Robert Phelips

Robert Phelips (1 February 1619 – 21 June 1707) was a Royalist officer during the English Civil War. After the Restoration he was a Member of Parliament, and from 25 May 1687 until 21 March 1689 Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Early life Phelips was the second son of Sir Robert Phelips of Montacute House and his wife Bridget Gorges, daughter of Sir Thomas Gorges of Longford, Wiltshire. He was educated at Wadham College, Oxford, from 1634 to 1637 and entered Inner Temple in 1637. Civil War and Interregnum Like his elder brother Edward Phelips Phelips became an officer in the Royalist army during the English Civil War. He was a colonel of horse in the Royalist army from 1643. He was present at the siege of Wardour Castle in late 1643 where he was opposed by his friend Edmund Ludlow. In 1645 he was captured at Bridgwater, Somerset. He held little property and was not brought before the committee for compounding. In 1649 he was one of the leaders of the western association, and helped Charles II to escape after the Battle of Worcester. In 1653 he planned to support a royalist invasion by capturing a seaport to be used as a beachhead, but was arrested. He escaped and went abroad to the Court in exile, revisiting England once in disguise. He was appointed groom of the bedchamber to the Duke of Gloucester in 1656 until the Duke's death in 1660.