VAUGHAN, Roger (c.1641-72), of Bredwardine, Herefs.

Vaughan’s ancestors had held Bredwardine since at least the middle of the 15th century. His father sat on the Herefordshire committee during the Civil War until his death. Vaughan, left fatherless in early childhood, grew up a spendthrift and a drunkard. His wife brought him Garnstone as a dowry, but in 1661 he was compelled to sell it to John Birch. He was recommended as a knight of the Royal Oak with an income of £1,500 p.a., but this may have included Moccas, his mother’s dowry, as well as Garnstone. Although noted as ‘under age’ he was made a deputy lieutenant, and when returned for Hereford at a by-election in 1662, he was described as ‘a worthy and hopeful gentleman’.4HMC Portland, iii. 99-100; C. J. Robinson, Castles of Herefs. 21-24, 107; Mansions and Manors of Herefs. 291; Kingdom’s Intell. 24 Feb. 1662.

Vaughan was probably not an active Member of the Cavalier Parliament. He is known to have been appointed to only 13 committees, and made no recorded speeches. His chief interests lay outside Parliament; in 1664 he was one of the three Members on service with the fleet as a volunteer. But when present he was a reliable supporter of the Court. In 1666, Sir William Coventry recommended using Vaughan to gain over his father-in-law Tomkyns. His most important committee was for the impeachment of Lord Mordaunt in 1667. His name appears in both lists of court supporters in 1669-71 as a dependant of the Duke of York, and in Flagellum Parliamentarium he was described as captain of a foot company and ‘a pitiful pimping bedchamber man to his highness’. He was twice employed on family messages to the French Court. On 3 Dec. 1669 he fought a duel with Henry Seymour I, who claimed that one of his speeches had been misrepresented to the Duke by Vaughan. Between the second and third Dutch wars, Vaughan’s company was stationed at Chepstow, but he was probably more often at Court. His affairs were becoming steadily more entangled, and in 1670 he petitioned successfully for the receivership of the Herefordshire hearth-tax; Humphrey Cornewall and Herbert Aubrey were his sureties. On 19 Jan. 1671 he claimed privilege for his servant, who had been imprisoned in the Gatehouse, no doubt for his master’s debt. Vaughan rejoined the fleet on the outbreak of the third Dutch war, and was killed at the battle of Sole Bay. He left no heir, and died heavily in debt both to the crown and to private creditors. His half-brother Henry Cornewall took over the estate and paid off the debts.5CSP Dom. 1664-5, p. 90; 1666-7, p. 149; 1671, pp. 206, 247; 1672, p. 96; 1672-3, p. 342; 1680-1, pp. 387-8; HMC 7th Rep. 531; Bulstrode Pprs. 129; BL Loan 29/181, f. 208v, Sir Edward to Lady Harley, 14 Jan. 1671; Cal. Treas. Bks. iii. 1118; vii. 373.