CROMWELL, Wingfield (1624-68)

Ardglass’s grandfather, Edward Cromwell^†, 3rd Baron Cromwell (d. 24 Sept. 1607), bought the family estate in the Lecale and Ardglass area of County Down, Ireland, in 1606. His father, who died in 1653, commanded one of the king’s regiments of horse during the Civil Wars. Add. 21131, f. 1. Ardglass also served in the royalist cause. He appears to have commanded a troop of horse in Ulster, in the Irish army under the command of James Butler, marquess (later duke) of Ormond [I], in the earlier 1640s. HMC Ormonde, i, 126, 187. He was arrested at Chester in April 1649 and again in August 1659 in Stafford on suspicion of being an ‘old Cavalier’. CCSP, iv. 352; CSP Dom. 1659-60, p. 196. Indeed, after the Restoration he made great play with his father’s losses in the royal cause when he petitioned for the command of a troop of horse in Ireland. CSP Ire. 1660-2, p. 157.

In March 1660, Philip Wharton, 4th Baron Wharton, identified Ardglass as a supporter of the king. He first took his seat in the Lords on 27 Apr. 1660, in the final weeks before the Restoration. He attended the House on 79 days between April and September 1660, and a further 20 between November and December 1660, making just over 60 per cent overall, but was not appointed to any select committees. Schoenfeld, Restored House of Lords, 229. In March 1661, Ardglass’s doctors certified that he was ‘ill of a palsy’ and could not safely leave his house. CSP Dom. 1660-1, p. 535.

Ardglass was absent when the 1661 Parliament assembled on 8 May, first sitting five days later. On 17 June, a complaint was made to the House that one John Browne, a serjeant belonging to Woodstreet Compter, had attached £150 belonging to Ardglass, in breach of privilege of Parliament. Browne was duly summoned and on 26 June admitted his offence at the Bar, claiming that he did not know that the money had belonged to the peer. Richard Snead, at whose suit the money had been attached, also affirmed at the Bar that he did not know that Ardglass was a peer. Snead was now willing for the money to be paid and the attachment to be taken off, which the House ordered. He last sat that session on 13 July, having received leave to be absent on the 10th. On 15 July he registered his proxy with Baptist Noel, 3rd Viscount Campden. PA, HL/PO/JO/10/1/29. He had attended in all on 29 days of that part of the session, 45 per cent of the total.

Ardglass was absent from the House when Parliament resumed in November 1661. He was excused a call of the House on 25 Nov., it being noted that he had given a proxy. On 3 May 1662 Richard Hickling made an affidavit that Richard Kinge, a servant of Ardglass’s had been imprisoned at the suit of John Hatton, although nothing was done in the matter before the session ended on 19 May. HMC 7th Rep. 166. He attended on the second day of the next session, 19 Feb. 1663, but his absence was noted at a call of the House on 23 February. He was named to the committee for petitions on 25 Feb. and last attended that session on 31 Mar., having been present on 18 days of the session, 21 per cent of the total. On 2 Apr. he registered his proxy with Campden, although the proxy books also contain a proxy from him to Montagu Bertie, 2nd earl of Lindsey, on the same date which was crossed out. On Wharton’s forecast of 13 July 1663 for the division on the motion of George Digby, 2nd earl of Bristol, to impeach Edward Hyde, earl of Clarendon, Ardglass was deemed in favour by proxy.

Ardglass was absent from the opening of the 1664 session on 16 Mar. and was excused a call of the House on 4 Apr. when he was said to be in Ireland. He first attended on 28 Apr. and was present on the last day of the session 27 May 1664, having attended on 14 days of the session, 39 per cent of the total. He was absent at calls of the House on 7 Dec. 1664 and 1 Oct. 1666. He did not appear again in the House until 17 Oct. 1667, early in the session of 1667-9. He was present again at the adjournment on 19 Dec., having attended on 27 days, 53 per cent of the total of that part of the session. He last attended the House when it resumed in February 1668, but only for two days.

Ardglass died on 3 Oct. 1668 and was buried at Ilam. He was succeeded by his son, Thomas Cromwell, as 6th Baron Cromwell and 3rd earl of Ardglass [I]. His widow, who had a jointure of £1,500 p.a. in 1674, married Charles Cotton, the poet. Oxford DNB.