The Diary of Samuel Pepys

Daily entries from the 17th century London diary

Cavaliers

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helena murphy   Link to this

Acording to Edward Simmons, the Royalist chaplain, a cavalier "is a Child of Honour, a Gentleman well borne and bred, that loves his king for conscience sake, of a clearer countenance, and bolder look than other men, because of a more loyal Heart." This sober description conflicts with the popular one of the roisterous cavalier which has come down to us from history. Simmons' portrait is the more accurate, as the typical Royalist field officer was usually in his early thirties, happily married and with an estate and responsibilities in his local rural community. Of the many worthy of mention are Sir Bevil Grenville, who wrote while on campaign of his concerns for family, his estates and tenants. Sir Henry Slingsby was considered an honourable and devout man of principle, while Sir Henry Gage was noted for his piety and ability, and was "a compleat soulgier and a wise man."
The Parliamentarians coined the word cavalier as a pejorative term and it is their propaganda image of the licentious, hard drinking , frivolous royalist which caught the popular imagination. It appears that a few supporters of the King deliberately perpetrated the myth simply due to their love of life. Such was Sir George Goring , Lord Wilmot, Sir Joseph Wagstaffe, Major General of Foot in the Western Army ,who loved "mirth and jollity ." Sir Thomas Lunsford, a Colonel of Foot was described in 1637 as "a young outlaw who neither fears God nor man......a swaggering ruffian". Henry Washington, Governor of Worcester towads the end of the war , and Lord Wentworth, Commander in Chief in the West seem to have further cultivated this extravagant picture for posterity.However, these men were very much the exception ,the vast majority of Royalist supporters being drawn from the sensible men and women of the rural genry and their dependents.

Barratt,John Cavaliers The Royalist Army at War 1642-1646 Sutton 2000

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