Thomas Lunsford

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Sir Thomas Lunsford (c. 1611 – 1656) was a Royalist in the English Civil War.

Born into a decayed gentry family of East Hoathly in Sussex, Lunsford had a reputation as a swaggering ruffian "who neither fears God nor man". In 1633, he was indicted for the attempted murder of a neighbour, Sir Thomas Pelham, but escaped from Newgate Prison and fled to the Continent. In his absence, Lunsford was fined £8,000 and outlawed for failing to appear before the Court of Star Chamber. Meanwhile, he joined the French army and became colonel of a regiment of foot.

On the outbreak of the Bishops' Wars in 1639, Lunsford returned to England and offered his services to King Charles, who pardoned him and remitted his fine. He became a favourite of the King after fighting courageously at the disastrous battle of Newburn in August 1640. During the riots and disturbances in London in December 1641, Lunsford was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower of London, but the appointment was so unpopular that he was replaced four days later. However, the King knighted him and appointed him commander of an unofficial royal guard at the Palace of Whitehall. Lunsford's men twice dispersed rioting apprentices and citizens at sword-point, and in January 1642 they guarded the King during his disastrous attempt to arrest the Five Members in the House of Commons. Parliament ordered Lunsford's arrest after he joined George, Lord Digby in an attempt to seize the county magazine at Kingston upon Thames in the King's name. Released from prison in June, he joined King Charles at York.

Lunsford was taken prisoner after the battle of Edgehill in October 1642 and imprisoned at Warwick Castle until May 1644. He rejoined the King's army and served as deputy-governor of Bristol and governor of Monmouth. After the defeat of the King's army at Naseby in June 1645, Lunsford attempted to rally support for the Royalist cause in Wales, but he was captured at the siege of Hereford in December 1645. He remained a prisoner in the Tower of London until 1648. On his release, he was granted permission to emigrate to Virginia with his wife and family. After serving as lieutenant-general of the Virginia militia he died there around 1656.

Lunsford's two brothers Herbert and Henry were also Royalist officers; Henry was killed at the siege of Bristol in 1643.

Puritan efforts at propaganda and psychological warfare took advantage of Lunsford's reputation as a wild cavalier who could perpetrate almost any outrage; John Lilburne spread rumors of Lunsford's cannibalism. A folk rhyme of the era, which confused Thomas with his brother Henry, held that

The post who came from Coventry,

Riding in a red rocket,

Did tidings tell how Lunsford fell,

A child's hand in his pocket.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ John Lacy, The Dramatic Works of John Lacy, edited by James Maidment and W. H. Logan, Edinburgh, William Paterson, 1875; p. 123.

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/lunsford.htm