Philip Skippon During the Wars

• 8th January 1642. Skippon has the Freedom of the City, London, bestowed on him.
• 10th January 1642. Skippon is appointed, by Parliament, in overall charge of the London Trained Bands, with the rank of major-general.
• 11th January 1642. Skippon and the Trained Bands welcome the five members of Parliament on their return to Westminster.
• 13th May 1642. Skippon receives the Kings order to report to him at the Royalist Headquarters at York. Skippon said "I desire to honour God and not to honour men" and as Parliament professed his kind of religion his duty lay to them. Skippon submitted the Kings letter to the House (of Commons) which declared the order illegal and forbade him to go.
• 13th November 1642. The London Trained Bands under Skippon re-enforce Essex's army and they bar the way of the King at Turnham Green.
• 17th November 1642. Lord General Essex appoints Skippon his Major-General.
• 1643. Philip Skippons religious books, written at Amersfoot, are published for the use and comfort of his soldiers.
• 20th September 1643. Skippon commands the left wing and the reserves at the First Battle of Newbury.
• 1st September 1644. Essex leaves Skippon in command of the Parliamentary forces at Lostwithiel, Essex and Lord Robartes leave in a small boat for Plymouth.
• 2nd September 1644. Skippon surrenders at Lostwithiel, having been abandoned by Essex..
  He gains very favourable terms for his 6000 troops.
• 6/8-16th October 1644. Skippon heads for Newbury from Plymouth with the foot released from Lostwithiel.
• 26th-27th October 1644. The second battle of Newbury. Skippon and the infantry occupy the centre of the high ground near Stockcross.
• 14th June 1645. The Battle of Naseby. Skippon again commands the foot in the centre of the army.
  In the infantry fighting in the centre Skippon is badly wounded, however he would not leave the battle field.
• 1655. Cromwell divides the country into military districts and Skippon was the natural choice for Major-General.
• 1656. Skippon is again elected as member of Parliament for King's Lynn.
• 3rd September 1658. Oliver Cromwell dies.
• 1659. The restored Long Parliament appoints Skippon commander of the London Militia.

All text and images (C) Skipppons Regiment / Clive Robinson unless otherwise stated.
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