Edward Peacock

“ For upwards of thirty years I have had it in my mind to write a biography of John Lilburne. Whether he was a mere noisy agitator and fanatic, as the popular history books for the most part represent him, or an honest and resourceful person who, from the year 1638, when he was whipped at the cart’s tail from the Fleet Ditch to Westminster, to the time of his death, in August, 1657, devoted himself with single-minded earnestness to what he believed to be the highest interests of the English people, I do not now wish to inquire, though I hold the latter opinion with some confidence. ”

“ Linc. Coll., Lincoln College, Oxford; P., the writer’s own collection; Soc. Ant., the Society of Antiquaries; S.K., the Forster Library, South Kensington Museum.
The articles are arranged in roughly chronological order. Great difficulties stand in the way of doing this perfectly. Many of these tracts occur in more than one edition. Some instances of this, but not nearly all, have been noted by me. Others of what seem to be the same edition are dated on several different days. ”

“ The Poore man’s cry. Wherein is shewed the present miserable estate of mee John Lilburne, close prisoner in the Fleete......Published by a backe friend of the English Popish Prelates 1639. G.L.
A copy of a letter written by John Lilburne, close prisoner in the wards of the Fleet, which he sent to James Ingram and Henry Hopkins, wardens of the said Fleet, wherein is fully discovered their great cruelty exercised upon his body. ”