Edward Phelips (Royalist)
Encyclopedia
Edward Phelips was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons
at various times between 1640 and 1679. He fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
.
Phelips was the son of Sir Robert Phelips
of Montacute and his wife Bridget Gorges, daughter of Sir Thomas Gorges of Longford Castle, Wiltshire. He matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford
on 30 October 1629, aged 16.
In 1640, Phelips was elected Member of Parliament
for Ilchester
in the Short Parliament
. He was re-elected MP for Ilchester for the Long Parliament
after a void election in 1640. He was a commissioner of array for the King in 1642 and became a colonel of horse in the Roylist army. (royalist) in 1643. He was governor of Ilchester from 1643 to 1645 and was disabled from sitting in parliament in 5 February 1644. In 1647 he compounded for £1,276. He was accused of taking part in the Penruddock uprising
in 1655 and was tried at Chard but was acquitted by the grand jury.
At the Restoration Phelips was one of those proposed as a Knight of the Royal Oak, having an income of £1,500 p.a. He was appointed to the Western circuit and became Deputy Lieutenant
of Somerset in July 1660, and became commissioner for sewers and commissioner for assessment in August 1660. In 1661, he was elected Member of Parliament
for Somerset
in the Cavalier Parliament
. He became high steward of Ilchester in the same year and commissioner for corporations in Somerset in 1663. He was defeated at Somerset and lost out in a double return at Ilchester in the general election in 1679.
Phelips died at the age of 67 and was buried at Montacute.
Phelips married Anne Pye, daughter of Sir Robert Pye
of Faringdon, Berkshire on 21 February 1632. He had four sons of whom Edward was also MP for Ilchester and two daughters. His brother Robert was also an MP.
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
at various times between 1640 and 1679. He fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Phelips was the son of Sir Robert Phelips
Robert Phelips
Sir Robert Phelips was an English politician. He was the son of Sir Edward Phelips, Speaker of the House of Commons and Master of the Rolls...
of Montacute and his wife Bridget Gorges, daughter of Sir Thomas Gorges of Longford Castle, Wiltshire. He matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College, Oxford
Wadham College is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom, located at the southern end of Parks Road in central Oxford. It was founded by Nicholas and Dorothy Wadham, wealthy Somerset landowners, during the reign of King James I...
on 30 October 1629, aged 16.
In 1640, Phelips was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Ilchester
Ilchester (UK Parliament constituency)
Ilchester was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Members of Parliament until 1832...
in the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
. He was re-elected MP for Ilchester for the Long Parliament
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
after a void election in 1640. He was a commissioner of array for the King in 1642 and became a colonel of horse in the Roylist army. (royalist) in 1643. He was governor of Ilchester from 1643 to 1645 and was disabled from sitting in parliament in 5 February 1644. In 1647 he compounded for £1,276. He was accused of taking part in the Penruddock uprising
Penruddock uprising
The Penruddock uprising was one of a series of coordinated uprisings planned by the Sealed Knot for a Royalist insurrection to start in March 1655 during the Protectorate of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell....
in 1655 and was tried at Chard but was acquitted by the grand jury.
At the Restoration Phelips was one of those proposed as a Knight of the Royal Oak, having an income of £1,500 p.a. He was appointed to the Western circuit and became Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Somerset in July 1660, and became commissioner for sewers and commissioner for assessment in August 1660. In 1661, he was elected Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Somerset
Somerset (UK Parliament constituency)
Somerset was a parliamentary constituency in Somerset, which returned two Members of Parliament , known traditionally as knights of the shire, to the House of Commons of England until 1707, the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and the House of Commons of the United Kingdom from...
in the Cavalier Parliament
Cavalier Parliament
The Cavalier Parliament of England lasted from 8 May 1661 until 24 January 1679. It was the longest English Parliament, enduring for nearly 18 years of the quarter century reign of Charles II of England...
. He became high steward of Ilchester in the same year and commissioner for corporations in Somerset in 1663. He was defeated at Somerset and lost out in a double return at Ilchester in the general election in 1679.
Phelips died at the age of 67 and was buried at Montacute.
Phelips married Anne Pye, daughter of Sir Robert Pye
Robert Pye
Sir Robert Pye was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons variously between 1640 and 1660. He fought on the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War....
of Faringdon, Berkshire on 21 February 1632. He had four sons of whom Edward was also MP for Ilchester and two daughters. His brother Robert was also an MP.