Edward Massie

Sir Edward Massie
Sir Edward Massie
Born	c. 1619
Died	c. 1674
Allegiance	Roundhead; Charles II of England
Service/branch	Army
Battles/wars	Highnam;Siege of Gloucester;Taynton;LedburyTaunton; Battle of Langport; Battle of Inverkeithing; Battle of Worcester;

Sir Edward Massie (c. 1619–1674) was an English soldier and politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1646 and 1674. The correct spelling of his name is and was 'Massie' not 'Massey' , as indicated throughout his life by his signature and the fact that the family at Coddington is and was Massie - the Masseys are a different branch of the family. He fought for the Parliamentary cause for the first and second English Civil Wars before changing allegiance and fighting for King Charles II during the Third Civil War. During the Interregnum, he was active for the Royalist cause. After the Restoration, he was knighted and was active in public life, as a Member of Parliament and occasionally in military and administrative affairs.

Massie was the fifth son of John Massie of Coddington, Cheshire and his wife Anne Grosvenor, daughter of Richard Grosvenor of Eaton, Cheshire. He may have been a London apprentice before serving in the Dutch army against the armies of Philip III of Spain, who ruled the Spanish Netherlands (see Dutch Revolt). In 1639, he appears as a captain of pioneers in the army raised by Charles I of England to fight against the Scots. At the outbreak of the English Civil War, he was with the King at York, but he soon joined the Parliamentary army.

As lieutenant colonel under the Earl of Stamford, Massie became deputy governor of Gloucester, where he remained till towards the end of the First Civil War, becoming governor early in 1643. He conducted minor operations against numerous small bodies of Royalists, and conducted the defence of Gloucester against the King's main army, in August 1643, with great steadiness and ability, receiving the thanks of parliament and a grant of ₤1,000 for his services. In 1644, Massie continued to keep the field and to disperse the local Royalists, and on several occasions he measured swords with Prince Rupert. In May 1644, he was made general of the forces of the Western Association. In 1645, he took the offensive against Lord Goring and the western Royalists, advanced to the relief of Taunton, and in the autumn cooperated effectively with Sir Thomas Fairfax and the New Model Army in the Langport campaign. After taking part in the desultory operations that closed the first war, he was elected Member of Parliament for Wootton Bassett.