William Walwyn facts for kids
William Walwyn (born around 1600, died 1681) was an English writer who created many short books called pamphlets. He was also a Leveller, which was a group of people who wanted more fairness and rights for everyone in England. Besides writing, he also worked as a doctor.
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William Walwyn's Life Story
William Walwyn lived in London and worked with silk. When the English Civil War started, he supported the Parliament against the King. He believed that people should be free to choose their own religion.
By 1647, Walwyn became an important leader of the Levellers. This group wanted to change society to make it more equal for ordinary people. Because of his strong beliefs, he was put in prison in 1649.
Walwyn and the Magna Carta
In 1645, Walwyn wrote a famous pamphlet called England's Lamentable Slaverie. In it, he disagreed with another Leveller leader, John Lilburne, about the Magna Carta. The Magna Carta was an old document from 1225 that set out some rights.
Walwyn thought the Magna Carta wasn't as important as Lilburne believed. He called it "a messy, small thing" that didn't give enough rights. Instead, Walwyn suggested creating a completely new agreement for England. This new agreement would be based on fairness and common sense, not on old laws that had problems.
Challenges and Defenses
In 1646, Walwyn wrote several pamphlets to respond to a book called Gangraena by Thomas Edwards. Edwards had called Walwyn a "dangerous man."
Later, in 1649, while Walwyn was held in the Tower of London for Treason (which means going against the government), he wrote two pamphlets. These were called "The Fountain of Slaunder Discovered" and "Walwyns Just Defence." He wrote them to protect his reputation after another pamphlet, "Walwyn's Wiles," was published. "Walwyn's Wiles" was written by several important religious leaders in London who thought Walwyn was dangerous.
In 1653, when John Lilburne was arrested, Walwyn was also arrested and held in the Tower of London until Lilburne's trial was over.
William Walwyn passed away in 1681. He was buried in the New Churchyard in Bethlem, where John Lilburne and other members of Walwyn's family were also buried.
Walwyn's Wiles Pamphlet
"Walwyn's Wiles" was a pamphlet written by seven leading religious preachers in London. It was published while Walwyn and other Leveller leaders were in the Tower of London. The full title was "Walwyn's Wiles, or the Manifestators manifested, ... declaring the subtle and crafty wiles, the atheistical, blasphemous soul-murdering principles and practices of Mr William Walwyn."
This pamphlet was a response to "A Manifestation," a pamphlet written by the Levellers. "A Manifestation" said that the Levellers did not want to take away people's property, but they still strongly believed in the ideas from The Agreement of the People.
In response to "Walwyn's Wiles," Walwyn published two of his own pamphlets. One was "The Fountain of Slaunder Discovered," where he defended his good character. The second was "Walwyns Just Defence against the Aspertions Cast upon him, in a Late Un-Christian Pamphlet Entitled, Walwyns Wiles." This pamphlet shared many details about the Leveller movement and other groups from 1646 onwards.
William Walwyn's Writings
William Walwyn wrote many pamphlets about politics, religion, and even medicine. Here are some of his important works:
Political and Religious Writings
- A New Petition of the Papists 1641
- Some Considerations Tending to the Undeceiving Those, Whose Judgements Are Misinformed 1642
- The Power of Love 1643
- The Compassionate Samaritane 1644
- Good Counsell to All 1644
- A Help to the Right Understanding of a Discourse Concerning Independency 1644/5
- Englands Lamentable Slaverie 1645
- Tolleration Justified and Persecution Condemned 1645/6
- A Whisper in the Eare of Mr. Thomas Edwards, Minister 1645/6
- A Word More to Mr Thomas Edwards ... Concerning the National Covenant 1645/6
- A Word in Season: To All Sorts of Well Minded People 1646
- An Antidote against Master Edwards 1646
- The Just Man in Bonds 1646
- A Remonstrance of many Thousand Citizens (written with Richard Overton) 1646
- A Prediction of Mr Edwards His Conversion and Recantation 1646
- A Demurre to the Bill for Preventing the Growth and Spreading of Heresie 1646
- A Parable, or Consultation of Physitians upon Master Edwards 1646
- A Still and Soft Voice from the Scripture 1647
- Gold Tried in the Fire; or, The Burnt Petitions Revived 1647
- The Bloody Project 1648
- The Vanitie of the Present Churches 1648/9
- A Manifestation (signed by many) 1649
- An Agreement of the Free People of England (signed by many) 1649
- The Fountain of Slaunder Discovered 1649
- Walwyns Just Defence 1649
- Juries Justified 1651
- W Walwyns Conceptions; For a Free Trade 1652
Medical Writings
- Spirits Moderated 1654
- Healths New Store-House Opened 1661
- A Touch-Stone for Physick 1667
- A Physick for Families 1669
