* * * * *

Sir ROGER L'ESTRANGE,

This gentleman was second son of Sir Hammon L'Estrange of Hunston in
Norfolk, knt. and was born anno 1617[A]. In the year 1644 Sir Roger
having obtained a commission from King Charles I. for reducing Lynne
in Norfolk, then in possession of the Parliament, his design was
discovered to colonel Walton the governour, and his person seized.
Upon the failing of this enterprize he was tried by a court-martial
at Guildhall, London, and condemned to lose his life as a spy, coming
from the King's quarters without drum, trumpet, or pass; but was
afterwards reprieved, and continued in Newgate several years. Sir
Roger in a work of his, called Truth and Loyalty Vindicated, has
informed us, that, when he received sentence of death, which was
pronounced against him by Dr. Mills, then judge advocate, and
afterwards chancellor to the bishop of Norwich, he was cast into
Newgate, where he was visited by Mr. Thorowgood and Mr. Arrowsmith,
two members of the assembly of divines, who kindly offered him their
utmost interest if he would make some petitionary acknowledgment,
and submit to take the covenant, which he refused. But that he
might obtain a reprieve, he wrote several letters to the earl of
Northumberland, the earl of Stamford, and others of the nobility, from
whom he received favours. In the House of Commons he was particularly
obliged to Sir John Corbet, and Sir Henry Cholmondley. He was
reprieved in order to a further hearing; but after almost thirty
months spent in vain endeavours, either to come to a hearing, or to
put himself into an exchangeable condition, he printed a state of his
case, as an Appeal from the Court-martial to the Parliament, dated at
Newgate in 1647.

After almost four years imprisonment, with his keeper's privity, he
slipt into Kent, and then with much difficulty got beyond sea. About
the latter end of August 1653, upon the dissolution of the Long
Parliament, by Cromwel, he returned into England, and presently
acquainted the council, then sitting at Whitehall, that finding
himself within the Act of Indemnity, he thought it his duty to give
them notice of his return. Soon after this he was served with the
following order,

Wednesday September 7, 1655,

Ordered,

That Roger L'Estrange be sent unto, to attend the committee of this
council for examination.

JOHN THURLOE, Secretary.

This order laid him under a necessity of attending f