Sir John Arundell's Regiment of Foot

• March-August: Besieged in Pendennis Castle

The regiment's officers were entirely Cornish, and although little is known of this unit's history it has been proposed that they were originally one of the Cornish Trained Bands of Foot¹⁾. They may have been involved in Lord Goring's siege of Taunton in 1645, but three of Sir John's sons also served as Royalist colonels so this is uncertain, and indeed the regiment might have been commanded by one or more of Sir John's sons at various times. They served as the garrison of Pendennis Castle, and were besieged there by the New Model Army from 18th March to 17th August 1646, surrendering to Colonel Richard Fortescue, supported by a naval squadron under Batten. The surviving garrison of 886 men and 95 guns included the remnants of many of Lord Goring's foot regiments.

A list of the regiment's officers is shown in Officers and Regiments of the Royalist Army by Stuart Reid (Partizan Press).

Sir John Arundell (1576 to 1656?) was an ardent Royalist nicknamed “Jack for the King”. He had served as an MP for Cornwall, though not in the Long Parliament. Governor of Pendennis Castle from around 1643, his was one of the last English Royalist strongholds to capitulate at the end of the First Civil War.

On being summoned to surrender by Sir Thomas Fairfax he replied “I resolve that I will here bury myself before I deliver up this castle to such as fight against His Majesty, and that nothing you can threaten is formidable to me in respect of the loss of loyalty and conscience.” Enduring a five-month siege, he was forced to surrender on 17th August 1646 due to starvation of the garrison, having been dissuaded from his plan of exploding the castle's gunpowder store rather than yield.

He is not to be confused with his son Colonel John Arundell who led a regiment of horse and was killed before Plymouth in 1644. As well as the unfortunate John Arundell, two more of Sir John's sons fought as Royalist Colonels in the First Civil War War, Colonel Richard Arundell and Colonel William Arundell.

Colonel John Arundells Regiment of Foot

Lieutenant Colonel Robinson Ment. I.O.

Sargeant Major Hannibal Bonython

Captain Richard Blewitt (2) + I.O. Cornwall Captain Hannibal Bonython (1) + (2) Captain Carnsewe (2) Captain George Collings I.O. Cornwall Captain William Cooper (1) Captain Peter Courtenay I.O. Cornwall Captain Reskemer Courtenay I.O. Cornwall Captain George Kempson I.O. Cornwall Captain William Pendarves (2) Captain John Tresahar (3) Captain Sampson Zacherly I.O. Cornwall

Lieutenant John Hallamore I.O. Cornwall Lieutenant John Hittson I.O. Cornwall Lieutenant Joseph Jewell I.O. Cornwall Lieutenant Richard Lyne I.O. Cornwall Lieutenant William Nance I.O. Cornwall Lieutenant Thomas Simons I.O. Cornwall Lieutenant Francis Twiggs I.O. Cornwall Lieutenant Samuel Whare I.O. Cornwall

Ensign William Bawden I.O. Cornwall Ensign Thomas Chegwin I.O. Cornwall Ensign Edward Edwards I.O. Cornwall Ensign William Maine I.O. Cornwall Ensign John Pierce I.O. Cornwall to Lt. Col. Robinson Ensign John Sands I.O. Cornwall Ensign Richard Sands I.O. Cornwall Ensign Matthew Treglawne I.O. Cornwall

1961. Sir Richard Grenville to the Prince of Wales. Sept. 16. 1645 Has Truro, a suspicion that St. Ives had invited the rebels to come by sea, against which he has taken precautions by placing a garrison there, disarming the townsmen, and causing three ringleaders to be executed at St. Ives, Helston, and Truro respectively, as the three most rotten towns in the West. Encloses depositions touching the treason of Major Hannibal Bonithon, Governor of the Castle of St. Mawes. i. Bodmin, Nov. 22, 1643. Informations of several soldiers of the garrison of St. Mawes, touching the same charges against the Governor. Copies. ii. Truro, Jan. n, 164!. Articles exhibited at the Gene- ral Sessions of the Peace, charging Major Bonithon. with smuggling tobacco, embezzling the soldiers' pay, and disaffection to the King's cause. Copy. iii. [No date.] Articles of the above and other charges against Bonithon. iv. Sept. 15, 1645. Depositions of witnesses to prove the preceding Articles. Copies. See Hist. Eabell. bk. ix. p. 565. Calendar of Clarendon papers

(1) Parish register St. Just in Roseland Susanna the Daughter of Captain Han.Bonython and Hannah his Wife was baptized. 19.2.1642/3. Captain William Cooper was buried the last of January 1645/6.

(2) SP23.206.820 To ye Honourable Committee for Compounding with Delinquents sitting att Gouldsmiths Hall The humble petition of William Pendarves Sheweth that your petitioner was Captayne of the Trayned Band in the County of Cornwall belonging to ye Castle of Pendennis in which he continued for the space of six months,and about a twelve month since did lay down armes and hath quietly lived at his house and bin conformable to all orders and Ordnances of Parliament. Wherefore he humbly prayeth hee may be admitted to a favorable composition with consideration to his estate which hee shall give in under his hand. And hee shall pray etc.

William Pendarves

Rec'd 15 January 1646/7

Cornwall Record Office DDT.1617 Proportions of victualls to be brought in to his majesties forte of Pendennis by the regiment assigned for the quarter thereof - for three monthes.the warrants sente the 18th of November 1644

                                                                                 Bread   7700 weight
                                                                                 Beefe    4944 weight
                                  { Penryn towne   103 men  
                                                                                  Butter   1854 weight 
                                                                                  Pease        24 bushells  

Capt. Pendarves

                                  
                                                                                  Bread   1200 weight
                                                                                  Butter     288 weight
                                 { Glewyas parish   16 men 
                                                                                  Beefe       750 weight 
                                                                                  Pease           3 bushells 

                              Mylor                  32 men                    

Capt. Bonython Perran 23 men

                              Gwennappe      42 men 
                              Stytheans *       30 men

Capt. Carnsewe” Gwendron ^ 71 men

                              Constenton +   67 men

                                                                                 Breade 5300 weight
                                                                                 Beefe    3490 weight  
                                Budocke 72 men          
                                                                                 Butter   1300 weight  
                                                                                 Pease        16 bushells 

                                                                                 Breade  1580 weight
                                                                                 Beefe     1000 weight

Capt. Blewett Mabe 21 men

                                                                                 Butter      380 weight 
                                                                                 Pease           5 bushells

                                                                                 Breade   1660 weight
                                                                                 Beefe      1060 weight
                               Mawnan   22 men 
                                                                                 Butter       400 weight
                                                                                 Pease            5 bushells
  

* Stithians

+ Constantine ” Either Francis or Matthew Carnsewe of Bockeley,Cornwall.

(3) SP46.95.138 Received at his Majesties Fort at Pendennis out of the “Gift of God of Topsham” Richard Shakerly,Master,the Second of January 1643(4). 5 Pieces of ordnance with 4 carriages 4 half barrels of powder 6 muskets 2 harquebuses 2 swords 3 small pistols 3 roules of match 18 shot of all sorts

John Treshar. E.353.4 Listed as Captain Tresaer at surrender in Pendennis.

John Tresahar was of Trevethan,Cornwall.

Reskymer and Peter Courtnay were brothers from Landrake,Cornwall.

• Colonel William Arundell’s Regiment of Foot
• Colonel Richard Arundell’s Regiment of Foot
• Colonel John Arundell’s Regiment of Horse

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pendennis_Castle#The_siege_of_Pendennis_Castle