John Hampden | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Committee of Safety | |
| In office July 1642 – June 1643 | |
| Member of Parliament | |
| In office April 1640 – December 1643 | |
| Preceded by | Parliament reestablished |
| Succeeded by | George Fleetwood |
| Constituency | Buckinghamshire |
| In office 1624–1629 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency reestablished |
| Succeeded by | Robert Croke |
| Constituency | Wendover |
| In office 1621–1622 | |
| Preceded by | Thomas St Aubyn |
| Succeeded by | John Mohun |
| Constituency | Grampound |
| Personal details | |
| Born | c. June 1595 London, England |
| Died | 24 June 1643(1643-06-24) (aged 48) |
| Resting place | Great Hampden |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Symeon (1619–1631) Letitia Knollys (1640–1643) |
| Relations | Oliver Cromwell |
| Children | 7, includingWilliam andRichard |
| Parent(s) | William Hampden Elizabeth Cromwell |
| Alma mater | Magdalen College, Oxford |
| Occupation | Politician, military officer |
| Signature |  |
| Military service | |
| Years of service | 1642–43 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | Hampden’s Regiment of Foot |
| Battles/wars | |
John Hampden,c. June 1595 – to 24 June 1643, was a member of thelanded gentry fromBuckinghamshire, who was killed fighting forParliament in theFirst English Civil War. An ally of Parliamentarian leaderJohn Pym, and a cousin ofOliver Cromwell, he was one of theFive Members whomCharles I of England tried to arrest in January 1642, a significant step in the outbreak of fighting in August. All five are commemorated at theState Opening of Parliament each year.
When the war began in August 1642, Hampden raised an infantry regiment for the Parliamentarian cause. His death on 18 June 1643 after being wounded in theBattle of Chalgrove Field was considered a significant loss, largely because Hampden acted as a bridge between the different Parliamentarian factions.
His early death meant Hampden avoided the ideological splits that led to theexecution of Charles I in January 1649, and establishment of theCommonwealth of England. Combined with a reputation for honest, principled, and patriotic opposition to arbitrary rule, in 1841 his statue was erected in the rebuiltPalace of Westminster, representing the Parliamentarian cause.[a] Prior to theAmerican Revolution,Benjamin Franklin andJohn Adams were among those who referenced him to justify their cause.[1]
John Hampden was born around June 1595, probably inLondon, eldest son ofWilliam Hampden (1570–1597), and Elizabeth Cromwell (1574–1664).[2] The family were long-established inBuckinghamshire, and William wasMember of Parliament forEast Looe in 1593.[3] After the death of his father in April 1597, his cousin, another William Hampden, was appointed executor but became involved in a bitter legal dispute with Elizabeth; John's younger brother, Richard (1596–1659), inherited his estates atEmmington.[4]
Hampden married Elizabeth Symeon in 1619, and they had nine children together prior to her death in 1631, of whom seven survived into adulthood. Ann (1616–1701), Elizabeth (1619–1643), John (1621–1642),William (died 1675), Ruth (1628–1687), Mary (1630–1689), andRichard (1631–1695),Chancellor of the Exchequer underWilliam III. In 1640, he married Letitia Knollys (1591–1666); they had no children before he died in 1643.[2]
Hampden graduated fromMagdalen College, Oxford in 1610, and attended theInner Temple from 1613 to 1615, not necessarily to become alawyer, but because knowledge of the law was then considered part of a gentleman's education.[2] While studying inLondon, he became involved with otherPuritans, a general term for anyone who wanted to 'purify' theChurch of England by removing what they considered to beCatholic practices. Members belonged to a variety ofProtestantsects, the most prominent beingPresbyterians like Hampden, connecting him to a network that includedRichard Knightley,Lord Saye, andJohn Preston.[2]
In 1621, he becameMP forGrampound, arotten borough inCornwall controlled by the local magnate,John Arundell; a good example of the complexity of the period, Arundell opposedShip Money in the 1630s, but during theFirst English Civil War heldPendennis Castle forCharles I.[5] Hampden subsequently financed a successful campaign to restore parliamentary representation toWendover in 1624, a seat he held until 1629. As MP for Wendover in 1626, he sat in the so-called "Useless Parliament", known as such for failing to pass any legislation. In return for approving taxes,Parliament demanded theimpeachment of theDuke of Buckingham, a close friend of the king, and a military commander notorious for inefficiency and extravagance.[6]
Rather than comply, Charles dissolved it and resorted to raising money through forced loans, with over 70 individuals jailed for refusing to pay, including Hampden's uncle,Sir Edmund Hampden.[7] When Hampden also declined to subscribe, he was arrested, and while in prison metSir John Eliot, a leading member of the Parliamentary opposition. When the "loans" failed to produce sufficient income, Charles was forced to call new elections in March 1627, which returned "a preponderance of MPs opposed to the King", including Hampden,John Selden,Edward Coke,John Pym and a youngOliver Cromwell.[7]
Released to attend the newParliament, Hampden collaborated with Eliot and others in efforts to limit Royal power.[b] The most significant was the June 1628Petition of Right, which opened the way to a new impeachment of Buckingham, a campaign that ended after he was assassinated in August 1628 by adisgruntled soldier. The next issue was that ofRoger Maynwaring andRobert Sibthorpe, two priests who publishedsermons supportive of thedivine right of kings,passive obedience, and which implied Charles was entitled to raise taxes as he wished.[2]
In the 17th century, many believed 'good government' and 'true religion' were closely linked, and alterations in one implied alterations in the other.[c] Using divine right to justify the levying of taxes without the approval of Parliament was inflammatory enough in itself, but Maynwaring also claimed those who disobeyed the king risked eternal damnation, infuriating Puritans who generally believed inPredestination, andsalvation through faith.[9] His suggestion 'kings were gods' was also regarded as blasphemy.[10] Censured for preaching against the established constitution, the two men were later pardoned by Charles, who dismissed Parliament in 1629, and instituted eleven years ofPersonal Rule.[11]
Hampden's role in the 1628 Parliament was largely behind the scenes, where his organisational and man-management skills could be best used, but placed him in the inner circle of parliamentary opposition. In 1629, theEarl of Warwick granted him lands inSaybrook Colony, nowOld Saybrook, Connecticut; participation in the colonial movement was common among Puritan leaders. Other participants included Pym, who was treasurer of theProvidence Island Company, Warwick, Lord Saye, Knightley, Henry Darley,William Waller, andLord Brooke.[12] Company meetings provided cover to organise political opposition; whether its members also considered permanent emigration is still disputed.[13]
Hampden remained a relatively obscure figure, until 1637, when he was prosecuted in a test case to confirm the legality ofship money. This was a long-standing levy, raised in coastal counties to fund theRoyal Navy, but only in time of war, not every year as Charles was now doing. Opposition was based on the principle of taxes imposed without parliamentary approval, not the tax itself; there was widespread support for a powerful navy to protect English trade.[2]
Its extension into inland counties like Hampden's estates inBuckinghamshire widened opposition to its collection, and how it was spent.Sovereign of the Seas, a 100 gun warship built between 1634 and 1637, was a prestige project five times the cost of normal ships, too large for any English harbour and too slow to fight theBarbary pirates the Crown claimed justified building ships.[14] Finally, rather than using it to deter Charles used it to transport Spanish bullion and supplies toFlanders for their war against the Protestant Dutch, payment for which he kept.[15]
The parliamentary leaders, including Hampden, owned multiple properties, and to make it clear they only opposed its legality, they were careful to pay some assessments. Hampden was tried by theCourt of Exchequer in June 1637, but divisions among the judges delayed their ruling until July 1638. Although seven out of the twelve found the tax legal, the fact five did not made it a public relations disaster for Charles; less than 20% of the £208,000 assessed for 1639 was paid. Many refused demands forCoat and conduct money during the 1639 and 1640Bishops' Wars, fearing if they did, Charles would turn them into permanent taxes.[16]
Following defeat in the first of theBishops Wars, Charles recalled Parliament in April 1640; when theShort Parliament refused to vote taxes without concessions, he dissolved it after only three weeks. However, the humiliatingterms imposed by the Scots after a second victory in 1640 forced him to hold fresh elections in November; Pym acted as unofficial leader of the opposition, with Hampden co-ordinating the different factions.[17] Shortly after theLong Parliament assembled, it was presented with theRoot and Branch petition; signed by 15,000 Londoners, it demanded England follow the Scottish example and expel bishops from theChurch of England.[18]
This reflected widespread concern overArminianism in the Church of England, seen as evidence of pro-Catholic policies and confirmed by Charles making war on the Protestant Scots, but not assisting his nephewCharles Louis against the CatholicEmperor. Many feared he was about to sign an alliance with Spain, a view shared by the French andVenetian ambassadors; ending arbitrary rule was thus important for England and the European Protestant cause in general.[19][d]
Since convention prevented direct attacks on Charles, the alternative was to prosecute his 'evil counsellors', showing even if he was above the law, his subordinates were not, and he could not protect them; the intention was to make others think twice about their actions.Laud was impeached in December 1640, and held in theTower of London;[e] the king's chief minister theEarl of Strafford, formerLord Deputy of Ireland and organiser of the 1640 Bishops War, was executed in May 1641.[21]
The Commons also passed a series of constitutional reforms, including theTriennial Acts, abolition of theStar Chamber, and an end to levying taxes without Parliament's consent. Voting as a block, the bishops ensured all these were rejected by the Lords.[22] In June 1641, Parliament responded with theBishops Exclusion Bill, which was rejected by the Lords. The outbreak of theIrish Rebellion in October brought matters to a head; both Charles and Parliament supported raising troops to suppress it, but neither trusted the other with their control.[23]
TheGrand Remonstrance was presented to Charles on 1 December 1641; unrest culminated in 23 to 29 December with widespread riots inWestminster, led by the London apprentices. Suggestions Parliamentary leaders helped organise these have not been proved, but it prevented bishops attending the Lords.[24] On 30 December,John Williams,Archbishop of York and eleven other bishops, signed a complaint, disputing the legality of any laws passed by the Lords during their exclusion. Led byDenzil Holles, the Commons ruled this was an invitation for the king to dissolve Parliament, and all twelve were arrested for treason.[25]
On 4 January, Charles tried to arrest theFive Members, including Hampden, Pym and Holles; after it failed, he left London, accompanied by Royalist MPs likeEdward Hyde, and members of the Lords. This was a major tactical mistake, as it gave his opponents majorities in both houses.[26] However, even at this late stage, the vast majority on both sides wanted to avoid civil war, and petitioned Parliament and Charles to agree terms.[27]
Pym and Hampden were among the few to understand only military victory could compel Charles to keep his commitments. He openly told foreign ambassadors any concessions were temporary, and would be retrieved by force if needed, an approach confirmed by the Scottish experience. The Irish Catholic rebels claimed approval for their actions; while untrue, the assertion was given weight by his attempts to use Irish troops against the Scots, and initial refusal to condemn the rebellion.[28]
However, regardless of religion or political belief, in 1642 the vast majority believed a 'well-ordered' monarchy was divinely mandated; where they disagreed was what 'well-ordered' meant, and who held ultimate authority in clerical affairs.[29] Since Charles could not be deposed, the only way of dealing with him was through military victory; it was this clarity that set Hampden, Pym, and laterOliver Cromwell apart from the majority. When theFirst English Civil War began, Hampden was appointed to theCommittee of Safety.[2]
When war began in August 1642, both sides expected it to be settled by a single, decisive battle; many areas remained neutral, while awaiting the result. Hampden raised a regiment, which acted as artillery escort at theBattle of Edgehill in October and helped repulse the Royalist cavalry. After the disastrousBattle of Brentford, he helped rally troops for the defence of London. However, his main contribution was holding the Parliamentary factions together over the first winter, and preparing for a long war by initiating the negotiations that led to theSolemn League and Covenant with the Scots in August 1643.[2]
When the 1643 campaign began, Hampden was serving with theEarl of Essex, whose lack of aggression was already causing concern. Tasked with taking the Royalist war capital ofOxford, Essexcaptured Reading on 27 April, where he remained until mid May. On 18 June 1643, Hampden was wounded at theBattle of Chalgrove Field; shot twice in the shoulder, the wound became infected. Later claims that these injuries were caused by the explosion of his own pistol have not been substantiated.[30]
He died at home six days later, and was buried in Great Hampden church. Unlike Pym, who died of cancer in December, his loss was mourned on both sides of the conflict; his close friendAnthony Nicholl wrote ‘Never Kingdom received a greater loss in one subject, never a man a truer and more faithful friend.’[31] In 1843,George Nugent-Grenville, aWhig radical politician and author of the hagiographic and often inaccurateMemorials of John Hampden, paid for the Hampden Monument, located near the battle site.[32]
His death in 1643 meant Hampden avoided the bitter internal debates that led to the execution of Charles in 1649, and establishment of theCommonwealth of England. As a result, he is a less complex figure than either Pym or his cousin Oliver Cromwell. One example of this appears inThomas Gray's poem "Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard", which includes the lines "Some village-Hampden, that with dauntless breast / The little tyrant of his fields withstood...Some Cromwell guiltless of his country's blood."[33]
In reality, both he and Pym recognised far earlier than most Charles had to be defeated militarily, but since Hampden rarely made speeches, he was far less visible. In his 'History of the Rebellion',Clarendon claimed his influence and reputation derived from his man management skills and organisational abilities.[34] Prior to the 1774American Revolution,Benjamin Franklin andJohn Adams used Hampden to claim rebellion against the state could be reconciled with patriotism, while his death in battle allowed him to be positioned as a martyr to the cause of liberty.[1]
The early 19th centuryBritish radical movement set upHampden Clubs, and he was referenced by Radical poetPercy Shelley. InMary Shelley's novel,Frankenstein, he appears as a symbol of rebellion against patriarchal authority.[35] When thePalace of Westminster was rebuilt after 1834, he was selected as one of the famous Parliamentary figures whose statues are positioned in St Stephen's Hall.[36] As one of theFive Members he is annually commemorated at theState Opening of Parliament.[37] The early 20th centurySuffragette movement used him to justify their slogan of 'No vote, no tax', as do modern anti-tax resisters, although this misses the point he objected to levying them without the approval of Parliament, not the taxes themselves.[2]
A variety of establishments bear his name, in Britain, and other parts of the English-speaking world, notably the United States; these includeHampden-Sydney College,Virginia, founded in 1775, plus numerous schools, towns, counties, hospitals, and geographical points. His enduring popularity as a symbol of Parliamentary freedom continues;Mount Hampden was selected as the location for the newParliament of Zimbabwe building, due for completion in 2022.[38] One of theLondon Underground electric locomotives used on theMetropolitan line was named "John Hampden"; retired in 1961, it is now on display in theLondon Transport Museum.[39]Hampden Park, Scotland’s national football stadium, is named after him.[40] In addition, twoMasonic lodges bear his name; Lodge 6290, inOxfordshire,[41] and 6483 inBuckinghamshire.[42]
Multiple communities are named after him as well includingHampden County, Massachusetts,Hampden, Massachusetts,Hampden, Maine,Hamden, Connecticut, and the Hampden neighborhood of Baltimore, Maryland in the United States as well asHampden,Newfoundland and Labrador in Canada.
TheHandley Page Hampden, a Second World War bomber, was named after him.[43]
A state grammar school in High Wycombe, John Hampden Grammar School, is named after him.
{{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:ISBN / Date incompatibility (help){{cite book}}:|work= ignored (help)| Parliament of England | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | Member of Parliament forGrampound 1621–1622 With:Sir Robert Carey | Succeeded by |
| Constituency disenfranchised1309–1624 | Member of Parliament forWendover 1624–1629 With:Alexander Denton 1624 Richard Hampden 1625 Sampson Darrell 1626 Ralph Hawtree 1628–1629 | Parliament suspended until 1640 |
| Vacant | Member of Parliament forBuckinghamshire 1640–1643 With:Arthur Goodwin | Succeeded by |
