mar 1, 1655 - Penruddock's rising

Description:

- In the West Country
- Coordinated Royalist insurrections around the country fail to ignite
- Royalist conspirators planned an uprising to put the monarch back in charge
- Group of conspirators called the 'Sealed Knot' commissioned by exiled Charles II = coordinated underground Royalist activity
- Projected uprisings postponed several times
- 8th March was selected for the day of the uprising
- Charles II had expectation of crossing to England when uprising gathered pace
- On the evening a force of 100 - 300 Royalists assembled on Marston Moor
- When it was clear the plan had failed panic spread and the Royalists fled in all directions
- Royalists in South planned to occupy Winchester and to seize magistrates who were conducting county assizes
- Penruddock hesitated and changed the place and time of their uprising as they heard the magistrates were moving onto Salisbury
- High Sheriff and judges were arrested in their beds
- They called for other Royalists to join them but few did
- Cromwell appointed Major-General John Disbrowe to surpress the uprising
- After a street fight with Colonel Unton Croke the uprising was over
- Penruddock taken taken prisoner and beheaded May 16th

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