1893 text

Major-General Edward Massey (or Massie), son of John Massie, was captain of one of the foot companies of the Irish Expedition, and had Oliver Cromwell as his ensign (see Peacock’s “Army Lists in 1642,” p. 65). He was Governor of Gloucester in its obstinate defence against the royal forces, 1643; dismissed by the self- denying ordinance when he entered Charles II’s service. He was taken prisoner at the battle of Worcester, September 3rd, 1651, but escaped abroad.


This text comes from a footnote on a diary entry in the 1893 edition edited by Henry B. Wheatley.

5 Annotations

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Second Reading

Terry Foreman  •  Link

Sir Edward Massey (c. 1619–1674) was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1646 and 1674. He fought for the Parliamentary cause the first and second English Civil Wars before changing allegiance and fighting for King Charles II during Third Civil War. During the Interregnum he was active for the Royalist cause. After the Restoration he was knighted and was active in public life, as Member of Parliament and occasionally in military and administrative affairs. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edw…

Bill  •  Link

MASSEY, Sir EDWARD (1619?-1674?), major-general; royalist, 1642; joined parliamentarians; general of the Western Association, 1645; co-operated with Fairfax in reducing the west, 1645-6; M.P., Gloucester, 1646; commander-in-chief of the London forces; impeached by the army, 1647; fled to Holland; returned, 1648; excluded from the House of Commons by Pride's Purge, 1648, and imprisoned with Waller; again escaped to Holland and joined the king, 1649; lieutenant-general, 1651; wounded at Worcester, taken prisoner, and lodged in the Tower, 1651; again escaped to Holland; negotiated with English presbyterians, 1654, 1655, and 1660; appointed governor of Gloucester by Charles and knighted, 1660; M.P., Gloucester, 1661-74.
---Dictionary of National Biography: Index and Epitome. S. Lee, 1906.

San Diego Sarah  •  Link

Gen. Massey was one of the people who served on both sides during the Civil Wars. He was captured and imprisoned in the Tower after the second battle of Worcester. He escaped, and fled to Charles II's court in exile. He got sent back to England to work with the Great Trust in 1659.

During the Diary years, Charles II rewarded Sir Edward Massie/Massey MP for his services with a knighthood, a grant of money and lands in Ireland.
He was also recommended for the governorship of Jamaica in September 1660, but never took up the appointment.
Massie commanded troops in the Dover garrison during the Second Anglo-Dutch War.
During the debates fixing blame after Chatham, he pointed out that the failure of the people tasked with building the Sheerness Fort were responsible for the Dutch success.
He died in Ireland in 1674.
http://bcw-project.org/biography/…
https://www.historyofparliamenton…

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References

Chart showing the number of references in each month of the diary’s entries.

1661