Sir Henry Slingsby, 1st Baronet
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Slingsby was a Yorkshire
landowner and Member of Parliament
who was executed for his adherence to the Royalist
cause during the English Civil War
.
Slingsby inherited substantial estates at Scriven
and Redhouse
in the West Riding
from his ancestors. He was the second but oldest surviving son of Sir Henry Slingsby, who had been High Sheriff of Yorkshire
in 1611, and who died in 1634. His uncle was Sir William Slingsby
. In 1638 he was created a baronet
.
He married Barbara (1609–1641), daughter of Sir Thomas Belasyse
, by whom he had two sons and two daughters. His second son, Thomas
succeeded him in the baronetcy.
During the Bishops' War, Slingsby served in the Royal army in Scotland. He had already served briefly as MP for Knaresborough
in the Parliament of 1625
, and was chosen to represent the town again in 1640, after a vigorously-contested election. He sat in both the Short Parliament
and Long Parliament
, and was a vigorous supporter of the Royalist cause. On the outbreak of civil war, Slingsby offered to raise a regiment for the King, but his offer was declined because of a lack of arms; but he took possession of Knaresborough Castle
, forestalling a Parliamentary plan to seize it. In September 1642, he was one of the first wave of Royalist MPs to be deprived of their seats by the Parliamentarian majority, which passed motions declaring them disabled from sitting.
In December 1643 he was finally commissioned as a Colonel in the Royalist army, raiding a regiment whose first duty was to escort the Queen from Bridlington
after her return from attempting to raise troops in the Netherlands. During 1644 he was besieged in York, but when the city surrendered after the Battle of Marston Moor
, Slingsby escaped with his fellow Knaresborough MP Sir Richard Hutton, the younger
to rejoin the King
, and was present at the decisive defeat at Naseby
. He later joined the garrison at Newark
, commanded by his brother-in-law Lord Belasyse
, which was being besieged by the Scottish army, and which held out until the King joined the Scots and ordered his supporters in Newark to surrender.
Slingsby now retired to Redhouse, where he wrote his memoirs, but in 1655, with opposition to Cromwell's
rule apparently rising, a royalist insurrection was planned and the Earl of Rochester
sent to England by the exiled Charles
to co-ordinate it. Slingsby was involved in the plot to seize Hull
, which would have been a landing point for a royal army of invasion, although after the failure of the rising in the West of England
with which the insurrection was to begin, the attempt on Hull was never made.
Slingsby was arrested, possibly only on suspicion, and imprisoned in Hull. Here he attempted to persuade one of the captains of the garrison to agree to deliver the fortification to Royal forces, and gave him a commission signed by the King as Governor of Hull; however, the captain reported the matter to his commanding officer, sealing Slingsby's fate. At first he was simply imprisoned at York, but following a further royal plot against the Commonwealth in 1658 he was brought before the High Court and charged with treason. Convicted on the basis of his attempts to corrupt the garrison while imprisoned in Hull, he was initially sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered, but the sentence was later commuted to beheading, and he was executed on Tower Hill
on 8 June 1658, together with fellow conspirator the Revd John Hewett
.
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
landowner and 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,...
who was executed for his adherence to the 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...
cause 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...
.
Slingsby inherited substantial estates at Scriven
Scriven
Scriven is a surname, and may refer to:* Aubrey Scriven* Henry William Scriven* Joseph M. Scriven* Margaret Scriven* Michael Scriven* Paul Scriven* Peter Scriven...
and Redhouse
Redhouse
Redhouse is a townland in County Kilkenny, Ireland located midway between the towns of Callan and Kilmanagh.Redhouse is noted in historical records as having a well which was used by thousands during the Great Irish Famine as many other wells in the area had gone dry...
in the West Riding
West Riding of Yorkshire
The West Riding of Yorkshire is one of the three historic subdivisions of Yorkshire, England. From 1889 to 1974 the administrative county, County of York, West Riding , was based closely on the historic boundaries...
from his ancestors. He was the second but oldest surviving son of Sir Henry Slingsby, who had been High Sheriff of Yorkshire
High Sheriff of Yorkshire
The High Sheriff of Yorkshire was an ancient High Sheriff title originating in the time of the Angles, not long after the invasion of the Kingdom of England, which was in existence for around a thousand years. A list of the sheriffs from the Norman conquest onwards can be found below...
in 1611, and who died in 1634. His uncle was Sir William Slingsby
William Slingsby
Sir William Slingsby , was an English soldier, who is noted as the discoverer of the first spa water well in Harrogate, North Yorkshire....
. In 1638 he was created a baronet
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
.
He married Barbara (1609–1641), daughter of Sir Thomas Belasyse
Thomas Belasyse, 1st Viscount Fauconberg
Thomas Belasyse, 1st Viscount Fauconberg , was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons and was raised to the peerage in 1627...
, by whom he had two sons and two daughters. His second son, Thomas
Sir Thomas Slingsby, 2nd Baronet
Sir Thomas Slingsby, 2nd Baronet , of Scriven in Yorkshire, was an English landowner and Member of Parliament.He was the second but oldest surviving son of Sir Henry Slingsby, executed in 1658 for his adherence to the Royalist cause during the English Civil War...
succeeded him in the baronetcy.
During the Bishops' War, Slingsby served in the Royal army in Scotland. He had already served briefly as MP for Knaresborough
Knaresborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Knaresborough was a parliamentary constituency which returned two Members of Parliament to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom until 1868, and then one MP until its abolition in 1885.-Before the Great Reform Act:...
in the Parliament of 1625
Useless Parliament
The Useless Parliament was the first Parliament of England of the reign of King Charles I, sitting only from June until August 1625. It gained its name because it transacted no significant business, making it 'useless' from the king's point of view...
, and was chosen to represent the town again in 1640, after a vigorously-contested election. He sat in both the Short Parliament
Short Parliament
The Short Parliament was a Parliament of England that sat from 13 April to 5 May 1640 during the reign of King Charles I of England, so called because it lasted only three weeks....
and Long Parliament
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...
, and was a vigorous supporter of the Royalist cause. On the outbreak of civil war, Slingsby offered to raise a regiment for the King, but his offer was declined because of a lack of arms; but he took possession of Knaresborough Castle
Knaresborough Castle
Knaresborough Castle is a ruined fortress overlooking the River Nidd in the town of Knaresborough, North Yorkshire, England.-History:The castle was first built by a Norman baron in c.1100 on a cliff above the River Nidd. There is documentary evidence dating from 1130 referring to works carried out...
, forestalling a Parliamentary plan to seize it. In September 1642, he was one of the first wave of Royalist MPs to be deprived of their seats by the Parliamentarian majority, which passed motions declaring them disabled from sitting.
In December 1643 he was finally commissioned as a Colonel in the Royalist army, raiding a regiment whose first duty was to escort the Queen from Bridlington
Bridlington
Bridlington is a seaside resort, minor sea fishing port and civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea, in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It has a static population of over 33,000, which rises considerably during the tourist season...
after her return from attempting to raise troops in the Netherlands. During 1644 he was besieged in York, but when the city surrendered after the Battle of Marston Moor
Battle of Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the First English Civil War of 1642–1646. The combined forces of the Scottish Covenanters under the Earl of Leven and the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester defeated the Royalists commanded by Prince...
, Slingsby escaped with his fellow Knaresborough MP Sir Richard Hutton, the younger
Sir Richard Hutton, the younger
Sir Richard Hutton, the younger was a Yorkshire landowner and Member of Parliament for Knaresborough who lost his life in the English Civil War....
to rejoin the King
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...
, and was present at the decisive defeat at Naseby
Battle of Naseby
The Battle of Naseby was the key battle of the first English Civil War. On 14 June 1645, the main army of King Charles I was destroyed by the Parliamentarian New Model Army commanded by Sir Thomas Fairfax and Oliver Cromwell.-The Campaign:...
. He later joined the garrison at Newark
Newark-on-Trent
Newark-on-Trent is a market town in Nottinghamshire in the East Midlands region of England. It stands on the River Trent, the A1 , and the East Coast Main Line railway. The origins of the town are possibly Roman as it lies on an important Roman road, the Fosse Way...
, commanded by his brother-in-law Lord Belasyse
John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse
John Belasyse, 1st Baron Belasyse PC was an English nobleman, soldier and Member of Parliament, notable for his role during and after the English Civil War.-Early life:...
, which was being besieged by the Scottish army, and which held out until the King joined the Scots and ordered his supporters in Newark to surrender.
Slingsby now retired to Redhouse, where he wrote his memoirs, but in 1655, with opposition to Cromwell's
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....
rule apparently rising, a royalist insurrection was planned and the Earl of Rochester
Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester
Lieutenant-General Henry Wilmot, 1st Earl of Rochester , known as The Lord Wilmot between 1643 and 1644 and as The Viscount Wilmot between 1644 and 1652, was an English Cavalier who fought for the Royalist cause during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms.-Early life:Wilmot's family was descended from...
sent to England by the exiled Charles
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
to co-ordinate it. Slingsby was involved in the plot to seize Hull
Kingston upon Hull
Kingston upon Hull , usually referred to as Hull, is a city and unitary authority area in the ceremonial county of the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It stands on the River Hull at its junction with the Humber estuary, 25 miles inland from the North Sea. Hull has a resident population of...
, which would have been a landing point for a royal army of invasion, although after the failure of the rising in the West of England
Penruddock uprising
The Penruddock uprising was one of a series of coordinated uprisings planned by the Sealed Knot for a Royalist insurrection to start in March 1655 during the Protectorate of the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell....
with which the insurrection was to begin, the attempt on Hull was never made.
Slingsby was arrested, possibly only on suspicion, and imprisoned in Hull. Here he attempted to persuade one of the captains of the garrison to agree to deliver the fortification to Royal forces, and gave him a commission signed by the King as Governor of Hull; however, the captain reported the matter to his commanding officer, sealing Slingsby's fate. At first he was simply imprisoned at York, but following a further royal plot against the Commonwealth in 1658 he was brought before the High Court and charged with treason. Convicted on the basis of his attempts to corrupt the garrison while imprisoned in Hull, he was initially sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered, but the sentence was later commuted to beheading, and he was executed on Tower Hill
Tower Hill
Tower Hill is an elevated spot northwest of the Tower of London, just outside the limits of the City of London, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. Formerly it was part of the Tower Liberty under the direct administrative control of Tower...
on 8 June 1658, together with fellow conspirator the Revd John Hewett
John Hewett (chaplain)
Revd Dr John Hewett was chaplain to Charles I and executed for treason as a Royalist.He was born in Eccles, Lancashire, the son of clothworker Thomas Hewett and educated in nearby Bolton...
.