John Barkstead

John Barkstead [His name is spelt Barstead in contemporary Parliamentary records (see [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=47259 Act of Free and Generall Pardon Indempnity and Oblivion] )] (d.1662) was an English Major-General and Regicide.

A London goldsmith and Congregationalist, Barkstead joined Parliament's army as a captain of foot in Colonel Venn's regiment at the start of the English Civil War. He was governor of Reading from July 1644 until January 1647, when he was appointed colonel of an infantry regiment in the New Model Army. Barkstead's regiment occupied Whitehall during the political disturbances of January 1648, and helped secure Southwark against Royalist insurgents in May. In June 1648, Barkstead marched a brigade of infantry 50 miles from London in 48 hours to join Lord-General Thomas Fairfax at the siege of Colchester. In January 1649, Barkstead was one of the 59 Commisioners who sat in judgement at the trial of King Charles I and signed the death warrant.

During the 1650s, Barkstead worked closely with Oliver Cromwell's spymaster John Thurloe in intelligence work and in maintaining London's security. In 1652, he was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London. Cromwell praised Barkstead's efficiency, but his enemies accused him of treating prisoners in the Tower harshly and of amassing a large fortune by charging extortionate fees. He was elected Member of Parliament for Colchester in the First Protectorate Parliament, and in 1655 became military governor of Westminster and Middlesex during the Rule of the Major-Generals. As deputy to Philip Skippon, Barkstead was also effectively Major-General for the City of London. Barkstead was zealous in suppressing immorality and ungodliness in the City and surrounding districts. He was knighted by Cromwell in January 1656, sat as MP for Middlesex in the Second Protectorate Parliament and was appointed to Cromwell's Upper House.

Barkstead was elected to the Third Protectorate Parliament under Richard Cromwell, but came under attack for his conduct as Lieutenant of the Tower. When the Rump Parliament was recalled in 1659, Barkstead was dismissed from office.

At the Restoration of Charles II of England, he and the other men who signed the death warrant for Charles I, were in grave danger. Like many of these men, Barkstead fled England. He went to Germany where he was welcomed and given the freedom of the Lutheran city of Hanau. However, when he travelled to the Netherlands to meet his wife, he was arrested (just like his fellow regicide John Okey) by the English ambassador Sir George Downing. He was returned to England under guard, brought to trial as a Regicide, and condemned. He was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn in April 1662.

References

* James Caulfield, "The High Court of Justice: Comprising Memoirs of the Principal Persons, who sat in Judgment on King Charles the First and Signed his Death Warrant", John Caulfield, London 1820
* This article contains text under a Creative Commons License by David Plant, the British Civil Wars and Commonwealth website: [http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/biog/barkstead.htm John Barkstead, Regicide]

Footnotes