Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 62.djvu/68

 ment, for which he was committed to the Tower on 14 June 1641, and expelled from the house on 9 Dec. following (Commons' Journals, ii. 175, 337; Report on the Duke of Portland's MSS. i. 18;, Ordinances, 1643, pp. 216–20).

Wilmot joined the king in Yorkshire when the civil war began, commanded a troop of horse, and held the posts of muster-master and commissary-general (, Army Lists, p. 16; Old Parliamentary History, xi. 260). Clarendon blames him for not preventing the relief of Coventry in August 1642 (ib. xi. 397;, Rebellion, v. 446 n.) He was wounded in the skirmish at Worcester on 23 Sept. 1642, and commanded the cavalry of the king's left wing at the battle of Edgehill (ib. vi. 44, 85). Wilmot captured the town of Marlborough in December 1642, but his greatest exploit during the war was the crushing defeat he inflicted on Sir William Waller (1597?–1668) [q. v.] at Roundway Down, near Devizes, on 13 July 1643 (ib. vi. 156, vii. 115;, History of Marlborough, p. 160). In April 1643 Wilmot was appointed lieutenant-general of the horse in the king's army, and on 29 June 1643 he was created Baron Wilmot of Adderbury in Oxfordshire (, Oxford Docquets, pp. 26, 53). Clarendon describes Wilmot ‘as an orderly officer in marches and governing his troops,’ while also very popular with his officers on account of his good fellowship and companionable wit. The comparison, after the manner of Plutarch, between Wilmot and Goring is the most amusing passage in the ‘History of the Rebellion’ (viii. 169). Extremely ambitious and perpetually at feud with the king's civil counsellors, Wilmot was specially hostile to Lords Digby and Colepeper. Prince Rupert, on the other hand, cherished a personal animosity to Wilmot, and Charles I had no great liking for him (ib. vi. 126, vii. 121, viii. 30, 94). In 1644 these different causes led to Wilmot's fall. During the earlier part of the campaign the absence of Rupert and the infirmities of the Earl of Brentford made him practically commander-in-chief of that part of the army which was with the king. According to Clarendon he neglected military opportunities and spent his energy in cabals. At Cropredy Bridge, however, on 29 June Wilmot again defeated Sir William Waller. In the battle he was wounded and taken prisoner, but was rescued again almost immediately (ib. viii. 65;, Historical Discourses, p. 33; Diary of Richard Symonds, p. 23). After this success the king marched into Cornwall in pursuit of the Earl of Essex, where Wilmot recommenced his intrigues. The king, he was reported to have said, was afraid of peace, and the only way to end the war was to set up the Prince of Wales, who had no share in the causes of these troubles. A private message which he sent to Essex by the bearer of an official letter from the king to the parliamentary commander roused suspicion that he was endeavouring by the concerted action of the two generals to impose terms on the king and parliament, and on 8 Aug. he was arrested and deprived of his command. He also lost his joint presidency of Connaught, to which he had been appointed in April 1644, succeeding his father in that office, and as second Viscount Wilmot of Athlone (, Liber Mun. Hibernicorum, ii. 189, 190;, Cont. Hist. vol. i.). His popularity, however, with the officers of the royal army, who petitioned the king on his behalf, prevented any further proceedings against him, and he was released and allowed to retire to France (ib. pp. 106–10;, p. 57; , Rebellion, viii. 96). At Paris in October 1647 Wilmot fought a duel with his old enemy, Lord Digby, and was slightly wounded (, Original Letters, i. 63, 146, 159).

When Charles II succeeded his father Wilmot became one of the new king's chief advisers. He was appointed a gentleman of the bedchamber on 3 April 1649, and consulted on questions of policy, though not a member of the privy council (Baillie Letters, iii. 88;, Original Letters, i. 339). He accompanied Charles to Scotland, attached himself to the Marquis of Argyll's faction, and was allowed to stay in the country when other English royalists were expelled. Rumour credited him with betraying the king's design to join Middleton and the Scottish royalists in October 1650 (, Historical Discourses, pp. 158, 161, 197; Nicholas Papers, i. 201–8). Wilmot fought at Worcester, accompanied the king in the greater part of his wanderings after that battle, and helped to procure the ship in which both escaped to France in October 1651 (, Rebellion, xiii. 87–106;, The Flight of the King, 1897, passim). The common perils they had endured strengthened his political position, and Wilmot, ‘who had cultivated the king's affection during the time of their peregrination and drawn many promises from him,’ was one of the committee of four whom Charles thenceforward consulted with in all his affairs (, Rebellion, xiii. 123; Clarendon State Papers, iii. 46). On 13 Dec. 1652 he was created Earl of Rochester (, iii. 152;, Rebellion, xiii.