LIL'BURNE, Jolts ( I014-57). An English agitator and pamphleteer. lie was born at Green NV ich, and was educated at Newcastle and Auckland. lie was apprenticed to the wholesale cloth trade, but, imbibing opinions in opposition to the English Church, at the age of eighteen he went to Holland to proeure the printing of a pamphlet against the bishops. This he sought to circulate secretly, but was exposed to the authori ties, tried in the Court of the Star Chamber, con demned in February, 1637, to receive 500 lashes, to be pilloried and confined in prison, lined 1500, and required to give security for good behavior. His courage before the judge and during his punishment gained him the sobriquet of 'Free born ,Iolin.' Given Isis liberty in 1640, he played himself at the head of the 'levelers' (q.v.) and demanded that Lord Stratford should be ar raigned. Ilc was again arrested, and taken be fore the House of Lords; but such was the pres sure of 'public opinion in his favor that Pa•lia ment released bins, and subsequently declared his inniishment to have been illegal, barbarous, and tyrannical; and recompensed him for his im prisonment and injuries by the payment of £3000. Ile joined the army of the Parliament against Charles 1., beeame lieutenant-colonel, was taken prisoner, and would have been hanged had not the Parliament's general. the Duke of Essex. threat
ened to hang Royalist prisoners in retaliation. Ile soon became dissatisfied with the Presbyte rian leaders. and published charges and denuncia tions even against Cromwell. The latter pro cured his trial before a commission, by whom ho was acquitted. Emboldened by this, lie began a violent agitation against Cromwell, read in flub lie a pamphlet entitled England's :Velr Chains, and in consequence was committed to the Tower. Thence lie poured out politieal pamphlets which gave him great popularity with the people. He was again brought to trial, but the pressure of popular opinion in his favor determined his acquittal. But Cromwell soon after secured his condemnation and banishment for a vicious at tack on Haselrig. He then resided in Brussels and Amsterdam. After the dissolution of the Long Parliament he returned to England with out permission, and was imprisoned in London Tower, in Elizabeth Castle, Jersey, and in Dover Castle. from 1653 to 1656. He was released by Cromwell after having espoused the doctrines of the Friends, or Quakers. He died at Eltham. The title of his earliest biography is The Reif Described (London, 1657). For a com plete bibliography of his pamphlets. consult Notes and Queries (London, 1888).