JOHN, an enthusiastic demagogue, who was tyrannically punished by the star-chamber court, being put in the pillory, whipped, fined, and imprisoned, for importing and publishing seditious pamphlets, which he had got printed in Holland; they chiefly reflected on the church of England and its bishops. He suffered in 1637, and in prison was doubly loaded with irons. In 1641, he was released by the long parliament; and from this time he had the address to make himself formidable to all parties, by his bold, aspiring genius. He signalized himself in the parliament army; and was at one time the secret friend and confidant of Cromwell, and at another his avowed enemy and accuser; so that, in 1650, Cromwell found it to be his interest to silence him, by a grant of some forfeited estates. But after this, he grew outrageous against the protector's government; became chief of the levellers; and was twice tried for high treason, but acquitted by the juries. The last was for returning from exile (having been banished by the parliament) without a pass. He died in 1657, aged 88.