Vincent Potter
Encyclopedia
Vincent Potter was an army officer in Parliament's army during the English Civil War
and was one of the Regicides of King Charles I of England
.
.
A strict Puritain, he traded with New England until he joined the parliamentarian army. In January 1643 he was commissioned as an officer of horse by Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke
. After Grenville's death he continued to fight as a cavalry officer for Parliament until 1645 when he took over as parliamentary commissioner to the army from his brother Captain John Potter.
.
On 6 March the same year, he also signed the death warrants of five prominent Royalist peers who had been captured during the Second Civil War
, the Duke of Hamilton
, the Earl of Holland
, Lord Capel, the Earl of Holland
, and the Earl of Norwich
.
. He performed a similar service for Cromwell during his Scottish campaign in 1651. He remained in Scotland with a mandate to improving lands in Scotland occupied by the English Army. In 1652 he was posted to Ireland to assist the parliamentarian regime.
In 1660 at the restoration of the monarchy he surrendered himself in obedience to the proclamation, and was one of those excepted both as to life and estate in the Indemnity and Oblivion Act
, but judgment was not to follow, for the pains and penalties were to be such as would be expressed in a future act of parliament.
in late 1661 or early 1662 before the sentence could be carried out.
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and was one of the Regicides of 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...
.
Early life and career
Potter was born in Warwickshire. In 1635 as a member of the Massachusetts Bay Company he sailed to Boston, Massachusetts, where he was employed as a soldier at Castle Island Fort. He spent four years in North America before returning to England and may have fought in the Pequot WarPequot War
The Pequot War was an armed conflict between 1634–1638 between the Pequot tribe against an alliance of the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Saybrook colonies who were aided by their Native American allies . Hundreds were killed; hundreds more were captured and sold into slavery to the West Indies. ...
.
A strict Puritain, he traded with New England until he joined the parliamentarian army. In January 1643 he was commissioned as an officer of horse by Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke
Robert Greville, 2nd Baron Brooke was an English Civil War Roundhead General.Greville was the cousin and adopted son of Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke, and thus became 2nd Lord Brooke, and owner of Warwick Castle. He was born in 1607, and entered parliament for Warwickshire in 1628...
. After Grenville's death he continued to fight as a cavalry officer for Parliament until 1645 when he took over as parliamentary commissioner to the army from his brother Captain John Potter.
Devotion
Potter was a diligent commissioner. He drew up lists of former soldiers ("Potter's lists") to help him settle army pay arrears, and became the foremost administrator in this area. He continued to perform as a commissioner during the Second Civil WarSecond Civil War
The Second Civil War may refer to:* Second Congo War , also referred to as a civil war* Second English Civil War * Second Liberian Civil War * Second Sudanese Civil War...
.
Controversy
Potter was one of the 59 Commissioners who at in judgment at the trial of Charles I. He attended the trial every day in Westminster Hall, and attended in the Painted Chamber on all days but five- January 8, 12, 13, 18, and 20. He was present on 27 January 1649 when sentence was pronounced against Charles, and he signed and sealed the death-warrant, which commanded Charles to execution.On 6 March the same year, he also signed the death warrants of five prominent Royalist peers who had been captured during the Second Civil War
Second Civil War
The Second Civil War may refer to:* Second Congo War , also referred to as a civil war* Second English Civil War * Second Liberian Civil War * Second Sudanese Civil War...
, the Duke of Hamilton
James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton
General Sir James Hamilton, 1st Duke of Hamilton KG was a Scottish nobleman and influential Civil war military leader.-Young Arran:...
, the Earl of Holland
Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland
Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland was an English aristocrat, courtier and soldier.-Life:He was the son of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and of Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich, and the younger brother of Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick...
, Lord Capel, the Earl of Holland
Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland
Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland was an English aristocrat, courtier and soldier.-Life:He was the son of Robert Rich, 1st Earl of Warwick and of Penelope Devereux, Lady Rich, and the younger brother of Robert Rich, 2nd Earl of Warwick...
, and the Earl of Norwich
George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich
George Goring, 1st Earl of Norwich was an English soldier.He was the son of George Goring of Hurstpierpoint and Ovingdean, Sussex, and of Anne Denny, sister of Edward Denny, 1st Earl of Norwich. He matriculated from Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge in 1600, and may subsequently have spent some...
.
Career under Cromwell
In June Potter was made a full colonel and helped to plan and organise the logistics of Cromwell's Irish campaignCromwellian conquest of Ireland
The Cromwellian conquest of Ireland refers to the conquest of Ireland by the forces of the English Parliament, led by Oliver Cromwell during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Cromwell landed in Ireland with his New Model Army on behalf of England's Rump Parliament in 1649...
. He performed a similar service for Cromwell during his Scottish campaign in 1651. He remained in Scotland with a mandate to improving lands in Scotland occupied by the English Army. In 1652 he was posted to Ireland to assist the parliamentarian regime.
In 1660 at the restoration of the monarchy he surrendered himself in obedience to the proclamation, and was one of those excepted both as to life and estate in the Indemnity and Oblivion Act
Indemnity and Oblivion Act
The Indemnity and Oblivion Act 1660 is an Act of the Parliament of England , the long title of which is "An Act of Free and General Pardon, Indemnity, and Oblivion"....
, but judgment was not to follow, for the pains and penalties were to be such as would be expressed in a future act of parliament.
Trial and death
He was arraigned at the Sessions House in the Old Bailey, October 16, 1660, and pleaded not guilty. His trial commenced on the 16 November, at which he asked for a delay as he pleaded he was ill and in great pain (probably from kidney stones). However the trial went ahead and he was found guilty of high treason and condemned to death for his part in the regicide of Charles I, but he died in the Tower of LondonTower 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...
in late 1661 or early 1662 before the sentence could be carried out.