John Lilburne Biography

John Lilburne is imprisoned for denouncing Members of Parliament who lived in comfort while the common soldiers fought and died for the Parliamentary cause

A petition signed by more than 2,000 London citizens helps secure Lilburne's release after his imprisonment for denouncing comfortable Members of Parliament while common soldiers suffered

Lilburne is imprisoned again, this time in the Tower of London, for denouncing his former army commander the Earl of Manchester as a Royalist sympathiser because he had protected an officer charged with treason. Campaigns to free Lilburne from prison help spawn the movement known as the Levellers

Lilburne is imprisoned again, this time in the Tower of London, for denouncing his former army commander the Earl of Manchester as a Royalist sympathiser, because he had protected an officer who had been charged with treason

Lilburne's imprisonment helps turn a circle of supporters into a wider Leveller movement, as campaigns for his liberty are presented as campaigns for the birthright liberties of all freeborn Englishmen

A radical group within the New Model Army, the Levellers, calls for constitutional reform

The Levellers call for a broader franchise under a republican government

The Levellers call for a broader franchise under a republican government. The Levellers emphasise popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law and religious toleration, ideas expressed in the manifesto "Agreement of the People". A radical group within the New Model Army calls for constitutional reform

The Levellers, a political movement during the English Civil Wars which emphasised popular sovereignty, extended suffrage, equality before the law, and religious tolerance, all of which were expressed in the manifesto "Agreement of the People"

The Levellers call for a broader franchise under a republican government

Leveller supporters present a large London petition to Parliament demanding reforms associated with the Agreement of the People

Lilburne and the Leveller movement press the revised Agreement of the People as a proposed written constitution, but Parliament does not adopt it as the national settlement

Lilburne publishes England's New Chains Discovered and attacks the concentration of political power in the Army and Rump Parliament.

Lilburne publishes England's New Chains Discovered, attacking the army-dominated government for betraying the liberties for which Parliamentarian soldiers and civilians had fought

Lilburne publishes "England's New Chains Discovered", attacking the new regime and warning that the people remain unfree after the King's execution

Lilburne publishes "England's New Chains Discovered", attacking the new regime and warning that the people remain unfree after the King's execution

Lilburne publishes "The Second Part of England's New Chains Discovered", renewing Leveller criticism of the Council of State and Army Grandees

Lilburne publishes "The Second Part of England's New Chains Discovered", renewing Leveller criticism of the Council of State and Army Grandees

Lilburne is arrested with other Leveller leaders after renewed pamphlet attacks on the post-regicide government.

Lilburne and fellow Levellers issue the Agreement of the Free People while imprisoned, setting out their constitutional programme.

Lilburne and the imprisoned Leveller leaders issue "An Agreement of the Free People of England" as a proposed constitutional settlement

A London jury acquits Lilburne of high treason after a celebrated trial arising from his attacks on the Commonwealth government.

Ordered by Cromwell to intercept the Earl of Derby on his march to Worcester