Richard Overton was an English man born in 1599. He was renowned as a pamphleteer. A pamphleteer is a person who creates or publishes pamphlets that deal mainly with controversial issues. Mr. Overtone was also a Leveller. A Leveller was a follower of a certain political movement during the English civil war that emphasized on equality, justice, and religious tolerance.
Details on the life of this man are not well known. It is believed he matriculated from Queens College Cambridge and worked at Southwak as an actor and playwright. It was here that he authored pamphlets against the House of Commons and the bishops of the Church of England. This action made him an enemy of the government. He was incarcerated twice in England, but was set free on 16th of September, 1647.
Overtone is believed to have published just about fifty very controversial pamphlets. Some of his most widely known ones include ‘Articles of High Treason Exhibited Against Cheapside Cross’ and ‘The Just Man in Bonds.’ He mostly wrote articles that argued for equality among all men.
He believed in democracy and wanted the monarchical system to be abolished. He even went as far as plotting to overthrow the government with two other Englishmen named Edward Sexby and John Wildman. However, their plan was not successful, and was imprisoned, but later released. Eight years later he fled to exile in Flanders.
In 1664, Overton died at age sixty five. While still in Flanders he continued doing his work as a pamphleteer. He was also involved in a lot of anti-government activities, but most of them were unsuccessful. He later returned home to England and wrote a revised version of his treatise ‘Man Wholly Made.’
Lots of details on Richard Overton and his life remain scant and obscure. This is as a result of spending most of his life in hiding and running from the law. In fact some of his articles may have gotten lost in history due to the fact that he wrote them anonymously. Many people however agree that he intended to end political and legal privilege which served to enrich members of the governing class only and forget about the common man. richard overton
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