Richard Overton Biography

Overton helps define the emerging Leveller movement through the Remonstrance of Many Thousand Citizens, a radical petitionary text generally treated as one of the movement's founding documents

The soldiers in the New Model Army elect Agitators from each regiment to represent them; the Agitators are recognised by the Army commanders and sit on the General Council. Richard Overton is arrested for publishing a pamphlet attacking the House of Lords; during imprisonment he writes the influential Leveller manifesto "An Arrow Against All Tyrants and Tyranny"

Overton is arrested after attacking the House of Lords, and his imprisonment strengthens the Leveller argument against arbitrary authority and unelected power

Overton publishes "An Arrow Against All Tyrants and Tyranny", a major Leveller statement against arbitrary government and imprisonment

Overton publishes "An Arrow Against All Tyrants and Tyranny", a major Leveller statement against arbitrary government and imprisonment

Overton is imprisoned in the Tower with Lilburne, Walwyn and Prince after the Council of State moves against the Leveller leadership