William Packer (Major-General)
Encyclopedia
William Packer was a Major-General during the English Civil War
.
Enlisted in the Eastern Association army; by 1644 he was a zealous Lieutenant in Oliver Cromwell
's cavalry regiment. As a religious radical, Packer clashed with Major-General Lawrence Crawford
, who had him arrested for disobedience. Cromwell intervened to have him released, leading to the bitter dispute between Cromwell and Crawford. On the formation of the New Model Army
in 1645, Packer became a captain in Fairfax's regiment of Horse. He was with Fairfax at the siege of Colchester
in 1648, then served as a Major in Cromwell's regiment on the Scottish campaign of 1650.
During the early 1650s, he was associated with the London
congregation of the Fifth Monarchist John Simpson
. Packer was himself a noted lay preacher and received a licence to preach from the Council of State
in 1653. He was appointed a "Trier" to vet candidates for the clergy in 1654. During the Rule of the Major-Generals
(1655), he deputised for Charles Fleetwood
as military governor of Hertfordshire
and Oxfordshire
. Packer emerged as one of the most severe of the Major-Generals. He denounced the celebration of Christmas
in 1656 and is said to have violently attacked a Royalist
who appeared before him drunk. He argued against granting freedom of worship to the Quakers. Packer was elected to the Second Protectorate Parliament
as MP
for Woodstock
, Oxfordshire, but he had grown discontented with Cromwell's policies. He argued with Cromwell over the instigation of the Upper House
and was deprived of his commands in 1658.
Elected to the Third Protectorate Parliament
in 1659, Packer delivered a speech in which he expressed his profound sense of betrayal by the Cromwellian régime and regret for some of his own actions as a Major-General. He was briefly imprisoned at the Restoration
.
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
.
Enlisted in the Eastern Association army; by 1644 he was a zealous Lieutenant in 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 cavalry regiment. As a religious radical, Packer clashed with Major-General Lawrence Crawford
Lawrence Crawford
Lawrence Crawford was a Scottish soldier who fought in English or other armies on the continent of Europe. However, his motives were not mercenary, as he fought only for Presbyterian principles or causes....
, who had him arrested for disobedience. Cromwell intervened to have him released, leading to the bitter dispute between Cromwell and Crawford. On the formation 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, Packer became a captain in Fairfax's regiment of Horse. He was with Fairfax at the siege of Colchester
Siege of Colchester
The siege of Colchester occurred in the summer of 1648 when the English Civil War reignited in several areas of Britain. Colchester found itself in the thick of the unrest when a Royalist army on its way through East Anglia to raise support for the King, was attacked by Lord-General Thomas Fairfax...
in 1648, then served as a Major in Cromwell's regiment on the Scottish campaign of 1650.
During the early 1650s, he was associated with the 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...
congregation of the Fifth Monarchist John Simpson
John Simpson
John Cody Fidler-Simpson CBE is an English foreign correspondent. He is world affairs editor of BBC News. He has spent all his working life at the Corporation...
. Packer was himself a noted lay preacher and received a licence to preach from the Council of State
Council of State
The Council of State is a unique governmental body in a country or subdivision thereoff, though its nature may range from the formal name for the cabinet to a non-executive advisory body surrounding a head of state. It is sometimes regarded as the equivalent of a privy council.-Modern:*Belgian...
in 1653. He was appointed a "Trier" to vet candidates for the clergy in 1654. 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....
(1655), he deputised for Charles Fleetwood
Charles Fleetwood
Charles Fleetwood was an English Parliamentary soldier and politician, Lord Deputy of Ireland from 1652–55, where he enforced the Cromwellian Settlement. At the Restoration he was included in the Act of Indemnity as among the twenty liable to penalties other than capital, and was finally...
as military governor of Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
and Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. Packer emerged as one of the most severe of the Major-Generals. He denounced the celebration of Christmas
Christmas
Christmas or Christmas Day is an annual holiday generally celebrated on December 25 by billions of people around the world. It is a Christian feast that commemorates the birth of Jesus Christ, liturgically closing the Advent season and initiating the season of Christmastide, which lasts twelve days...
in 1656 and is said to have violently attacked a Royalist
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...
who appeared before him drunk. He argued against granting freedom of worship to the Quakers. Packer was elected to the Second Protectorate Parliament
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons...
as 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 Woodstock
Woodstock (UK Parliament constituency)
Woodstock, sometimes called New Woodstock, was a parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom. It comprised the town of Woodstock in the county of Oxfordshire and the surrounding countryside and villages, and elected two Members of Parliament from its re-enfranchisement in 1553 until 1832...
, Oxfordshire, but he had grown discontented with Cromwell's policies. He argued with Cromwell over the instigation of the Upper House
Upper house
An upper house, often called a senate, is one of two chambers of a bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house; a legislature composed of only one house is described as unicameral.- Possible specific characteristics :...
and was deprived of his commands in 1658.
Elected to the Third Protectorate Parliament
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...
in 1659, Packer delivered a speech in which he expressed his profound sense of betrayal by the Cromwellian régime and regret for some of his own actions as a Major-General. He was briefly imprisoned at 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...
.
Further reading
- Royal, Trevor; Civil War: The Wars of the Three Kingdoms 1638-1660; Pub Abacus 2006; (first published 2004); ISBN 978-0-349-11564-1. Pages 698–700