Thomas Venner: Difference between revisions
No edit summary Tags: Reverted Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
No edit summary Tags: Reverted Visual edit Mobile edit Mobile web edit |
||
Line 6: | Line 6: | ||
Venner had moved to [[New England]] in 1637. He is recorded being admitted to the church at [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]], [[Massachusetts]], on 25 February 1638. He later became a juryman (1638) and constable (1642). He moved to [[Boston]] c. 1644, joining the Artillery Company there in 1645. He returned to England in October 1651.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Banks|first=Charles|title=Thomas Venner, the Boston wine-cooper and Fifth-Monarchy man|publisher=New England Historic Genealogical Society|year=1893}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Burrage|first=Champlin|date=1910|title=The Fifth Monarchy Insurrections|journal=The English Historical Review|volume=XXV|pages=722-747}}</ref> |
Venner had moved to [[New England]] in 1637. He is recorded being admitted to the church at [[Salem, Massachusetts|Salem]], [[Massachusetts]], on 25 February 1638. He later became a juryman (1638) and constable (1642). He moved to [[Boston]] c. 1644, joining the Artillery Company there in 1645. He returned to England in October 1651.<ref>{{Cite book|last=Banks|first=Charles|title=Thomas Venner, the Boston wine-cooper and Fifth-Monarchy man|publisher=New England Historic Genealogical Society|year=1893}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite journal|last=Burrage|first=Champlin|date=1910|title=The Fifth Monarchy Insurrections|journal=The English Historical Review|volume=XXV|pages=722-747}}</ref> |
||
In 1657 Venner was the instigator of an abortive coup against Cromwell, which, had it taken place, would have involved significant bloodshed, beginning with a proposed attack on a troop of horse and the execution of any captured officers. Fortunately the authorities discovered the plot on 9 April 1657,about three hours before it was meant to begin, and a cavalry unit arrested at least 20 of the conspirators. Venner, along with others, was kept in the [[Tower of London|Tower]] from 9 April 1657 to at least February 1659, but was then released.<ref name=":0" /> |
In 1657 Venner was the instigator of an abortive coup against Cromwell, which, had it taken place, would have involved significant bloodshed, beginning with a proposed attack on a troop of horse and the execution of any captured officers. Fortunately the authorities discovered the plot on 9 April 1657, about three hours before it was meant to begin, and a cavalry unit arrested at least 20 of the conspirators. Venner, along with others, was kept in the [[Tower of London|Tower]] from 9 April 1657 to at least February 1659, but was then released.<ref name=":0" /> |
||
Venner assumed leadership of the Fifth Monarchists after the execution of General [[Thomas Harrison (soldier)|Thomas Harrison]] at [[Charing Cross]] on 19 October 1660. Venner led a congregation, which included [[New Model Army]] veterans, that met in a rented room above a tavern in Swan's Alley off [[Coleman Street]]. |
Venner assumed leadership of the Fifth Monarchists after the execution of General [[Thomas Harrison (soldier)|Thomas Harrison]] at [[Charing Cross]] on 19 October 1660. Venner led a congregation, which included [[New Model Army]] veterans, that met in a rented room above a tavern in Swan's Alley off [[Coleman Street]]. |
Revision as of 17:10, 4 April 2021
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0c/Thomas_venner.jpg/220px-Thomas_venner.jpg)
Thomas Venner (died 19 January 1661) 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. This event, known as "Venner's Rising", lasted four days (1–4 January 1661) before the Royal authorities captured the rebels. The rebel leadership suffered execution on 19 January 1661.
Biography
Venner had moved to New England in 1637. He is recorded being admitted to the church at Salem, Massachusetts, on 25 February 1638. He later became a juryman (1638) and constable (1642). He moved to Boston c. 1644, joining the Artillery Company there in 1645. He returned to England in October 1651.[1][2]
In 1657 Venner was the instigator of an abortive coup against Cromwell, which, had it taken place, would have involved significant bloodshed, beginning with a proposed attack on a troop of horse and the execution of any captured officers. Fortunately the authorities discovered the plot on 9 April 1657, about three hours before it was meant to begin, and a cavalry unit arrested at least 20 of the conspirators. Venner, along with others, was kept in the Tower from 9 April 1657 to at least February 1659, but was then released.[2]
Venner assumed leadership of the Fifth Monarchists after the execution of General Thomas Harrison at Charing Cross on 19 October 1660. Venner led a congregation, which included New Model Army veterans, that met in a rented room above a tavern in Swan's Alley off Coleman Street.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/96/Incidents_in_the_Rebellion_of_the_Fifth_Monarchy_Men_under_Thomas_Venner%2C_and_the_Execution_of_their_Leaders.jpg/300px-Incidents_in_the_Rebellion_of_the_Fifth_Monarchy_Men_under_Thomas_Venner%2C_and_the_Execution_of_their_Leaders.jpg)
On Sunday 1 January 1661 he led a number of his men – Samuel Pepys said they later turned out to be only 50, although it had been thought they were 500 at first – to a bookseller called Mr. Johnson at St. Paul's to demand the Cathedral keys. On being refused they broke in and accosted passers-by asking who they were for. One answered "King Charles" and they shot him through the heart. A number of musketeers sent to dislodge them were beaten back and a troop from the Trained Bands under the Lord Mayor, Major General Sir Richard Browne, attacked them and they retreated to Ken Wood near Highgate.
On the Wednesday they attacked again at Wood Street and Threadneedle Street forcing the King's Life Guard of Foot (a force of 1200 men commanded by John Russell) to retreat. They then attempted to storm the Comptor Prison to liberate the inmates in order to join them, but were repulsed in fierce fighting. Venner is said to have killed three men with a halberd in Threadneedle Street.
A force of General Monck's men under Colonel Cox pursued them to their last stands in the Helmet Tavern on Threadneedle Street and the Blue Anchor on Coleman Street. Royalist troops broke through the clay roof tiles with musket butts and fired upon the wounded defenders, breaking in through the ceiling. Venner was captured after being wounded nineteen times. Others were shot out of hand.
He was put on trial at the Old Bailey and hanged, drawn and quartered on 19 January 1661. According to Tobias Smollett, Venner and his followers "affirmed to the last that if they had been deceived, the Lord himself was their deceiver".[3]
Family
Venner's son, also Thomas (b.1641), a fellow-rebel, led the Monmouth cavalry in 1688 (ref DNB).
His grand-daughter Elizabeth married a linen draper's son, John Potter, later Bishop of Oxford and Archbishop of Canterbury.
References
This article needs additional citations for verification. (August 2017) |
- ^ Banks, Charles (1893). Thomas Venner, the Boston wine-cooper and Fifth-Monarchy man. New England Historic Genealogical Society.
- ^ a b Burrage, Champlin (1910). "The Fifth Monarchy Insurrections". The English Historical Review. XXV: 722–747.
- ^ Tobias Smollett – A Complete History of England Book VII Chap.1 p406
Further reading
- Anon. The Last Speech and Prayer with other Passages of Thomas Venner (London, 1660 [presumably 1661 by modern reckoning])
- Banks, Charles. Thomas Venner, the Boston wine-cooper and Fifth-Monarchy man, New England Historic Genealogical Society (1893)
- Burrage, Champlin. "The Fifth Monarchy Insurrections," The English Historical Review, Vol. XXV, 1910
- Dunan-Page, Anne. "L'insurrection de Thomas Venner (1661): anglicanisme et dissidence au défi des prophéties" in Les Voix de Dieu: Littérature et prophétie en France et en Angleterre à l'Âge baroque, Presses de la Sorbonne Nouvelle (2008) pp. 227-239
- Greaves, Richard L. Deliver Us From Evil. The Radical Underground in Britain, 1660-63 (Oxford U P., 1986)
External links
- The Diary of Samuel Pepys Saturday 19 January 1661
- Fifth Monarchists or Fifth Monarchy Men
- Template:Worldcat id