford. This time it was for the Convention Parliament. Samuel Luke died in 1670. He was buried on August 30 in Cople, Bedfordshire.

Samuel Luke in Books

Many people believe that Sir Samuel Luke was the inspiration for a famous character. This character is in a funny, long poem called Hudibras. The poem was written in 1662 by Samuel Butler. It makes fun of some of the ideas and people from that time.

Samuel Luke's Family

On February 2, 1624, Samuel Luke married Elizabeth. She was the daughter of William Freeman, who was a merchant from London.