# Dictionary of National Biography, 1885-1900/Robinson, Henry (1605?-1664?)

​ROBINSON, HENRY (1605?–1664?), merchant and economic and controversial writer, born about 1605, was the eldest son of William Robinson of London, mercer, and of Katherine, daughter of Giffard Watkins of Watford, Northampton. He entered St. John's College, Oxford, matriculating on 9 Nov. 1621, being then sixteen years of age (Visitation of London, Harl. Soc. ii. 204; Clark, Oxf. Registers, ii. 399; Foster, Alumni Oxon.) He does not seem to have taken a degree, and was probably taken from Oxford and put to business or sent abroad. In 1626 he was admitted to the freedom of the Mercers' Company by patrimony. In his twenty-eighth year he was residing at Leghorn, in the duchy of Tuscany (Robinson's tract Libertas, infra, p. 11). In various of his publications he styles himself ‘gentleman,’ but it is certain that he continued in business as a merchant in London. In 1650 he submitted to the council of state certain propositions on the subject of the exchange which argued business ability and knowledge (State Papers, Interregnum, ix. 64, May 1650, reproduced almost verbatim in No. 11 infra). In the following December, Charles, lord Stanhope, issued to Robinson a letter of attorney, constituting him his agent for drawing up a petition to the council of state concerning his right to the foreign letter office, and promising to Robinson and his heirs the sole use thereof, with half the clear profits (ib. xi. 117, 22 Dec. 1650). Stanhope's title to the post devolved from a patent of 15 James I. On this instrument Robinson himself subsequently laid claim to the post office, and there are numerous references to the claim in the state papers of 1652–4. In the end Robinson consented to relinquish his claim, and on 29 June 1653 he tendered 8,041l. per annum to the ‘Posts Committee’ for the farm of the post office inland and foreign (ib. xxxvii. 152). Whether he obtained the farm or not does not appear, but subsequently, at the Restoration, he claimed to have increased the value of the revenue to the crown from the post office from 3,000l. to 30,000l. per annum (State Papers, Dom. cxlii. 191). In 1653 he is noticed as of the excise office as comptroller for the sale of the king's lands, and as having attended for three years as a member of the committee for taking the accounts of the Commonwealth (xxxii. 50, 18 Jan. 1655, and xxxiii. 51, 10 Feb. 1653), for which he claimed 200l. a year. He survived the Restoration, and in 1664–5 he petitioned for a patent for quenching fire and preserving ships in war, but was apparently dead before 1665, when his son petitioned Charles for admission to the public service (ib. February 1664–5 and cxlii. 191).
Robinson's literary activity was remarkable, both in quality and extent. He was perhaps the first Englishman to enunciate with clearness the principle of liberty of conscience; he propounded elaborate schemes of legal reform, and his writings on trade are even now deserving of careful attention. Prynne, whose religious and political views Robinson attacked, described him in his ‘Discovery of New Lights’ as a merchant by profession who ‘hath maintained a private printing press, and sent for printers from Amsterdam, wherewith he hath printed most of the late scandalous libellous books against the parliament, and though he hath been formerly sent for by the committee of examinations for this offence, which was passed by in silence, yet he hath since presumed and proceeded herein in a far higher strain than before’ (New Lights, pp. 9, 40).
Robinson is doubtless author of many works besides the following, of which the authenticity is certain: 1. ‘England's Safety in Trade's Encrease most humbly presented to the High Court of Parliament,’ London, 1641; reprinted in W. A. Shaw's ‘Select Tracts and Documents,’ 1896. 2. ‘Libertas, or Reliefe to the English Captives in Algier, briefly discoursing how such as are in Slavery may be soonest set at Liberty, others preserved therein, and the Great Turke reduc'd to serve and keepe the Peace Inviolate to a greater Enlargement of Trade and Priviledge than ever the English Nation hitherto enjoyed in Turkey. Presented … to Parliament by Henry Robinson, gent.,’ London, 1642. 3. ‘Liberty of Conscience, or the Sole Means to obtaine Peace and Truth, not onely reconciling his Majesty with his Subjects, but all Christian States and Princes to one another, with the freest passage for the Gospel,’ London, 1643 (Thomasson's date is 24 March ​1643–4; cf. Gardiner, Civil War, i. 290; and art. by Mr. C. H. Firth in the English Historical Review, ix. 715). 4. ‘An Answer to Mr. William Prynne's Twelve Questions concerning Church Government; at the end whereof are mentioned severall grosse Absurdities and dangerous Consequences of highest nature which do necessarily follow the Tenets of Presbyteriall or any other besides a perfect Independent Government, together with certain Queries,’ [1644], no place, no date. 5. ‘John the Baptist, forerunner of Christ Jesus, or a necessity for Liberty of Conscience as the only means under Heaven to strengthen Children weak in the Faith,’ no place, no date [? September 1644]. 6. ‘Certaine brief Observations and Anti-queries on Master Prin his 12 Questions about Church Government, wherein is modestly shewed how unuseful and frivolous they are. … By a well-wisher to the Truth and Master Prin,’ 1644. 7. ‘An Answer to Mr. John Dury his Letter which he writ from The Hague to Mr. Thomas Goodwin, Mr. Philip Nye, and Mr. Sam. Hartlib, concerning the manner of the Reformation of the Church and answering other Matters of consequence; and King James his Judgment concerning the Book of Common Prayer, written by a Gentleman of tried Integrity,’ London, 1644 (Thomasson's date 17 Aug.). 8. ‘The Falsehood of William Prynne's Truth triumphing in the Antiquity of Popish Princes and Parliaments: to which he attributes a sole sovereign legislative coercive Power in matters of Religion, discovered to be full of Absurdities, Contradictions, Sacrilege, and to make more in favour of Rome and Antichrist than all the Books and Pamphlets which were published, whether by papall or episcopall Prelates or Parasites since the Reformation …,’ London, 1645. 9. ‘Some few Considerations propounded as so many Scruples by Mr. Henry Robinson in a Letter to Mr. John Dury upon his Epistolary Discourse, with Mr. Dury's answer thereto … by a well-willer to the Truth,’ 1646 (Thomasson's date 18 July; pp. 1–10 Henry Robinson to John Dury, London, 1644, Nov. 5; pp. 11–31 John Dury to his loving friend in Christ Henry Robinson). 10. ‘A Short Discourse between Monarchical and Aristocratical Government, or a sober Persuasive of all true-hearted Englishmen to a willing conjunction with the Parliament of England in setting up the Government of a Commonwealth. By a true Englishman and a well-wisher to the good of his Nation,’ London, 1649. 11. ‘Briefe Considerations concerning the Advancement of Trade and Navigation,’ 1649 (Thomasson's date 8 Jan. 1649–1650). 12. ‘The Office of Addresses and Encounters where all People of each rancke and quality may receive Direction and Advice for the most cheap and speedy way of attaining whatsoever they can lawfully desire; or the only course for poor People to get speedy Employment and to keep others from approaching Poverty for want of Employment; to the multiplying of Trade, &c. By Henry Robinson,’ 1650 (Thomasson's date 29 Sept.); a proposition for establishing in Threadneedle Street a registry office or exchange mart for almost every business purpose conceivable. 13. ‘Certain Considerations in order to a more speedy, cheap, and equal distribution of Justice throughout the Nation, most humbly presented to the high Court of Parliament of the most hopeful Commonwealth of England. By Henry Robinson,’ London, 1651; in answer to this William Walwin wrote ‘Juries Justified,’ 2 Dec. 1651. 14. ‘Certaine Proposals in order to the People's Freedome and Accommodation in some particulars with the Advancement of Trade and Navigation of this Commonwealth in general humbly tendred to the view of this Parliament. By Henry Robinson,’ London, 1652. 15. ‘Certaine Proposals in order to a new modelling of the Lawes and Law Proceedings, for a more speedy, cheap, and equall distribution of Justice throughout the Commonwealth … as also certain Considerations for the Advancement of Trade and Navigation humbly propounded to … Parliament by Henry Robinson,’ London, 1653.
[Authorities given above; information kindly supplied by C. H. Firth, esq.]
W. A. S.