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- group '324'


Rye House Plotters


In 1683, a group of men conspired to assassinate King Charles II and his brother, James, Duke of York and encourage a subsequent uprising. Individuals including founding Whig party member, Anthony Ashley-Cooper and the Philosopher John Locke were implicated. The attack was set to take place near the Rye House at Hoddesdon in Hertfordshire, as the King and his brother returned from Newmarket. Due to a fire which had destroyed half of Newmarket, the King and his brother returned earlier than expected and the plot never took place. The backdrop to the conspiracy was the anti-Catholic sentiment which had grown among parliamentary members after the Restoration of the Monarchy under Charles II. The recent discredited 'Popish Plot' of 1678, had stirred fear among Protestants and brought an end to the Whig party. There has been much speculation surrounding the details of the plot, including who was involved and how realised the plot had been. It none the less resulted in the many arrests, trials and the execution of Elizabeth Gaunt, the last woman to be executed for a political crime in England.

Sir Robert Sawyer

Sir Robert Sawyer

baptised 1633-1692
Lawyer and Speaker of the House of Commons
Sitter associated with 11 portraits
Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury

Anthony Ashley-Cooper, 1st Earl of Shaftesbury

1621-1683
Statesman
Sitter in 20 portraits
Algernon Sidney

Algernon Sidney

1622-1683
Republican political theorist and colonel
Sitter in 14 portraits
Forde Grey, Earl of Tankerville

Forde Grey, Earl of Tankerville

1655-1701
Lord Grey of Warke; Whig politician, First Lord of Treasury
Sitter in 1 portrait
Sir John Trenchard

Sir John Trenchard

1649-1695
Secretary of State
Sitter in 4 portraits
Henry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington

Henry Booth, 1st Earl of Warrington

1652-1694
Politician; Chancellor of the Exchequer
Sitter associated with 6 portraits
Sir John Wildman

Sir John Wildman

1622 or 1623-1693
Leveller and conspirator
Sitter in 2 portraits