PRYNNE, William, English author and politician: b. Swainswick, near Bath, Somerset, 1600; d. London, 24 Oct. 1669. He was gradu ated at Oriel College, Oxford, in 1621 and ad mitted to the bar in 1628. He early became a militant Puritan, wrote pamphlets against Arminianism and the frivolities of the age and in 1633 published a huge volume, entitled 'His trio-Mastix, the Players' Scourge,' further de voted to assaults on theatres, court masques, cards and music. Passages alleged to reflect on the king and queen brought down on him savage punishment. He was prosecuted by the Star Chamber and underwent sentence which included the payment of a f5,000 fine, expulsion from Lincoln's Inn and loss of his degree, having his work burned by the hang man, the loss of his ears, exposure in the pillory and imprisonment in the Tower. Un broken in spirit he issued tracts from prison, one of which he facetiously entitled 'News from Ipswich,' against Archbishop Laud and other prelates, calling them, among other names, uLuciferian lord bishops, execrable traitors, de vouring wolves.' The Star Chamber, in con sequence. ordered what remained of his ears again cut off, fined him another f5,000 and had the letters S. L. (seditious libeler) branded on both his cheeks. He remained in prison— still vigorously writing, though, because of a stricter guard, not for the public— till 1640. He was then released by the House of Com mons, was awarded damages and made a triumphal entry into London. Later he was member of Parliament for Newporf in Corn wall and took part in the prosecution of Laud, but was expelled by Cromwell in 1648 for opposition to the extreme measures leading to the execution of the king. He now published
such virulent articles against Cromwell that he was twice imprisoned. In 1660, after Crom well's death, he again sat in Parliament and upon the Restoration was made keeper of the records in the Tower. Pamphleteering again brought him into trouble with the House of Commons, but he recanted, and busied himself with the collection of Parliamentary records. He produced more than 200 volumes, of which the most valuable are 'Collection of Records> and 'A Brief Register, Kalendar and Survey of Parliamentary Writs' (4 parts, London 1659-64). A fairly exhaustive list of his writ ings and their many editions will he found in 'British Museum Catalogue of Printed Books' (p. 159-183, London 1895). The most au thoritative gist of them is attached to S. R. Gardiner's work published by the Camden So ciety and mentioned below. Consult Bliss, P., ed., 'A a Wood's "Athena: Oxoniensiso)(new ed., Vol. III, p. 844, London 1817); Firth, C. H., 'William Prynne' (in 'Dictionary of National Biography,' Vol. XLVI, London 1896) ; Gardiner, S. R., ed., 'Documents Relat ing to Proceedings against William (in Camden Society Publications, n. s. VoL XVIII, Westminster 1877); id., 'History ofXviii, Westminster 1877); id., 'History of England 1603-42' (Vols. VII-IX, London 1884) ; id., 'History of the Great Civil War> (3 vols., London 1888-91) ; Peach, R. E. M., 'The Annals of the Parish of Swainswick) (London 1890).