Gregory Clement

Gregory Clement (1594–1660) was an English Member of Parliament (MP) and one of Charles I's regicides, who was tried, found guilty, and hanged, drawn and quartered in October 1660.

[4] After working for a Mr Hewkeley, he contracted on 10 December 1623 for seven years with the British East India Company [5] [6] In 1626, he was already being accused of "private trade" for his own profit.

[7] In February 1627 he was promoted to head the Company's factory at Agra, where the new Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan had established his court.

[9] In April 1630, after working seven years in India, Clement was sent back to London in disgrace, having been accused and fined for private trading.

[11] [12] Following his return to England with sufficient capital to set himself up in trade, Clement married Martha Spaight at St Botolph's Aldgate, London, on 1 December 1631.

Aside from trade with the North American colonies, they sometimes obtained a Letter of marque allowing them to seize the shipping of hostile parties such as Spain, [17] sometimes in partnership with Trenchfield.

[20] [21] On 4 July 1648 he was elected as recruiter MP for Fowey in Cornwall, replacing his mother's brother-in-law John Rashleigh, who was disqualified as a Royalist.

[22] [23] Only months after he took his seat, he was faced with a summons to sit on a High Court of Justice to try King Charles I for his role in the Civil War.

[36] Following his execution for treason and the forfeiture of his estate, she petitioned for the recovery of some of his lands in Ireland, [37] but these were granted instead to Sir Robert Stewart.

Although he initially pleaded innocence and remained silent while imprisoned, he eventually changed his plea and was found guilty of high treason.