John Clarke (died 1681)

John Clarke (died November 1681) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1653 and 1660.

Clarke was the son of John Clarke of Bocking, Essex. He was an alderman of Bury St Edmunds by 1648 and remained until 1662. In 1648 he was collector of assessments for Suffolk and commissioner for militia for Suffolk. He was commissioner for assessment for Bury from 1648 to 1652 and for Suffolk from 1649 to 1652. He was a Justice of the Peace for Suffolk from 1650 to March 1660 and was a commissioner of the high court of justice in 1650.^[1]

In 1653, Clarke was nominated as Member of Parliament for Suffolk in the Barebones Parliament. He was elected MP for Bury St Edmunds in 1654 for the First Protectorate Parliament and was a commissioner for scandalous ministers in the same year. From 1655 to 1656 he was commissioner for security. In 1656 he was re-elected MP for Bury St Edmunds in the Second Protectorate Parliament. He was commissioner for assessment for Suffolk and Bury in 1657. In 1659, he was commissioner for militia for Suffolk and was elected Member of Parliament for Bury St Edmunds in the Third Protectorate Parliament. He was commissioner for assessment for Suffolk in January 1660 and commissioner for militia for Bury in March 1660. In April 1660 he was re-elected MP for Bury St Edmunds for the Convention Parliament when he was involved in a double return. He was allowed to take his seat and then unseated. He was High Sheriff of Suffolk from 1670 to 1671.^[1]

Clarke died in November 1681 and was buried in St Mary’s churchyard, Bury St Edmunds.^[1]

Clarke married Margaret Bourne of Bury St Edmunds and had a son Samuel who was created baronet in 1698 and a daughter.^[1]

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