Humphrey Edwards
Encyclopedia
Humphrey Edwards was one of the regicides of King Charles I of England
.
Edwards was a regicide; he joined the parliamentarian side in the English Civil War
, finding loyalty to Charles I pecuniarily unprofitable; he was M.P. for Shropshire; signed Charles I's death-warrant, 1649; thrust himself into the chief ushership of the exchequer, 1650; and was commissioner of South Wales, 1651.
in 1615, and to Gray's Inn in 1633, but he was not called to the bar.
Edwards is represented as "having alwaies been a half-faced cavalier, changing his party for his profit". On 17 February 1637 he was appointed a gentleman pensioner to King Charles I of England
. In that capacity he was one of the armed men who accompanied Charles I to the House of Commons to arrest the 5 "birds"
on 4 January 1642, and was disappointed at not obtaining a reward for attending the king on that expedition. So Edwards took sides with Parliament and was elected member as a Knight of the Shire for Shropshire
(probably in the place of Sir Richard Lee
(a royalist) who was "disabled to sit"). He became a prominent member of the Independent party, and was not excluded in Pride's Purge
. He was nominated one of the commissioners of the high court of justice attended each day of the trial of Charles I, and signed the death-warrant.
After the execution he remained an active member of Parliament, involving himself in the sale of church and crown estates. He hankered after the chief ushership of the exchequer, then held by Clement Walker
, and, after vainly soliciting the committee of sequestrations to sequester Walker during his incarceration in the Tower of London
, persuaded the committee of revenue to confer the office on him "untill the parliament declare their pleasure therein", by an order dated 1 February 1650. On the following 21 March, though the order had not been ratified by parliament, he took forcible possession of Walker's official residence. In 1651 he was appointed to the high court of justice to investigate insurrections in Wales in June 1651. This was his last political appointment and he did not sit in Parliament or have a position in government during the Protectorate
. Edwards died in 1658, and was buried at Richmond on 2 August.
Edwards died, intestat, he property was granted to his sister, Lucy, Lady Ottley, but for his part in the regicide, although he died before the Restoration he was excepted out of the bill of pardon and oblivion and so his property (now in the possession of Lady Ottley) was confiscated by the crown.
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...
.
Edwards was a regicide; he joined the parliamentarian side in the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, finding loyalty to Charles I pecuniarily unprofitable; he was M.P. for Shropshire; signed Charles I's death-warrant, 1649; thrust himself into the chief ushership of the exchequer, 1650; and was commissioner of South Wales, 1651.
Biography
Edwards was the younger son of Thomas Edwards of Shrewsbury, by Ann, widow of Stephen Ducket, and daughter of Humphrey Baskerville, alderman of London. He was admitted to Shrewsbury SchoolShrewsbury School
Shrewsbury School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged 13 to 18, founded by Royal Charter in 1552. The present campus to which the school moved in 1882 is located on the banks of the River Severn in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England...
in 1615, and to Gray's Inn in 1633, but he was not called to the bar.
Edwards is represented as "having alwaies been a half-faced cavalier, changing his party for his profit". On 17 February 1637 he was appointed a gentleman pensioner to King Charles I of England
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...
. In that capacity he was one of the armed men who accompanied Charles I to the House of Commons to arrest the 5 "birds"
Long Parliament
The Long Parliament was made on 3 November 1640, following the Bishops' Wars. It received its name from the fact that through an Act of Parliament, it could only be dissolved with the agreement of the members, and those members did not agree to its dissolution until after the English Civil War and...
on 4 January 1642, and was disappointed at not obtaining a reward for attending the king on that expedition. So Edwards took sides with Parliament and was elected member as a Knight of the Shire for Shropshire
Shropshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Shropshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England, then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832. It was represented by two Knights...
(probably in the place of Sir Richard Lee
Richard Lee
Richard Lee may refer to:*Richard Lee , herald and Clarenceux King of Arms in the reign of Elizabeth I of England*Sir Richard Lee , British military engineer...
(a royalist) who was "disabled to sit"). He became a prominent member of the Independent party, and was not excluded in Pride's Purge
Pride's Purge
Pride’s Purge is an event in December 1648, during the Second English Civil War, when troops under the command of Colonel Thomas Pride forcibly removed from the Long Parliament all those who were not supporters of the Grandees in the New Model Army and the Independents...
. He was nominated one of the commissioners of the high court of justice attended each day of the trial of Charles I, and signed the death-warrant.
After the execution he remained an active member of Parliament, involving himself in the sale of church and crown estates. He hankered after the chief ushership of the exchequer, then held by Clement Walker
Clement Walker
Clement Walker was an English lawyer, official and politician. As a member of the Long Parliament, he became an outspoken critic of the conduct of its affairs, and allied himself to William Prynne...
, and, after vainly soliciting the committee of sequestrations to sequester Walker during his incarceration in the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
, persuaded the committee of revenue to confer the office on him "untill the parliament declare their pleasure therein", by an order dated 1 February 1650. On the following 21 March, though the order had not been ratified by parliament, he took forcible possession of Walker's official residence. In 1651 he was appointed to the high court of justice to investigate insurrections in Wales in June 1651. This was his last political appointment and he did not sit in Parliament or have a position in government during the Protectorate
The Protectorate
In British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
. Edwards died in 1658, and was buried at Richmond on 2 August.
Family
Edwards married Hester (died in or before 1658 preceding Edwards), daughter of Roger Pope of Shropshire, in 1623.Edwards died, intestat, he property was granted to his sister, Lucy, Lady Ottley, but for his part in the regicide, although he died before the Restoration he was excepted out of the bill of pardon and oblivion and so his property (now in the possession of Lady Ottley) was confiscated by the crown.