Thomas Glemham
Encyclopedia
Sir Thomas Glemham was a noted Royalist
commander during the First
and Second
Civil Wars in England.
of Glemham Hall, Little Glemham
in Suffolk
. After studying at Trinity College, Oxford
, he served in armies in Europe from 1610 to 1617. On his return, he served as a MP
for Reigate
(1621) and Aldeburgh
(1625 and 1626), then took part as a Captain in the Duke of Buckingham's
expedition to La Rochelle
. He was captured by the French, but later released.
He subsequently enjoyed a turbulent career as JP
and landowner, being involved in several law suits and scandals. On the outbreak of the Second Bishops' War he was commissioned a Colonel. After the English defeat at the Battle of Newburn
, he was Governor of Hull
for several months, before returning to London in 1641.
In early 1642, he was part of King Charles's
entourage in York
. He re-entered Hull unannounced at the head of a large and prestigious party whose purpose was to recover the arms stored there after the Bishops' Wars. The pro-Parliamentarian Governor, Sir John Hotham
, thwarted them by inviting them to a lengthy and pointless reception. The impatient King demanded entry to the city and was refused. He proclaimed Hotham a traitor, and Glemham's party was forced to leave.
. In October 1642, he was appointed Governor of York, remaining there until November 1643 when he took command in Northumberland
to face a possible invasion by Scottish Covenanter
s. The Scots did invade in January, 1644, in overwhelming strength, and Glemham had to retreat rapidly on the city of Newcastle upon Tyne
and the main Royalist army under the Marquess of Newcastle.
The Marquess of Newcastle was himself forced to retreat to York when that city was threatened by Parliamentarian armies. When they arrived on 19 April, Glemham resumed his post as Governor (succeeding Sir John Belasyse, who had been captured earlier in the month). During the ensuing Siege of York
, the Royalist garrison defended the city vigorously, and Glemham was credited with destroying a Parliamentarian mine under Walmgate Bar, by digging a counter-mine through which the attackers' mine was flooded. On 1 July the city was relieved by a Royalist army under Prince Rupert of the Rhine
. Late the following day, the forces Rupert and Newcastle were decisively defeated at the Battle of Marston Moor
. Newcastle went into exile in Hamburg
, while Rupert returned south with the survivors of his army. Glemham was left with only 1500 men to defend York. He nevertheless held out until 16 July and obtained favourable terms from the besiegers. No Scottish troops were to enter the city, and such of the garrison as wished to continue to fight were allowed to march out with all the honours of war and were given safe passage to Skipton
, where some men marched south to join the King's main forces while Glemham with some 200 "reformadoes" (officers from regiments which had been destroyed or disbanded) went to Carlisle.
Glemham was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the four northernmost counties of England, but effectively controlled only Carlisle itself. From October 1644 to June 1645, Carlisle was closely besieged by Scots under Major General Sir David Leslie. Glemham again maintained an active defence, repeatedly raiding the besiegers' lines. He finally capitulated when all supplies had been eaten and the garrison and townsfolk faced starvation. Leslie again granted favourable terms, allowing all the honours of war and escorting the garrison to Hereford
where they might join the King.
In October 1645, Glemham was appointed Governor of Oxford
, the King's wartime capital. He made extensive preparations to withstand a lengthy siege although by this time, the King had very few forces left to him. In April 1646, the Parliamentarian Commander-in-Chief, Sir Thomas Fairfax
, began the final Siege of Oxford. The King left Oxford in disguise. Glemham maintained a defence despite pressure from some of the King's Privy Councillors who were trapped in Oxford to surrender. Both negotiations for a surrender and a furious bombardment of the siege lines were continuing when a letter was received from King Charles, now a prisoner of the Scots, commanding Glemham to cease resistance. The garrison of 3,000 marched out with all honours of war and disbanded. After paying a fine of £951/15/0 to retain his estates, Glemham went into exile.
in early 1648. In April, they crossed into England and began a Royalist uprising. Glemham once again took command at Carlisle. However, the Scots army which invaded England in their support was defeated at the Battle of Preston
, and the bands of northern Royalists were soon suppressed. Glemham once again went into exile and died the next year in Holland.
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...
commander during the First
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War began the series of three wars known as the English Civil War . "The English Civil War" was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations that took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1651, and includes the Second English Civil War and...
and Second
Second English Civil War
The Second English Civil War was the second of three wars known as the English Civil War which refers to the series of armed conflicts and political machinations which took place between Parliamentarians and Royalists from 1642 until 1652 and also include the First English Civil War and the...
Civil Wars in England.
Early life and career
He was the son of Sir Henry GlemhamHenry Glemham (died 1632)
Sir Henry Glemham was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1593 and 1622.Glemham was the eldest son of Thomas Glemham of Glemham Hall, Suffolk and his wife Amy Parker, daughter of Henry Parker, 10th Baron Morley. He was a minor when he inherited the estate...
of Glemham Hall, Little Glemham
Little Glemham
Little Glemham is a small village on the A12 road , in the Suffolk Coastal District, in the county of Suffolk. Nearby settlements include the town of Wickham Market and the village of Marlesford. Little Glemham has a church called St Andrew Church, a pub and a hall called Glemham Hall. The...
in Suffolk
Suffolk
Suffolk is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in East Anglia, England. It has borders with Norfolk to the north, Cambridgeshire to the west and Essex to the south. The North Sea lies to the east...
. After studying at Trinity College, Oxford
Trinity College, Oxford
The College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity in the University of Oxford, of the foundation of Sir Thomas Pope , or Trinity College for short, is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. It stands on Broad Street, next door to Balliol College and Blackwells bookshop,...
, he served in armies in Europe from 1610 to 1617. On his return, he served as a MP
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Reigate
Reigate (UK Parliament constituency)
Reigate is a constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.-Boundaries:...
(1621) and Aldeburgh
Aldeburgh (UK Parliament constituency)
Aldeburgh was a parliamentary borough represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom and its predecessor bodies.The town was enfranchised in 1571 as a borough constituency...
(1625 and 1626), then took part as a Captain in the Duke of Buckingham's
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham
George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham KG was the favourite, claimed by some to be the lover, of King James I of England. Despite a very patchy political and military record, he remained at the height of royal favour for the first two years of the reign of Charles I, until he was assassinated...
expedition to La Rochelle
La Rochelle
La Rochelle is a city in western France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department.The city is connected to the Île de Ré by a bridge completed on 19 May 1988...
. He was captured by the French, but later released.
He subsequently enjoyed a turbulent career as JP
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
and landowner, being involved in several law suits and scandals. On the outbreak of the Second Bishops' War he was commissioned a Colonel. After the English defeat at the Battle of Newburn
Battle of Newburn
The Battle of Newburn was fought on 28 August 1640 during the Second Bishops' War between a Scottish Covenanter army led by General Alexander Leslie and English royalist forces commanded by Edward, Lord Conway. Conway, heavily outnumbered, was defeated, and the Scots went on to occupy the town of...
, he was Governor of Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
for several months, before returning to London in 1641.
In early 1642, he was part of King Charles's
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...
entourage in 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...
. He re-entered Hull unannounced at the head of a large and prestigious party whose purpose was to recover the arms stored there after the Bishops' Wars. The pro-Parliamentarian Governor, Sir John Hotham
John Hotham
Sir John Hotham, 1st Baronet, of Scorborough , English parliamentarian, belonged to a Yorkshire family, and fought on the continent of Europe during the early part of the Thirty Years' War....
, thwarted them by inviting them to a lengthy and pointless reception. The impatient King demanded entry to the city and was refused. He proclaimed Hotham a traitor, and Glemham's party was forced to leave.
First Civil War
Glemham remained in the north of England after the King moved south, and took part in the failed Siege of Hull (1642)Siege of Hull (1642)
The Siege of Hull in 1642 was the first major action of the English Civil War.As both sides moved towards war, Parliament had access to more military materiel, due to its possession of all major cities including the large arsenal in London...
. In October 1642, he was appointed Governor of York, remaining there until November 1643 when he took command in Northumberland
Northumberland
Northumberland is the northernmost ceremonial county and a unitary district in North East England. For Eurostat purposes Northumberland is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three boroughs or unitary districts that comprise the "Northumberland and Tyne and Wear" NUTS 2 region...
to face a possible invasion by Scottish Covenanter
Covenanter
The Covenanters were a Scottish Presbyterian movement that played an important part in the history of Scotland, and to a lesser extent in that of England and Ireland, during the 17th century...
s. The Scots did invade in January, 1644, in overwhelming strength, and Glemham had to retreat rapidly on the city of Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne
Newcastle upon Tyne is a city and metropolitan borough of Tyne and Wear, in North East England. Historically a part of Northumberland, it is situated on the north bank of the River Tyne...
and the main Royalist army under the Marquess of Newcastle.
The Marquess of Newcastle was himself forced to retreat to York when that city was threatened by Parliamentarian armies. When they arrived on 19 April, Glemham resumed his post as Governor (succeeding Sir John Belasyse, who had been captured earlier in the month). During the ensuing Siege of York
Siege of York
The Siege of York in 1644 was a prolonged contest for York during the English Civil War, between the Scottish Covenanter Army and the Parliamentarian Armies of the Northern Association and Eastern Association on the one hand, and the Royalist Army under the Marquess of Newcastle on the other...
, the Royalist garrison defended the city vigorously, and Glemham was credited with destroying a Parliamentarian mine under Walmgate Bar, by digging a counter-mine through which the attackers' mine was flooded. On 1 July the city was relieved by a Royalist army under Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Prince Rupert of the Rhine
Rupert, Count Palatine of the Rhine, Duke of Bavaria, 1st Duke of Cumberland, 1st Earl of Holderness , commonly called Prince Rupert of the Rhine, KG, FRS was a noted soldier, admiral, scientist, sportsman, colonial governor and amateur artist during the 17th century...
. Late the following day, the forces Rupert and Newcastle were decisively defeated at the Battle of Marston Moor
Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
. Newcastle went into exile in Hamburg
Hamburg
-History:The first historic name for the city was, according to Claudius Ptolemy's reports, Treva.But the city takes its modern name, Hamburg, from the first permanent building on the site, a castle whose construction was ordered by the Emperor Charlemagne in AD 808...
, while Rupert returned south with the survivors of his army. Glemham was left with only 1500 men to defend York. He nevertheless held out until 16 July and obtained favourable terms from the besiegers. No Scottish troops were to enter the city, and such of the garrison as wished to continue to fight were allowed to march out with all the honours of war and were given safe passage to Skipton
Skipton
Skipton is a market town and civil parish within the Craven district of North Yorkshire, England. It is located along the course of both the Leeds and Liverpool Canal and the River Aire, on the south side of the Yorkshire Dales, northwest of Bradford and west of York...
, where some men marched south to join the King's main forces while Glemham with some 200 "reformadoes" (officers from regiments which had been destroyed or disbanded) went to Carlisle.
Glemham was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the four northernmost counties of England, but effectively controlled only Carlisle itself. From October 1644 to June 1645, Carlisle was closely besieged by Scots under Major General Sir David Leslie. Glemham again maintained an active defence, repeatedly raiding the besiegers' lines. He finally capitulated when all supplies had been eaten and the garrison and townsfolk faced starvation. Leslie again granted favourable terms, allowing all the honours of war and escorting the garrison to Hereford
Hereford
Hereford is a cathedral city, civil parish and county town of Herefordshire, England. It lies on the River Wye, approximately east of the border with Wales, southwest of Worcester, and northwest of Gloucester...
where they might join the King.
In October 1645, Glemham was appointed Governor of Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, the King's wartime capital. He made extensive preparations to withstand a lengthy siege although by this time, the King had very few forces left to him. In April 1646, the Parliamentarian Commander-in-Chief, Sir 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...
, began the final Siege of Oxford. The King left Oxford in disguise. Glemham maintained a defence despite pressure from some of the King's Privy Councillors who were trapped in Oxford to surrender. Both negotiations for a surrender and a furious bombardment of the siege lines were continuing when a letter was received from King Charles, now a prisoner of the Scots, commanding Glemham to cease resistance. The garrison of 3,000 marched out with all honours of war and disbanded. After paying a fine of £951/15/0 to retain his estates, Glemham went into exile.
Second Civil War
He joined other prominent Royalists in EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
in early 1648. In April, they crossed into England and began a Royalist uprising. Glemham once again took command at Carlisle. However, the Scots army which invaded England in their support was defeated at the Battle of Preston
Battle of Preston (1648)
The Battle of Preston , fought largely at Walton-le-Dale near Preston in Lancashire, resulted in a victory by the troops of Oliver Cromwell over the Royalists and Scots commanded by the Duke of Hamilton...
, and the bands of northern Royalists were soon suppressed. Glemham once again went into exile and died the next year in Holland.