Colonel Henry Shelley’s Regiment of Foot

Royalist Regiment of Foot serving in the South

• December: Besieged at Chichester

• March: Battle of Cheriton
• June: Battle of Cropredy Bridge
• August: Battle of Lostwithiel
• October: Second Battle of Newbury

• July: Battle of Langport
• September: Shelley at Totnes
• November: At Chudleigh, Devon

• February: Battle of Torrington
• March to August: Besieged at Pendennis Castle

In December 1642 Shelley led forces besieged at Chichester, surrendering to Waller. In January 1643 he was a prisoner at Windsor. By 1644 he had raised his regiment anew, serving with Hopton at Cheriton, the Oxford army then finally in the West Country.

In January 1643 he was being held in prison at Windsor Castle.

From original research by Victor Judge aka BCW user 1642

• Colonel Henry Shelley
• Lieutenant Colonel Edward Porter (3)
• Sargeant Major Davison Ment. I.O.
• Sargeant Major Henry Mill (7)

• Captain Goulding (5) (pw Sussex 1642)
• Captain William May
• Captain Moore (4) (pw Chichester 1642)
• Captain Nicholas Wolfe
• Captain John Shelley I.O. Sussex
• Captain Shelley (1)

• Lieutenant John Amias (6) + I.O. Sussex
• Lieutenant Christopher Bird I.O. Lincoln.
• Lieutenant William Bold I.O. L + W to Sgnt. Maj. Davison
• Lieutenant Thomas Goring I.O. Somerset to Capt. Jo. Shelley

• Ensign William Garrett I.O. Sussex
• Ensign John Haselin I.O. Sussex
• Ensign Richard Rishton I.O. Sussex to Capt. Jo. Shelley
• Ensign Richard Shelley ¹⁾
• Ensign Thomas Shelley ²⁾ + I.O. Sussex

• Quartermaster Drew Whatley I.O. Wilts.

From original research by Victor Judge aka BCW user 1642

Journal of the House of Commons: volume 2: 1640-1643 (1802), pp. 910-11. (my own copy - rare as hens' teeth - VJ).

Resolved, That Major Lindsey, Captain Woolfe, Captain Cooper, Sir Wm. Baladine, Mr. Wm. May, Major Gourdon, Captain Ennies, Captain Atkinson, Lieutenant Withrington, Lieutenant Pridgeon, Ensign Shelly, Captain Stephenson, Ensign Shelly, Lieutenant Bird, Ensign Cosse, Captain Mohun, be committed Prisoners to the Lord Peter's House; for actually levying War against the King and Parliament. Ordered, That Sir Wm. Balendine and Mr. Lewkner shall be kept close Prisoners: And that their Keeper be required to permit any Victuals or other necessary Provisions to be brought for their Relief; but not to permit any body to speak with them, but in the Presence of a Keeper

Devon Record Office DRO.QSP.128.124 Extract.

The humble petition of William Battishill of Throwley in the County of Devon

Sheweth that your poor petitioner served his late Majestie King Charles the first of ever blessed memory in the late unhappy warrs as a foot soldier under the command of Capt: Shelley in the Regiment of Coll: Shelley and amongst other hard usages and hardshipps which your petitioner suffered your petitioner served his said Majestie as aforesaid in the towne of Great Torrington when the same was stormed and taken and the Church blowen upp by gunpowder att which time your petitioner was much scalded and hurted by powder and alsoe was and served aforesaid in Pendennis Castle wherein your petitioner was amongst other beseiged 26 weeksand att last forced to yeild,in which seige your petitioners ordinary and best food was horseflesh which was dayly given in a small quantity wherein neer fower hundred of his Majesties soldiers died and a great number of them for want of food.

Chudleigh Churchwardens book, page 599. P5180023 Comp. Image when I took pictures in Exeter (VJ).

” Item for pvision for Lieutent: Col: Porter & divers other Commanders of Col: Sheelyes Regiment & their 6 horses 2 dayes & one night this reckoning was for the most pt payed but by severall of ye Parishioners re-delivered 28 No: 1645, 13s.”

Item for 2 seames of wood for the Guards yt watcht ye Amunition when Col: Sheely was here 12 Nov. 1645, 2s. 8d.”

A true Relation of the taking of the City of Chichester by the Parliaments forces,under the command of Sir William Waller 28.12.1642 published for Robert Dunscomb 30.12.1642

The names of the chiefe persons taken at Chichester, December 28.1642

• The Bishop of Chichester
• Sir William Vallenden (Sir William Bellenden of Broughton Midlothian)
• Colonel Lindsey
• Lieutenant Collonel Porter
• Master Lukener Recorder
• Master Foord High Sheriffe
• Sir William Morley
• Captaine May
• Captaine Wolfe
• Sir Poning Moores two brothers
• The two Zoaches (Captain James Zouch (see Col. FIND ZOUCHS PETITION) and possibly Richard Zouch.- VJ)
• Lord Crayfords Troope of 60 Horse, all Commanders

My sincere thanks to The Huntington Library San Marino California for providing me gratis with a copy of this unique item (VJ).

E.244.22 '…they also took on(e) Captaine Goulding in Sussex, raising of men and arms to assist the Malignants in Chichester…'

His rank is amended in I.O. Errata to that of Lieutenant from Ensign in the main body of the text.

WO55.1661.54 5. June 1644.

Received into his Majesties stores from Henry Mill Major to Colonel Shelley Muskets unfixed 25

Exeter Record Office 1579/A/7/48A Extracts of Philip Leys accounts as Mayor of Totnes. For the purpose of this book the entrys have been put under each relevant Regiment

1645 9ber.

• 12th. Pd. the m'shall of Collonell Shelleys money for 5 prisoners night before they weare q'ted.
• 17th. Pd. and spent at Dartmouth with Mr Prestwood and Collonell Shelley to Petition the Lord Goring with boatehire 11sh. 9d
• 26th. Pd Collonell Shelleys wagoner for shewing his horses & to speare pressing a horse when they departed 8sh. 6d

Xber.

• 1st. Pd. Burd to goe with the wagoner to shew him the way 1sh.
• 10th. Pd. William Martin to goe to Collonell Shelley for maynes nag at newton wch was prest for the towne 1sh.