William Prynne facts for kids

Illustration of William Prynne by Wenceslaus Hollar

William Prynne (born 1600, died 1669) was an important English lawyer, writer, and political leader. He was a strong supporter of the Puritan movement, which wanted to "purify" the Church of England. Prynne often disagreed with the church's rules, especially those made by William Laud, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Prynne believed in Presbyterianism, a way of organizing the church where local leaders (elders) have more power than bishops. Later, he became known as an Erastian, meaning he thought the government should have control over religious matters, not the church itself.

Who Was William Prynne?

William Prynne was born in Swainswick, near Bath, Somerset. He went to Bath Grammar School and then to Oriel College, Oxford. After college, he studied law at Lincoln's Inn and became a lawyer in 1628.

Prynne was greatly influenced by John Preston, a religious teacher. This made him even more committed to his Puritan beliefs. In 1627, he published his first book, The Perpetuity of a Regenerate Man's Estate. This was the first of over 200 books and pamphlets he would write! Many of his early writings criticized ideas that went against Calvinist teachings, which were a core part of Puritanism. He even asked Parliament to stop books that disagreed with Calvinist beliefs.

Prynne was very strict about how people should live. For example, he thought drinking toasts was wrong. He also believed that men should not have long hair and that it was "unnatural" for women to cut their hair short.

Why Was Prynne Punished in the 1630s?

Like many Puritans, Prynne disliked religious holidays like Christmas and activities such as plays. He wrote a huge book called Histriomastix in 1632. In this book, he criticized stage plays and actors.

It so happened that Queen Henrietta Maria and her ladies took part in a play in January 1633. Many people thought Prynne's book was attacking the Queen because of what he wrote about female actors. He also criticized people who watched plays and leaders who didn't stop them, comparing them to bad rulers like Nero.

The King, Charles I of England, and his officials were very angry. They ordered Histriomastix to be publicly burned. This was a new and harsh way to censor books in England. Prynne was put on trial in a special court called the Star-chamber.

In 1634, Prynne was sentenced to life in prison and a large fine. He was also removed from Lincoln's Inn and lost his university degree. As part of his punishment, both of his ears were cut off in a public place called the pillory. His book was burned right in front of him.

Even after this harsh punishment, Prynne kept writing from prison. He wrote anonymous papers criticizing bishops and the King's Book of Sports, which allowed certain activities on Sundays. He even linked the recent death of a lawyer named William Noy to God's judgment on those who broke the Sabbath.

Prynne was brought back to court in 1637 for more writings that attacked church leaders. He was sentenced again to a large fine, life in prison, and to lose the rest of his ears. He was also branded on his cheeks with the letters "S. L." which stood for "seditious libeller" (someone who writes things to cause rebellion). Prynne famously said the letters meant "sign of praise."

To keep him away from his friends, Prynne was moved to different prisons, including Caernarfon Castle and then Mont Orgueil in Jersey. Even there, he continued to write, often in verse.

Prynne's Role in the 1640s

In 1640, the Long Parliament released Prynne from prison. The Parliament declared his punishments illegal and gave him back his degree and his place at Lincoln's Inn. They also voted to pay him for the harm he suffered.

Prynne strongly supported the Parliament's side in the English Civil War. He wrote many pamphlets against the King and his supporters. He also helped gather evidence for the trial of William Laud, the Archbishop who had punished him. Prynne even searched Laud's room in the Tower of London for papers.

As the political situation changed, Prynne, who had been seen as a radical, became more conservative. He defended Presbyterianism against other groups like the Independents, who were favored by Oliver Cromwell and the army. Prynne believed the government should control the church, not the other way around. He even argued with John Milton, a famous poet, about divorce.

In 1648, Prynne was elected to Parliament. He quickly showed his opposition to the army. He argued that the King's offers for peace were good enough. However, just two days later, an event called Pride's Purge happened. Soldiers, led by Colonel Thomas Pride, removed members of Parliament who disagreed with the army. Prynne was arrested and imprisoned again.

After Pride's Purge and the Restoration

After being released in 1649, Prynne continued to write against the new government led by Cromwell. He argued that people were not bound to follow the new rules or pay taxes to the Commonwealth. Because of this, he was imprisoned again for almost three years without a trial. He was finally released in 1653 without making any promises to stop his writings.

Prynne kept writing, criticizing various groups and defending Parliament's rights. He even wrote against the idea of allowing Jewish people to live in England again, which was being discussed at the time.

When Richard Cromwell (Oliver Cromwell's son) lost power, Prynne became popular again. In 1660, he and other members who had been removed by Pride's Purge tried to re-enter Parliament. Prynne famously marched into Westminster Hall with an old sword, though he tripped on it! Parliament then asked him to help dissolve the Long Parliament.

Prynne played a role in bringing King Charles II of England back to the throne, an event known as the English Restoration. He helped pass laws that gave control of the army back to the King's supporters. Charles II even thanked him personally for his help.

Prynne's Later Years

After the Restoration, Prynne was rewarded with public office. He was elected as a Member of Parliament for Bath in 1660 and again in 1661. He continued to support Presbyterianism, even refusing to kneel during a church service with Parliament.

Prynne became the Keeper of Records in the Tower of London. In this role, he worked on important historical documents. He expanded on a book called An Exact Abridgement of the Records in the Tower of London, which contained records of parliaments from the reigns of Edward II of England to Richard III of England. This work showed his deep interest in the history of Parliament and its relationship with the English monarchy.

While his book Histriomastix is still studied today for its connection to English theater, Prynne is remembered as a dedicated and determined figure in English history. He died on October 24, 1669, and was buried in the chapel of Lincoln's Inn.

Images for kids

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  The title page of Prynne's The First and Second Part of a Seasonable, Legal, and Historicall Vindication, and Chronological Collection of the Good, Old, Fundamentall Liberties, Franchises, Rights, Laws of All English Freemen (2nd ed., 1655).

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  The title page of Prynne's The First Part of a Brief Register, Kalendar and Survey of the Several Kinds, Forms of All Parliamentary VVrits (1st ed., 1659).