1893 text
Sir Robert Pye, the elder, was auditor of the Exchequer, and a staunch Royalist. He garrisoned his house at Faringdon, which was besieged by his son, of the same names, a decided Republican, son- in-law to Hampden, and colonel of horse under Fairfax. The son, here spoken of, was subsequently committed to the Tower for presenting a petition to the House of Commons from the county of Berks, which he represented in Parliament, complaining of the want of a settled form of government. He had, however, the courage to move for an habeas corpus, but judge Newdigate decided that the courts of law had not the power to discharge him. Upon Monk’s coming to London, the secluded members passed a vote to liberate Pye, and at the Restoration he was appointed equerry to the King. He died in 1701.—B.
This text comes from a footnote on a diary entry in the 1893 edition edited by Henry B. Wheatley.
4 Annotations
First Reading
Phil • Link
Brother of Elizabeth: http://www.pepysdiary.com/encyclo…
Second Reading
Bill • Link
Sir Robert Pye, Bart., of Faringdon House, Berks; married Anne, daughter of the celebrated John Hampden. They lived together sixty years, and died in 1701, within a few weeks of each other.
---Wheatley, 1899.
Bill • Link
PYE, Sir ROBERT (d. 1701), parliamentarian; nephew of Sir Walter Pye; a colonel of horse under Essex and Fairfax; M.P., Berkshire, 1654 and 1668; took little part in politics after the Restoration; joined William of Orange on his march to London, 1688.
---Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome. S. Lee, 1906.
Third Reading
San Diego Sarah • Link
It took me a minute to reconcile the apparent Royalist in the 1893 text, and the obvious Parliamentarian whose bio I found on the 1660-90 House of Commons site. Then I realized the house at Farringdon was held by Robert Pye SENIOR, and young Robert besieged him!
Junior still inherited when the time came, and was hired by Charles II. Go figure.
Sir Robert Pye MP JR. (1622 - 1701) was descended from an ancient Herefordshire gentry family.
Robert SR. was an Exchequer official, who bought Faringdon in 1623.
Robert JR. married Anne Hampton (with £2,000) in 1641; she was the daughter of John Hampden of Great Hampden, Bucks. They had 3 sons and 2 daughters.
Robert Pye Jr. was knighted by 1642. As he was a Capt. of horse (parliamentary) in 1642, and a Col. from 1644-7, this was not a royalist honor.
As a client of George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham’s, Robert Pye was a lukewarm MP during the Civil Wars -- until secluded at Pride’s Purge; but he continued to hold office during the Interregnum.
[Robert SR lived until 1662, and Villiers was a Royalist -- could the HoC bio have them confused? - SDS]
As the son-in-law of Hampden, Robert Pye Jr. was more active as a cavalry officer throughout the Civil Wars, holding local office under both Commonwealth and Protectorate.
In Jan. 1660, Sir Robert Pye MP presented the Berkshire petition for the return of the secluded Members, and was sent to the Tower.
He sued with a writ of habeas corpus, and was released at the overthrow of the Rump.
Pye’s stand commended him to Berkshire electors, and as a leading Presbyterian Royalist he was elected to the Convention Parliament, and named to 8 committees.
On 8 May, 1660, Pye was given leave to attend Charles II, who gave him a post in the stables.
He continued to serve Berkshire: Commr. for militia, Berks. 1648, ?Mar. 1660, j.p. 1651-83, 1689-d., capt. of militia horse Apr. 1660, dep. lt. c. Aug. 1660-83, 1689-d.; commr. for assessment, Berks. Aug. 1660-80, Westminster 1663-80, Berks.
Later committees included those on the bills for disbanding the army and for settling the establishment of Dunkirk.
On succeeding to an estate of £2,000 p.a. in 1662, he was granted a warrant for a baronetcy, but no patent passed the seals.
As a royal equerry, Pye was exempted from restrictions on travel imposed on former officers of the parliamentary army during the second Anglo-Dutch war, nor did Charles II lend credence to accusations after the Rye House Plot, although he was disarmed and removed from local office.
In December 1688 he joined William III of Orange.
Sir Robert Pye MP was reappointed j.p. and dep. lt. for Westminster after the Revolution.
In 1690, after a gap of 30 years, he stood again for Berkshire.
He was buried at Faringdon on 28 Dec., 1701, a few weeks after his wife had passed.
SEE https://www.historyofparliamenton…