(John), famous for his Historical Collections, was descended of a good family in Northumberland, and born about 1607. For some time he studied at Oxford, and afterwards became a barrister of Lincoln's Inn. But his genius leading him more to state affairs than the common law, he began early to take down speeches, &c., in parliament. He personally attended at all occurrences of moment, during the 11 years interval of parliament; he also went to observe distant transactions through the whole kingdom. Upon the opening of the long parliament in 1640, he was chosen assistant to Mr Henry Effington, clerk of the house of commons, who sent by him their addresses to the king when at York. In 1643 he took the covenant, and was appointed secretary to Sir Thomas Fairfax, general of the parliament's forces. In 1651 he was named one of the committee to consult about the reformation of the common law. In 1658 he was chosen a burgess for the town of Berwick upon Tweed; which place he represented in several parliaments afterwards, until that which met at Oxford in 1679. In 1667 he was appointed secretary to Sir Orlando Bridgman, lord keeper of the great seal of England. At length he was committed prisoner for debt to the king's-bench in Southwark, where he spent the last five years of his life, and died in 1690. His Historical Collections of private passages in State, weighty matters in Law, and remarkable proceedings in Parliament, were published at different times in folio; and comprehend from the year 1618 to the year 1648. All the seven volumes were reprinted together in 1721, with the trial of the earl of Stafford, which makes the whole eight volumes. This work has been highly extolled by those who were adverse to the cause of Cha. I. and condemned as partial by all who favoured him and his measures; but it does not appear, nor is it pretended, that Mr Rushworth has misrepresented facts or speeches.