Samuel Moyer

Samuel Moyer (c. 1609–1683) was an English merchant and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1653. He was a strong republican and supporter of the Parliamentary cause in the English Civil War.

Biography[]

Moyer was a merchant in the City of London and a member of the Worshipful Company of Mercers.^[1] He was a strong supporter of parliament and the Commonwealth. In 1652 he was a member of Hale Commission 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.^[2]

In 1653, Moyer became an Alderman of the City of London for Cheap ward^[1] and was then nominated as Member of Parliament for City of London in the Barebones Parliament.^[3] In the same year he was Master of the Mercer's Company. He was acting president of the Council of State 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.^[4]

In 1661 Moyer was arrested and charged with treason alongside James Harrington and Praise-God Barebone. He was then imprisoned in the Tower of London 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 in 1701 (see Moyer Baronets).^[5]

References[]