Robert Tichborne
Encyclopedia
Sir Robert Tichborne was an English soldier who fought in the English Civil War
and a regicide
of Charles I
.
Before the war he was a linen-draper by trade. In 1643 he was a captain in the London trained bands. He was lieutenant of the Tower of London in 1647. He was an extreme republican and independent who signed Charles I's death-warrant. He was appointed as a commissioner to settle government of Scotland in 1651. He sat for London in the Little parliament and in Cromwell's House of Lords. He was knighted in 1655, and made lord mayor of London
in 1656. He was one of the conservators of liberty set up by the army, 1659. He was sentenced to death at the restoration of the monarchy, and imprisoned for life. He was author of two religious works.
of the ward of Farringdon Within, London, by Joan, daughter of Thomas Bankes (Visitation of London, 1633-4, ii. 289). Early in life he was a linen-draper in London "by the little Conduit in Cheapside".
with the king. According to a contemporary critic, he did not distinguish himself as a soldier, and was indeed "fitter for a warm bed than to command a regiment"; but he was a colonel in 1647, and was appointed by Fairfax in August of that year lieutenant of the Tower. Tichborne political views were advanced, as his speeches in the council of the army in 1647 prove; and in religion his printed works show that he was an extreme independent.
In 1651 Tichborne was a Sheriff of the City of London and in 1656 was elected Lord Mayor of London
. The Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell
knighted him on 15 December 1655 and summoned him to his House of Lords
in December 1657. On 17 April 1658 Tichborne, who was colonel of the Yellow Regiment and a member of the London Militia Committee, presented an address from the London trained bands to the Lord Protector (Mercurius Politicus, 15–22 April 1658).
An unflattering character of Tichborne was given in "A Second Narrative of the late Parliament", 1658.
, became a person of less importance; but in October 1659, when the army under John Lambert
expelled the parliament, he was appointed one of the committee of safety which the army set up, and he was also one of the twenty-one "conservators of liberty" named by them in December following. Edmund Ludlow
wrathfully observes that he "had lately moved to set up Richard Cromwell
again". The restoration of the Long Parliament at the end of the month put an end to his political career. On 20 April 1660 a warrant was issued for the arrest of Tichborne and Alderman John Ireton, who were regarded as the two pillars of the Good Old Cause
in the City of London
. They were released four days later on bail.
The sentence of death was not carried out immediately because under terms of the act of Indemnity
Tichborne was one of the nineteen regicides who, having surrendered themselves, were, if condemned, not to be executed save by a special act of parliament. It was also alleged in his favour that he had saved the lives of various royalists during the late government. A bill for the trial of Tichborne and his companions passed the House of Commons in January 1662, but was dropped in the Lords after Tichborne had been brought to the bar of the upper house and heard in his defence
, where he fell very ill, and was on his wife's petition transferred to Dover Castle
. His wife and children were allowed to live with him during his imprisonment at Dover. He remained a prisoner for the rest of his life, and died in the Tower of London in July 1682.
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and a 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...
of 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...
.
Before the war he was a linen-draper by trade. In 1643 he was a captain in the London trained bands. He was lieutenant of the Tower of London in 1647. He was an extreme republican and independent who signed Charles I's death-warrant. He was appointed as a commissioner to settle government of Scotland in 1651. He sat for London in the Little parliament and in Cromwell's House of Lords. He was knighted in 1655, and made lord mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
in 1656. He was one of the conservators of liberty set up by the army, 1659. He was sentenced to death at the restoration of the monarchy, and imprisoned for life. He was author of two religious works.
Early life
Robert Tichborne was grandson of John Tichborne of Cowden, Kent, and son of Robert Tichborneof the ward of Farringdon Within, London, by Joan, daughter of Thomas Bankes (Visitation of London, 1633-4, ii. 289). Early in life he was a linen-draper in London "by the little Conduit in Cheapside".
Civil war
On the outbreak of the English Civil War Tichborne took up arms for Parliament, and was in 1643 a captain in the Yellow Regiment of the London trained bands. In February of that year he was one of a deputation from the city who presented a petition to the House of Commons against the proposed treatyTreaty of Oxford
The Treaty of Oxford of 1643 was an unsuccessful attempt by the Long Parliament and King Charles I to negotiate a peace treaty.On 28 January 1643, Charles, at the request of both houses, granted a safe-conduct for the earls of Northumberland, Pembroke, Salisbury and Holland, and five commoners The...
with the king. According to a contemporary critic, he did not distinguish himself as a soldier, and was indeed "fitter for a warm bed than to command a regiment"; but he was a colonel in 1647, and was appointed by Fairfax in August of that year lieutenant of the Tower. Tichborne political views were advanced, as his speeches in the council of the army in 1647 prove; and in religion his printed works show that he was an extreme independent.
Regicide
On 15 January 1649 Tichborne presented to the House of Commons a petition from London in favour of the execution of the king and the establishment of a republic. Tichborne was appointed one of the king's judges, signed the death-warrant, and attended every meeting of the court excepting two.Commonwealth
On 23 October 1651 parliament selected Tichborne as one of the eight commissioners to settle the government of Scotland and prepare the way for its union with England. On 14 May 1652 he received the thanks of the English Parliament for his services in Scotland. In 1650 he was one of the sheriffs of London.Protectorate
Tichborne was one of the representatives of London in the Little Parliament, and was a member of the two councils of state elected by it.In 1651 Tichborne was a Sheriff of the City of London and in 1656 was elected Lord Mayor of London
Lord Mayor of London
The Right Honourable Lord Mayor of London is the legal title for the Mayor of the City of London Corporation. The Lord Mayor of London is to be distinguished from the Mayor of London; the former is an officer only of the City of London, while the Mayor of London is the Mayor of Greater London and...
. The Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell
Oliver 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....
knighted him on 15 December 1655 and summoned him to his House of Lords
Cromwell's Other House
The Other House , established by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Humble Petition and Advice, was one of the two chambers of the Parliaments that legislated for England and Wales, Scotland and Ireland, in 1658 and 1659, the final years of the Protectorate.During the Rule of...
in December 1657. On 17 April 1658 Tichborne, who was colonel of the Yellow Regiment and a member of the London Militia Committee, presented an address from the London trained bands to the Lord Protector (Mercurius Politicus, 15–22 April 1658).
An unflattering character of Tichborne was given in "A Second Narrative of the late Parliament", 1658.
Second Commonwealth
After the fall of the house of Cromwell, Tichborne, who was never a member of the Long ParliamentLong 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...
, became a person of less importance; but in October 1659, when the army under John Lambert
John Lambert (general)
John Lambert was an English Parliamentary general and politician. He fought during the English Civil War and then in Oliver Cromwell's Scottish campaign , becoming thereafter active in civilian politics until his dismissal by Cromwell in 1657...
expelled the parliament, he was appointed one of the committee of safety which the army set up, and he was also one of the twenty-one "conservators of liberty" named by them in December following. Edmund Ludlow
Edmund Ludlow
Edmund Ludlow was an English parliamentarian, best known for his involvement in the execution of Charles I, and for his Memoirs, which were published posthumously in a rewritten form and which have become a major source for historians of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. After service in the English...
wrathfully observes that he "had lately moved to set up Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell
At the same time, the officers of the New Model Army became increasingly wary about the government's commitment to the military cause. The fact that Richard Cromwell lacked military credentials grated with men who had fought on the battlefields of the English Civil War to secure their nation's...
again". The restoration of the Long Parliament at the end of the month put an end to his political career. On 20 April 1660 a warrant was issued for the arrest of Tichborne and Alderman John Ireton, who were regarded as the two pillars of the Good Old Cause
Good Old Cause
The Good Old Cause was the retrospective name given by the soldiers of the New Model Army for the complex of reasons for which they fought, on behalf of the Parliament of England....
in 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...
. They were released four days later on bail.
Restoration
At the Restoration Tichborne surrendered in obedience to the king's proclamation (16 June), though he showed considerable vacillation, withdrawing himself from the custody of the sergeant-at-arms, and then giving himself up once more, and Royalist pamphlets exulted over his imprisonment.Trial
Tichborne was tried at the sessions house in the Old Bailey on 10 Oct. 1660, and pleaded not guilty, but admitted the fact for which he was indicted, only asserting his ignorance and repentance. "It was my unhappiness to be called to so sad a work when I had so few years over my head; a person neither bred up in the laws, nor in parliaments where laws are made. ... Had I known that then which I do now, I would have chosen a red hot oven to have gone into as soon as that meeting". He was found guilty of high treason, the considerable property he had acquired during the civil war and the confiscation of the crown lands that he had purchased were sequestrated, and he was sentenced to death.The sentence of death was not carried out immediately because under terms of the act of Indemnity
Indemnity and Oblivion Act
The Indemnity and Oblivion Act 1660 is an Act of the Parliament of England , the long title of which is "An Act of Free and General Pardon, Indemnity, and Oblivion"....
Tichborne was one of the nineteen regicides who, having surrendered themselves, were, if condemned, not to be executed save by a special act of parliament. It was also alleged in his favour that he had saved the lives of various royalists during the late government. A bill for the trial of Tichborne and his companions passed the House of Commons in January 1662, but was dropped in the Lords after Tichborne had been brought to the bar of the upper house and heard in his defence
Life imprisonment
In July 1662 Tichborne was removed, to Holy IslandHoly Island
-Places:England* Lindisfarne, Northumberland, home of a medieval monasteryIreland* Inish Cealtra, near Mountshannon on the west shore of Lough DergScotland* Eileach an Naoimh, also known as Holy Isle, located in the Firth of Lorn...
, where he fell very ill, and was on his wife's petition transferred to Dover Castle
Dover Castle
Dover Castle is a medieval castle in the town of the same name in the English county of Kent. It was founded in the 12th century and has been described as the "Key to England" due to its defensive significance throughout history...
. His wife and children were allowed to live with him during his imprisonment at Dover. He remained a prisoner for the rest of his life, and died in the Tower of London in July 1682.