John, general of the parliament's forces in the civil wars of the last century, was of a good family, and for some time studied the law in one of the inns of court; but upon the breaking out of the rebellion, went into the parliament army, where he soon rose to the rank of colonel, and by his conduct and valour performed many eminent services. But when Cromwell seemed inclined to assume the title of king, Lambert opposed it with great vigour, and even refused to take the oath required by the assembly and council to be faithful to the government; on which Cromwell deprived him of his commission, but granted him a pension of £200 a-year. This was an act of prudence rather than of generosity; as he well knew, that such genius as Lambert's, rendered desperate by poverty, was capable of attempting anything.

Lambert being now divested of all employment, retired to Wimbledon house; where turning florist, he had the finest tulips and gillyflowers that could be got for love or money. Yet amidst these amusements he still nourished his ambition; for when Richard Cromwell succeeded his father, he acted so effectually with Fleetwood, Deborough, Vane, Berry, and others, that the new protector was obliged to surrender his authority; and the members of the long parliament, who had continued sitting till the 23rd of April 1653, when Oliver dismissed them, were restored to their seats, and Lambert was immediately appointed one of the council of state, and colonel of a regiment of horse and another of foot. For this service the parliament presented him £1000 to buy a jewel; but he distributed it among his officers. This being soon known to the parliament, they concluded that he intended to secure a party in the army. They therefore courteously invited him to come to London; but refused, as soon as he should arrive, to secure him from doing any further harm. Lambert, apprehensive of this, delayed his return, and even refused to resign his commission when it was demanded of him and of eight of the other leading officers; and, marching up to London with his army, disbanded the parliament by force in October 1659. He was then appointed, by a council of the officers, major general of the army, and one of the new council for the management of public affairs, and sent to command the forces in the north. But General Monk marching from Scotland into England to support the parliament, against which Lambert had acted with such violence, the latter, being deserted by his army, was obliged to submit to the parliament; and by their order was committed prisoner to the tower; whence escaping, he soon appeared in arms with four troops under his command, but was defeated and taken prisoner by Colonel Ingoldsby.

At the Restoration he was particularly excepted out of the act of indemnity. Being brought to his trial on the 4th of June 1662, for levying war against the king, this daring general behaved with more submission than the meanest of his fellow prisoners, and was by his majesty's favour reprieved at the bar, and sentenced to be confined during life in the island of Guernsey.

Anna Theresa de Marguenat de Courcelles, marchioness of, an elegant moral writer, was the only daughter of Stephen Marguenat lord of Courcelles. In 1666 she married Henry de Lambert, who at his death was lieutenant-general of the army; and afterwards remained a widow with a son and a daughter, whom she educated with great care. Her house was a kind of academy, to which persons of distinguished abilities regularly resorted. She died at Paris in 1733, aged 86. Her works, which are written with much taste, judgment, and delicacy, are printed in 2 vols. The advice of a mother to her son and daughter are particularly esteemed.