Page:The lives of the poets of Great Britain and Ireland to the time of Dean Swift - Volume 4.djvu/305

Rh

HIS gentleman was ſecond ſon of Sir Hammon L’Eſtrange of Hunſton in Norfolk, knt. and was born anno 1617. In the year 1644 Sir Roger having obtained a commiſſion from King Charles I. for reducing Lynne in Norfolk, then in poſſeſſion of the Parliament, his deſign was diſcovered to colonel Walton the governour, and his perſon ſeized. Upon the failing of this enterprize he was tried by a court-martial at Guildhall, London, and condemned to loſe his life as a ſpy, coming from the King’s quarters without drum, trumpet, or paſs; but was afterwards reprieved, and continued in Newgate ſeveral years. Sir Roger in a work of his, called Truth and Loyalty Vindicated, has informed us, that, when he received ſentence of death, which was pronounced againſt him by Dr. Mills, then judge advocate, and afterwards chancellor to the biſhop of Norwich, he was caſt into Newgate, where he was viſited by Mr. Thorowgood and Mr. Arrowſmith, two members of the aſſembly of divines, who kindly offered him their utmoſt intereſt if he would make ſome petitionary acknowledgment, and ſubmit to take the covenant, which he refuſed. But that