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Philip HerbertEnglish nobleman and convicted murderer.
Date of Birth: 05.01.1652
Country:  Great Britain |
Content:
- Biography of Philip Herbert
- Inheritance and Marriage
- Custos Rotulorum and Legal Troubles
- Legal Troubles and Controversial Death
- Later Life and Legacy
Biography of Philip Herbert
Early Life and FamilyPhilip Herbert, 7th Earl of Pembroke and 4th Earl of Montgomery, was born on January 5, 1652 or 1653. He grew up in the Herbert family estate in Wiltshire, England. Philip was the son of Philip Herbert, 5th Earl of Pembroke, from his second marriage. His father married Katherine Villiers, the daughter of Sir William Villiers and Rebecca Roper, as his second wife. Philip's maternal grandmother was the first wife of the 4th Earl, and his step-grandmother was Anne Clifford, the daughter of George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, and the widow of Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset. As Philip grew older, he was often compared to his grandfather, the 4th Earl of Pembroke, although he later showed a darker side.
Inheritance and Marriage
On July 8, 1674, at the age of 22, Philip became the successor to his older brother William, the Earl of Pembroke and Montgomery. On December 17 of the same year, he married Henrietta de Kéroualle, the sister of Louise de Kéroualle, the mistress of King Charles II. However, their marriage was childless.
Custos Rotulorum and Legal Troubles
Philip served as the Custos Rotulorum of Pembrokeshire and Glamorgan from 1647 and then as the Custos Rotulorum and Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from May 20, 1648 until his death. In 1677, he was involved in a near-fatal duel. On January 28, 1678, King Charles II ordered Philip to be imprisoned in the Tower of London for uttering "horrible and blasphemous words that cannot be repeated in any Christian Assembly, as well as other proven blasphemies." Philip sent a petition to the House of Lords, denying all accusations and praying that his colleagues "will not believe the accusation, as their petitioner is incapable of such an awful crime." The Lords supported his release, with the assistance of seven bishops and the Duke of York. The king granted Philip his freedom on January 30.
Legal Troubles and Controversial Death
Less than a week later, on January 5, a man complained to the House of Lords that Philip had assaulted him in the Strand. The House ordered Philip to pay the injured party £2,000 to keep the peace. However, by that time, Philip had already killed a man named Nathaniel Cony in a tavern brawl, and a few days later, a grand jury in Middlesex indicted him for murder. On April 4, 1678, Philip was tried alongside his fellow accused. He was found not guilty of premeditated murder, but guilty of manslaughter. He was released from prison after paying all the imposed fines. However, the presiding judge, the Duke of Ormond, warned Philip that "no man, by virtue of his position, can escape unscathed if he finds himself in such a situation."
On October 17, 1678, Sir Edmund Godfrey, who had been pursuing Philip for the murder, was found dead in a ditch on Primrose Hill, impaled with his own sword. This unexplained death sparked outrage against Roman Catholics. John Dickson Carr, in his book about Godfrey's death, concluded that it was Philip who had killed him out of revenge. This theory was later supported by historian Hugh Ross Williamson. On August 18, 1680, the 7th Earl of Pembroke killed William Smeeth, a watch commander, after a drunken evening on Turnham Green. On June 21, 1681, a grand jury in Middlesex again accused Philip of murder, and this time he had no hope of the case being dismissed due to his high position. However, a petition for his pardon, signed by twenty-four representatives of the highest aristocracy, was sent to the king. The king granted him clemency.
Later Life and Legacy
English writer John Aubrey noted that Philip owned 52 mastiffs, 30 greyhounds, several bears, and a lion at his estate in Wiltshire. However, his close circle of about 60 people was much more unruly than all these animals. Philip Herbert died on August 29, 1683. He was buried in the Cathedral Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary. His inheritance passed to his brother Thomas.
