Robert Phayre

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Robert Phayre (c.1619-1682) was a soldier and one of the Regicides of King Charles I of England.

Son of a Devonshire clergyman who emigrated to Ireland, Phayre was driven from his farm during the Irish Uprising (1641). He joined the army of the Earl of Inchiquin to fight the Confederates and rose to the rank of lieutenant-colonel, but did not follow Inchiquin when he declared for the King in 1648. Phayre went to England and joined the New Model Army. He was one of the officers delegated to supervise and carry out the King's execution in January 1649. Like Colonel Hercules Huncks, Phayre refused to sign the order to the executioner.

After the King's execution, Phayre returned to service in Ireland under Lord Broghill. He served as governor of Cork and acquired Irish lands after the defeat of the Confederates. He was associated with Quakers and other religious radicals. At the Restoration, Phayre was arrested and transported to England. Although imprisoned in the Tower of London he was not brought to trial and was released in 1662.

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This article incorporates text under a Creative Commons License by David Plant, the British Civil Wars and Commonwealth website http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/biog/index_p.htm