John Hampden (1653-1696)
Encyclopedia
John Hampden the second son of Richard Hampden
, returned to England after residing for about two years in France, and joined himself to Lord William Russell and Algernon Sidney and the party opposed to the arbitrary government of Charles II
. With Russell and Sidney he was arrested in 1683 for alleged complicity in the Rye House Plot
, but more fortunate than his colleagues his life was spared, although as he was unable to pay the fine of £40,000 which was imposed upon him he remained in prison. Then in 1685, after the failure of Monmouth
's rising, Hampden was again brought to trial, and on a charge of high treason
was condemned to death. But the sentence was not carried out, and having paid £6000 he was set at liberty. In the Convention Parliament
of 1689 he represented Wendover
, but in the subsequent parliaments he failed to secure a seat. It was Hampden who in 1689 coined the phrase "Glorious Revolution
". He died by his own hand on 12 December 1696. Hampden wrote numerous pamphlets, and Bishop Burnet
described him as "one of the learnedest gentlemen I ever knew".
He married Sarah Foley (d. 1687), and had two children:
After her death, he married Anne Cornwallis and had two children:
Richard Hampden
Richard Hampden was an English Whig politician and son of John Hampden. He was sworn a Privy Counsellor in 1689 and was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 18 March 1690 until 10 May 1694....
, returned to England after residing for about two years in France, and joined himself to Lord William Russell and Algernon Sidney and the party opposed to the arbitrary government of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. With Russell and Sidney he was arrested in 1683 for alleged complicity in the Rye House Plot
Rye House Plot
The Rye House Plot of 1683 was a plan to assassinate King Charles II of England and his brother James, Duke of York. Historians vary in their assessment of the degree to which details of the conspiracy were finalized....
, but more fortunate than his colleagues his life was spared, although as he was unable to pay the fine of £40,000 which was imposed upon him he remained in prison. Then in 1685, after the failure of Monmouth
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth
James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, 1st Duke of Buccleuch, KG, PC , was an English nobleman. Originally called James Crofts or James Fitzroy, he was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress, Lucy Walter...
's rising, Hampden was again brought to trial, and on a charge of high treason
High treason
High treason is criminal disloyalty to one's government. Participating in a war against one's native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state are perhaps...
was condemned to death. But the sentence was not carried out, and having paid £6000 he was set at liberty. In the Convention Parliament
Convention Parliament (1689)
The English Convention was an irregular assembly of the Parliament of England which transferred the Crowns of England and Ireland from James II to William III...
of 1689 he represented Wendover
Wendover (UK Parliament constituency)
Wendover was a borough 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...
, but in the subsequent parliaments he failed to secure a seat. It was Hampden who in 1689 coined the phrase "Glorious Revolution
Glorious Revolution
The Glorious Revolution, also called the Revolution of 1688, is the overthrow of King James II of England by a union of English Parliamentarians with the Dutch stadtholder William III of Orange-Nassau...
". He died by his own hand on 12 December 1696. Hampden wrote numerous pamphlets, and Bishop Burnet
Gilbert Burnet
Gilbert Burnet was a Scottish theologian and historian, and Bishop of Salisbury. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Latin, Greek, and Hebrew. Burnet was respected as a cleric, a preacher, and an academic, as well as a writer and historian...
described him as "one of the learnedest gentlemen I ever knew".
He married Sarah Foley (d. 1687), and had two children:
- Richard HampdenRichard Hampden (1674-1728)Richard Hampden PC was an English politician, the son of John Hampden.He sat for Wendover from 1701 to 1708, 1713 to 1714 and 1722 to 1728, and Buckinghamshire from 1708 to 1710, 1715 to 1722, and 1727 to 1728. In 1718, he was sworn of the Privy Council and appointed Treasurer of the Navy, an...
(aft. 1674 – 27 July 1728), an MP and Privy Counsellor - Letitia Hampden, married John Birch
After her death, he married Anne Cornwallis and had two children:
- John HampdenJohn Hampden (1696-1754)John Hampden , an English politician, was the second son of John Hampden.He was a founding governor of London's Foundling Hospital, a charity dedicated to the salvation of the capital's abandoned children....
(c. 1696 – 4 February 1754), an MP - Ann Hampden (d. September 1723), married Thomas Kempthorne