45-772: Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading (1579 – February 1652) was a Royalist commander in the English Civil War and most famously served during the Battle of Newbury and Naseby . He also was involved in the Dutch Revolt and the Thirty Years War . After the second phase of the Civil War, he was imprisoned and then retired in Maidstone . He died shortly after in 1652. He came from an established Norfolk family, and
90-530: A fairly formidable force, without it he could do nothing with the drunken dissolute bands of robbers who formed the bulk of the soldiers in the Royalist garrisons. Astley arrived at Worcester early in 1646. One of his first acts was to march out to Madresfield . The Royalist garrison there had been besieged since October, by men from the Gloucester and Evesham Parliamentary garrisons, but it had held out, and Astley
135-544: A few days, and his troubles began. He was aware that Morgan and Birch were waiting for him at Broadway , and Brereton was moving up in his rear and pressing him forward. Astley's task was a difficult one. Evesham had a Parliamentary garrison and the River Avon could not be crossed there. In the hills, on his road to Oxford, were Morgan and Birch, waiting for the first sight of his men to unite and fall on him; while still nearer Oxford, if he got past these forces, Charles Fleetwood
180-514: A suggestion of stylishness. Cavalier remained in use as a description for members of the party that supported the monarchy up until the Exclusion Crisis of 1678–1681 when the term was superseded by "Tory" which was another term initially with pejorative connotations. Likewise, during the Exclusion Bill crisis, the term Roundhead was replaced with " Whig ", a term introduced by the opponents of
225-496: A tee. Of another Cavalier, George Goring, Lord Goring , a general in the Royalist army, the principal advisor to Charles II , Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon , said: [He] would, without hesitation, have broken any trust, or done any act of treachery to have satisfied an ordinary passion or appetite; and in truth wanted nothing but industry (for he had wit, and courage, and understanding and ambition, uncontrolled by any fear of God or man) to have been as eminent and successful in
270-417: A well-deserved reputation, he was in the employment of Charles I in various military capacities. As " Sergeant-Major-General " of the infantry, he went north in 1639 to organize the defence against the expected Scottish invasion. Here his duties were as much diplomatic as military, as the discontent which ended in the Civil War was now coming to a head. He went north again in 1640 as Sergeant-Major-General of
315-735: Is often considered to be an archetypal Cavalier. Cavalier derives from the same Latin root as the Italian word cavaliere , the French word chevalier , and the Spanish word caballero , the Vulgar Latin word caballarius , meaning 'horseman'. Shakespeare used the word cavaleros to describe an overbearing swashbuckler or swaggering gallant in Henry IV, Part 2 (c. 1596–1599), in which Robert Shallow says, "I'll drink to Master Bardolph, and to all
360-452: The Battle of Edgehill has become famous: "O Lord, Thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget Thee, do not thou forget me" which he followed promptly with the order "March on, boys!" Both sides' troops were poorly trained and both sides claimed the battle to be a victory, but the outcome was inconclusive and it would take a further three years of civil war before the Royalists lost to
405-602: The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold (March 1646), the last pitched battle of the First Civil War. He surrendered to the Parliamentarians with the words "Well, boys, you have done your work, now you may go and play—if you don't fall out among yourselves". His scrupulous sense of honour forbade him to take any part in the Second Civil War , as he had given his parole at Stow-on-the-Wold ; but he had to undergo his share of
450-535: The English Civil War , the Interregnum , and the Restoration (1642 – c. 1679 ). It was later adopted by the Royalists themselves. Although it referred originally to political and social attitudes and behaviour, of which clothing was a very small part, it has subsequently become strongly identified with the fashionable clothing of the court at the time. Prince Rupert , commander of much of Charles I's cavalry,
495-476: The New Model Army over the last Royalist field army. In the spring of 1646, King Charles I of England was getting ever more desperate to hold the Royalist cause together whilst waiting for the long promised relief forces from Ireland, Scotland and France. Sir Jacob Astley took command of the Royalist forces in the west and began to gather up the remnants from the handful of Royalist garrisons still left in
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#1733094152690540-607: The Parliamentarians . Astley was loyal supporter of the Crown throughout the First Civil War, while his own region of East Anglia was strongly Parliamentarian. His opposite number in the Parliamentarians was Philip Skippon , another Norfolkman. At Gloucester Astley commanded a division, and at the First Battle of Newbury he led the infantry of the royal army. With Ralph Hopton , in 1644, he served at Arundel and Cheriton . He
585-455: The West Midlands to create a new field army. At this point in the war, Royalist morale was low. However, Astley, a stalwart of the Royalist commanders and an experienced soldier, was able to cobble together a force of 3,000. While returning to Oxford he was intercepted and defeated at Stow-on-the-Wold . The year of 1646 began badly for Charles I. On no side was there the smallest break in
630-453: The Avon, and pushed down Buckle Street to Honeybourne , leaving Morgan at Broadway on his right, he marched past his flank to Campden , Blockley , Bourton-on-the-Hill , for Stow. On 20 March, Morgan, finding that Astley had out-manoeuvred him, made a series of attacks on his rearguard, harassing and delaying their march, so as to give time for Birch to come up in front and Brereton to advance in
675-673: The King; some whereof, under the name of Cavaliers, without having respect to the Laws of the Land, or any fear either of God or Man, were ready to commit all manner of Outrage and Violence. 1642 Petition Lords & Com. 17 June in Rushw. Coll. III. (1721) I. 631 That your Majesty..would please to dismiss your extraordinary Guards, and the Cavaliers and others of that Quality, who seem to have little Interest or Affection to
720-595: The Royalist field officers were typically in their early thirties, married with rural estates which had to be managed. Although they did not share the same outlook on how to worship God as the English Independents of the New Model Army , God was often central to their lives. This type of Cavalier was personified by Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading , whose prayer at the start of the Battle of Edgehill has become famous "O Lord, Thou knowest how busy I must be this day. If I forget Thee, do not forget me". At
765-428: The Royalist side – capricious men who cared more for vanity than the nation at large. The chaplain to King Charles I, Edward Simmons described a Cavalier as "a Child of Honour, a Gentleman well borne and bred, that loves his king for conscience sake, of a clearer countenance, and bolder look than other men, because of a more loyal Heart". There were many men in the Royalist armies who fit this description since most of
810-581: The Thirty Years' War. He was evidently thought highly of by the States-General, for when he was absent, serving under Christian IV of Denmark , his position in the Dutch army was kept open for him. In 1622 Astley joined the household of Elizabeth , daughter of James I of England and her husband Frederick, King of Bohemia serving as military tutor to Frederick's son Prince Rupert . Returning to England with
855-581: The Whigs and also was initially a pejorative term. An example of the Cavalier style can be seen in the painting Charles I, King of England, from Three Angles by Anthony van Dyck. Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold 1643 1644 1645 1646 The Battle of Stow-on-the-Wold (21 March 1646) took place during the First English Civil War . It was a Parliamentarian victory by detachments of
900-462: The archetypal recorder of the Cavalier image, all took the Parliamentary side in the Civil War. Probably the most famous image identified as of a "cavalier", Frans Hals ' Laughing Cavalier , shows a gentleman from the strongly Calvinist Dutch town of Haarlem , and is dated 1624. These derogatory terms (for at the time they were so intended) also showed what the typical Parliamentarian thought of
945-772: The cavaleros about London". Shallow returns in The Merry Wives of Windsor (c. 1597), where he is called "Cavaleiro Justice" (knightly judge) and "bully rook", a term meaning "blustering cheat". "Cavalier" is chiefly associated with the Royalist supporters of King Charles I in his struggle with Parliament in the English Civil War. It first appears as a term of reproach and contempt, applied to Charles' followers in June 1642: 1642 (June 10) Propositions of Parlt . in Clarendon v. (1702) I. 504 Several sorts of malignant Men, who were about
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#1733094152690990-463: The discomforts that were the lot of the vanquished royalists. He was imprisoned initially but able to retire to Maidstone. He died in February 1652. The barony became extinct in 1688. Cavalier The term Cavalier ( / ˌ k æ v ə ˈ l ɪər / ) was first used by Roundheads as a term of abuse for the wealthier royalist supporters of Charles I of England and his son Charles II during
1035-447: The dress of at least the most extreme Roundhead supporters of Parliament , with their preference for shorter hair and plainer dress, although neither side conformed to the stereotypical images entirely. Most Parliamentarian generals wore their hair at much the same length as their Royalist counterparts, though Cromwell was something of an exception. The best patrons in the nobility of Charles I's court painter Sir Anthony van Dyck ,
1080-630: The end of the First Civil War , Astley gave his word that he would not take up arms again against Parliament and having given his word he felt duty bound to refuse to help the Royalist cause in the Second Civil War ; however, the word was coined by the Roundheads as a pejorative propaganda image of a licentious, hard drinking and frivolous man, who rarely, if ever, thought of God. It is this image which has survived and many Royalists, for example Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester , fitted this description to
1125-512: The gloom that surrounded him. He had no army, and there was but small chance of his being able to raise one. All his resources were exhausted. Without money, without arms, without supplies, his fate was clear but, what was still worse, if possible, was the disunion among the Royalists: Charles' quarrel with his nephews, although patched up, might break out again at any minute. It was obvious to all, Royalists or Parliamentarians, that whatever
1170-404: The highest attempt of wickedness as any man in the age he lived in or before. Of all his qualifications dissimulation was his masterpiece; in which he so much excelled, that men were not ordinarily ashamed, or out of countenance, with being deceived but twice by him. This sense has developed into the modern English use of "cavalier" to describe a recklessly nonchalant attitude, although still with
1215-496: The infantry and colonel of the combined Oxfordshire and Berkshire Trained Bands . In the ill-starred Bishops' Wars , Astley provided service to the king, and he was involved in the so-called "Army Plot". At the outbreak of the First English Civil War in 1642 he at once joined Charles, and was made Major-General of the Foot (infantry)—the cavalry was under the command of his former student Prince Rupert. His characteristic battle-prayer at
1260-503: The last Royalist field army, because as Clarendon wrote in his history: "There remained from that time no possibility for the King to draw any other troops into the field". Charles had fought from August, 1642, to March, 1646, with the result that the Parliament only had to reduce the few strongholds that still held out for him. When this was done Parliament's military victory was completed. In St Edward's Church, Stow-on-the-Wold , there
1305-457: The last and had to yield from want of fuel and of food. Horses, dogs, and cats had been eaten, and Byron was unable to do more. He had held the place for sixteen weeks, and there was no hope of relief. The fall of Chester was a serious blow to the Royalist cause, in that it set free a large force who would now operate upon the other Royalist garrisons. Astley, finding that it was useless to look towards Chester, set to work to collect men to go to
1350-436: The prisoners. Out of the 3,000 men Astley had with him Morgan returned 1,600 prisoners. Many were killed, more were wounded, the rest dispersed. Those who had broken through were possibly the worst off; they were overtaken, cut down and killed by Fleetwood's dragoons. All the Royalist arms and ammunition were taken. The rout was complete; Astley's force, which he had collected with so much care and manoeuvred with so much skill,
1395-579: The publick Good, their Language and Behaviour speaking nothing but Division and War. Charles, in the Answer to the Petition 13 June 1642, speaks of Cavaliers as a "word by what mistake soever it seemes much in disfavour". It was soon reappropriated as a title of honour by the king's party, who in return applied Roundhead to their opponents. At the Restoration, the court party preserved the name, which survived until
Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading - Misplaced Pages Continue
1440-521: The rear. Astley, by pushing on, had reached Donnington , a village in Gloucestershire about two miles from Stow-on-the-Wold. Astley chose a low hill just to the west of Donnington to make his last stand. Brereton having now come up, Morgan attacked the wearied Royalists in the dark, two hours before dawn, on 21 March. Birch in front, and Morgan in the rear tried to surround the Royalists. Morgan charged Astley's rear with 200 firelocks and 400 horse. He
1485-520: The relief of the King at Oxford (see Siege of Oxford (1646) ) but he was too late. In the Cotswolds , barring his way, was Sir Thomas Morgan , the governor of the Gloucester garrison, with a formidable force. On his right flank was John Birch , the governor of Hereford, with a force more than equal to any that Astley could bring into the field, while in his rear, pushing him onwards towards Morgan and Birch,
1530-483: The rights or wrongs of the struggle might originally have been, its continuance could do no good to either party, and only aggravated the prevailing discontent. Lord Astley left Oxford on 22 December 1645, to go round the different garrisons in the West Midlands, trying to raise an army. His task was a difficult one, and not the less so by his extreme want of money. Had Astley a good supply of this, he might have raised
1575-439: The ring gradually tightened round Astley. At last, seeing a possible way of escape, some of the Royalists broke and fled; through their broken ranks Birch's horse rode in; there was nothing then left but to surrender. With the surrender, the last Royalist field army ceased to exist. Lord Astley, Sir Charles Lucas , Colonel Corbet , Colonel Gerrard, Colonel Molesworth, Lieutenant Colonel Broughton, and Major Billingsley were among
1620-449: The rise of the term Tory . Cavalier was not understood at the time as primarily a term describing a style of dress, but a whole political and social attitude. However, in modern times the word has become more particularly associated with the court fashions of the period , which included long flowing hair in ringlets, brightly coloured clothing with elaborate trimmings (i.e., lace collars and cuffs), and plumed hats . This contrasted with
1665-565: Was Sir William Brereton , his army now able to act as Chester had fallen. Astley had visited Stafford and other garrisons to collect his force. He had tried to relieve the besieged High Ercall Hall , but had failed. At last, he perceived that, if he was to join the Charles I at Oxford, the time had come to do so. Therefore, in the beginning of March, he gave orders for all the men from the different garrisons who would join him, to rendezvous at Bridgnorth ; here he collected some 3,000 men. Astley
1710-690: Was born at Melton Constable Hall . His first experiences of war were at the age of 18 when he joined the Islands Voyage expedition in 1597 under the Earl of Essex and Sir Walter Raleigh to the Azores . In 1598 he joined Maurice of Nassau and Henry of Orange in the Netherlands , where he served with distinction in the Dutch Revolt. Afterwards he fought under Frederick V, Elector Palatine and Gustavus Adolphus in
1755-423: Was destroyed. Astley fully recognised this. Worn out by his marches, his manoeuvres and his fight, he sat down on a drum and, addressing Morgan's men, said: You have done your work, boys, and may go play, unless you will fall out among yourselves. This was a fitting epitaph to the last major battle of the First Civil War from the man who is often quoted for his soldiers' prayer at the first major battle. So ended
1800-406: Was in dire need of money, so much so that he had to borrow from the corporation of Bridgnorth to pay his personal expenses there. It may be imagined to what straits the Royalists were reduced when it is said that out of these more than half were "reformado" officers, that is, officers of regiments that had either ceased to exist, from being destroyed or disbanded, or become so reduced in numbers there
1845-590: Was no need for such officers. They formed a desperate band of broken men, who had all to gain by plunder and everything to lose by peace. Having collected his men Astley advanced from Bridgnorth to Kidderminster . Some sort of a post, probably a look-out post, to watch any movement of men, was kept at Trimpley . A skirmish took place near Kidderminster, as the registers show that Captain Charles Dungham and one of his soldiers were killed and buried. From Kidderminster, Astley marched to Worcester, where he halted for
Jacob Astley, 1st Baron Astley of Reading - Misplaced Pages Continue
1890-414: Was not present at Cheriton, although his son, Bernard, probably was, as his regiment of foot was certainly there. At the second Battle of Newbury he made a gallant and memorable defence of Shaw House. He was made a baron by King Charles, and at the Battle of Naseby he once more commanded the main body of the infantry. He afterwards served in the west, and with 3,000 men fought stubbornly but vainly at
1935-541: Was now able, with a party from the Worcester garrison, to drive off the besiegers and raise the siege. Astley went from Worcester to Ludlow , intending to unite with Sir William Vaughan , but the presence of Parliamentarian troops and the floods arising from the breaking up of the great frost and the thaw made movement impossible, and prevented Astley from attempting anything. He fell back towards Bewdley . On 5 February 1646, Chester surrendered . Lord Byron had held out to
1980-418: Was repulsed twice, and Astley nearly succeeded in breaking through the ring that was surrounding him but as Astley pressed through Morgan's men in the rear, Birch pressed his charges home in the front. Still Astley showed a stubborn resistance. Birch's horse was shot under him, his regiment had 32 men killed. The Royalists fought a running retreat into the streets of Stow. In spite of all the Royalist efforts,
2025-460: Was waiting between Stow and Oxford to intercept any Royalist attempt to relieve Astley, or to cut off any of Astley's men who got past Morgan. Astley's first move quite deceived his opponents. He sent some of his men forward towards Evesham, but with the main body he marched back to Droitwich , thus leading Brereton to think he was about to attack him. Then making across country by Feckenham and Inkberrow to Bidford and Cleve Prior , he crossed
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