Introduction

Freeborn john. Lilburn has been lurking around the edges of our story and occasionally lobbing bombs into the middle of it from the very beginning. He would remain in captivity for the next three years. His eloquent defences of an englishman's freeborn rights had earned him a popular following who clamoured for his release. In an interesting historical twist, lilburn's petition for clemency was brought before the commons by none other than back bench m p oliver well in may 16 forty one. Just as the earl of strafford was losing his head.