Earl of Essex’s Regiment of Horse

Flag Illustration 1	1)
Flag Illustration 2	2)
Flag Illustration 3	3)
Flag Illustration 4	4)
Active	1642-5
Country	England
Allegiance	Parliamentarian
Conflicts	First Civil War
Type	Horse
Colonel	Earl of Essex
	Sir Philip Stapleton
Area Raised
Flag Colour	Orange Tawney
Flag Design	See below
Field Armies	Essex 1642-5

Often referred to as Sir Philip Stapleton’s regiment, as he was commander in the field

Parliamentarian regiment of horse of the Earl of Essex’s army

• 23rd October: Battle of Edgehill
• 13th November: Standoff at Turnham Green

• June: Battle of Chalgrove Field
• September: Battle of Aldbourne Chase
• 20th September: First Battle of Newbury
• September: Skirmish at Aldermaston and Padworth

• August: Battle of Lostwithiel
• October: Second Battle of Newbury
• November: Standoff at Donnington

• March: Skirmish at Kidlington
• April: Join the New Model Army as Colonel Richard Graves’ Regiment of Horse

In 1642 Capt Lionel Copley's troop was 72 strong and equipped with helmet, back and breast armour, 2 pistols each and 20 carbines.⁵⁾

Major Gunter served in the regiment until killed at Chalgrove Field. According to Prestwich; Serjeant-maior Gunter. Orange ; from the finifter fide, black and reddifh clouds ; issuing therefrom, a man's arm and hand armed, grafping, as in pale, or as ready to ftrike ; a Turkish sabre, all proper, the hilt Or ; in chief, a fcroll difplayed and thereon CAVE ADSUM ; fringed Argent and Sable⁶⁾. Gunter's cornet is depicted in Illustration 1.

Illustration 2 depicts Captain Chute's cornet.

Lord Brooke's troop was initially part of Essex's regiment. When Brooke departed to be General of the Midland Counties the troop remained under Richard Cross, which transferred to Colonel James Sheffield’s Regiment of Horse in July 1643. The Lord Brook figured a green chaplet or crown of laurel with this pentameter circumscribed, QUI NON EST HODIE, CRAS MINUS APTUS ERIT⁷⁾. According to Prestwich; The Lord Brook. Yellow or gold, in fefs ; a Roman garland, a crown of laurel, proper; at bottom netted or tied with red ribband, in form of a trefoil ; around, or without the garland, this infcriptlon, QUI NON EST HODIE, CRAS MINUS APTUS ERIT ; fringed Argent and Sable⁸⁾. (Illustration 3)

Maj General Skippon's troop joined Essex's regiment in 1643, commanded by Lt Anthony Buller who was wounded in summer 1643 then by Lt Nicholas Bragge. Maj. General Skippon figured a hand and sword with a bible, and this religious motto, ORA ET PUGNA, JUVAT ET JUVABIT JEHOVA⁹⁾. (Illustration 4)

Nathaniel Fiennes' troop served in Essex's regiment until February 1643 when Fiennes raised his own. Col Fines (second Son to the Lord Say) figured the Goddesse Pallas with a Lance or Spear in one hand, and a book or roll of papers in the other, and the motto, UTRAQUE PALLADE¹⁰⁾.

Earl of Essex (1591-1646)

Sir Philip Stapleton

From the Nafziger Collection, file 644CAC.pdf

The Earl of Essex' Regiment of Horse (8 troops) under the command of Sir Philip Stapleton

• The Lifeguard Troop, commanded by Sir Philip Stapleton
• Major-General Philip Skippon's Troop, commanded by Captain-Lieutenant Nicholas Bragge
• Lieutenant Colonel: Richard Graves
• Major: Hamilton
• Captain: Matthew Draper
• Captain: Lionel Copley
• Captain: Nicholas Chute
• Captain: (Jeremiah?) Abercomby

• March 1644: 8 troops

From Symonds' Diary¹¹⁾ Officers/Troopers

• Sir Philip Stapleton 13/100
• Major-General Philip Skippon 11/74
• Major Hamilton 11/72
• Lt-Col Richard Graves 12/98
• Captain Matthew Draper 11/96
• Captain Lionel Copley 9/68
• Captain Nicholas Chute 11/76
• Captain (Jeremiah?) Abercomby 8/55
• Total = 639