William Heveningham
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William Heveningham (1604-78) was one of the Regicides of Charles I of England.
A Norfolk gentleman and Member of Parliament, he was active in the administration of East Anglia for the Parliament of England during the civil wars. In January 1649, Heveningham was appointed a commissioner on the High Court of Justice for the trial of King Charles. Although he attended every session of the trial, he refused to sign the King's death warrant. During the Commonwealth of England and the Protectorate, he bought up many properties confiscated from the Church and from Royalists, and also speculated in buying army debentures. He was a member of the Council of State in 1649 and 1650.
Heveningham was probably the first of the regicides to surrender to the authorities at the Restoration in 1660. He was brought to trial in October 1660, found guilty of treason for his part in the King's trial and sentenced to death. However, he successfully petitioned for mercy, claiming that he had tried to prevent the King's execution, had opposed Oliver Cromwell's tyranny and had contributed £500 to Booth's Uprising in 1659. He was imprisoned at Windsor Castle, where he remained until his death in 1678.
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This article contains text under a Creative Commons License by David Plant, the British Civil Wars and Commonwealth website http://www.british-civil-wars.co.uk/biog/index_h.htm
