William Goffe
Encyclopedia
William Goffe was an English
Roundhead
politician and soldier, perhaps best known for his role in the execution of King Charles I
and later flight to America.
in Sussex
, and brother of Stephen Goffe
(Gough), royalist agent. He began life as an apprentice to a London
salter, a zealous parliamentarian. Goffe was a man of religious feeling, nicknamed "Praying William".
By his marriage with Frances, daughter of General Edward Whalley
, he became connected with Oliver Cromwell
's family and one of his most faithful followers. Goffe's political aims appear not to have gone much beyond fighting "to pull down Charles
and set up Oliver
". He was imprisoned in 1642 for his share in the petition to give the control of the militia to the parliament.
he joined the army and became captain in Colonel Harley's regiment of the New Model Army
in 1645.
He was a member of the deputation which on July 6, 1647 brought up the charge against the eleven members. He was active in bringing King Charles I
to trial and signed the death warrant. In 1649, he received an honorary M.A.
at Oxford
.
He distinguished himself at the Battle of Dunbar
, commanding a regiment there and at the Battle of Worcester
.
's rising in July 1655. In October 1655 during the Rule of the Major-Generals
was appointed major-general for Berkshire
, Sussex
and Hampshire
. Meanwhile he had been elected member for Yarmouth
in Norfolk
in the parliament of 1654 and for Hampshire
in that of 1656. He supported the proposal to bestow a royal title upon Oliver Cromwell
, who greatly esteemed him, and was included in the newly-constituted House of Lords. He obtained Lambert
's place as major-general of the Foot and was even thought of as a fit successor to Oliver Cromwell
.
As a member of the committee of nine appointed in June 1658 on public affairs, he was witness to the protector's appointment of Richard Cromwell
as his successor. He supported the latter during his brief tenure of power and his fall involved his own loss of influence. In November 1659 he took part in the futile mission sent by the army to Monck in Scotland
.
In 1660, during the Restoration
, he escaped with his father-in-law, General Edward Whalley
, to Massachusetts
. They landed in Boston
on 27 July 1660, and settled in Cambridge
. When the news arrived in Boston, on the last day of November, that the act of indemnity passed by parliament in August excepted them from its provisions, the government of the colony
began to be uneasy, and a meeting of the council was held on 22 February 1661 to consult as to their security.
Four days later, the two fled for New Haven, Connecticut
, arriving on 7 March 1661. There John Dixwell
, also condemned as a regicide, was living under an assumed name. They were housed by Rev. John Davenport
. After a reward was offered for their arrest, they pretended to flee to New York
, but instead returned by a roundabout way to New Haven. In May, the Royal order for their arrest reached Boston
, and was sent by the Governor to William Leete
, Governor of the New Haven Colony
, residing at Guilford
. Leete delayed the King's messengers, allowing Goffe and Whalley
to disappear. They spent much of the summer in Judges' Cave at West Rock.
Letters to Dr. Increase Mather
and others give hints as to Goffe's whereabouts, but very little is clear, perhaps due to his desire not to be captured and executed. He appears to have passed the rest of his life in exile in New England, separated from his wife and children, under one or more assumed names. Tradition has him sheltering for a decade at Hadley, Massachusetts
, reappearing, according to legend, to lead the town's defence during King Philip's War
, giving rise to the legend of the Angel of Hadley
. Another traditional account has him later living in Stow, MA, where his sister resided, dying in Stow, and being buried in the Stow Lower Cemetery under an unmarked granite slab.
The three regicides are commemorated by three intersecting streets in New Haven ("Dixwell
Avenue", "Whalley
Avenue", and "Goffe Street"), and in some neighbouring Connecticut
towns as well.
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...
Roundhead
Roundhead
"Roundhead" was the nickname given to the supporters of the Parliament during the English Civil War. Also known as Parliamentarians, they fought against King Charles I and his supporters, the Cavaliers , who claimed absolute power and the divine right of kings...
politician and soldier, perhaps best known for his role in the execution of King 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...
and later flight to America.
Early life
He was son of Stephen Goffe, puritan rector of StanmerStanmer
Stanmer is a small village on the eastern outskirts of Brighton, in East Sussex, England.-History:Stanmer village pond is surrounded by sarsen stones, which accounts for the place-name, Old English for 'stone pond'. The stones are not in their original situation, but have been gathered on the Downs...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, and brother of Stephen Goffe
Stephen Goffe
Stephen Goffe was a Royalist agent of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and later an Oratorian priest.-Life:He was educated at Merton College, Oxford, becoming M.A. in 1627...
(Gough), royalist agent. He began life as an apprentice to a 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...
salter, a zealous parliamentarian. Goffe was a man of religious feeling, nicknamed "Praying William".
By his marriage with Frances, daughter of General Edward Whalley
Edward Whalley
Edward Whalley was an English military leader during the English Civil War, and was one of the regicides who signed the death warrant of King Charles I of England.-Early career:The exact dates of his birth and death are unknown...
, he became connected with 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....
's family and one of his most faithful followers. Goffe's political aims appear not to have gone much beyond fighting "to pull down Charles
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...
and set up Oliver
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....
". He was imprisoned in 1642 for his share in the petition to give the control of the militia to the parliament.
Civil War years
On the outbreak of the English Civil WarEnglish Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
he joined the army and became captain in Colonel Harley's regiment of the 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...
in 1645.
He was a member of the deputation which on July 6, 1647 brought up the charge against the eleven members. He was active in bringing King 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...
to trial and signed the death warrant. In 1649, he received an honorary M.A.
Master of Arts (Oxbridge)
In the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Dublin, Bachelors of Arts of these universities are admitted to the degree of Master of Arts or Master in Arts on application after six or seven years' seniority as members of the university .There is no examination or study required for the degree...
at Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
.
He distinguished himself at the Battle of Dunbar
Battle of Dunbar (1650)
The Battle of Dunbar was a battle of the Third English Civil War. The English Parliamentarian forces under Oliver Cromwell defeated a Scottish army commanded by David Leslie which was loyal to King Charles II, who had been proclaimed King of Scots on 5 February 1649.-Background:The English...
, commanding a regiment there and at the Battle of Worcester
Battle of Worcester
The Battle of Worcester took place on 3 September 1651 at Worcester, England and was the final battle of the English Civil War. Oliver Cromwell and the Parliamentarians defeated the Royalist, predominantly Scottish, forces of King Charles II...
.
Major-general
He assisted in the expulsion of Barebone's Parliament in 1653 and took an active part in the suppression of PenruddockJohn 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....
's rising in July 1655. In October 1655 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....
was appointed major-general for Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
and Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. Meanwhile he had been elected member for Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth
Great Yarmouth, often known to locals as Yarmouth, is a coastal town in Norfolk, England. It is at the mouth of the River Yare, east of Norwich.It has been a seaside resort since 1760, and is the gateway from the Norfolk Broads to the sea...
in Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
in the parliament of 1654 and for Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
in that of 1656. He supported the proposal to bestow a royal title upon 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....
, who greatly esteemed him, and was included in the newly-constituted House of Lords. He obtained 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...
's place as major-general of the Foot and was even thought of as a fit successor to 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....
.
As a member of the committee of nine appointed in June 1658 on public affairs, he was witness to the protector's appointment of 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...
as his successor. He supported the latter during his brief tenure of power and his fall involved his own loss of influence. In November 1659 he took part in the futile mission sent by the army to Monck in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
In New England
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...
, he escaped with his father-in-law, General Edward Whalley
Edward Whalley
Edward Whalley was an English military leader during the English Civil War, and was one of the regicides who signed the death warrant of King Charles I of England.-Early career:The exact dates of his birth and death are unknown...
, to Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. They landed in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
on 27 July 1660, and settled in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
. When the news arrived in Boston, on the last day of November, that the act of indemnity passed by parliament in August excepted them from its provisions, the government of the colony
Massachusetts Bay Colony
The Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, in New England, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston. The territory administered by the colony included much of present-day central New England, including portions...
began to be uneasy, and a meeting of the council was held on 22 February 1661 to consult as to their security.
Four days later, the two fled for New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
, arriving on 7 March 1661. There John Dixwell
John Dixwell
John Dixwell was one of the judges who tried King Charles I of England and condemned him to death.-Biography:He was the younger son of Edgar Dixwell, but was raised by his uncle Basil Dixwell of Broome Park, near Canterbury in Kent...
, also condemned as a regicide, was living under an assumed name. They were housed by Rev. John Davenport
John Davenport (clergyman)
John Davenport was an English puritan clergyman and co-founder of the American colony of New Haven.-Early life:Born in Manchester, Warwickshire, England to a wealthy family, Davenport was educated at Oxford University...
. After a reward was offered for their arrest, they pretended to flee to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, but instead returned by a roundabout way to New Haven. In May, the Royal order for their arrest reached Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and was sent by the Governor to William Leete
William Leete
Governor William Leete was Governor of the Colony of New Haven from 1661 to 1665 and Governor of the Colony of Connecticut from 1676 to 1683....
, Governor of the New Haven Colony
New Haven Colony
The New Haven Colony was an English colonial venture in present-day Connecticut in North America from 1637 to 1662.- Quinnipiac Colony :A Puritan minister named John Davenport led his flock from exile in the Netherlands back to England and finally to America in the spring of 1637...
, residing at Guilford
Guilford, Connecticut
Guilford is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, that borders Madison, Branford, North Branford and Durham, and is situated on I-95 and the coast. The population was 21,398 at the 2000 census...
. Leete delayed the King's messengers, allowing Goffe and Whalley
Edward Whalley
Edward Whalley was an English military leader during the English Civil War, and was one of the regicides who signed the death warrant of King Charles I of England.-Early career:The exact dates of his birth and death are unknown...
to disappear. They spent much of the summer in Judges' Cave at West Rock.
Letters to Dr. Increase Mather
Increase Mather
Increase Mather was a major figure in the early history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Province of Massachusetts Bay . He was a Puritan minister who was involved with the government of the colony, the administration of Harvard College, and most notoriously, the Salem witch trials...
and others give hints as to Goffe's whereabouts, but very little is clear, perhaps due to his desire not to be captured and executed. He appears to have passed the rest of his life in exile in New England, separated from his wife and children, under one or more assumed names. Tradition has him sheltering for a decade at Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley, Massachusetts
Hadley is a town in Hampshire County, Massachusetts. The population was 4,793 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The area around Hampshire Mall and Mountain Farms Mall along Route 9 is a major shopping destination for the surrounding...
, reappearing, according to legend, to lead the town's defence during King Philip's War
King Philip's War
King Philip's War, sometimes called Metacom's War, Metacomet's War, or Metacom's Rebellion, was an armed conflict between Native American inhabitants of present-day southern New England and English colonists and their Native American allies in 1675–76. The war is named after the main leader of the...
, giving rise to the legend of the Angel of Hadley
Angel of Hadley
The Angel of Hadley is the central character in an apocryphal 17th-century legend combining the execution of Charles I in England, King Philip's War and Hadley, Massachusetts.-The legend:...
. Another traditional account has him later living in Stow, MA, where his sister resided, dying in Stow, and being buried in the Stow Lower Cemetery under an unmarked granite slab.
The three regicides are commemorated by three intersecting streets in New Haven ("Dixwell
John Dixwell
John Dixwell was one of the judges who tried King Charles I of England and condemned him to death.-Biography:He was the younger son of Edgar Dixwell, but was raised by his uncle Basil Dixwell of Broome Park, near Canterbury in Kent...
Avenue", "Whalley
Edward Whalley
Edward Whalley was an English military leader during the English Civil War, and was one of the regicides who signed the death warrant of King Charles I of England.-Early career:The exact dates of his birth and death are unknown...
Avenue", and "Goffe Street"), and in some neighbouring Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
towns as well.
External links
- Charles' death warrant.
- The Regicides in New England, by Frederick Hull Cogswell
- The Hunt for the Regicides, Chapter 31 of “This Country Of Ours", by Henrietta Elizabeth Marshall