John Smith (Cavalier born 1616)
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Sir John Smith of Skilts (1616–1644) was an Englishman who supported 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 governme ...
cause in the English Civil War. He is best known for recapturing the Royal Standard at the Battle of Edgehill, a deed for which he was made a
knight banneret A knight banneret, sometimes known simply as banneret, was a medieval knight ("a commoner of rank") who led a company of troops during time of war under his own banner (which was square-shaped, in contrast to the tapering standard or the penn ...
by King
Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...
on the field of battle.


Biography

John Smith, born in 1616 at Skilts in the parish of
Studley, Warwickshire Studley is a large village and civil parish in the Stratford-on-Avon district of Warwickshire, England. Situated on the western edge of Warwickshire near the border with Worcestershire, it is southeast of Redditch and northwest of Stratford- ...
, was fourth son of Sir Francis Smith of
Queniborough Queniborough is an English village in the county of Leicestershire 2.5 miles (4 km) north-east of the town of Syston and of 7.5 miles (12 km) north-east of the city of Leicester. Its 972 properties housed 1,878 registered electors in 2003. T ...
, Leicestershire, by his wife Anne, daughter of Thomas Markham of Kirkby Beler and of Allerton, Nottinghamshire. His eldest brother, Sir Charles Smith, was elevated to the peerage in 1643 as Baron Carrington of Wootton Wawen in Warwickshire and
Viscount Carrington Viscount Carrington, of Burford in the Province of Connaught, was a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1643 for Charles Smyth, 1st Baron Carrington of Wootton Wawen, Warwickshire. He had only a few days earlier been created Baron C ...
of Barreford in Connaught. cites G. E. Cokayne, ''Complete Peerage'', ii. 167. He was brought up a
Roman Catholic Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...
, his earlier education being entrusted to a kinsman. At a later date he was sent abroad to Germany to complete his studies. He always had a strong disposition for a military life, and ventured to return home without leave, to urge his relatives to permit him to follow his bent. His projects, however, were received with no favour, and he was sent to resume his studies in the
Spanish Netherlands Spanish Netherlands (Spanish: Países Bajos Españoles; Dutch: Spaanse Nederlanden; French: Pays-Bas espagnols; German: Spanische Niederlande.) (historically in Spanish: ''Flandes'', the name "Flanders" was used as a ''pars pro toto'') was the Ha ...
. He soon joined the Spanish army which was defending
Flanders Flanders (, ; Dutch: ''Vlaanderen'' ) is the Flemish-speaking northern portion of Belgium and one of the communities, regions and language areas of Belgium. However, there are several overlapping definitions, including ones related to culture, ...
against the French and Dutch. He distinguished himself by several deeds of daring; but hearing of the Scottish disturbances, he resolved to return to England and offer his services to Charles I. He received a lieutenant's commission, and was victorious in a skirmish with the Scots at Stapleford in the neighbourhood of the Tees. After the conclusion of the
Treaty of Ripon The Treaty of Ripon was an agreement signed by Charles I, King of England, Scotland, and Ireland, and the Scottish Covenanters on 28 October 1640, in the aftermath of the Second Bishops' War. The Bishops' Wars were fought by the Covenanters to ...
, on 28 October 1640, he retired to his mother's house at
Ashby Folville Ashby Folville is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Gaddesby, in the Melton district of Leicestershire, England, south west of Melton Mowbray. In 1931 the parish had a population of 123. History The village of 'Ashby' w ...
in Leicestershire. When the
English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...
broke out he joined the Royalists and was made a captain-lieutenant under
Lord John Stewart Lord John Stewart (23 October 1621 – 29 March 1644) was a Scottish aristocrat who served as a Royalist commander in the English Civil War. He was one of six sons of Esmé Stewart, 3rd Duke of Lennox and his wife Katherine Clifton, 2nd Baro ...
(''d''. 1644) On 9 August 1642 he disarmed the people of Kilsby in Northamptonshire, who had declared for Parliament, and on 23 September he took part in the fight at Powick Bridge (23 September 1642). At the Battle of Edgehill (23 October 1642) his troop was in Lord Grandison's regiment, on the left wing. In the battle the Royal standard-bearer, Sir Edmund Verney, was killed and the standard taken. Smith, with two others, recovered it. For this service he was knighted on the field, being, it is said, the last knight banneret created in England. He also received a troop of his own, and was appointed by Lord Grandison major of his regiment. After Edgehill he was sent into the south. He was taken prisoner on 13 December by William Waller in Winchester Castle, and did not obtain his liberty till the September following. On his release he proceeded to Oxford, and was made lieutenant-colonel of Lord Herbert of Raglan's regiment of horse. In 1644 he was despatched to the western army, as major-general of the horse under Lord John Stewart. On 29 March the royalists under Patrick Ruthven, 1st Earl of Forth, engaged the parliamentarians under Waller at Cheriton in Hampshire. The rashness of
Henry Bard Henry Bard, 1st Viscount Bellomont (1616 – June 20, 1656) was a Royalist soldier and diplomat who served in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, then as envoy from Charles II of England to Safavid Iran and the Mughal Empire, where he died in 1656. ...
(afterwards Viscount Bellamont) involved the royalist cavalry in a premature engagement. Smith was mortally wounded, and the dismay occasioned by his fall is said to have hastened his companions' retreat. He died the next day, and was buried on the south side of the choir in
Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church ( la, Ædes Christi, the temple or house, '' ædēs'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, the college is uniqu ...
.An elegy on him appears in Sir Francis Wortley's ''Characters and Elegies'', London, 1646,
4to Quarto (abbreviated Qto, 4to or 4º) is the format of a book or pamphlet produced from full sheets printed with eight pages of text, four to a side, then folded twice to produce four leaves. The leaves are then trimmed along the folds to produc ...
.


Notes


References

;Attribution * {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, John 1616 births 1644 deaths Military personnel from Warwickshire Knights banneret of England People killed in the English Civil War Royalist military personnel of the English Civil War People from Stratford-on-Avon District English generals