William Prynne

William Prynne (1600 - October 24, 1669) "from an original picture in the possession of Mr J H Burn". Prynne was a Puritan opponent of Archbishop Laud and was twice imprisoned in the 1630s and had his ears cut off and was branded SL (seditious libeller) before being released by the Long Parliament and prospering during the civil war. But as a Presbyterian he opposed the free churches supported by Cromwell and was again imprisoned from 1650-53. He became a supporter of the restoration of the monarchy and ended his life as keeper of the records at the Tower of London.