Henry Robinson (writer)
Encyclopedia
Henry Robinson was an English merchant and writer. He is best known for a work on religious toleration
, Liberty of Conscience from 1644.
, and was a freeman of the Mercers' Company. He had travelled in continental Europe as a young man; and he was much influenced by the Dutch example of tolerance and prosperity.
A supporter of the Independent line in religion, against the orthodox Presbyterians, he was involved in controversy with William Prynne
.
In politics he with Henry Parker
lent support in 1649 to Parliament in the debate over 'engagement'
, an oath to be required affirming the legitimacy of the Parliamentary regime. In the same year he was appointed to government administrative positions, dealing with accounts and sale of crown lands, and in 1650 with farm rents and acting as secretary to the excise
commissioners.
In 1650 he set up as a business, though short-lived, an Office of Addresses and Encounters. It was in Threadneedle Street
in London, and charged 6d. for answers to certain types of queries, concerning real estate and employment amongst other matters. There was a free service for the poor. The creation of such an Office had been pushed for three years by Samuel Hartlib
, who had lobbied for public funds for it. Robinson was an associate of Hartlib, and provided a limited implementation of a grand reformist scheme, which drew also on the French model of Théophraste Renaudot
that had operated by then for 20 years. Through the simple provision of a central Register of Addresses, Robinson argued, employers could find employees.
in the arguments of Areopagitica
against censorship
. It has been said that there was essentially nothing in Milton's work that had not been anticipated by Robinson, William Walwyn
, Roger Williams
.
Other contemporaries writing in the area of freedom of publication were John Lilburne
and John Saltmarsh
, and John Goodwin
. The production of pamphlets in 1644 arguing for toleration was part of the Independents' campaign against the rigid Presbyterians. Robinson was against religious coercion, and therefore against the setting-up of a new national church for England if the result was persecution. Toleration was apparently not to be extended to Roman Catholics.
He wrote extensively on trade and economics, including advocacy for English trade policy during the Rump Parliament
, In economic policy his writings had some effect: in the areas of interest rates, naturalisation of foreigners, redistibution of trades from the London centre, and inland navigation, there was a measure of economic reform in the directions he with Hartlib had proposed.
He, in common with some of the Levellers
, argued against jury trial
.
Religious toleration
Toleration is "the practice of deliberately allowing or permitting a thing of which one disapproves. One can meaningfully speak of tolerating, ie of allowing or permitting, only if one is in a position to disallow”. It has also been defined as "to bear or endure" or "to nourish, sustain or preserve"...
, Liberty of Conscience from 1644.
Life
He was educated at St John's College, OxfordSt John's College, Oxford
__FORCETOC__St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Oxford, one of the larger Oxford colleges with approximately 390 undergraduates, 200 postgraduates and over 100 academic staff. It was founded by Sir Thomas White, a merchant, in 1555, whose heart is buried in the chapel of...
, and was a freeman of the Mercers' Company. He had travelled in continental Europe as a young man; and he was much influenced by the Dutch example of tolerance and prosperity.
A supporter of the Independent line in religion, against the orthodox Presbyterians, he was involved in controversy with William Prynne
William Prynne
William Prynne was an English lawyer, author, polemicist, and political figure. He was a prominent Puritan opponent of the church policy of the Archbishop of Canterbury, William Laud. Although his views on church polity were presbyterian, he became known in the 1640s as an Erastian, arguing for...
.
In politics he with Henry Parker
Henry Parker (writer)
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...
lent support in 1649 to Parliament in the debate over '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...
, an oath to be required affirming the legitimacy of the Parliamentary regime. In the same year he was appointed to government administrative positions, dealing with accounts and sale of crown lands, and in 1650 with farm rents and acting as secretary to the excise
Excise
Excise tax in the United States is a indirect tax on listed items. Excise taxes can be and are made by federal, state and local governments and are far from uniform throughout the United States...
commissioners.
In 1650 he set up as a business, though short-lived, an Office of Addresses and Encounters. It was in Threadneedle Street
Threadneedle Street
Threadneedle Street is a street in the City of London, leading from a junction with Poultry, Cornhill, King William Street and Lombard Street, to Bishopsgate....
in London, and charged 6d. for answers to certain types of queries, concerning real estate and employment amongst other matters. There was a free service for the poor. The creation of such an Office had been pushed for three years by Samuel Hartlib
Samuel Hartlib
Samuel Hartlib was a German-British polymath. An active promoter and expert writer in many fields, he was interested in science, medicine, agriculture, politics, and education. He settled in England, where he married and died...
, who had lobbied for public funds for it. Robinson was an associate of Hartlib, and provided a limited implementation of a grand reformist scheme, which drew also on the French model of Théophraste Renaudot
Théophraste Renaudot
Théophraste Renaudot was a French physician, philanthropist, and journalist.Born in Loudun, Renaudot received a doctorate of medicine from the University of Montpellier in 1606. He returned to Loudon where he met Cardinal Richelieu and Père Joseph. In the 1610s, Richelieu became more powerful and...
that had operated by then for 20 years. Through the simple provision of a central Register of Addresses, Robinson argued, employers could find employees.
Writings
He advocated the "free trading of truth",, and wrote that "no man can have a natural monopoly of truth". He was one of a group of authors slightly ahead of John MiltonJohn Milton
John Milton was an English poet, polemicist, a scholarly man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell...
in the arguments of Areopagitica
Areopagitica
Areopagitica: A speech of Mr. John Milton for the liberty of unlicensed printing to the Parliament of England is a 1644 prose polemical tract by English author John Milton against censorship...
against censorship
Censorship
thumb|[[Book burning]] following the [[1973 Chilean coup d'état|1973 coup]] that installed the [[Military government of Chile |Pinochet regime]] in Chile...
. It has been said that there was essentially nothing in Milton's work that had not been anticipated by Robinson, William Walwyn
William Walwyn
William Walwyn was an English pamphleteer, a Leveller and a medical practitioner.Walwyn was a silkman in London who took the parliamentary side in the English Civil War. He advocated religious toleration and emerged as a leader of the Levellers in 1647 which led to his imprisonment in 1649...
, Roger Williams
Roger Williams (theologian)
Roger Williams was an English Protestant theologian who was an early proponent of religious freedom and the separation of church and state. In 1636, he began the colony of Providence Plantation, which provided a refuge for religious minorities. Williams started the first Baptist church in America,...
.
Other contemporaries writing in the area of freedom of publication were 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...
and John Saltmarsh
John Saltmarsh (clergyman)
John Saltmarsh was a radical English religious and controversial writer and preacher. He is considered one of the Seekers. William Haller called him that strange genius, part poet and part whirling dervish. In his time he was a renowned prophet.-Life:He studied at Magdalene College, Cambridge...
, and John Goodwin
John 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...
. The production of pamphlets in 1644 arguing for toleration was part of the Independents' campaign against the rigid Presbyterians. Robinson was against religious coercion, and therefore against the setting-up of a new national church for England if the result was persecution. Toleration was apparently not to be extended to Roman Catholics.
He wrote extensively on trade and economics, including advocacy for English trade policy during the Rump Parliament
Rump Parliament
The Rump Parliament is the name of the English Parliament after Colonel Pride purged the Long Parliament on 6 December 1648 of those members hostile to the Grandees' intention to try King Charles I for high treason....
, In economic policy his writings had some effect: in the areas of interest rates, naturalisation of foreigners, redistibution of trades from the London centre, and inland navigation, there was a measure of economic reform in the directions he with Hartlib had proposed.
He, in common with some of the Levellers
Levellers
The Levellers were a political movement during the English Civil Wars which emphasised popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance, all of which were expressed in the manifesto "Agreement of the People". They came to prominence at the end of the First...
, argued against 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...
.
Works
- England's Safety, in Trades Encrease (1641)
- Briefe Considerations, Concerning the Advancement of Trade and Navigation (1649)
- A Short Discourse between Monarchical and Aristocratical Government (1649)
- The Office of Addresses and Encounters (1650)
- Certain Proposals, in order to the People's Freedom and Accommodation (1652)
Further reading
- W. K. Jordan (1942), Men of Substance: A Study of the Thought of Two English Revolutionaries, Henry Parker and Henry Robinson