Background
Neville was born in 1620, the second son of Sir Henry Neville (died 1629) of Billingbear House at Waltham Street Lawrence in Berkshire, being younger brother of the Royalist commander, Richard Neville.
Neville was born in 1620, the second son of Sir Henry Neville (died 1629) of Billingbear House at Waltham Street Lawrence in Berkshire, being younger brother of the Royalist commander, Richard Neville.
He was educated at Merton and University Colleges at Oxford, but left without graduating.
In 1651, he was elected to the English Council of State, where he played a part in foreign policy. Later, he was in opposition to Oliver Cromwell, against whom he wrote some political pamphlets. Political activities
Henry spent some of the period of the English Civil War travelling on the European continent, returning to England in 1645.
In 1647, he anonymously published a satire The Parliament of Ladies.
This was a parody of some prominent women associated with the parliamentary side. lieutenant was seen as a "libertine parody of the parliamentary publications common at the time." The book was popular and was soon reprinted with various additions.
In April 1649 he was elected to Parliament to fill a vacancy as Member of Parliament for Abingdon. After Cromwell"s death, he returned to Parliament on 30 December 1658, representing Reading.
On 19 May 1659, he was given position on the new Council of State.
In May 1664, he was released without punishment, not being regarded as dangerous.
By the end of 1651 he was a member of the Council of State, but found himself so hostile to Cromwell that he temporarily retired from active politics. Starting in the 1650s, he developed a close relationship with the philosopher James Harrington, having become a member of his republican group.