Thomas Waite (regicide)
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Thomas Waite, also known as Thomas Wayte was an English soldier who fought for Parliament in the English Civil War
, a member of the Long Parliament, and one of the regicide
s of King Charles I
.
Waite was a native of Rutland
, and is said to have been the son of an alehouse keeper in Market Overton
, in that county; but going into the Parliament army, made such good use of his time, that he obtained a colonel's commission, and a seat in the Long Parliament
. In 1643, he beat up the king's quarters near Burley House; at this time he was a colonel, and probably then, or immediately after, became, in consequence of it, governor of Burley-on-the-Hill, in Rutland.
Waite wrote to Parliament in the year 1648, that he had fallen upon those who had made an insurrection at Stamford, Lincolnshire
, and, at Woodcroft Castle
, had killed Dr Hudson, who had commanded those forces, with some others, and taken many prisoners, but had dismissed the countrymen; which the house approving of, sent him their thanks, and ordered that the general should send him a commission to try the prisoners by martial law. Soon afterwards he reported to the house the defeat and capture of the Duke of Hamilton
, with all the circumstances relative to it.
As one of the army-grandees, Waite was one of the 59 Commissioners who sat in judgment at the trial of Charles I. He attended the trial on 25, 26, and 27 January 1649, the first two in the Painted Chamber
, and in the last of these in Westminster Hall, when sentence was pronounced against Charles, and he signed and sealed that instrument, which commanded Charles to execution.
After this event, we hear nothing of Waite, until the restoration; he seems neglected by Parliament, and totally given up by Oliver Cromwell
, when he became Lord Protector
, who even omitted his name as one of the committee for Rutland, which he had enjoyed during the first Commonwealth.
He was not granted a general pardon under the Act of Indemnity, and having surrendered himself, was brought to the bar, at the Session's House, in the Old Bailey
, 10 October 1660. He was extremely troublesome to the court at his arraignment as he would not plead guilty or not guilty when asked to do so and prevaricated. At his trial he was found guilty of regicide
, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment as the court decided that he had been forced by Cromwell and Henry Ireton
into agreeing to the Kings execution, to such a degree that Cromwell had guided Waite's hand when he signed the death warrant. Waite's wife, Jane, unsuccessfully petitioned for his release for the sake of their five children and Wayte was imprisoned in Mont Orgueil Castle on Jersey. He was buried at Saint Saviour, Jersey
on 18 October 1688.
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
, a member of the Long Parliament, and one of the regicide
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
s of King Charles I
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...
.
Waite was a native of Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
, and is said to have been the son of an alehouse keeper in Market Overton
Market Overton
Market Overton is a village on the northern edge of the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England.-Geography:Most of the civil parish lies to the north and the east, including part of RAF Cottesmore, but not the main runway. The boundary crosses Teigh Road at Netherfields where it borders...
, in that county; but going into the Parliament army, made such good use of his time, that he obtained a colonel's commission, and a seat in the 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...
. In 1643, he beat up the king's quarters near Burley House; at this time he was a colonel, and probably then, or immediately after, became, in consequence of it, governor of Burley-on-the-Hill, in Rutland.
Waite wrote to Parliament in the year 1648, that he had fallen upon those who had made an insurrection at Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford, Lincolnshire
Stamford is a town and civil parish within the South Kesteven district of the county of Lincolnshire, England. It is approximately to the north of London, on the east side of the A1 road to York and Edinburgh and on the River Welland...
, and, at Woodcroft Castle
Woodcroft Castle
Woodcroft Castle is a converted medieval castle in the parish of Etton, Cambridgeshire, England.-History:Woodcroft Castle was built at the end of the 13th century near the town of Peterborough in Cambridgeshire. Named after the Woodcroft family who owned it at around this time, the medieval remains...
, had killed Dr Hudson, who had commanded those forces, with some others, and taken many prisoners, but had dismissed the countrymen; which the house approving of, sent him their thanks, and ordered that the general should send him a commission to try the prisoners by martial law. Soon afterwards he reported to the house the defeat and capture of 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:...
, with all the circumstances relative to it.
As one of the army-grandees, Waite was one of the 59 Commissioners who sat in judgment at the trial of Charles I. He attended the trial on 25, 26, and 27 January 1649, the first two in the Painted Chamber
Painted Chamber
The Painted Chamber was part of the original Palace of Westminster. It was destroyed by fire in 1834.Because it was originally a royal residence, the Palace did not include any purpose-built chambers for the two Houses. Important state ceremonies, including the State Opening of Parliament, were...
, and in the last of these in Westminster Hall, when sentence was pronounced against Charles, and he signed and sealed that instrument, which commanded Charles to execution.
After this event, we hear nothing of Waite, until the restoration; he seems neglected by Parliament, and totally given up by 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....
, when he became Lord Protector
The Protectorate
In British history, the Protectorate was the period 1653–1659 during which the Commonwealth of England was governed by a Lord Protector.-Background:...
, who even omitted his name as one of the committee for Rutland, which he had enjoyed during the first Commonwealth.
He was not granted a general pardon under the Act of Indemnity, and having surrendered himself, was brought to the bar, at the Session's House, in the Old Bailey
Old Bailey
The Central Criminal Court in England and Wales, commonly known as the Old Bailey from the street in which it stands, is a court building in central London, one of a number of buildings housing the Crown Court...
, 10 October 1660. He was extremely troublesome to the court at his arraignment as he would not plead guilty or not guilty when asked to do so and prevaricated. At his trial he was found guilty of regicide
Regicide
The broad definition of regicide is the deliberate killing of a monarch, or the person responsible for the killing of a monarch. In a narrower sense, in the British tradition, it refers to the judicial execution of a king after a trial...
, but his sentence was commuted to life imprisonment as the court decided that he had been forced by Cromwell and Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton
Henry Ireton was an English general in the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. He was the son-in-law of Oliver Cromwell.-Early life:...
into agreeing to the Kings execution, to such a degree that Cromwell had guided Waite's hand when he signed the death warrant. Waite's wife, Jane, unsuccessfully petitioned for his release for the sake of their five children and Wayte was imprisoned in Mont Orgueil Castle on Jersey. He was buried at Saint Saviour, Jersey
Saint Saviour, Jersey
-Notable sites:*Highlands College*De La Salle College*St. Michael's Preparatory School*Hautlieu School*Grainville Cricket Ground*Grainville School*Jersey Evening Post offices and printing works-External links:**...
on 18 October 1688.