New Cornish Tertia army
Encyclopedia
The New Cornish Tertia was the Cornish
army raised to defend Cornwall
during the English Civil War
or "War of Five Nations" as it is sometimes known. Cornwalland Wales
were staunch Royalist
strongholds whilst South East England was held by Parliament, and the remainders of England were in dispute. At the start of hostilities in 1642. King Charles appointed Sir Richard Grenville, 1st Baronet
as "General of the West" with authority to raise an army in Cornwall, consisting of four infantry regiments known as the "New Cornish Tertia". Cornwall's rights and privileges were tied up with the royal Duchy
and Stannaries and the Cornish saw the Civil War as a fight between England and Cornwall as much as a conflict between King and Parliament. The English Parliament wanted to reduce royal power. This would include the Cornish Parliament which had powers rivalling those of the Parliament of England
.
Parliamentary forces invaded Cornwall three times and burned the Duchy archives (at Luxulyan). Grenville's infantry played an important role in the campaign against the Earl of Essex's army at Lostwithiel during the summer of 1644 and he took command at the siege of Plymouth. In 1645 Cornish Royalist leader Sir Richard Grenville made Launceston his base and he stationed Cornish troops along the River Tamar
and issued them with instructions to keep "all foreign troops out of Cornwall". Grenville tried to use "Cornish particularist sentiment" to muster support for the Royalist cause and put a plan to the Prince which would, if implemented, have created a semi-independent Cornwall.
Cornish people
The Cornish are a people associated with Cornwall, a county and Duchy in the south-west of the United Kingdom that is seen in some respects as distinct from England, having more in common with the other Celtic parts of the United Kingdom such as Wales, as well as with other Celtic nations in Europe...
army raised to defend Cornwall
Cornwall
Cornwall is a unitary authority and ceremonial county of England, within the United Kingdom. It is bordered to the north and west by the Celtic Sea, to the south by the English Channel, and to the east by the county of Devon, over the River Tamar. Cornwall has a population of , and covers an area of...
during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
or "War of Five Nations" as it is sometimes known. Cornwalland Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
were staunch 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...
strongholds whilst South East England was held by Parliament, and the remainders of England were in dispute. At the start of hostilities in 1642. King Charles appointed Sir Richard Grenville, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Grenville, 1st Baronet
Sir Richard Grenville, 1st Baronet was a Cornish Royalist leader during the English Civil War.He was the third son of Sir Bernard Grenville , and a grandson of the famous seaman, Sir Richard Grenville...
as "General of the West" with authority to raise an army in Cornwall, consisting of four infantry regiments known as the "New Cornish Tertia". Cornwall's rights and privileges were tied up with the royal Duchy
Duchy
A duchy is a territory, fief, or domain ruled by a duke or duchess.Some duchies were sovereign in areas that would become unified realms only during the Modern era . In contrast, others were subordinate districts of those kingdoms that unified either partially or completely during the Medieval era...
and Stannaries and the Cornish saw the Civil War as a fight between England and Cornwall as much as a conflict between King and Parliament. The English Parliament wanted to reduce royal power. This would include the Cornish Parliament which had powers rivalling those of the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
.
Parliamentary forces invaded Cornwall three times and burned the Duchy archives (at Luxulyan). Grenville's infantry played an important role in the campaign against the Earl of Essex's army at Lostwithiel during the summer of 1644 and he took command at the siege of Plymouth. In 1645 Cornish Royalist leader Sir Richard Grenville made Launceston his base and he stationed Cornish troops along the River Tamar
River Tamar
The Tamar is a river in South West England, that forms most of the border between Devon and Cornwall . It is one of several British rivers whose ancient name is assumed to be derived from a prehistoric river word apparently meaning "dark flowing" and which it shares with the River Thames.The...
and issued them with instructions to keep "all foreign troops out of Cornwall". Grenville tried to use "Cornish particularist sentiment" to muster support for the Royalist cause and put a plan to the Prince which would, if implemented, have created a semi-independent Cornwall.