LILBURNE, JOHN (c. 1614-1657), English political Igi tator, born in the county of Durham, was apprenticed at 12 years old to a clothier in London, but he appears to have early addicted himself to the "contention, novelties, opposition of Government, and violent and bitter expressions" for which he afterwards became so conspicuous as to provoke the saying of Harry Marten (the regicide) that, "if the world was emptied of all but John Lilburn, Lilburn would quarrel with John, and John with Lilburn." He appears at one time to have been law clerk to William Prynne. In Feb. 1638, for his share in importing and circulating The Litany and other publications of John Bast wick and Prynne, offensive to the bishops, he was sentenced by the Star Chamber to be publicly whipped from the Fleet prison to Palace Yard, Westminster, there to stand for two hours in the pillory, and afterwards to be kept in gaol until a fine of ism had been paid. He did not regain his liberty until Nov. 1640, one of the earliest recorded speeches of Oliver Cromwell being made in support of his petition to the House of Commons (Nov. 9, 1640). In 1641 he received an indemnity of £3,000. He now entered the army, and in 1642 was taken prisoner at Brentford and tried for his life; sentence would no doubt have been executed had not the parliament by threatening reprisals forced his exchange. He soon rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, but in April 1645, having become dissatisfied with the predominance of Presby terianism, and refusing to take the covenant, he resigned his com mission, presenting at the same time to the Commons a petition for arrears of pay. His violent language in Westminster Hall led in July to his arrest and committal to Newgate. He was dis charged in October. In Jan. 1647 he was committed to the Tower
for a short time for accusations against Cromwell. In Feb. 1649 he along with other petitioners presented to the House of Com mons a paper entitled The Serious Apprehensions of a part of the People on behalf of the Commonwealth, which he followed up with a series of pamphlets attacking the council. On April 11 he was again imprisoned, but was acquitted of sedition at his trial in the following October. In 1650 he was advocating the release of trade from the restrictions of chartered companies and monop olists.
In Jan. 1652 Lilburne was banished, but he returned from the Low Countries in 1653. He was immediately arrested; the trial (July 13–Aug. 20) issued in his acquittal, to the great joy of Lon don, but it was nevertheless thought proper to keep him in captiv ity for "the peace of the nation." He was detained successively in the Tower, in Jersey, in Guernsey and in Dover castle. At Dover he came under Quaker influence, and in 1655, on giving security for his good behaviour, he was set free. He now settled at Elt ham in Kent, where he died on Aug. 29, 1657.
His brother, Colonel Robert Lilburne, was among those who signed the death-warrant of Charles I. In 1656 he was M.P. for the East Riding of Yorkshire, and at the restoration was sentenced to lifelong imprisonment.