Robert Danvers
Encyclopedia
Robert Danvers also Wright, Howard and Villiers (19 October 1624 - 1674) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons
in 1659 and 1660. The illegitimate child of a notorious liaison, Danvers had four different names, changed religion four times and sided according to circumstances with Royalists, Parliamentarians, the restored monarchy and its opponents.
Danvers was the illegitimate son of Lady Frances Villiers, wife of John Villiers, 1st Viscount Purbeck probably by Sir Robert Howard
of Clun Castle, Shropshire and was baptised as Robert Wright. His mother was the daughter of Sir Edward Coke
of Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire. After they were convicted of adultery, his parents went to France where he was educated between 1633 and 1641 under the name Howard and brought up as a Catholic. His mother brought him back to England at the start of the English Civil War
and Lord Purbeck was persuaded to recognise him as his son and let him assume the name Villiers. As Villiers, he fought for the king at the Battle of Edgehill
and in 1643 became a colonel of foot in the Royalist army and governor of Oswestry. In 1644 he was dismissed by Prince Rupert and he became a Presbyterian and submitted to Parliament. He inherited the estates of his mother on her death in 1645. He paid fines of £2,650 for his delinquency with borrowed money, but the estates were not freed of sequestration until 1653. After he married the daughter of the regicide Sir John Danvers
he stated that he would have been willing to act as the King’s executioner. When his father-in-law died, Oliver Cromwell
allowed him to assume the name and arms of Danvers "because those of the name of Villiers had sided" with the King. On Lord Purbeck’s death in 1658 he renounced the peerage.
In 1659, Danvers was elected Member of Parliament
for Westbury
in the Third Protectorate Parliament
until he was expelled as a Cavalier. He was elected MP for Malmesbury
in April 1660 for the Convention Parliament but after the Restoration, he was challenged over the treasonable remarks he made at the time of the King's execution. There followed a dispute over parliamentary privilege when he was summoned to the House of Lords as Viscount Purbeck on 15 June 1660 to answer charges. He argued that he was not a peer and on 27 July was discharged on bail for £10,000. On 27 December 1660, he took swore allegiance to the restored monarchy and entered into a bond of £5,000 to do nothing to opposed it.
Before Venner's rising
in January 1661, Danvers spoke for the Anabaptists and against the monarchy. He was imprisoned in the Tower of London
where he was still incarcerated on 2 July 1662 when his wife visited him there, and they were given licence to take the name and arms of Danvers. He was transferred to York gaol whence he escaped in 1664. In the course of the Second Anglo-Dutch War
he was imprisoned on the Isle of Wight. In 1668 he was given the freedom of Wycombe
. He was forced to leave England to escape his creditors, and died at Calais in 1674 where he was buried a Roman Catholic in the church of Nôtre Dame.
Danvers married Elizabeth Danvers daughter of Sir John Danvers of Dauntsey, Wiltshire on 23 November 1648 and had two sons and three daughters.
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 1659 and 1660. The illegitimate child of a notorious liaison, Danvers had four different names, changed religion four times and sided according to circumstances with Royalists, Parliamentarians, the restored monarchy and its opponents.
Danvers was the illegitimate son of Lady Frances Villiers, wife of John Villiers, 1st Viscount Purbeck probably by Sir Robert Howard
Robert Howard (royalist)
Sir Robert Howard was an English landowner, member of parliament, and Royalist soldier. He was involved with a scandal when his mistress Lady Purbeck was found guilty of adultery and was twice summoned to explain her pregnancies to the Star Chamber...
of Clun Castle, Shropshire and was baptised as Robert Wright. His mother was the daughter of Sir Edward Coke
Edward Coke
Sir Edward Coke SL PC was an English barrister, judge and politician considered to be the greatest jurist of the Elizabethan and Jacobean eras. Born into a middle class family, Coke was educated at Trinity College, Cambridge before leaving to study at the Inner Temple, where he was called to the...
of Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire. After they were convicted of adultery, his parents went to France where he was educated between 1633 and 1641 under the name Howard and brought up as a Catholic. His mother brought him back to England at the start of the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
and Lord Purbeck was persuaded to recognise him as his son and let him assume the name Villiers. As Villiers, he fought for the king at the Battle of Edgehill
Battle of Edgehill
The Battle of Edgehill was the first pitched battle of the First English Civil War. It was fought near Edge Hill and Kineton in southern Warwickshire on Sunday, 23 October 1642....
and in 1643 became a colonel of foot in the Royalist army and governor of Oswestry. In 1644 he was dismissed by Prince Rupert and he became a Presbyterian and submitted to Parliament. He inherited the estates of his mother on her death in 1645. He paid fines of £2,650 for his delinquency with borrowed money, but the estates were not freed of sequestration until 1653. After he married the daughter of the regicide Sir John Danvers
John Danvers
Sir John Danvers was an English courtier and politician. He was one of the signatories of the death warrant of Charles I.-Life:Danvers was third and youngest son of Sir John Danvers of Dauntsey, Wiltshire, by Elizabeth Danvers...
he stated that he would have been willing to act as the King’s executioner. When his father-in-law died, Oliver Cromwell
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....
allowed him to assume the name and arms of Danvers "because those of the name of Villiers had sided" with the King. On Lord Purbeck’s death in 1658 he renounced the peerage.
In 1659, Danvers 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 Westbury
Westbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Westbury was a parliamentary constituency in Wiltshire from 1449 to 2010. It was represented in the House of Commons of England until 1707, and then in the House of Commons of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800, and finally in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801...
in the Third Protectorate Parliament
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons...
until he was expelled as a Cavalier. He was elected MP for Malmesbury
Malmesbury (UK Parliament constituency)
Malmesbury was a parliamentary borough in Wiltshire, which elected two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons from 1275 until 1832, and then one member from 1832 until 1885, when the borough was abolished.- MPs 1275–1508 :...
in April 1660 for the Convention Parliament but after the Restoration, he was challenged over the treasonable remarks he made at the time of the King's execution. There followed a dispute over parliamentary privilege when he was summoned to the House of Lords as Viscount Purbeck on 15 June 1660 to answer charges. He argued that he was not a peer and on 27 July was discharged on bail for £10,000. On 27 December 1660, he took swore allegiance to the restored monarchy and entered into a bond of £5,000 to do nothing to opposed it.
Before Venner's rising
Thomas Venner
Thomas Venner was a cooper and rebel who became the last leader of the Fifth Monarchy Men, who tried unsuccessfully to overthrow Oliver Cromwell in 1657, and subsequently led a coup in London against the newly-restored government of Charles II...
in January 1661, Danvers spoke for the Anabaptists and against the monarchy. He was imprisoned 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...
where he was still incarcerated on 2 July 1662 when his wife visited him there, and they were given licence to take the name and arms of Danvers. He was transferred to York gaol whence he escaped in 1664. In the course of the Second Anglo-Dutch War
Second Anglo-Dutch War
The Second Anglo–Dutch War was part of a series of four Anglo–Dutch Wars fought between the English and the Dutch in the 17th and 18th centuries for control over the seas and trade routes....
he was imprisoned on the Isle of Wight. In 1668 he was given the freedom of Wycombe
Wycombe
Wycombe is a local government district in Buckinghamshire in south central England. It is administered by Wycombe District Council in the town of High Wycombe. The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972...
. He was forced to leave England to escape his creditors, and died at Calais in 1674 where he was buried a Roman Catholic in the church of Nôtre Dame.
Danvers married Elizabeth Danvers daughter of Sir John Danvers of Dauntsey, Wiltshire on 23 November 1648 and had two sons and three daughters.