Henry Parker (writer)
Encyclopedia
Henry Parker was an English barrister
and political writer in the Parliamentarian
cause.
He was a major figure as a propagandist and pamphleteer, "the most influential writer to defend the parliamentary cause in the 1640s". He provided the "ideological ballast for resistance", according to Geoffrey Robertson
. He operated on behalf of the "coalition" of aristocrats and gentry who took over in the Long Parliament
. He formulated a theory of sovereignty
for the side of Parliament in its conflict with Charles I of England
, based on the consent of the people.
, where his father Sir Nicholas Parker was a justice of the peace
and MP. His mother was Kathryn Temple, sister of Sir Thomas Temple, 1st Baronet, of Stowe
. Thomas Parker, who represented Seaford
in the Long Parliament, was his brother. His background was Winchester College
, St. Edmund Hall, Oxford (M.A. 1628) and Lincoln's Inn
(called to the bar in 1637). He was a nephew, by marriage, and associate of William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele
, and his early works are close to the direct political concerns of this patron. He was a cousin of the regicide, James Temple
.
He was secretary to the Parliamentary Army in 1642, and secretary to the House of Commons
with John Sadler in 1645. At the same time he was secretary to Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
, who emerged in 1642 in a prominent position as Parliamentary military leader. Parker's Observations upon some of his Majesty's late answers and expresses (1642) has been called the "single most influential tract of the period".
Correspondence of King Charles and Queen Henrietta Maria was captured after the royalist defeat at the Battle of Naseby
in 1645. It was published, 39 letters being made public, edited and annotated by Parker, Sadler and Thomas May
, as The Kings Cabinet Opened. The tactic adopted in this work of mild annotation, allowing Charles's words mostly to speak for themselves, proved itself effective.
After the death of Essex, in 1646, he took a position in Germany, as agent in Hamburg
for the Merchant Adventurers. From this period dates his economic pamphlet, On a free trade, in support of mercantilism
. He also became concerned with the political and military situation in Ireland. He wrote pamphlets on it, becoming on his return an apologist for Henry Ireton
. From 1649 he was secretary to Oliver Cromwell
's army, serving in Ireland, and is presumed to have died there.
In 1649, he with Henry Robinson
argued for 'engagement'
, a kind of loyalty oath to be imposed by the victorious Parliamentary side to ensure recognition of its authority. He was an opponent of John Lilburne
, the Leveller, and wrote in support of jury trial
, a system attacked by Lilburne.
and Paolo Sarpi
, and attacked both episcopacy and Presbyterianism
as autonomous systems. In True grounds (1641) he continued the case against independent religious institutions.
In a series of over 20 political pamphlets from 1640 onwards, he developed ad hoc but influential positions: absolute power for Parliament; thorough Erastianism on the religious question (a "cool secularist" for Christopher Hill
); and an appeal to natural law, or the "law of nature" as the basis for political power. In The Case of shipmony (1640) he argued in terms of salus populi, the law of necessity, and the failure of the King's arguments to establish it. This went further than arguments simply directed against royal prerogative
, and shifted the discussion of legality.
For J. G. A. Pocock, Parker is "no kind of classical republican". On the other hand the position of Observations on monarchy
is that it is held "by way of trust". With Philip Hunton
, Parker argued that political society has the nature of a contract, and required the consent of the people. He put the case that Parliament actually was representative of the people.
Parker's theory of sovereignty implicitly depended on Jean Bodin
. As well as Bodin and Sarpi, Mendle sees Parker drawing on Richard Hooker
, and Grotius.
, in A view of a printed book intituled Observations upon His Majesties late answers and expresses (1642). Robert Filmer
in Patriarcha held up Parker's contractarian views as an artificial construct.
John Bramhall
attacked both Parker and Thomas Hobbes
, at different times, but using similar language. John Maxwell
took Parker as a typical specimen, in Sacro-sancta regum majestas of 1644, published anonymously. He argued strongly against the concept that the king had his power through popular consent, and placed Parker in a tradition going back to William of Ockham
and Marsilius of Padua
.
.
In general terms, the works of Parker, John Lilburne, Richard Overton
, Isaac Penington
and Henry Vane
are considered the substrate for the later political theories of John Locke
, James Harington
and Algernon Sidney.
Barrister
A barrister is a member of one of the two classes of lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions with split legal professions. Barristers specialise in courtroom advocacy, drafting legal pleadings and giving expert legal opinions...
and political writer in the Parliamentarian
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
cause.
He was a major figure as a propagandist and pamphleteer, "the most influential writer to defend the parliamentary cause in the 1640s". He provided the "ideological ballast for resistance", according to Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Robertson
Geoffrey Ronald Robertson QC is an Australian-born human rights lawyer, academic, author and broadcaster. He holds dual Australian and British citizenship....
. He operated on behalf of the "coalition" of aristocrats and gentry who took over in the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
. He formulated a theory of sovereignty
Sovereignty
Sovereignty is the quality of having supreme, independent authority over a geographic area, such as a territory. It can be found in a power to rule and make law that rests on a political fact for which no purely legal explanation can be provided...
for the side of Parliament in its conflict with Charles I of England
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
, based on the consent of the people.
Life
He was born in Ratton, SussexSussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, where his father Sir Nicholas Parker was a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and MP. His mother was Kathryn Temple, sister of Sir Thomas Temple, 1st Baronet, of Stowe
Sir Thomas Temple, 1st Baronet, of Stowe
Sir Thomas Temple, 1st Baronet , was an English landowner and Member of Parliament.-Early life:Temple was born at Burton Dassett in Warwickshire, the eldest son of John Temple and Susan . As a child he moved with his father to Stowe House in Buckinghamshire...
. Thomas Parker, who represented Seaford
Seaford (UK Parliament constituency)
The UK parliamentary constituency of Seaford was a Cinque Port constituency, similar to a parliamentary borough, in Seaford, East Sussex. A rotten borough, prone by size to undue influence by a patron, it was disenfranchised in the Reform Act of 1832...
in the Long Parliament, was his brother. His background was Winchester College
Winchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, St. Edmund Hall, Oxford (M.A. 1628) and Lincoln's Inn
Lincoln's Inn
The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn is one of four Inns of Court in London to which barristers of England and Wales belong and where they are called to the Bar. The other three are Middle Temple, Inner Temple and Gray's Inn. Although Lincoln's Inn is able to trace its official records beyond...
(called to the bar in 1637). He was a nephew, by marriage, and associate of William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele
William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele
William Fiennes, 1st Viscount Saye and Sele was born at the family home of Broughton Castle near Banbury, in Oxfordshire. He was the only son of Richard Fiennes, seventh Baron Saye and Sele...
, and his early works are close to the direct political concerns of this patron. He was a cousin of the regicide, James Temple
James Temple
James Temple was a puritan and English Civil War soldier who was convicted of the regicide of Charles I. Born in Rochester, Kent, to a well-connected gentry family, he was the second of two sons of Sir Alexander Temple, although his elder brother died in 1627...
.
He was secretary to the Parliamentary Army in 1642, and secretary to the House of Commons
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
with John Sadler in 1645. At the same time he was secretary to Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the seventeenth century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, also known as the Roundheads...
, who emerged in 1642 in a prominent position as Parliamentary military leader. Parker's Observations upon some of his Majesty's late answers and expresses (1642) has been called the "single most influential tract of the period".
Correspondence of King Charles and Queen Henrietta Maria was captured after the royalist defeat at the Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
in 1645. It was published, 39 letters being made public, edited and annotated by Parker, Sadler and Thomas May
Thomas May
Thomas May was an English poet, dramatist and historian of the Renaissance era.- Early life and career until 1630 :...
, as The Kings Cabinet Opened. The tactic adopted in this work of mild annotation, allowing Charles's words mostly to speak for themselves, proved itself effective.
After the death of Essex, in 1646, he took a position in Germany, as agent in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
for the Merchant Adventurers. From this period dates his economic pamphlet, On a free trade, in support of mercantilism
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is the economic doctrine in which government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the prosperity and security of the state. In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. Mercantilism dominated Western European economic policy and discourse from...
. He also became concerned with the political and military situation in Ireland. He wrote pamphlets on it, becoming on his return an apologist for Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton was an English general in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. He was the son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell.-Early life:...
. From 1649 he was secretary to Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
's army, serving in Ireland, and is presumed to have died there.
In 1649, he with Henry Robinson
Henry Robinson (writer)
Henry Robinson was an English merchant and writer. He is best known for a work on religious toleration, Liberty of Conscience from 1644.-Life:He was educated at St John's College, Oxford, and was a freeman of the Mercers' Company...
argued for 'engagement'
Engagement controversy
The Engagement Controversy was a debate in England from 1649-1652 regarding loyalty to the new regime after the execution of Charles I. During this period hundreds of pamphlets were published in England supporting 'engagement' to the new regime or denying the right of English citizens to shift...
, a kind of loyalty oath to be imposed by the victorious Parliamentary side to ensure recognition of its authority. He was an opponent of John Lilburne
John Lilburne
John Lilburne , also known as Freeborn John, was an English political Leveller before, during and after English Civil Wars 1642-1650. He coined the term "freeborn rights", defining them as rights with which every human being is born, as opposed to rights bestowed by government or human law...
, the Leveller, and wrote in support of jury trial
Jury trial
A jury trial is a legal proceeding in which a jury either makes a decision or makes findings of fact which are then applied by a judge...
, a system attacked by Lilburne.
Parker's positions and sources
His Discourse concerning Puritans drew on Virgilio MalvezziVirgilio Malvezzi
Virgilio Malvezzi was an Italian historian and essayist, soldier and diplomat, born in Bologna. He became court historian to Philip IV of Spain. He used the anagram-pseudonym Grivilio Vezzalmi.-Life:He fought for the Spanish forces in Flanders....
and Paolo Sarpi
Paolo Sarpi
Fra Paolo Sarpi was a Venetian patriot, scholar, scientist and church reformer. His most important roles were as a canon lawyer and historian active on behalf of the Venetian Republic.- Early years :...
, and attacked both episcopacy and Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
as autonomous systems. In True grounds (1641) he continued the case against independent religious institutions.
In a series of over 20 political pamphlets from 1640 onwards, he developed ad hoc but influential positions: absolute power for Parliament; thorough Erastianism on the religious question (a "cool secularist" for Christopher Hill
Christopher Hill (historian)
John Edward Christopher Hill , usually known simply as Christopher Hill, was an English Marxist historian and author of textbooks....
); and an appeal to natural law, or the "law of nature" as the basis for political power. In The Case of shipmony (1640) he argued in terms of salus populi, the law of necessity, and the failure of the King's arguments to establish it. This went further than arguments simply directed against royal prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
, and shifted the discussion of legality.
For J. G. A. Pocock, Parker is "no kind of classical republican". On the other hand the position of Observations on monarchy
Monarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
is that it is held "by way of trust". With Philip Hunton
Philip Hunton
Philip Hunton was an English clergyman and political writer, known for his May 1643 anti-absolutist work A Treatise of Monarchy. It became a banned book under the Restoration.-A Treatise of Monarchie :...
, Parker argued that political society has the nature of a contract, and required the consent of the people. He put the case that Parliament actually was representative of the people.
Parker's theory of sovereignty implicitly depended on Jean Bodin
Jean Bodin
Jean Bodin was a French jurist and political philosopher, member of the Parlement of Paris and professor of law in Toulouse. He is best known for his theory of sovereignty; he was also an influential writer on demonology....
. As well as Bodin and Sarpi, Mendle sees Parker drawing on Richard Hooker
Richard Hooker
Richard Hooker was an Anglican priest and an influential theologian. Hooker's emphases on reason, tolerance and the value of tradition came to exert a lasting influence on the development of the Church of England...
, and Grotius.
Royalist replies
Initially, the Observations of 1642 provoked replies that did not name it or engage directly with its arguments, but attacked its slogans. Two important examples were works from Dudley Digges and John SpelmanJohn Spelman
Sir John Spelman was an English historian and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1626. He is known for his biography of Alfred the Great.-Life:...
, in A view of a printed book intituled Observations upon His Majesties late answers and expresses (1642). Robert Filmer
Robert Filmer
thumbnail|150px|right|Robert Filmer Sir Robert Filmer was an English political theorist who defended the divine right of kings...
in Patriarcha held up Parker's contractarian views as an artificial construct.
John Bramhall
John Bramhall
John Bramhall was an Archbishop of Armagh, and an Anglican theologian and apologist. He was a noted controversialist who doggedly defended the English Church from both Puritan and Roman Catholic accusations, as well as the materialism of Thomas Hobbes.-Early life:Bramhall was born in Pontefract,...
attacked both Parker and Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes
Thomas Hobbes of Malmesbury , in some older texts Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury, was an English philosopher, best known today for his work on political philosophy...
, at different times, but using similar language. John Maxwell
John Maxwell (archbishop)
John Maxwell Archbishop of Tuam, son of John Maxwell of Cavens, Kirkcudbrightshire, was born in or before 1586. He was educated at the University of St Andrews, where he was laureated M. A. on 29 July 1611.- Early career :...
took Parker as a typical specimen, in Sacro-sancta regum majestas of 1644, published anonymously. He argued strongly against the concept that the king had his power through popular consent, and placed Parker in a tradition going back to William of Ockham
William of Ockham
William of Ockham was an English Franciscan friar and scholastic philosopher, who is believed to have been born in Ockham, a small village in Surrey. He is considered to be one of the major figures of medieval thought and was at the centre of the major intellectual and political controversies of...
and Marsilius of Padua
Marsilius of Padua
Marsilius of Padua Marsilius of Padua Marsilius of Padua (Italian Marsilio or Marsiglio da Padova; (circa 1275 – circa 1342) was an Italian scholar, trained in medicine who practiced a variety of professions. He was also an important 14th century political figure...
.
Influence
Christopher Hill states that Philip Hunton's Treatise of Monarchie (1643) is an attempted compromise between Parker and John GoodwinJohn Goodwin (preacher)
John Goodwin was an English preacher, theologian and prolific author of significant books.-Early life:Goodwin was born in Norfolk and educated at Queens' College, Cambridge, where he graduated M.A. and obtained a fellowship on 10 November 1617. He left the university and married, took orders and...
.
In general terms, the works of Parker, John Lilburne, Richard Overton
Richard Overton
Richard Overton was an English pamphleteer and Leveller during the Civil War. Little is known of the early life of Overton, but he is believed to have matriculated at Queens' College, Cambridge, before working as an actor and playwright in Southwark. Here he picked up Leveller sympathies, and...
, Isaac Penington
Isaac Penington (Quaker)
Isaac Penington was one of the early members of the Religious Society of Friends .Penington was the oldest son of Isaac Penington, a Puritan who had served as the Lord Mayor of London. Penington married a widow named Mary Springett and they had five children. Penington's stepdaughter Gulielma...
and Henry Vane
Henry Vane the Younger
Sir Henry Vane , son of Henry Vane the Elder , was an English politician, statesman, and colonial governor...
are considered the substrate for the later political theories of John Locke
John Locke
John Locke FRS , widely known as the Father of Liberalism, was an English philosopher and physician regarded as one of the most influential of Enlightenment thinkers. Considered one of the first of the British empiricists, following the tradition of Francis Bacon, he is equally important to social...
, James Harington
James Harington
James Harington may refer to:* H James Harrington, author, lecturer, consultant, international performance improvement and quality guru, entrepreneur and business man...
and Algernon Sidney.
Works
- Divine and Publike Observations (1638)
- The case of shipmony briefly discoursed (1640) online text
- The question concerning the divine right of episcopacie truly stated (1641)
- A discourse concerning Puritans. A vindication of those, who uniustly suffer by the mistake, abuse, and misapplication of that name (1641) as Philus Adelphus
- The altar dispute (1641)
- The true grounds of ecclesiasticall regiment (1641)
- An answer to Lord Digbies speech (1641)
- The Vintner's Answer to some scandalous Phamphlets (1642)
- The danger to England observed, upon its deserting the high court of Parliament (1642)
- Some few observations upon His Majesties late answer (1642)
- Observations upon some of His Majesties late answers and expresses (1642) online extracts
- A petition or declaration, humbly desired to be presented to the view of His most Excellent Majestie (1642)
- The manifold miseries of civill warre and discord in a kingdome (1642)
- Accommodation cordially desired and really intended (1642)
- An appendix to the late answer printed by His Majesties command (1642)
- The generall junto or The councell of union, chosen equally out of England, Scotland, and Ireland (1642)
- The Observator defended (1642)
- A question answered: how laws are to be understood, and obedience yeelded? (1642)
- Animadversions animadverted (1642)
- An appendix to the late answer printed by His Majesties command (1642)
- The Contra-Replicant, his complaint to his majestie (1643)
- A political catechism (1643)
- The Oath of Pacification (1643)
- To the High Court of Parliament: the humble remonstrance of the Company of Stationers London (1643)
- Jus populi (1644)
- Mr. William Wheelers case from his own relation (1644/5)
- The Kings cabinet opened (1645) with others
- The speech of Their Excellencies the Lords Ambassadours Extraordinary (1645)
- Jus Regum (1645)
- The Irish massacre (1646)
- The Trojan horse of the Presbyteriall government unbowelled (1646)
- An elegie upon ye death of my most noble & most honourable master Robert Earle of Essex (1646)
- Henry Parkers answer to the retreate of the armie. Sept. 24. 1647 (1647)
- An answer to the poysonous sedicious paper of David Jenkins (1647)
- Severall poysonous and sedicious papers of Mr. David Jenkins answered (1647)
- The cordiall of Mr. D. Jenkins ... answered (1647)
- Memoriall. That in regard Mr. John Abbot register of the Prerogative Office had deserted his trust (1648)
- Of a free trade (1648)
- A letter of due censure, and redargution [sic] to Lieut: Coll: John Lilburne (1650)
- The true portraiture of the kings of England (1650)
- Reformation in courts, and cases testamentary (1650)
- Scotlands holy war (1651)
- The chief affairs of Ireland truly communicated (1651)