Francis White (soldier)
Encyclopedia
Francis White was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1656. He died at sea after serving in Flanders
.
White was a major in the Lord General's Regiment of Foot and in May 1649 went on Cromwell's
behalf to reason with mutinous soldiers at Burford Oxford. On 11 September 1650 the Council of State gave warrant to pay White £300 for bringing news of good success from Scotland. He was Lieutenant Colonel in Colonel Goff's Regiment of Foot in 1653. On 15 August 1653 the Council allowed White to open a door from his house in King's street into an orchard in Whitehall
. In 1655 he was one of the most active of officers forming a committee of ordnance.
In 1656, White was elected Member of Parliament
for Tewkesbury
in the Second Protectorate Parliament
.
In 1657, following notice on 9 October, White was sent by the Council of State to Fort-Mardyck
to take charge of matters there and was lost at sea on the return journey. On 7 December 1657, Admiral Richard Stayner reported that the Half Moon had arrived from Mardyke
but the accompanying pink
containing White and Sir John Reynolds
had been lost and a trunk washed up containing White's personal letters. White had gone in the pink against advice and was lost about the Goodwin Sands
. John Thurloe
wrote the "loss is to be much lamented, they being very worthy persons and of great use."
House of Commons of England
The House of Commons of England was the lower house of the Parliament of England from its development in the 14th century to the union of England and Scotland in 1707, when it was replaced by the House of Commons of Great Britain...
in 1656. He died at sea after serving in Flanders
Flanders
Flanders is the community of the Flemings but also one of the institutions in Belgium, and a geographical region located in parts of present-day Belgium, France and the Netherlands. "Flanders" can also refer to the northern part of Belgium that contains Brussels, Bruges, Ghent and Antwerp...
.
White was a major in the Lord General's Regiment of Foot and in May 1649 went on Cromwell's
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....
behalf to reason with mutinous soldiers at Burford Oxford. On 11 September 1650 the Council of State gave warrant to pay White £300 for bringing news of good success from Scotland. He was Lieutenant Colonel in Colonel Goff's Regiment of Foot in 1653. On 15 August 1653 the Council allowed White to open a door from his house in King's street into an orchard in Whitehall
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road in Westminster, in London, England. It is the main artery running north from Parliament Square, towards Charing Cross at the southern end of Trafalgar Square...
. In 1655 he was one of the most active of officers forming a committee of ordnance.
In 1656, White was elected Member of Parliament
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 Tewkesbury
Tewkesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Tewkesbury is a county 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....
in 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...
.
In 1657, following notice on 9 October, White was sent by the Council of State to Fort-Mardyck
Fort-Mardyck
Fort-Mardyck is a commune in the Nord department in northern France.-History:The fort of Mardyck was constructed in 1622 by architect Jean Gamel. It was built for the Spanish who ruled Flanders at the time. The fort was captured, lost, and captured again by the French between 1644 and 1658...
to take charge of matters there and was lost at sea on the return journey. On 7 December 1657, Admiral Richard Stayner reported that the Half Moon had arrived from Mardyke
Mardyke
The Mardyke is an area in Cork city, on the northern half of the long western part of the island formed by the two channels of the River Lee near the city centre. It comprises several large open spaces...
but the accompanying pink
Pink (ship)
A pink is one of two different types of ship.The first was a small, flat-bottomed ship with a narrow stern; the name derived from the Italian word pinco. It was used primarily in the Mediterranean Sea as a cargo ship....
containing White and Sir John Reynolds
John Reynolds (soldier)
Sir John Reynolds was a soldier in the English Civil War and during the Commonwealth. He was lost at sea returning from action in Flanders....
had been lost and a trunk washed up containing White's personal letters. White had gone in the pink against advice and was lost about the Goodwin Sands
Goodwin Sands
The Goodwin Sands is a 10-mile-long sand bank in the English Channel, lying six miles east off Deal in Kent, England. The Brake Bank lying shorewards is part of the same geological unit. As the shoals lie close to major shipping channels, more than 2,000 ships are believed to have been wrecked...
. John Thurloe
John Thurloe
John Thurloe was a secretary to the council of state in Protectorate England and spymaster for Oliver Cromwell.-Life:...
wrote the "loss is to be much lamented, they being very worthy persons and of great use."