Description

Commonwealth, 1649-1660. Gilded Silver Medal 1649, 12.48 g. Trial and Acquittal of John Lilburne. Unsigned, attributed to T. Simon. Bust draped. Legend in three concentric lines: IOHN . LILBORNE . SAVED . BY . THE . POWER . OF . THE . LORD . AND . THE . INTEGRITY . OF . HIS . IVRY . WHO . ARE . IVGES . OF . LAW . AS . WEL . AS . FACT . OCT 26 . 1649. Rv. A rose in the centre. Legend in four concentric lines: MYLES . PETTY . STE . ILES . ABR . SMITH . ION . KING . NIC . MVRIN . THO . DAINTY . EDM . KEYSAR . EDW . PARKINS . RAL . PACKMAN . WIL . COMINS . SY . WEEDON . HEN . TOWLEY . OCTOBER . 26. 1649. Plain edge. 33.8 mm. Eimer 177. MI i 385/3. Gutes sehr schön / Good Very Fine. Randfehler / Edge flaw.

Purchased from S & B, Amersham, November 1992, lot M176.

John Lilburne (c. 1614 - 29 August 1657), also known as Freeborn John, was an English political Leveller before, during and after the English Civil Wars 1642 - 1650. He coined the term "freeborn rights", defining them as rights with which every human being is born, as opposed to rights bestowed by government or human law. In his early life he was a Puritan, though towards the end of his life he became a Quaker. His works have been cited in opinions by the United States Supreme Court.

He was tried for high treason against the Cromwell administration in 1649 and was aquitted the same year.

This medal is in very low relief and of tolerable workmanship, but not equal to the generality of the medals by Thomas Simon, to whom it has been attributed.