Sir Joseph Wagstaffe
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Sir Joseph Wagstaffe (1611? – 1666/67) was a
Royalist A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of gove ...
officer during the
English Civil War The English Civil War or Great Rebellion was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Cavaliers, Royalists and Roundhead, Parliamentarians in the Kingdom of England from 1642 to 1651. Part of the wider 1639 to 1653 Wars of th ...
and one of the leaders in the Penruddock uprising of 1655.


Origins and birth

Wagstaffe, born about 1611, was probably the seventh and youngest son of Richard Wagstaffe of Harbury in
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, by his wife Anne, daughter of John Hanslap of Stoneythorpe in the same county. If so, he is probably to be identified with the "Josephus Wagstaf", son of Richard, who was christened at Harbury on 13 August 1611.


Military career

Wagstaffe was a soldier of fortune, and at the beginning of 1642 was major in an Irish regiment in the service of France. In June 1642 he became lieutenant-colonel in the army destined by the
parliament In modern politics and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
for the recovery of
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, and in the following autumn held the same rank in Hampden's regiment of foot in the Earl of Essex's army. Taken prisoner by the royalists in January 1643, he changed sides and accepted a commission to raise a regiment for the
king King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...
. This made Wagstaffe one of the only officers from either side to switch allegiances during the war. Subsequently, he was major-general of foot under Prince Maurice in the west of England, was knighted at
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on 27 July 1644, and distinguished himself by his soldierly retreat in the disastrous Battle of Langport.


Penruddock uprising

In 1655, the western royalists asked for Wagstaffe to be their leader in their intended rising against
Cromwell Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English statesman, politician and soldier, widely regarded as one of the most important figures in British history. He came to prominence during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, initially a ...
, he being well known to them and generally beloved. Clarendon characterises him as fitted 'rather for execution than counsel, a stout man who looked not far before him, yet he had a great companionableness in his nature, which exceedingly prevailed with those who in the intermission of fighting loved to spend their time in jollity and mirth.' With about two hundred
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royalists Wagstaffe entered
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early on 12 March 1655, and proclaimed Charles II. The judges on circuit and sheriff were seized in their beds, and Wagstaffe thought of hanging them as a seasonable example, but was prevented by the opposition of Colonel Penruddock and the country gentlemen. Leaving Salisbury with about four hundred men, the royalists marched into
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, but gained few recruits on their way. When they entered
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their numbers began to diminish, and the few who remained were taken or dispersed by Captain Unton Croke at
South Molton South Molton is a town and civil parish in the North Devon district, in the county of Devon, England. The town is on the River Mole. In 2021 it had a population of 6225. South Molton is a market town trading mostly in sheep and cattle. There wa ...
on the night of 14 March. Wagstaffe is said to have escaped by leaping his horse over the north wall of the churchyard and a gate in the wall is now known as "The Wagstaffe Gate".The South Molton and District Archive Local History Society’s web-site, accessed on 18 June 2008


Later life

Wagstaffe himself evaded all the searches subsequently made after him, and was back in
Holland Holland is a geographical regionG. Geerts & H. Heestermans, 1981, ''Groot Woordenboek der Nederlandse Taal. Deel I'', Van Dale Lexicografie, Utrecht, p 1105 and former provinces of the Netherlands, province on the western coast of the Netherland ...
by July. He survived the Restoration, petitioned for the reversion of an office hich he did not obtain and received a small grant of some of the late king's goods in 1662.


References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Wagstaffe, Joseph Cavaliers English army officers 1610s births 1660s deaths