He led an armed force to seize the local magazine at Manchester, a puritan stronghold.

In 1676 he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and later (in 1685) fled the country when King James II came to the throne.

He spent time while abroad in the Court of the Prince of Orange and subsequently his family line was back in Royal favour when the latter came to the throne of England in 1688.

Alexander was a deaf-mute and under the guidance of Dr. John Wallis in Oxford, was one of the first deaf people in the world to learn to speak.

In the 1630s he commissioned a series of portraits painted by Anthony van Dyck of several members of his family, including himself, his wife Jane, his father-in-law Arthur Goodwin, and his daughters Philadelphia and Elizabeth.

[5] he also gave money to establish chapels at Ravenstonedale and Smarber and to provide for the ministers at both places.