Richard Overton lived from 1599 to the year 1664. He was a British pamphleteer famous for the booklets he made throughout the English revolution. He was very controversial and his works were respected because of the courage they demonstrated.
Not much is known of this writers early life but he is believed to have enrolled at the Queens College in Cambridge. He was also a playwright and actor in Southwark. He was unknown for most part of his life until the year 1640. This is the year when his booklets began being circulated. At first his pamphlets which were satirical in nature were aimed at criticizing the Church of England. It is believed that Richard had converted to General Baptism religion through this period.
In one of his documents titled Mans Mortalitie he put down one of his most controversial theories. His theory on religion was purely materialistic. He believed that just like the body the soul is also perishable. Both soul and body of a human being die but at the final judgement both are resurrected. Other members of the General Baptism also believed in this theory. Presbyterian Protestants from other churches criticized this line of thought because they thought it was wrong and heretical.
Because of his religious booklets by the year 1645 the author had become very famous. He had also added political works. He became part of the Leveller Movement. This establishment pushed for sovereignty of the people and religious tolerance. It is also said that Richard Overton and William Walwyn put down one of the Leveller Movements most famous and demonstrative piece. It was titled The Remonstrance of Many Thousand Citizens.
In the year 1646 the writer put down another diatribe for John Liburne. This piece argued that he should have been set free from a prison sentence. Because of this work Richard was put behind bars by the Government which considered the diatribe a criminal act. He was held in Newgate Prison. Even after being imprisoned he still went on with his writing. He wrote many pamphlets fighting for the freedom and rights of an individual.
He was set free from Newgate prison in the fall of 1647. When he came out he went on to work with the Leveller mutineer against the Grandees. In the Civil War of England the Grandees represented the gentry. The Leveller mutiny was crashed by the Grandees who were more powerful and controlling.
In 1649 the writer was sent to prison for the second time. He had continued voicing his opinion though pamphlets which were political. This did not settle down well with the Government which considered the pamphlets as treason. He was later set free in the same year.
After his second term in prison he still went on advocating for change in Government. He was against monarchy and wanted it abolished because he believed in sovereignty. He wrote more pamphlets talking about equality and the rights of the individual. It is not known how Richard Overton spent his last years. This information is not documented anywhere.
Not much is known of this writers early life but he is believed to have enrolled at the Queens College in Cambridge. He was also a playwright and actor in Southwark. He was unknown for most part of his life until the year 1640. This is the year when his booklets began being circulated. At first his pamphlets which were satirical in nature were aimed at criticizing the Church of England. It is believed that Richard had converted to General Baptism religion through this period.
In one of his documents titled Mans Mortalitie he put down one of his most controversial theories. His theory on religion was purely materialistic. He believed that just like the body the soul is also perishable. Both soul and body of a human being die but at the final judgement both are resurrected. Other members of the General Baptism also believed in this theory. Presbyterian Protestants from other churches criticized this line of thought because they thought it was wrong and heretical.
Because of his religious booklets by the year 1645 the author had become very famous. He had also added political works. He became part of the Leveller Movement. This establishment pushed for sovereignty of the people and religious tolerance. It is also said that Richard Overton and William Walwyn put down one of the Leveller Movements most famous and demonstrative piece. It was titled The Remonstrance of Many Thousand Citizens.
In the year 1646 the writer put down another diatribe for John Liburne. This piece argued that he should have been set free from a prison sentence. Because of this work Richard was put behind bars by the Government which considered the diatribe a criminal act. He was held in Newgate Prison. Even after being imprisoned he still went on with his writing. He wrote many pamphlets fighting for the freedom and rights of an individual.
He was set free from Newgate prison in the fall of 1647. When he came out he went on to work with the Leveller mutineer against the Grandees. In the Civil War of England the Grandees represented the gentry. The Leveller mutiny was crashed by the Grandees who were more powerful and controlling.
In 1649 the writer was sent to prison for the second time. He had continued voicing his opinion though pamphlets which were political. This did not settle down well with the Government which considered the pamphlets as treason. He was later set free in the same year.
After his second term in prison he still went on advocating for change in Government. He was against monarchy and wanted it abolished because he believed in sovereignty. He wrote more pamphlets talking about equality and the rights of the individual. It is not known how Richard Overton spent his last years. This information is not documented anywhere.
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