Adam Baynes (''bapt''. 1622; died 1671) was a
Parliamentarian army officer and
MP for
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
during the
Commonwealth, and as such the first MP for the city. He was later also MP for
Appleby. He enjoyed the patronage of
John Lambert John Lambert may refer to:
*John Lambert (martyr) (died 1538), English Protestant martyred during the reign of Henry VIII
*John Lambert (general) (1619–1684), Parliamentary general in the English Civil War
* John Lambert of Creg Clare (''fl.'' c. ...
, who he served under during the
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Anglo ...
, which helped his parliamentary career, but also later led to his downfall when the
Royalists
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
regained power in 1660.
Life and career
Adam Baynes was the eldest son of Robert Baynes and Joan Brown, of
Knostrop Hall, east of
Leeds
Leeds () is a city and the administrative centre of the City of Leeds district in West Yorkshire, England. It is built around the River Aire and is in the eastern foothills of the Pennines. It is also the third-largest settlement (by popula ...
, where his family had resided since at least the middle of the sixteenth century. He was baptised on 22 December 1622 in Leeds.
During the
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Anglo ...
, Baynes joined the
Parliamentarian army, serving under
Ferdinando, Lord Fairfax. After initially serving as a captain in the infantry, he raised a cavalry troop, and subsequently fought at the
battles of Adwalton Moor and
Marston Moor
The Battle of Marston Moor was fought on 2 July 1644, during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms of 1639 – 1653. The combined forces of the English Parliamentarians under Lord Fairfax and the Earl of Manchester and the Scottish Covenanters un ...
. He subsequently served as an officer under
John Lambert John Lambert may refer to:
*John Lambert (martyr) (died 1538), English Protestant martyred during the reign of Henry VIII
*John Lambert (general) (1619–1684), Parliamentary general in the English Civil War
* John Lambert of Creg Clare (''fl.'' c. ...
, who had command of the northern brigade from August 1647. Baynes was moved to London, where he acted as the brigade's financial agent, purchasing lands, soldier's debts and estates for his fellow officers. He purchased the
Holdenby House
Holdenby House is a historic country house in Northamptonshire, traditionally pronounced, and sometimes spelt, Holmby. The house is situated in the parish of Holdenby, six miles (10 km) northwest of Northampton and close to Althorp. It is a ...
estate for himself in 1650, though he was criticised for the personal profits he made from the transactions.
He married Martha () in July 1650, and the pair had sixteen children, ten of whom outlived Baynes. The patronage of Lambert helped Baynes to gain election to the
First Protectorate Parliament
The First Protectorate Parliament was summoned by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell under the terms of the Instrument of Government. It sat for one term from 3 September 1654 until 22 January 1655 with William Lenthall as the Speaker of the Ho ...
in 1654, and he was returned again two years later to the
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons. In its first session, the House of Commons was its only chamber; in ...
.
He was described as "an army agent of some influence at
Whitehall
Whitehall is a road and area in the City of Westminster, Central London. The road forms the first part of the A3212 road from Trafalgar Square to Chelsea. It is the main thoroughfare running south from Trafalgar Square towards Parliament Sq ...
",
[The Story of English Towns - Leeds](_blank)
J. S. Fletcher, Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, 1919 and was generally sympathetic towards
Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...
. After Lambert was removed from his position by
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three K ...
, Baynes also left his position, though it is unclear if he was removed or resigned. In 1659, Leeds did not have a seat in Parliament, and Baynes was instead elected as an MP for
Appleby. Baynes continued to support Lambert in the House of Commons, opposing the vote to make
Richard Cromwell
Richard Cromwell (4 October 162612 July 1712) was an English statesman who was the second and last Lord Protector of the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland and son of the first Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell.
On his father's deat ...
the second
Lord Protector. The dissolution of
The Protectorate
The Protectorate, officially the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, refers to the period from 16 December 1653 to 25 May 1659 during which England, Wales, Scotland, Ireland and associated territories were joined together in the Co ...
in 1659 allowed Baynes to return to the Army, but a year later the
Royalist
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
favouring
Convention Parliament had him arrested and had to forfeit the crown lands he had purchased. He kept most of his Holdenby estate and received an appointment as "crown receiver for the manor of Leeds".
He suffered financial issues in the mid-1660s, and was sent to the
Tower of London
The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is sep ...
in 1666 for "treasonable practices". He died around 5 January 1671, and left "houses, coalpits, and a 'considerable colliery'" to his family.
References
Further reading
*Hirst, Derek, 'The fracturing of the Cromwellian alliance : Leeds and Adam Baynes'. ''English Historical Review'' 108 (1993), 868-94
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baynes, Adam
1620s births
1671 deaths
Roundheads
People from Knowsthorpe
17th-century soldiers
English MPs 1654–1655
English MPs 1656–1658
Politicians from Leeds
Members of the Parliament of England for constituencies in Yorkshire
Military personnel from Leeds