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.
The earlier days of this author are not known though he is said to have matriculated at the Queens College which was located in Cambridge. He later became an actor and a playwright. His life is not very clear until 1640. At around this time his pamphlets had begun becoming popular. They were satirical and they criticized the Catholic Church and its Bishops. During this period he had become a member of the religion of General Baptism.
In one of his controversial documents he explained his theory on religion. The document was named Mans Mortalitie. In this theory he discussed his religious conviction which was widely criticized by Protestants from the Presbyterian Churches. They described it as heretical and wrong. Richard believed that both the soul and body of a human being are perishable and they die together. When the Last Judgement takes place both resurrect again. This belief was also shared by many of his friends in the religion of General Baptism.
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 1646 when John Liburne was in prison the author wrote a diatribe for him fighting for his release. This earned him a jail sentence. He was imprisoned because the diatribe he wrote was taken as a criminal act. Newgate Prison was the jail where he served his sentence. He went on writing despite being behind bars. He continued his spirited fight for rights and freedoms of people.
In the fall of 1647 he was released from Newgate prison. Immediately after this he joined hands with Leveller mutineers to face the Grandees. The Grandees represented the landed gentry in England during the Civil war. The Grandees were more powerful and they quickly rose and defeated the Leveller mutiny.
For the second time the author was sent to prison in the year 1649. He was back in jail because he could not stop writing political booklets about his opinions. The Government considered his work as treason and thus sentenced him to another jail term. He was freed later on in the year.
When he came out he went on with his writing. He fought for the rights of an individual and equality. He advocated for change in the Government because he hated monarchy. He believed in the popular sovereignty. The final years of Richard Overton are not discussed because very little is known about them. His activities during his last days are not documented.
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