Few people today knew the role played by Richard Overton in 1640 to 1655 when he conducted a series of attacks on Catholicism and the reforms of Laudian church doctrines as well as government. Some historians had it that he was a Baptist convert. However, his early life before 1640 and that of after 1655 is unknown.
Convinced that the soul of man must die whenever the body ceases living, he made his belief known in a publication. This made those of the Presbyterian faith become agitated and refused to accept his teachings. However, he found an ally with the Baptist and as a result, his doctrine was largely accepted by them.
In 1645, he won admiration from independents and soldiers with his publication of critical aspects of the Presbyterian Church by writing ‘Martin-Mar Priest’. With many political pamphlets, he attacked both church and government. His influence caused him to become a founding member of the Leveller movement and with his added publication of ‘Remonstrance of Many Thousands Citizens’, he set the standard that the movement should function by.
A leader in the movement John Lilburne was sent to prison by the authorities and he went to work defending Lilburne. When his efforts were not noticed by the authorities, he wrote, ‘An Alarm to the House of Lords’ to gather sympathy from the public. However, the writing of the pamphlet only resulted in his being put behind bars by the authorities. His imprisonment did not stop him from making rallying calls for civil rights and liberties.
With enough petitioning by citizens, both he and Lilburne got full pardon and were set free. Both men saw the need to win over the army to their cause and tried to convince the military to back the Leveller’s movement. Meanwhile, in London, trouble started between the ruling people and some citizens. He and Lilburne went to help the agitators, but on arrival found that they were attending a lost cause.
The authorities in London, which were known as the Grandees, called a meeting with the Leveller’s leadership and made known certain laws to them. These laws made him as well as Lilburne dissatisfied and they left the meeting in anger before it ended. He publicly made his alignment with some soldiers that was responsible for King Charles’s assassination in the past, saying that they were standing for justice. He still held a large mistrust for Cromwell and made it known in his writing of ‘The Hunting of the Foxes’.
With his published work of ‘England’s New Chains Discovered’ in 1649, he, Lilburne and two other leaders belonging to the movement were arrested. When questioned by the authorities, they all denied having anything to do concerning the publication and as a result were imprisoned. Although there was a final publication in 1949, Cromwell inserted his authority by disrupting the Leveller’s political viability.
Since the authorities could not find any real evidence to condemn the leaders with, they eventually released them. He later found a similar belief in Edward Sexby and in 1655; he and Sexby tried to remove government authorities and failed in their efforts. How Richard Overton tried to change government and church will be remembered by many historians. richard overton
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