Table of Contents

Earl of Essex’s Regiment of Horse

Flag Illustration 11)
Flag Illustration 22)
Flag Illustration 33)
Flag Illustration 4 4)
Active1642-5
CountryEngland
AllegianceParliamentarian
ConflictsFirst Civil War
TypeHorse
ColonelEarl of Essex
Sir Philip Stapleton
Area Raised
Flag ColourOrange Tawney
Flag DesignSee below
Field ArmiesEssex 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

Service History

1642

1643

1644

1645

Notes

Flags & Equipment

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).

Notable Officers

Robert Devereaux, Third Earl of Essex

Earl of Essex (1591-1646)

Sir Philip Stapleton

Sir Philip Stapleton

Officer Lists

March to April 1644

From the Nafziger Collection, file 644CAC.pdf

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

Strength

July 1644

From Symonds' Diary11) Officers/Troopers

See Also

1) , 2) , 3) , 4) Original artwork by Tony Barton, shown by kind permission of Tony Barton and Charles Kightly. Previously published in Military Modelling magazine
5) Cromwell's War Machine, The New Model Army 1645-1660 by Keith Roberts, Pen & Sword 2005, p 65
6) , 8) Prestwich's Respublica, London, 1787
7) , 9) The Art of making Devises 2nd Ed, Thomas Blount, London, 1655.
10) The Art of making Devises 2nd Ed, Thomas Blount, London, 1655
11) British Library Additional Ms 17062