James Chaloner
Encyclopedia
James Chaloner was an English
politician
on the Parliamentary side in the English Civil War
, and commissioner at the trial of King Charles I
.
On the 10 April 1648 he became the Member of Parliament for Aldborough
, Yorkshire
. He was not excluded from Parliament during Pride's Purge
on 20 December 1648 and declared his opposition for the earlier Commons vote accepting Charles I's answers in the Treaty of Newport
as grounds for continuing negotiations. In January 1649 he was appointed to sit as a commissioner at the Trial of Charles I and sat for a total of six sessions and unlike his elder brother Thomas Chaloner
he did not sign the royal death warrant.
During the Interregnum
he was active in the Commonwealth and enjoyed the patronage of Thomas Fairfax, but under the Protectorate
he played no active part in National politics. In 1655 he fell under suspicion of encouraging Fairfax to join the Sealed Knot
uprising in Yorkshire
, so to remove him from scrutiny Fairfax found him an appointment as governor of the Isle of Man
. He was still the governor in 1659 when he declared for General George Monck during the second Commonwealth. The London faction of the New Model Army
arrested him, but on 7 December that year as the London faction's star fell and Monck's rose. The Rump ordered Chaloner's release, and in January 1660 confirmed his governorship of the Isle of Man. He died there in July 1660 professing his support for the Royalist cause and explaining away his part in the Regicide
as an attempt on his part "to keep things from falling into a worse condition" (BL, Add. MS 71448, fol. 67).
He was born in the parish of St Olave, Silver Street, London, the fourth son of naturalist
Sir Thomas Chaloner
. He left a son and two daughters unprovided for as he was named as exempted from the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion and all his possessions were confiscated by the state under the "forfeitures not extending to Life" terms of the act. He was most likely buried on the Isle of Man.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
on the Parliamentary side 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...
, and commissioner at the trial of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
.
On the 10 April 1648 he became the Member of Parliament for Aldborough
Aldborough, North Yorkshire
Aldborough is a village in the civil parish of Boroughbridge, part of the Borough of Harrogate in North Yorkshire, England.Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, what is now known as Aldborough was built on the site of a major Romano-British town, Isurium Brigantum...
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
. He was not excluded from Parliament during Pride's Purge
Pride's Purge
Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents...
on 20 December 1648 and declared his opposition for the earlier Commons vote accepting Charles I's answers in the Treaty of Newport
Treaty of Newport
The Treaty of Newport was a failed treaty between Parliament and King Charles I of England, intended to bring an end to the hostilities of the English Civil War...
as grounds for continuing negotiations. In January 1649 he was appointed to sit as a commissioner at the Trial of Charles I and sat for a total of six sessions and unlike his elder brother Thomas Chaloner
Thomas Chaloner (regicide)
Thomas Chaloner was an English politician, commissioner at the trial of Charles I and signatory to his death warrant.He was born at Steeple Claydon, Buckinghamshire, and was the son of naturalist Sir Thomas Chaloner....
he did not sign the royal death warrant.
During the Interregnum
English Interregnum
The English Interregnum was the period of parliamentary and military rule by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the Commonwealth of England after the English Civil War...
he was active in the Commonwealth and enjoyed the patronage of Thomas Fairfax, but under the Protectorate
The Protectorate
In British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
he played no active part in National politics. In 1655 he fell under suspicion of encouraging Fairfax to join the Sealed Knot
Sealed Knot
The Sealed Knot was a secret Royalist association which plotted for the Restoration of the Monarchy during the English Interregnum.Its original founder members were:* John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse...
uprising in Yorkshire
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....
, so to remove him from scrutiny Fairfax found him an appointment as governor of the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
. He was still the governor in 1659 when he declared for General George Monck during the second Commonwealth. The London faction of the New Model Army
New Model Army
The New Model Army of England was formed in 1645 by the Parliamentarians in the English Civil War, and was disbanded in 1660 after the Restoration...
arrested him, but on 7 December that year as the London faction's star fell and Monck's rose. The Rump ordered Chaloner's release, and in January 1660 confirmed his governorship of the Isle of Man. He died there in July 1660 professing his support for the Royalist cause and explaining away his part in the Regicide
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
as an attempt on his part "to keep things from falling into a worse condition" (BL, Add. MS 71448, fol. 67).
He was born in the parish of St Olave, Silver Street, London, the fourth son of naturalist
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
Sir Thomas Chaloner
Thomas Chaloner (naturalist)
Sir Thomas Chaloner was an English naturalist.-Life:He was the son of statesman and poet Sir Thomas Chaloner. He was tutor to Prince Henry, son of James I, and was also responsible for introducing alum manufacturing to England. He was Member of Parliament for St Mawes in 1586 and for Lostwithiel...
. He left a son and two daughters unprovided for as he was named as exempted from the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion and all his possessions were confiscated by the state under the "forfeitures not extending to Life" terms of the act. He was most likely buried on the Isle of Man.