Laurence Clarkson (1615–1667), sometimes called Claxton, born in Preston,

Lancashire Lancashire ( , ; abbreviated Lancs) is the name of a historic county, ceremonial county, and non-metropolitan county in North West England. The boundaries of these three areas differ significantly. The non-metropolitan county of Lancashi ...

, was an

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national ide ...

theologian Theology is the systematic study of the nature of the divine and, more broadly, of religious belief. It is taught as an academic discipline, typically in universities and seminaries. It occupies itself with the unique content of analyzing the ...

and accused

heretic Heresy is any belief or theory that is strongly at variance with established beliefs or customs, in particular the accepted beliefs of a church or religious organization. The term is usually used in reference to violations of important religi ...

. He was the most outspoken and notorious of the loose collection of radical

Protestants Protestantism is a branch of Christianity that follows the theological tenets of the Protestant Reformation, a movement that began seeking to reform the Catholic Church from within in the 16th century against what its followers perceived to b ...

known as the

Ranters The Ranters were one of a number of dissenting groups that emerged around the time of the English Commonwealth (1649–1660). They were largely common people and the movement was widespread throughout England, though they were not organised and ...

. According to

Charles William Sutton Charles William Sutton (1848–1920) was a British librarian and author. Career Sutton was librarian of the Free Manchester Public Libraries. He was also Secretary of the Chetham Society from 1890 to 1920, Editor of the Lancashire and Cheshire ...

, writing in the ''

Dictionary of National Biography The ''Dictionary of National Biography'' (''DNB'') is a standard work of reference on notable figures from British history, published since 1885. The updated ''Oxford Dictionary of National Biography'' (''ODNB'') was published on 23 September ...

, 1885-1900'', "the name is written Clarkson in his earlier tracts and Claxton in the later ones. It was no doubt originally Clarkson. In that form the name is still common about Preston, where it is pronounced 'Clackson'". Clarkson's ideas are set out in a 1650 tract sponsored by the wealthy Leveller military man, William Rainborowe, called ''A Single Eye''. Clarkson opposed the idea of

sin In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, s ...

, considering it to be "invented by the ruling class to keep the poor in order." He felt that only the intention of an act, and nothing at all about its content, mattered to God, so that no specific morality could be prescribed on religious bases. He considered the danger of sin to be in the mind: "till acted that so called Sin, thou art not delivered from the power of sin, but ready upon all Alarums to tremble and fear the reproach of thy body." The only commandment he felt worthwhile was "Thou shalt not kill"; most of the others he confessed to having broken, and even adultery was acceptable under certain circumstances. In fact, Clarkson was known in the period for his sexual promiscuity, for which he was repudiated by the Digger

Gerrard Winstanley Gerrard Winstanley (19 October 1609 – 10 September 1676) was an English Protestant religious reformer, political philosopher, and activist during the period of the Commonwealth of England. Winstanley was the leader and one of the founde ...

. Clarkson considered himself to be the truest of the radical religious thinkers of the period to the Protestant ideal of separating religion from money, and accused Winstanley of taking

tithe A tithe (; from Old English: ''teogoþa'' "tenth") is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash or cheques or more r ...

s. Some time before 1660 Clarkson left the Ranters and joined the

Muggletonian The Muggletonians, named after Lodowicke Muggleton, were a small Protestant Christian movement which began in 1651 when two London tailors announced they were the last prophets foretold in the biblical Book of Revelation. The group grew out of the ...

s (apparently to the consternation of some of the current members). Clarkson claimed to be the chief follower and disciple of John Reeve, of whom

Lodowicke Muggleton Lodowicke Muggleton (1609–1698) was an English religious thinker who gave his name to Muggletonianism, a Protestant sect which was always small, but survived until the death of its last follower in 1979. He spent his working life as a journey ...

was himself an acolyte, and claims in his book ''The Lost Sheep Found'' (1660) to be "the true and only bishop now living." A protracted struggle for control followed between Clarkson and Muggleton, which Clarkson lost.

J. C. Davis J. C. (Colin) Davis (28 May 1940 - 25 July 2021) was a British historian, whose work often focused on the Utopian thinkers of the 17th-century. He has been described as a "historian of political and religious thought and a brilliant and provoca ...

, who has in general expressed considerable doubt about some of the more peculiar doctrines ascribed to the Ranters, considers Clarkson to be genuine, if alone: :I have conceded that Laurence Clarkson in 1650 came closest to the Ranter stereotype, while arguing that he was an isolated individual leniently dealt with by authorities, and that his so-called autobiography of 1660, ''The Lost Sheep Found,'' is no valid source for the events of 1649-50. Though considerable controversy has followed from Davis's dismissal of the canonical account of the Ranters, that controversy has not been over the content of Clarkson's ideas, which are by and large agreed on by all parties to the debate, but merely the extent of their influence. He died in 1667 whilst imprisoned for debt.Reay, Barry, "Laurence Clarkson: An Artisan and the English Revolution", in Hill, et al, ''The World of The Muggletonians'', Temple Smith, London, 1983.

Major surviving works

*''Truth released from prison to its former liberty'', 1646. *''A Generall Charge or, Impeachment of High-treason, in the Name of Justice Equity, Against the Communality of England,'' 1647. *''A Single Eye, All Light, No Darkness; or Light and Darkness One'', 1650. *''The Quakers Downfal, with All Other Dispensations their Inside Turn’d Outward,'' 1659. *''The Right Devil Discovered: in his Descent, Form, Education, Qualification, Place and Nature of Torment,'' 1659. *''The Lost Sheep Found, or, The Prodigal Returned to his Fathers House, After Many a Sad and Weary Journey Through Many Religious Countreys,'' 1660. *''A Paradisical Dialogue Betwixt Faith and Reason: Disputing the High Mysterious Secrets of Eternity, the Like Never Extant in our Revelation,'' 1660. * A modern edition containing the last four works mentioned above is ''The Onely True Bishop: The Muggletonian Works of Laurence Clarkson'' London: Muggletonian Press (2009) * works believed lost include **''The Pilgrimage of Saints, by church cast out, in Christ found, seeking truth'', 1646. **''A wonder of wonders'', 1661.

External links

*
Clarkson: A Clear Confutation of all Arminians''
*

at the Ex-Classics Web Site

Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Clarkson, Laurence 1615 births 1667 deaths English Christian religious leaders Ranters People imprisoned for debt Muggletonianism