Sir Roger, a celebrated writer in the 17th century, was descended from an ancient family, seated at Hunstanton-hall in the county of Norfolk, where he was born in 1616, being the youngest son of Sir Hammond L'Estrange, Bart., a zealous royalist. Having in 1644 obtained a commission from King Charles I. for reducing Lynn in Norfolk, then in possession of the parliament, his design was discovered, and his person seized. He was tried by a court-martial at Guildhall in London, and condemned to die as a spy; but was reprieved, and continued in Newgate for some time. He afterwards went beyond sea; and in August 1653 returned to England, where he applied L'Estrange plied himself to the protector Oliver Cromwell, and having once played before him on the bas viol, he was by some nicknamed Oliver's fiddler. Being a man of parts, master of an easy humorous style, but withal in narrow circumstances, he set up a newspaper, under the title of The Public Intelligencer, in 1663; but which he laid down, upon the publication of the first London gazette in 1665, having been allowed, however, a confirmation by government. Some time after the Popish plot, when the Tories began to gain the ascendancy over the Whigs, he, in a paper called the Observator, became a zealous champion for the former. He was afterwards knighted, and served in the parliament called by King James II. in 1685. But things taking a different turn in that prince's reign, in point of liberty of conscience, from what most people expected, our author's Observators were disfused as not at all suiting the times. However, he continued licenser of the press till King William's accession, in whose reign he met with some trouble as a dissatisfied person. However, he went to his grave in peace, after he had in a manner survived his intellects. He published a great many political tracts, and translated several works from the Greek, Latin, and Spanish; viz. Josephus's works, Cicero's Offices, Seneca's Morals, Erasmus's Colloquies, Ælop's Fables, and Bonas's Guide to Eternity. The character of his style has been variously represented; his language being observed by some to be easy and humorous, while Mr Gordon says, "that his productions are not fit to be read by any who have taste or good-breeding." They are full of phrases picked up in the streets, and nothing can be more low or nauseous."