Samuel Moyer (c. 1609–1683) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

in 1653. He was a strong republican and supporter of the

Parliamentary In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...

cause in the

English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...

Biography

Moyer was a merchant in the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

and a member of the

Worshipful Company of Mercers The Mercers' Company, or the Worshipful Company of Mercers, is a livery company of the City of London in the Great Twelve City Livery Companies, and ranks first in the order of precedence of the Companies. Mercer comes from the Latin for merch ...

. 'Aldermen of the City of London: Cheap ward', The Aldermen of the City of London: Temp. Henry III - 1912 (1908), pp. 99-106. Date accessed: 16 July 2011
/ref> He was a strong supporter of parliament and the Commonwealth. In 1652 he was a member of

Hale Commission The Hale Commission was established by the Commonwealth of England on 30 January 1652 and led by Sir Matthew Hale to investigate law reform. Consisting of eight lawyers and thirteen laymen, the Commission met approximately three times a week and p ...

which made a fundamental examination of the law and introduced many aspects of the criminal justice system. Moyer was one of a number of radical puritans who had a house in Clapham Surrey, in his case from 1652 to 1662. A number of his associates such as Richard Salwey and William Kiffin were there at the same time. In 1653, Moyer became an Alderman of the City of London for Cheap ward and was then nominated as Member of Parliament for

in the

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 inst ...

. In the same year he was Master of the Mercer's Company. He was acting president of the

Council of State A council of state is a governmental body in a country, or a subdivision of a country, with a function that varies by jurisdiction. It may be the formal name for the cabinet or it may refer to a non-executive advisory body associated with a head ...

from 4 October 1653 to 3 November 1653. He was by 1659 chairman of the London Committee for Compounding. On 15 February 1659, he presented a petition to the House of Commons on behalf of the Commonwealth. In 1661 Moyer was arrested and charged with treason alongside James Harrington and

Praise-God Barebone Praise-God Barebone (sometimes spelled Barbon) () was an English leather-seller, preacher, and Fifth Monarchist. He is best known for giving his name to the Barebone's Parliament of the English Commonwealth of 1653. Early life Little is known ...

. He was then imprisoned in the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

until his brother Laurence secured his release in 1667.

Family

Moyer was the father of Samuel Moyer who was also a merchant and was created a

baronet A baronet ( or ; abbreviated Bart or Bt) or the female equivalent, a baronetess (, , or ; abbreviation Btss), is the holder of a baronetcy, a hereditary title awarded by the British Crown. The title of baronet is mentioned as early as the 14th ...

in 1701 (see Moyer Baronets). 'Notes on the aldermen, 1502-1700', The Aldermen of the City of London: Temp. Henry III - 1912 (1908), pp. 168-195. Date accessed: 16 July 2011
/ref>

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moyer, Samuel 1600s births 1683 deaths Members of the Parliament of England for the City of London 17th-century English merchants People from the City of London Roundheads Prisoners in the Tower of London English MPs 1653 (Barebones)