John Clarke (parliamentarian)
Encyclopedia
John Clark was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
for various constituencuies between 1653 and 1659. He was a colonel in the Parliamentary army.
Clark was of Kensington. In 1647, he took up the accusation against the Eleven Members. He was sent as Lieut Col Clerke with Admiral Blake to reduce the Scilly Isles in May 1651. In 1653 he was nominated as one of the representatives for Ireland in the Barebones Parliament
. He was on the Fleet Committee in December 1653 and became a Commissioner for Irish affairs in January 1654. In February 1654, he was a Commissioner of the Admiralty and was appointed a commissioner for the army on 24 June 1654. In August 1654, he was returned to the First Protectorate Parliament
as one of the two members for the three counties of Donegal, Londonderry, and Tyrone and sat till January 1655. He was at that time Governor of Londonderry. In 1656 he was elected Member of Parliament
for Pembrokeshire
and Cardiganshire in the Second Protectorate Parliament
and chose to sit for Cardiganshire until 10 December 1657. He was summoned to Cromwell's Other House
, but did not take his seat. After the death of Oliver Cromwell
he signed the order for proclaiming Richard Cromwell Protector and was on the Committee of Safety in 1659. In 1659, he was elected MP for Melcombe Regis and for Dartmouth
in a double return and chose to sit for Melcombe Regis until April 1659.
Clark was granted a Foot regiment on 16 June 1659 by the Committee of Safety, but was cashiered with Lambert and the other Generals by the Council of State. He was mentioned as appointed to the command of Dunkirk in August 1659, but did not go there. He was ordered by the Council of State to depart from London on 13 January 1660, and ordered on 2 February 1660 "not to stay in town".
Clark was a prisoner in the Gatehouse on 17 December 1660, when he petitioned the King for his release, stating that he "was imprisoned on suspicion of treason, of which he knew nothing, nor had he in the least misdemeaned himself."
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...
for various constituencuies between 1653 and 1659. He was a colonel in the Parliamentary army.
Clark was of Kensington. In 1647, he took up the accusation against the Eleven Members. He was sent as Lieut Col Clerke with Admiral Blake to reduce the Scilly Isles in May 1651. In 1653 he was nominated as one of the representatives for Ireland in the Barebones Parliament
Barebones Parliament
Barebone's Parliament, also known as the Little Parliament, the Nominated Assembly and the Parliament of Saints, came into being on 4 July 1653, and was the last attempt of the English Commonwealth to find a stable political form before the installation of Oliver Cromwell as Lord Protector...
. He was on the Fleet Committee in December 1653 and became a Commissioner for Irish affairs in January 1654. In February 1654, he was a Commissioner of the Admiralty and was appointed a commissioner for the army on 24 June 1654. In August 1654, he was returned to the First Protectorate Parliament
First Protectorate Parliament
The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the House....
as one of the two members for the three counties of Donegal, Londonderry, and Tyrone and sat till January 1655. He was at that time Governor of Londonderry. In 1656 he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Pembrokeshire
Pembrokeshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Pembrokeshire was a parliamentary constituency based on the county of Pembrokeshire in Wales. It returned one Member of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, elected by the first past the post system.- History :...
and Cardiganshire in the Second Protectorate Parliament
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
and chose to sit for Cardiganshire until 10 December 1657. He was summoned to Cromwell's Other House
Cromwell's Other House
The Other House , established by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Humble Petition and Advice, was one of the two chambers of the Parliaments that legislated for England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, in 1658 and 1659, the final years of the Protectorate.During the Rule of...
, but did not take his seat. After the death of 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....
he signed the order for proclaiming Richard Cromwell Protector and was on the Committee of Safety in 1659. In 1659, he was elected MP for Melcombe Regis and for Dartmouth
Dartmouth (UK Parliament constituency)
Dartmouth, also at some times called Clifton, Dartmouth and Hardness, was a parliamentary borough in Devon which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons in 1298 and to the Commons of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom from 1351 until 1832, and then one member from...
in a double return and chose to sit for Melcombe Regis until April 1659.
Clark was granted a Foot regiment on 16 June 1659 by the Committee of Safety, but was cashiered with Lambert and the other Generals by the Council of State. He was mentioned as appointed to the command of Dunkirk in August 1659, but did not go there. He was ordered by the Council of State to depart from London on 13 January 1660, and ordered on 2 February 1660 "not to stay in town".
Clark was a prisoner in the Gatehouse on 17 December 1660, when he petitioned the King for his release, stating that he "was imprisoned on suspicion of treason, of which he knew nothing, nor had he in the least misdemeaned himself."