Joseph Wagstaffe
Encyclopedia
Sir Joseph Wagstaffe was a Royalist
officer during the English Civil War
and one of the leaders in the Penruddock uprising
of 1655.
in Warwickshire
, by his wife Anne, daughter of John Hanslap of Stoneythorpe in the same county. If so, he is probably to be identified with the “Josephus Wagstaf”, son of Richard, who was christened at Harbury on 13 August 1611.
. In June 1642 he became lieutenant-colonel in the army destined by the parliament
for the recovery of Ireland
, and in the following autumn held the same rank in Hampden's
regiment of foot in the Earl of Essex's
army. Taken prisoner by the royalists in January 1643, he changed sides and accepted a commission to raise a regiment for the king
. Subsequently he was major-general of foot under Prince Maurice
in the west of England, was knighted at Crediton
on 27 July 1644, and distinguished himself by his soldierly retreat in the disastrous Battle of Langport
.
, he being well known to them and generally beloved. Clarendon
characterises him as fitted 'rather for execution than counsel, a stout man who looked not far before him, yet he had a great companionableness in his nature, which exceedingly prevailed with those who in the intermission of fighting loved to spend their time in jollity and mirth.' With about two hundred Wiltshire
royalists Wagstaffe entered Salisbury
early on 12 March 1655, and proclaimed Charles II
. The judges on circuit and sheriff were seized in their beds, and Wagstaffe thought of hanging them as a seasonable example, but was prevented by the opposition of Colonel Penruddock
and the country gentlemen. Leaving Salisbury with about four hundred men, the royalists marched into Dorset
, but gained few recruits on their way. When they entered Somerset
their numbers began to diminish, and the few who remained were taken or dispersed by Captain Unton Croke at South Molton
on the night of 14 March. Wagstaffe is said to have escaped by leaping his horse over the north wall of the churchyard and a gate in the wall is now known as “The Wagstaffe Gate”.
, petitioned for the reversion of an office [which he did not obtain], and received a small grant of some of the late king's goods in 1662.
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
officer during 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 one of the leaders 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....
of 1655.
Origins and birth
Wagstaffe, born about 1611, was probably the seventh and youngest son of Richard Wagstaffe of HarburyHarbury
Harbury is a village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. In the 2001 census it had a population of 2,485....
in Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
, by his wife Anne, daughter of John Hanslap of Stoneythorpe in the same county. If so, he is probably to be identified with the “Josephus Wagstaf”, son of Richard, who was christened at Harbury on 13 August 1611.
Military career
He was a soldier of fortune, and at the beginning of 1642 was major in an Irish regiment in the service of FranceFlight of the Wild Geese
The Flight of the Wild Geese refers to the departure of an Irish Jacobite army under the command of Patrick Sarsfield from Ireland to France, as agreed in the Treaty of Limerick on October 3, 1691, following the end of the Williamite War in Ireland...
. In June 1642 he became lieutenant-colonel in the army destined by the 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...
for the recovery of Ireland
Confederate Ireland
Confederate Ireland refers to the period of Irish self-government between the Rebellion of 1641 and the Cromwellian conquest of Ireland in 1649. During this time, two-thirds of Ireland was governed by the Irish Catholic Confederation, also known as the "Confederation of Kilkenny"...
, and in the following autumn held the same rank in Hampden's
John Hampden
John Hampden was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643) was an English politician, the eldest son of William Hampden, of Hampden House, Great Hampden in Buckinghamshire, John Hampden (ca. 15951643)...
regiment of foot in the Earl of Essex's
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex
Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex was an English Parliamentarian and soldier during the first half of the seventeenth century. With the start of the English Civil War in 1642 he became the first Captain-General and Chief Commander of the Parliamentarian army, also known as the Roundheads...
army. Taken prisoner by the royalists in January 1643, he changed sides and accepted a commission to raise a regiment for the king
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...
. Subsequently he was major-general of foot under Prince Maurice
Prince Maurice von Simmern
Prince Maurice of the Palatinate KG , Count Palatine of the Rhine, was the fourth son of Frederick V, Elector Palatine and Princess Elizabeth, only daughter of James I, King of England and Scotland and Anne of Denmark....
in the west of England, was knighted at Crediton
Crediton
Crediton is a town and civil parish in the Mid Devon district of Devon in England. It stands on the A377 Exeter to Barnstaple road at the junction with the A3072 road to Tiverton, about north west of Exeter. It has a population of 6,837...
on 27 July 1644, and distinguished himself by his soldierly retreat in the disastrous Battle of Langport
Battle of Langport
The Battle of Langport was a Parliamentarian victory late in the English Civil War which destroyed the last Royalist field army and gave Parliament control of the West of England, which had hitherto been a major source of manpower, raw materials and imports for the Royalists...
.
Penruddock uprising
In 1655 the western royalists asked for Wagstaffe to be their leader in their intended rising against CromwellOliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
, he being well known to them and generally beloved. Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon
Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon was an English historian and statesman, and grandfather of two English monarchs, Mary II and Queen Anne.-Early life:...
characterises him as fitted 'rather for execution than counsel, a stout man who looked not far before him, yet he had a great companionableness in his nature, which exceedingly prevailed with those who in the intermission of fighting loved to spend their time in jollity and mirth.' With about two hundred Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
royalists Wagstaffe entered Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
early on 12 March 1655, and proclaimed 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...
. The judges on circuit and sheriff were seized in their beds, and Wagstaffe thought of hanging them as a seasonable example, but was prevented by the opposition of Colonel Penruddock
John Penruddock
Colonel John Penruddock , of Compton Chamberlayne, was an English Cavalier during the English Civil War and the English Interregnum. He is remembered as the leader of the Penruddock uprising in 1655....
and the country gentlemen. Leaving Salisbury with about four hundred men, the royalists marched into Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, but gained few recruits on their way. When they entered Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
their numbers began to diminish, and the few who remained were taken or dispersed by Captain Unton Croke at South Molton
South Molton
"Molton" redirects here. Or see Molten or Moulton.South Molton is a small town in Devon, England. It is part of the North Devon local government district. The town is on the River Mole. According to the 2001 census the civil parish of South Molton had a population of 4,093.The town was one of...
on the night of 14 March. Wagstaffe is said to have escaped by leaping his horse over the north wall of the churchyard and a gate in the wall is now known as “The Wagstaffe Gate”.
Later life
Wagstaffe himself evaded all the searches subsequently made after him, and was back in Holland by July. He survived the RestorationEnglish Restoration
The Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
, petitioned for the reversion of an office [which he did not obtain], and received a small grant of some of the late king's goods in 1662.