Thomas Venner
Encyclopedia
Thomas Venner was a cooper
and rebel who became the last leader of the Fifth Monarchy Men
, who tried unsuccessfully to overthrow Oliver Cromwell
in 1657, and subsequently led a coup in London
against the newly-restored government of Charles II
. This event, known as "Venner's Rising", lasted four days (1–4 January 1661) before the Royal authorities captured the rebels. The rebel leadership suffered execution on 19 January 1661.
Venner had moved to New England
in 1637 and stayed for 22 years before returning to plot against Cromwell. He assumed leadership of the Fifth Monarchists after the execution of General Thomas Harrison at Charing Cross
on 19 October 1660. Venner led a congregation, which included New Model Army
veterans, that met in a rented room above a tavern in Swan's Alley off Coleman Street
.
On Sunday 1 January 1661 he led a number of his men – Samuel Pepys
said they later turned out to be only 50 although it had been thought they were 500 at first – to a bookseller called Mr. Johnson at St. Paul's to demand the Cathedral keys. On being refused they broke in and accosted passers-by asking who they were for. One answered "King Charles" and they shot him through the heart. A number of musketeers sent to dislodge them were beaten back and a troop of the Trained Bands under the Lord Mayor Major General Sir Richard Browne attacked them and they retreated to Ken Wood near Highgate
.
On the Wednesday they attacked again at Wood Street
and Threadneedle Street
forcing the King's Life Guards
(a force of 1200 men under John Russell) to retreat. They then attempted to storm the Comptor Prison
to liberate the inmates in order to join them, but were repulsed in fierce fighting. Venner is said to have killed three men with a halberd
in Threadneedle Street
.
A force of General Monck's men under Colonel Cox pursued them to their last stands in the Helmet Tavern on Threadneedle Street and the Blue Anchor on Coleman Street. Royalist troops broke through the clay roof tiles with musket butts and fired upon the wounded defenders, breaking in through the ceiling. Venner was captured after being wounded nineteen times. Others were shot out of hand.
He was put on trial at the Old Bailey and hanged, drawn and quartered
on 19 January, 1661. According to Tobias Smollett
, Venner and his followers "affirmed to the last that if they had been deceived, the Lord himself was their deceiver".
Thomas' son, Colonel Samuel Venner led the Duke of Monmouth's cavalry and was shot and wounded by a sniper in Bridport
, but survived until 1712.
Samuel's daughter Elizabeth married a linen draper's son named John Potter who became Archbishop of Canterbury
.
Cooper (profession)
Traditionally, a cooper is someone who makes wooden staved vessels of a conical form, of greater length than breadth, bound together with hoops and possessing flat ends or heads...
and rebel who became the last leader of the Fifth Monarchy Men
Fifth Monarchists
The Fifth Monarchists or Fifth Monarchy Men were active from 1649 to 1661 during the Interregnum, following the English Civil Wars of the 17th century. They took their name from a prophecy in the Book of Daniel that four ancient monarchies would precede Christ's return...
, who tried unsuccessfully to overthrow 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....
in 1657, and subsequently led a coup in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
against the newly-restored 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...
. This event, known as "Venner's Rising", lasted four days (1–4 January 1661) before the Royal authorities captured the rebels. The rebel leadership suffered execution on 19 January 1661.
Venner had moved to New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
in 1637 and stayed for 22 years before returning to plot against Cromwell. He assumed leadership of the Fifth Monarchists after the execution of General Thomas Harrison at Charing Cross
Charing Cross
Charing Cross denotes the junction of Strand, Whitehall and Cockspur Street, just south of Trafalgar Square in central London, England. It is named after the now demolished Eleanor cross that stood there, in what was once the hamlet of Charing. The site of the cross is now occupied by an equestrian...
on 19 October 1660. Venner led a congregation, which included New Model Army
New 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...
veterans, that met in a rented room above a tavern in Swan's Alley off Coleman Street
Coleman Street
Coleman Street is a street and one of the 25 ancient wards in the City of London.- The Ward :Warren Stormes Hale, Lord Mayor of London in 1864, was the Ward’s most notable civic dignitary...
.
On Sunday 1 January 1661 he led a number of his men – Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
said they later turned out to be only 50 although it had been thought they were 500 at first – to a bookseller called Mr. Johnson at St. Paul's to demand the Cathedral keys. On being refused they broke in and accosted passers-by asking who they were for. One answered "King Charles" and they shot him through the heart. A number of musketeers sent to dislodge them were beaten back and a troop of the Trained Bands under the Lord Mayor Major General Sir Richard Browne attacked them and they retreated to Ken Wood near Highgate
Highgate
Highgate is an area of North London on the north-eastern corner of Hampstead Heath.Highgate is one of the most expensive London suburbs in which to live. It has an active conservation body, the Highgate Society, to protect its character....
.
On the Wednesday they attacked again at Wood Street
Wood Street, London
Wood Street is a street in the City of London, England. The street crosses Gresham Street as it runs north-south. It today lies in the wards of Bassishaw and Cheap ....
and Threadneedle Street
Threadneedle Street
Threadneedle Street is a street in the City of London, leading from a junction with Poultry, Cornhill, King William Street and Lombard Street, to Bishopsgate....
forcing the King's Life Guards
Life Guards (British Army)
The Life Guards is the senior regiment of the British Army and with the Blues and Royals, they make up the Household Cavalry.They originated in the four troops of Horse Guards raised by Charles II around the time of his restoration, plus two troops of Horse Grenadier Guards which were raised some...
(a force of 1200 men under John Russell) to retreat. They then attempted to storm the Comptor Prison
Wood Street Counter
The Wood Street Counter, or Wood Street Compter, was a small prison within the City of London in England. It was primarily a debtors prison, and also held people accused of such misdemeanors as public drunkness, although some wealthier prisoners were able to obtain alcohol through bribery...
to liberate the inmates in order to join them, but were repulsed in fierce fighting. Venner is said to have killed three men with a halberd
Halberd
A halberd is a two-handed pole weapon that came to prominent use during the 14th and 15th centuries. Possibly the word halberd comes from the German words Halm , and Barte - in modern-day German, the weapon is called Hellebarde. The halberd consists of an axe blade topped with a spike mounted on...
in Threadneedle Street
Threadneedle Street
Threadneedle Street is a street in the City of London, leading from a junction with Poultry, Cornhill, King William Street and Lombard Street, to Bishopsgate....
.
A force of General Monck's men under Colonel Cox pursued them to their last stands in the Helmet Tavern on Threadneedle Street and the Blue Anchor on Coleman Street. Royalist troops broke through the clay roof tiles with musket butts and fired upon the wounded defenders, breaking in through the ceiling. Venner was captured after being wounded nineteen times. Others were shot out of hand.
He was put on trial at the Old Bailey and hanged, drawn and quartered
Hanged, drawn and quartered
To be hanged, drawn and quartered was from 1351 a penalty in England for men convicted of high treason, although the ritual was first recorded during the reigns of King Henry III and his successor, Edward I...
on 19 January, 1661. According to Tobias Smollett
Smollett
Smollett is an English and Scots surname, originally meaning small head.Persons:*Tobias Smollett Scottish author*Jussie Smollett American actor and photographer*Jurnee Smollett American actress...
, Venner and his followers "affirmed to the last that if they had been deceived, the Lord himself was their deceiver".
Family
Venner's son, Thomas joined him in the Rising.Thomas' son, Colonel Samuel Venner led the Duke of Monmouth's cavalry and was shot and wounded by a sniper in Bridport
Bridport
Bridport is a market town in Dorset, England. Located near the coast at the western end of Chesil Beach at the confluence of the River Brit and its Asker and Simene tributaries, it originally thrived as a fishing port and rope-making centre...
, but survived until 1712.
Samuel's daughter Elizabeth married a linen draper's son named John Potter who became Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of Canterbury
The Archbishop of Canterbury is the senior bishop and principal leader of the Church of England, the symbolic head of the worldwide Anglican Communion, and the diocesan bishop of the Diocese of Canterbury. In his role as head of the Anglican Communion, the archbishop leads the third largest group...
.
External links
- The Diary of Samuel Pepys Saturday 19 January 1661
- Fifth Monarchists or Fifth Monarchy Men