John Manley (c.1622–1699) was an English Parliamentarian officer, Postmaster General and MP.
He was born the son of Cornelius Manley of Erbistock, Denbighshire, north Wales and apprenticed to a London Skinner in 1639. He became a Major in Cromwell's army during the Civil War and afterwards was awarded the contract by the Protectorate Parliament (in 1653) to provide a national mail service as Master of the Post, which post he held for two years.
He then became an unsuccessful brewer but after the restoration of the monarchy returned to his native Denbighshire to be elected Member of Parliament for Denbigh Boroughs in 1659. Although his London premises were burnt down during the Great Fire of London of 1666 he was still prosperous enough to be elected Master of the Skinners Company in 1673, but subsequently declared himself bankrupt and considered emigration to the Americas.
By 1685 he had joined the Duke of Monmouth in the Netherlands, become a Major in his rebel army and landed with him at Lyme Regis in the hope of overthrowing James II. When the rebellion failed he fled with future Postmaster General John Wildman to Holland, returning in 1688 with William of Orange as a colonel of horse in Williams army. He was elected MP for Bridport in 1659.
He died in 1699 and was buried at St Stephen Walbrook. He had married twice: firstly Margaret, daughter of Isaac Dorislaus, with whom he had at least two sons and two daughters and secondly, Mary, with whom he had another son. His eldest son John became an MP for Truro and Bossiney and a younger son Isaac Postmaster General of Ireland.