John Carew (regicide) facts for kids

John Carew (born 3 July 1622 – died 15 October 1660) was an important figure in English history. He came from a wealthy family in Antony, Cornwall. He served as a MP for Tregony from 1647 to 1653.

Carew was a strong supporter of Parliament during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. He also supported the Commonwealth, which was the time when England was a republic without a king. He agreed with the decision to execute Charles I in January 1649.

He held several important jobs during the Interregnum, the period when England had no king. This included being a member of the English Council of State. However, he was later removed from his positions and put in jail in 1655. This happened because he disagreed with the government led by Oliver Cromwell, known as The Protectorate.

John Carew was one of the people who signed the death warrant for King Charles I. When the king's son, Charles II, returned to power in 1660, Carew knew he would likely be arrested. He did not try to escape. During his trial, he argued that he was just following a law passed by Parliament. However, the court did not accept this argument.

He was found guilty of treason, which means betraying his country. John Carew was put to death on 15 October 1660. This happened just two days after his friend Thomas Harrison, who also signed the warrant, was executed.

Early Life and Family

John Carew was born on 3 July 1622 in Antony, Cornwall. He was the oldest child of Sir Richard Carew, 1st Baronet and his second wife, Grace Rolle. John had three younger brothers, including Thomas. He also had five half-siblings from his father's first marriage.

One of his half-brothers was Sir Alexander Carew, 2nd Baronet. Alexander fought for Parliament at the start of the First English Civil War. However, he was executed in December 1644. This was because he tried to give Drake's Island to the Royalists, who supported the King.

It seems John Carew never married or had children. After his death, his property, Boxhill Manor, was taken by the government. It was later given back to his brother Thomas in 1662.

Education and Early Career

Carew started studying at Gloucester College, Oxford in March 1638. He then began training to become a lawyer at the Inner Temple in November 1639. However, there are no records showing that he finished his studies at either place.

When the First English Civil War began in August 1642, the Carew family was one of the few wealthy families in Cornwall who supported Parliament. Because of this, John Carew served on several groups that worked for Parliament in Cornwall. This was even though the Royalists controlled Cornwall until 1646.

Political Beliefs and Actions

In 1647, John Carew was elected as a MP for Tregony. He was also part of a religious group called the Fifth Monarchists. This Protestant group believed that the execution of Charles I in January 1649 was a sign. They thought it meant that the second coming of Christ was about to happen.

This belief was one reason why Carew became a regicide. A regicide is someone who approved the king's death. Other members of the Fifth Monarchists, like Thomas Harrison, William Goffe, and John Jones Maesygarnedd, also became regicides.

Many of the 59 men who signed King Charles I's death warrant were in great danger when Charles II of England became king again. Some of them fled England to escape. However, John Carew was arrested, put on trial, and found guilty. He was put to death on 15 October 1660 for his actions.

Trial and Execution

John Carew's trial took place on 12 October 1660. He was accused of treason for his role in the king's execution. Despite his arguments, the court found him guilty. He was executed on 15 October 1660.

See also

• Sir Alexander Carew, 2nd Baronet, his half-brother.
• List of regicides of Charles I
• Long Parliament

Sources

•  This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain: Courtney, William Prideaux (1887). "Carew, John (d.1660)". Dictionary of National Biography 9. Ed. Leslie Stephen. London: Smith, Elder & Co. 
• The Memoirs of Edmund Ludlow, Lieutenant-General of the Horse, in the Army of the Commonwealth of England, 1625-1672, Edited with Appendices of Letters and Illustrative Documents, by C.H. Firth, M.A., in two volumes, Oxford, At the Clarendon Press, 1894