Records of the Rising in the West, A.J). 1655. 



(if not twice) condemned at Exeter to be hanged, drawn and quartered, for his 

 loyalty to the Western insurrection, which began at Salisbury, in 1655, about 

 the time of the assizes. The chief persons who headed it were Colonel Pen- 

 ruddock, Mr. Richard Reeves, Messieurs Robert and George Duke, to whom 

 came in afterwards Mr. Jos. Wagstaffe, Mr. Hugh Grove, &o. Theire design 

 having been discovered, the country was so strictly guarded, that they went on 

 with a very small number to South Molton, Co. Somerset [? Devon], where they 

 were attacked by Colonel Crook* in the night ; and after several skirmishes, they 

 entered into a treaty with him, upon promises given, and articles drawn up in 

 writing, and signed on both sides, that the gentlemen on the king's side should 

 be secured in their lives, liberties and estates, without being called to any account 

 for what they had done ; and that on this condition they should all go peaceably 

 home to their respective dwellings. They spent the evening both sides together ; 

 and next morning the royalists separated to go their several ways. But of this 

 separation Crook took the advantage, seized them, and carried them to Exeter. + 

 where Crook denying his articles, they were all tried and condemned to death. 

 Accordingly Colonel Penruddock and Mr. Grove were beheaded, May 16, 1655, 

 and some others were hanged. However Mr. Wake having refused Colonel 

 Crook's promise, and surrendered himself upon written articles, got those 

 articles carried up to Cromwell by one of Crook's own officers, who, ashamed of 

 the perfidiousness of his Colonel, voluntarily undertook to ride up post with 

 them from Exeter, upon which his execution, with that of others mentioned in 

 those articles, was not only stopped but by an ordinance of Parliament, he and 

 six others of his companions were pardoned, and restored in blood for all and 

 singular treasons or other offences by them committed or done before the 12 th of 

 October, 1656, at or about which time the act passed. However he continued 

 in prison till after the Archbishop's birth (Jan. 26 th , 1658). He married Anne, 

 the daughter of Edward Cutler, an honest plain man, but rich farmer, who lived 

 at Stourpain and Nutford, at the church of St. Bartholemew the Less, in West 

 Smithfield, London, Feb. 4 th , 1653. * * * It was one article in the marriage 

 coutract, that if there should be any opportunity, given or any motions made for 

 restoring the king, he should be at liberty to join them, and not hindered from 

 taking up arms. She was a stirring and industrious wife ; so he upon coming 

 out of the king's army in slender circumstances, and being obliged to set up 

 the stapling and cloathing trade for the maintenance of himself and family, she 

 helped him very much in it, particularly during the time of his long imprison- 

 ment at Exeter, besides the bringing him a considerable fortune to enable him 

 to carry it on." 



The Archbishop then goes on to relate how his father prospered 

 after the restoration and how he himself was almost persuaded, just 

 before his ordination, to forsake the Church and join him in a very 

 lucrative aulnage business, which he rented of the Duke of Richmond. 



* Crook was only a Captain. 

 + This varies from Croke's account, as I have already pointed out. Confer however the petition, 

 p. 39, which sets forth similar terms of surrender, In any event, the point as to who was included 

 in them, remains in dispute. 



