Of Glynde


The historian of the Civil War in Sussex was of the opinion that 'Colonel Harbert Morley of Glynde was perhaps the man of greatest influence in the county during this period and his vigilance and activity on behalf of the Parliamentary cause were unceasing throughout the war.' It is unfortunate that none of his personal papers survive among the Glynde MSS. to add any information to previous accounts of his career. He was educated at the Free School, Lewes, at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and finally at the Inner Temple. A little before the dissolution of the Short Parliament he was elected M.P. for Lewes and he sat for the borough in the Long Parliament, remaining in the Rump till its expulsion in 1653. As a colonel in the parliamentary army and deputy lieutenant of Sussex he raised men and money and procured gunpowder for the defence of the county. He was officially thanked by parliament for his share in the fighting at the siege of Chichester and the recapture of Arundel in 1643, over which he was set in command with Sir William Springett of Ringmer. His religious opinions may have resembled those of his friend and neighbour Springett who 'declined bishops and common prayer very early.' Morley was for a short time a member of the Assembly of Divines in 1643 and his opponents accused him of harsh treatment of the ejected royalist clergy and termed him 'the crooked rebel of Sussex.'

Although Morley was nominated one of the judges at the trial of Charles I, he refused to sign the death warrant. On 20 February 1650 he became a member of the Council of State. With his friend Sir Arthur Hesilrige [Haselrig] (d. 1661 see D.N.B.) he opposed Cromwell as long as he dared and after the expulsion of the Rump in 1653 he withdrew into private life, refusing to sit in the parliaments of 1654 and 1656. William Goffe (d. 1679?, see D.N.B.), Major General for Sussex in 1655, was uneasy at the influence Colonel Morley still possessed in his county where he had 'ruled the rost, by the help of a disaffected party, much to the griefe of the honest party.' Morley had promised his assistance as justice of the peace but refused to act as a commissioner and Goffe reported that his brother in law John Fagg(e) 'will not stir a hair's breadth without Col. Morley.'

In 1659 Morley re-entered parliament as member for Sussex and was now active in debates, speaking against the revived House of Lords and the Dutch war. He was appointed to the Council of State in May and in October was with Hesilrige one of the commissioners for the army. The Commissioners were appointed to guard against the danger of military violence from John Lambert (1619-83, see D.N.B.), who on 13 October 1659 marched on the Parliament. Morley's regiments defended Westminster Palace and the Abbey and Westminster Hall. Lambert marched with his troops to the Palace yard and 'there Morley met him and bid his stand. Morley had a pistol in his hand, and Lambert going as if he intended to have gone into the Hall, Morley swore "if he stirred a foot further he would shoot him." To this Lambert answered "Colonel Morley, I will go another way, though if I please I could pass this." He turned away and succeeded inoccupying the Parliament House from another entry.' This is the most revealing incident in Morley's career he was ready to risk his life in the defence of Parliament. Morley, Hesilrige and Valentine Walton (d. 1661?, see D.N.B.) retired to Portsmouth which they captured, returned to London and restored parliament. On 2 January 1660 a new Council of State was set up but Morley and Fagg, although elected, refused to take the oath abjuring the house of Stuart and promising fidelity to the Commonwealth and never became members. Morley was appointed Lieutenant of the Tower on 7 January 1659/60 which virtually gave him command of London. John Evelyn, the diarist, blamed Colonel Morley, his old schoolfellow, for failing to take the opportunity of restoring Charles II before this was done by General Monck and when in 1660 Morley had to procure his pardon at a cost of £1,000, Evelyn wrote 'O the sottish omission of this gentleman! what did I not undergo of danger in this negotiation to have brought him over to his Majesty's interest, when it was entirely in his hands!' Evelyn misunderstood the motives of Morley, whose first loyalty lay with his commander General Monck. Mr. E. S. de Beer, the editor of Evelyn's diary, has rehabilitated Morley's reputation and considers that 'In sub-ordinating himself to Monck, Morley appears to have adopted a course at once the wisest in his private interest and the most beneficial to the public welfare.' While his brother-in-law John Fagg obtained a baronetcy at the Restoration, Morley did nothing to ingratiate himself with the new regime. After being deprived of the Tower and his regiments he retired to Glynde and although he was elected M.P. for Rye it is unlikely that he ever sat in the Pension Parliament.

Harbert Morley married Mary, the daughter of Sir John Trevor II on 27 October 1648 at St. Peter Westcheap, London. By this marriage the Morleys joined the group of parliamentarian families--the Hampdens, Dentons, Winwoods and Wenmans--which were also related to the Trevors. Harbert died in 1667 at the age of 52 and his eldest son Robert died in 1670 leaving his only surviving brother William, then a minor, heir to Glynde.