Rowland Berkeley (died 1696)

rdf:langString Rowland Berkeley (died 1696)

rdf:langString thumb|right|100px|Piebald charger Nash, in the supplement to his history, mentions that "Sir Rowland Berkeley of the Middle Temple, M.P. for the city of Worcester, and a cavalier officer, happened to have two piebald horses exactly alike, and one of them he rode at the battle of Worcester. When the battle was lost Sir Rowland escaped to Cotheridge as best he might, and leaving his exhausted charger at one of his farmhouses, went straightway to bed. It was not long, as he had foreseen, that a troop of Cromwell's army made their appearance at the Court, and demanded to see Sir Rowland. They were told he was ill in bed, but this did not prevent their rushing into his room. "So you were fighting against us at Worcester to-day, were you ?" asked the crop-heads.

rdf:langString "It could not have been I," says the sick man, "for though I certainly do ride a piebald charger when I am in health, yet he has never been out of the stable all day. If you doubt my word you had better go to the stable and satisfy yourselves." "Thereupon the roundheads go and find piebald No. 2 as fresh as a daisy, and evidently not from Worcester. So they conclude that they had mistaken their man, and leave the sick Mr. Berkeley to get well and laugh at the ruse he had so successfully played upon them."

rdf:langString "All very fine," said they, "but you were there, and very conspicuous, riding a piebald charger."

rdf:langString "I!" says Mr. Berkeley, faintly and innocently. "Why I am sick and forced to keep my bed!"

rdf:langString Member of Parliament for Worcester

rdf:langString Noake's Guide to Worcestershire

rdf:langString Rowland Berkeley (1613–1696) of Cotheridge Worcestershire, was an English politician, only son of William Berkeley (1582–1658) of Cotheridge and his wife Margaret, daughter of Thomas Chettle of Worcester. Rowland's father, William, was eldest son and heir to Rowland Berkeley of Spetchley, Worcester clothier and politician. He was knighted by Charles I at Whitehall 30 June 1641.