The Common Freedom of the People : John Lilburne and the English Revolution

The second son of a modest gentry family, John Lilburne was accused of treason four times, and put on trial for his life under both Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. He fought bravely in the Civil War, seeing action at a number of key battles and rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, was shot through the arm, and nearly lost an eye in a pike accident. In the course of all this, he fought important legal battles for the rights to remain silent, to open trial, and to trial by his peers. He was twice acquitted by juries in very public trials, but nonetheless spent the bulk of his adult life in prison or exile. He is best known, however, as the most prominent of the Levellers, who campaigned for a government based on popular sovereignty two centuries before the advent of mass representative democracies in Europe. Michael Braddick explores the extraordinary and dramatic life of "Freeborn John": how his experience of political activism sharpened and clarified his ideas, leading him to articulate bracingly radical views; and the changes in English society that made such a career possible. Without land, established profession, or public office, successive governments found him sufficiently alarming to be worth imprisoning, sent into exile, and put on trial for his life. Above all, through his story, we can explore the life not just of John Lilburne, but of revolutionary England itself--and of ideas fundamental to the radical, democratic, libertarian, and constitutional traditions, both in Britain and the USA. Cover......Page 1 THE COMMON FREEDOM OF THE PEOPLE: John Lilburne & the English Revolution......Page 4 Copyright......Page 5 Dedication......Page 6 Preface......Page 10 Acknowledgements......Page 18 Contents......Page 20 Maps......Page 22 Apprentice to Thomas Hewson, 1632–7......Page 26 Trial and punishment, 1637–8......Page 43 Prison writings, 1638–40......Page 51 Choosing sides, 1640–2......Page 66 Edgehill, Brentford, and prison, 1642–3......Page 82 The army of the Eastern Association, 1643–4......Page 90 New enmities: Presbyterians and Independents, 1643–5......Page 103 New solidarities: the changing world of political mobilization, 1645......Page 115 A new cause: England’s birthright justified, 1645......Page 119 Confrontation with the House of Lords, 1646......Page 127 Presbyterian mobilization and the emergence of the Levellers, 1646–7......Page 141 The army, the king, and the people’s rights, 1647–8......Page 152 The second civil war and the regicide, 1648–9......Page 171 England’s new chains discovered, 1649......Page 183 The army, mutiny, and the campaign for an Agreement of the People......Page 194 Treason trial, October 1649......Page 204 Faithful to the Commonwealth, 1649–51......Page 223 Advocate in the Lincolnshire Fens, 1650–1......Page 231 The Lilburnes and Sir Arthur Hesilrige, 1645–51......Page 240 Confrontation and banishment, 1651–2......Page 251 Amsterdam and Bruges, 1652–3......Page 256 Return to England and trial, 1653......Page 269 Final imprisonment: Jersey and Dover, 1653–7......Page 284 Freeborn John, ‘the lovable egoist, lucid though garrulous, and sure of himself ’......Page 295 John Lilburne and the radical tradition......Page 307 John Lilburne and the English Revolution......Page 318 List of Abbreviations......Page 324 Note on Attributions and Citations......Page 326 Chapter 1......Page 328 Chapter 2......Page 338 Chapter 3......Page 346 Chapter 4......Page 353 Chapter 5......Page 361 Chapter 6......Page 368 Chapter 7......Page 374 Chapter 8......Page 383 Picture Acknowledgements......Page 392 Index......Page 394 The second son of a modest gentry family, John Lilburne was accused of treason four times, and put on trial for his life under both Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. He fought bravely in the Civil War, seeing action at a number of key battles and rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, was shot through the arm, and nearly lost an eye in a pike accident. In the course of all this, he fought important legal battles for the rights to remain silent, to open trial, and to trial by his peers. He was twice acquitted by juries in very public trials, but nonetheless spent the bulk of his adult life in prison or exile. He is best known, however, as the most prominent of the Levellers, who campaigned for a government based on popular sovereignty two centuries before the advent of mass representative democracies in Europe. Michael Braddick explores the extraordinary and dramatic life of'Freeborn John': how his experience of political activism sharpened and clarified his ideas, leading him to articulate bracingly radical views; and the changes in English society that made such a career possible. Without land, established profession, or public office, successive governments found him sufficiently alarming to be worth imprisoning, sending into exile, and putting on trial for his life. Above all, through his story, we can explore the life not just of John Lilburne, but of revolutionary England itself -- and of ideas fundamental to the radical, democratic, libertarian, and constitutional traditions, both in Britain and the USA. The Second Son Of A Modest Gentry Family, John Lilburne Was Accused Of Treason Four Times, And Put On Trial For His Life Under Both Charles I And Oliver Cromwell. He Fought Bravely In The Civil War, Seeing Action At A Number Of Key Battles And Rising To The Rank Of Lieutenant Colonel, Was Shot Through The Arm, And Nearly Lost An Eye In A Pike Accident. In The Course Of All This, He Fought Important Legal Battles For The Rights To Remain Silent, To Open Trial, And To Trial By His Peers. He Was Twice Acquitted By Juries In Very Public Trials, But Nonetheless Spent The Bulk Of His Adult Life In Prison Or Exile. He Is Best Known, However, As The Most Prominent Of The Levellers, Who Campaigned For A Government Based On Popular Sovereignty Two Centuries Before The Advent Of Mass Representative Democracies In Europe. Michael Braddick Explores The Extraordinary And Dramatic Life Of 'freeborn John': How His Experience Of Political Activism Sharpened And Clarified His Ideas, Leading Him To Articulate Bracingly Radical Views; And The Changes In English Society That Made Such A Career Possible. Without Land, Established Profession, Or Public Office, Successive Governments Found Him Sufficiently Alarming To Be Worth Imprisoning, Sending Into Exile, And Putting On Trial For His Life. Above All, Through His Story, We Can Explore The Life Not Just Of John Lilburne, But Of Revolutionary England Itself — And Of Ideas Fundamental To The Radical, Democratic, Libertarian, And Constitutional Traditions, Both In Britain And The Usa. John Lilburne was accused of treason four times, and put on trial for his life under both Charles I and Oliver Cromwell. He fought in the Civil War, seeing action at a number of key battles and rising to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, was shot through the arm, and nearly lost an eye in a pike accident. In the course of all this, he fought important legal battles for the rights to remain silent, to open trial, and to trial by his peers. He was twice acquitted by juries in very public trials, but nonetheless spent the bulk of his adult life in prison or exile. He is best known, however, as the most prominent of the Levellers, who campaigned for a government based on popular sovereignty two centuries before the advent of mass representative democracies in Europe.0Michael Braddick explores the extraordinary life of 'Freeborn John': how his experience of political activism sharpened and clarified his ideas, leading him to articulate bracingly radical views; and the changes in English society that made such a career possible. Without land, established profession, or public office, successive governments found him sufficiently alarming to be worth imprisoning, sending into exile, and putting on trial for his life. Above all, we can explore the life not just of John Lilburne, but of revolutionary England itself - and of ideas fundamental to the radical, democratic, libertarian, and constitutional traditions, both in Britain and the USA The dramatic life of 'Freeborn John' Lilburne - revolutionary campaigner for popular sovereignty in seventeenth-century England, and battler for the fundamental political and legal rights we enjoy today.