Edward Phelips

Edward Phelips (c. 1613 – 5 February 1680) was an English landowner and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1679. He fought for the Royalist cause in the English Civil War. Biography Phelips was the son of Sir Robert Phelips of Montacute and his wife Bridget Gorges, daughter of Sir Thomas Gorges of Longford Castle, Wiltshire. He matriculated at Wadham College, Oxford on 30 October 1629, aged 16. In 1640, Phelips was elected Member of Parliament for Ilchester in the Short Parliament. He was re-elected MP for Ilchester for the Long Parliament after a void election in 1640. He was a commissioner of array for the King in 1642 and became a colonel of horse in the Roylist army in 1643. He was governor of Ilchester from 1643 to 1645 and was disabled from sitting in parliament on 5 February 1644. In 1647 he compounded for £1,276. He was accused of taking part in the Penruddock uprising in 1655 and was tried at Chard but was acquitted by the grand jury. He was involved to some extent in Charles II's escape from England after the Battle of Worcester, at the point when his brother Robert was trying to arrange passage for Charles aboard a vessel from Southampton. He traveled to Trent Manor to convey news of Robert's activities to Charles on or about 28 September 1651. He may have been with Robert during some of Robert's efforts in and around Southampton.