Philip Skippon
Encyclopedia
Philip Skippon was an English
soldier, who fought in the English Civil War
.
's expedition to aid Frederick V of Bohemia in the Palatinate and served in it until Bohemian defeat in 1623, participating in the two sieges of Frankenthal
. He then went to serve Maurice of Nassau in the Netherlands, receiving a commission in 1625. At the sieges of Breda in 1625 and 1637 he was wounded, and under his old commander, Lord Vere, he was present when 's-Hertogenbosch
and Maastricht
were attacked in 1629. By 1632 he was a sergeant major and led many of the sorties at Maastricht
with distinction. He also became deeply interested in religion, writing small private religious volumes for his family
for a command in the Honourable Artillery Company
and he moved to London to take up this command. With civil war looming, on 10 January 1642 he was made major-general and commander of the City of London
's Trained Bands by Parliament in defiance of the king's authority, and two days later mustered them to welcome the five members who Charles had failed to arrest. On 13 May Charles ordered Skippon to join him at York
, but Skippon replied "I desire to honour God and not to honour men" and Parliament declared Charles's order illegal. Skippon was absent at the Parliamentarian defeats at and Brentford
but continued to train his men before marching them out of London to reinforce the force of the Earl of Essex
, the Lord General of Parliament's forces. He then faced Royalist forces at the Battle of Turnham Green, encouraging his under-trained militiamen with the words:
Within a week of the battle Essex made Skippon his major-general, a post which carried with it the command of the foot and the complicated duty of arranging the line of battle. In 1643 his religious tracts written in the Netherlands were collected and published as The Christian Centurion, one of many devotional tracts he published for his troops to read. However, his high level of experience meant that Parliament was unwilling to risk him in action early in the war, though he did serve alongside Essex at Gloucester
, and his first field command only came in 20 September 1643, with command of the left wing and reserves at the First Battle of Newbury
. He continued serving with Essex during the disastrous Lostwithiel campaign
and was left in command of the Parliamentarian garrison of 6,000 there on 1 September 1644 when Essex and Robartes fled it to Plymouth. The following day, without hope of reinforcement, Skippon negotiated, gained very reasonable terms for his forces, surrendered and marched his force out of the town. He then gathered the infantrymen from that force in October and marched them to take part in the second Battle of Newbury
, occupying the centre of the high ground near Stockcross and recapturing 7 of the guns they had lost at Lostwithiel.
soon followed, as, apart from his distinguished services, there was scarcely another man in England with the knowledge of detail requisite for the post. In this capacity he supported Thomas Fairfax
as loyally as he had supported Essex and led the centre at the Battle of Naseby
, at which he refused to leave the field whilst victory was still in the balance despite being dangerously wounded. For his conduct on this decisive occasion, the two Houses of Parliament thanked him, and they sent him special physicians to cure him of his wound. It was a long time before he was fit to serve in the field again. He only reappeared at the siege of Oxford, which he directed. At the end of the war he was selected for the command of the forthcoming Irish expedition, with the rank of marshal-general. The discontent of the soldiery, however, which ended in open mutiny, put an end to a command which Skippon had only accepted under great pressure. He bore a part in all the movements which the army leaders now carried out.
and the Independent
s, and to secure a firm treaty with the king by any means. The army outstripped Fairfax and Skippon in action. The major-general was named as one of the king’s judges, but, like Fairfax, did not take his place. After the war he was returned as MP for King's Lynn
in 1654, 1656 and 1658 during the Commonwealth
. He also held high military and civil offices and during the Rule of the Major-Generals
he was appointed to command the London military district (with John Barkstead
as his deputy, who was zealous in suppressing immorality and ungodliness in the area under Skippon's control), where his popularity was always high— but ceased to influence passing events. He said little in Parliament, though his comment on John Naylor (“If this be liberty, God deliver us from such liberty!”) is well-known. He was one of the members of Cromwell's House of Lords, and, in general, was universally respected and beloved. On Cromwell's death he was made head of the London Militia again by the restored Long Parliament. Age and infirmities prevented him from taking any part in the revolutions which culminated in the Restoration
, and in March 1660 he died.
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...
soldier, who fought 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...
.
To 1638
He adopted the military profession at an early age and in July 1620 volunteered to join Sir Horace VereHorace Vere
Sir Horace Vere, 1st Baron Vere of Tilbury was an English military leader during the Eighty Years' War and the Thirty Years' War, a son of Geoffrey Vere and brother of Francis Vere. He was sent to the Palatinate by James I in 1620...
's expedition to aid Frederick V of Bohemia in the Palatinate and served in it until Bohemian defeat in 1623, participating in the two sieges of Frankenthal
Frankenthal
Frankenthal is a town in southwestern Germany, in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate.- History :Frankenthal was first mentioned in 772. In 1119 an Augustinian monastery was built here, the ruins of which — known, after the founder, as the Erkenbertruine — still stand today in the town...
. He then went to serve Maurice of Nassau in the Netherlands, receiving a commission in 1625. At the sieges of Breda in 1625 and 1637 he was wounded, and under his old commander, Lord Vere, he was present when 's-Hertogenbosch
Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch
The Siege of 's-Hertogenbosch was in 1629 an action of the Eighty Years' War in which a Dutch Republican army captured the city of 's-Hertogenbosch which had been loyal to the King of Spain since 1579 and thus part of the Spanish Netherlands.-Background:...
and Maastricht
Maastricht
Maastricht is situated on both sides of the Meuse river in the south-eastern part of the Netherlands, on the Belgian border and near the German border...
were attacked in 1629. By 1632 he was a sergeant major and led many of the sorties at Maastricht
Capture of Maastricht
The siege of Maastricht was fought between June 9, 1632 to August 22, 1632 where the Dutch commander Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange eventually captured the city from Spanish forces.-Background:...
with distinction. He also became deeply interested in religion, writing small private religious volumes for his family
1639-44
A veteran of 18 years' experience, Captain Skippon returned to England in 1638, and on 23 October 1639 was recommended by Charles I of EnglandCharles 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...
for a command in the Honourable Artillery Company
Honourable Artillery Company
The Honourable Artillery Company was incorporated by Royal Charter in 1537 by King Henry VIII. Today it is a Registered Charity whose purpose is to attend to the “better defence of the realm"...
and he moved to London to take up this command. With civil war looming, on 10 January 1642 he was made major-general and commander of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
's Trained Bands by Parliament in defiance of the king's authority, and two days later mustered them to welcome the five members who Charles had failed to arrest. On 13 May Charles ordered Skippon to join him at York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
, but Skippon replied "I desire to honour God and not to honour men" and Parliament declared Charles's order illegal. Skippon was absent at the Parliamentarian defeats at and Brentford
Battle of Brentford (1642)
The Battle of Brentford was a small pitched battle which took place on 12 November 1642, between a detachment of the Royalist army, under the command of Prince Rupert and two infantry regiments of Parliamentarians with some horse in support...
but continued to train his men before marching them out of London to reinforce the force of the Earl of Essex
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...
, the Lord General of Parliament's forces. He then faced Royalist forces at the Battle of Turnham Green, encouraging his under-trained militiamen with the words:
Within a week of the battle Essex made Skippon his major-general, a post which carried with it the command of the foot and the complicated duty of arranging the line of battle. In 1643 his religious tracts written in the Netherlands were collected and published as The Christian Centurion, one of many devotional tracts he published for his troops to read. However, his high level of experience meant that Parliament was unwilling to risk him in action early in the war, though he did serve alongside Essex at Gloucester
Gloucester
Gloucester is a city, district and county town of Gloucestershire in the South West region of England. Gloucester lies close to the Welsh border, and on the River Severn, approximately north-east of Bristol, and south-southwest of Birmingham....
, and his first field command only came in 20 September 1643, with command of the left wing and reserves at the First Battle of Newbury
First Battle of Newbury
The First Battle of Newbury was a battle of the First English Civil War that was fought on 20 September 1643 between a Royalist army, under the personal command of King Charles, and a Parliamentarian force led by the Earl of Essex...
. He continued serving with Essex during the disastrous Lostwithiel campaign
Battle of Lostwithiel
The Battles of Lostwithiel or Lostwithiel Campaign, took place near Lostwithiel and Fowey during the First English Civil War in 1644.After defeating the Army of Sir William Waller at the Battle of Cropredy Bridge, King Charles marched west in pursuit of the Parliamentarian army of the Earl of...
and was left in command of the Parliamentarian garrison of 6,000 there on 1 September 1644 when Essex and Robartes fled it to Plymouth. The following day, without hope of reinforcement, Skippon negotiated, gained very reasonable terms for his forces, surrendered and marched his force out of the town. He then gathered the infantrymen from that force in October and marched them to take part in the second Battle of Newbury
Second Battle of Newbury
The Second Battle of Newbury was a battle of the English Civil War fought on 27 October, 1644, in Speen, adjoining Newbury in Berkshire. The battle was fought close to the site of the First Battle of Newbury, which took place in late September the previous year.The combined armies of Parliament...
, occupying the centre of the high ground near Stockcross and recapturing 7 of the guns they had lost at Lostwithiel.
1645
The appointment as major-general of the New Model ArmyNew 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...
soon followed, as, apart from his distinguished services, there was scarcely another man in England with the knowledge of detail requisite for the post. In this capacity he supported Thomas Fairfax
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron
Thomas Fairfax, 3rd Lord Fairfax of Cameron was a general and parliamentary commander-in-chief during the English Civil War...
as loyally as he had supported Essex and led the centre at the Battle of Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
, at which he refused to leave the field whilst victory was still in the balance despite being dangerously wounded. For his conduct on this decisive occasion, the two Houses of Parliament thanked him, and they sent him special physicians to cure him of his wound. It was a long time before he was fit to serve in the field again. He only reappeared at the siege of Oxford, which he directed. At the end of the war he was selected for the command of the forthcoming Irish expedition, with the rank of marshal-general. The discontent of the soldiery, however, which ended in open mutiny, put an end to a command which Skippon had only accepted under great pressure. He bore a part in all the movements which the army leaders now carried out.
Post-war
He endeavoured to preserve a middle position between his own PresbyterianismPresbyterianism
Presbyterianism refers to a number of Christian churches adhering to the Calvinist theological tradition within Protestantism, which are organized according to a characteristic Presbyterian polity. Presbyterian theology typically emphasizes the sovereignty of God, the authority of the Scriptures,...
and the Independent
Independent (religion)
In English church history, Independents advocated local congregational control of religious and church matters, without any wider geographical hierarchy, either ecclesiastical or political...
s, and to secure a firm treaty with the king by any means. The army outstripped Fairfax and Skippon in action. The major-general was named as one of the king’s judges, but, like Fairfax, did not take his place. After the war he was returned as MP for King's Lynn
King's Lynn (UK Parliament constituency)
King's Lynn was a constituency in Norfolk, known as Lynn or Bishop's Lynn prior to 1537, which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1885, and one member thereafter. Until 1918 it was a parliamentary borough, after which the name...
in 1654, 1656 and 1658 during the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth of England was the republic which ruled first England, and then Ireland and Scotland from 1649 to 1660. Between 1653–1659 it was known as the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland...
. He also held high military and civil offices and during the Rule of the Major-Generals
Rule of the Major-Generals
The Rule of the Major-Generals from August 1655 – January 1657, was a period of direct military government during Oliver Cromwell's Protectorate.England was divided into 10 regions each governed by a Major-General who answered to the Lord Protector....
he was appointed to command the London military district (with John Barkstead
John Barkstead
John Barkstead was an English Major-General and Regicide.Barkstead was a goldsmith in London; captain of parliamentary infantry under Colonel Venn; governor of Reading, 1645: commanded regiment at siege of Colchester; one of the king's judges, 1648; governor of Yarmouth, 1649, and of the Tower,...
as his deputy, who was zealous in suppressing immorality and ungodliness in the area under Skippon's control), where his popularity was always high— but ceased to influence passing events. He said little in Parliament, though his comment on John Naylor (“If this be liberty, God deliver us from such liberty!”) is well-known. He was one of the members of Cromwell's House of Lords, and, in general, was universally respected and beloved. On Cromwell's death he was made head of the London Militia again by the restored Long Parliament. Age and infirmities prevented him from taking any part in the revolutions which culminated in the Restoration
English 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...
, and in March 1660 he died.