Who were the Levellers

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John Lilburne

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Q.� Led by

A.� Inspired by John Lilburne (1615-1657), a Lieutenant-Colonel in the Parliamentarian Army. In October, 1645, he wrote a book called England's Birthright Justified. It was a defence of the rule of law against arbitrary power. He argued that Parliament's own power should be limited by law to protect individual rights.�He also attacked the monopolies of preaching (the established church), the wool trade (the Merchant Adventurers) and printing (the Stationers' Company). Six months before, he had resigned his commission on grounds of conscience.� All officers had to sign the solemn league and covenant, which implied support for Presbyterianism. Lilburne was an Independent - a Congregationalist).�

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In London, Lilburne started to gather a group of friends and supporters around him, including William Walwyn and Richard Overton.

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Q.� So big trouble was ahead

A.� Yes. Lilburne was arrested for slandering William Lenthall, the Speaker of the House of Commons, whom he accused of corresponding with Royalists. Within two months he was released after more than 2,000 London citizens petitioned the House of Commons. It didn't stop there. The next year he was arrested again - this time for slandering the Earl of Manchester, whom he accused of protecting an officer charged with treason.

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Q.� And how was the civil war going

A.� By March, 1647, the first phase had finished and Parliamentarian soldiers were becoming discontented about pay arrears, among other grievances. Soldiers in contact with Lilburne's movement started electing Agitators (delegates) to take their grievances to Parliament. Under pressure from Agitators, who threatened mutiny, commander-in-chief Sir Thomas Fairfax agreed to rally the whole army to plan action.

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Q.� How did that go

A.� The army rallied on Newmarket Heath and soldiers refused to disband until grievances were redressed. A General Council of the Army was formed to represent officers and men. Things got much worse after Charles I's execution in January, 1649.

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Q.� How

A.� On 1 May, eight troops of cavalry in Cromwell's New Model Army, who had reached Salisbury on their way to Ireland, refused to go any further until their complaints - mainly over lack of pay - were satisfied. Their officers abandoned them - and were replaced with men elected from the ranks. The mutiny was put down viciously by the Army chiefs, as were other mutinies in Aylesbury and Banbury. One mutineer was killed in skirmishes and 340 prisoners taken. Many were kept prisoner in Burford Church, near Oxford. Three of the ringleaders were shot by firing squad in the churchyard.

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Q.� And what about the rest of them

A.� Oliver Cromwell spoke to the remaining prisoners and said that although some of their demands were reasonable, they should not have refused to obey orders. The Levellers ended as an organised movement within a few months after the acquittal of John Lilburne, their inspiration, on a treason charge - but not without leaving a fascinating legacy.

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Q.� Spell it out, then.

A.� The agreement made by the General Council of the Army was like a democracy's constitution. Some have argued that the US Constitution used several of its ideas.

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Q.� What were the suggestions

A. A single-chamber parliament elected annually; the vote for all men except paupers and servants; the separation of the legislature from the executive; freedom of belief; equality of all men before law; abolition of capital punishment except for murder and treason; free trade; and the freedom of accused people to refuse to answer incriminating questions.

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By Steve Cunningham