An Arrow Against All Tyrants

by Richard Overton

An arrow against all tyrants and tyranny, shot from the prison of Newgate into the prerogative bowels of the arbitrary House of Lords and all other usurpers and tyrants whatsoever. Wherein the original, rise, extent, and end of magisterial power, the natural and national rights, freedoms and properties of mankind are discovered and undeniably maintained; the late oppressions and encroachments of the Lords over the commons legally (by the fundamental laws and statutes of this realm, as also by a memorable extract out of the records of the Tower of London) condemned; the late Presbyterian ordinance (invented and contrived by the diviners, and by the motion of Mr Bacon and Mr Tate read in the House of Commons) examined, refuted, and exploded, as most inhumane, tyrannical and barbarous

Genres: Politics, Philosophy, History

60 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1649

Reviews

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This short pamphlet, or tract, is against the powers that are taken without ground in the Manga Carta nor the law of the land, the rights of the people - rather the power is taken in spite of this. Richard Overton, one of the Levellers, goes particularly after the misusage of power by the House of Lords as well as the Presbyterians.

The language is colored by its time, so it feels old to read, but especially in the first half, there are a lot of gems for a freedom-loving soul.

[Mad Russian the Traveller · Rating 3 out of 5]

This pamphlet is an appeal against injustice in the abuse of the law by the establishment against the average citizen. Though it is written in England in the 1600s it shows that the elite's misuse of the law against the relatively powerless is nothing new. Today's equivalent are the abusive immanent domain proceedings, confiscation of property under Rico statutes, and "Patriot Act" unjust arrests. The fight for justice and equity continues to this day nearly 400 years later.

[Paul · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's strange reading this in the time of covid, with many would-be "free people" erroneously holding up Magna Carta as an excuse to do what they want.

It just goes to show liberalism, and libertarianism has been bastardised beyond all recognition since the time of Overton.

[Alex · Rating 2 out of 5]

I read this back when I would read any book that looked remotely libertarian to me. My first impression was that it hasn't aged well. Some of the polemic against tyranny and the seizure of property was quite good, but it didn't rise above the level of polemic. Individual rights were asserted but I do not remember them being derived or really defended. The actual arguments rather aimed at establishing the supremacy of the parliament over the royalty, and that argumentation carries little force nowadays, as it is legal rather than philosophical in nature and specific to the England of Overtons time. It seems to me that Overton had the all too modern tendency of confusing liberty with government by the governed, a notion which Erik von Kuehnelt-Leddihn, Bertrand de Jouvenel and Hans-Hermann Hoppe have conclusively proven wrong. I would argue the best case against Overtons idea was presented by Cromwell himself in the form of his own repulsive government, of course, but if Overton ever learned this, then years after he wrote this pamphlet.