William Boteler

For other people named William Boteler, see William Boteler (disambiguation).

William Boteler (fl. 1640s and 1650s) was a member of the Parliament of England. He was born in Barnwell, Northamptonshire and became a Colonel of Horse (cavalry) in the New Model Army during the English Civil War. By the end of the war, Boteler had been appointed Major-General for Bedfordshire, Huntingdonshire, Northamptonshire and Rutland during the Rule of the Major-Generals.

Political career

In April 1640, Boteler was elected MP for Bedford in the Short Parliament in a double return and was taken off. He was zealous and uncompromising in his hostility to his religious and political enemies, and was a severe persecutor of Quakers in Northamptonshire. In 1656 he advocated that James Nayler should be stoned to death for blasphemy. Boteler was also aggressive in his persecution of Royalists in his area, unlawfully imprisoning the Earl of Northampton for failing to pay his taxes.

Boteler represented Bedford in the First Protectorate Parliament, and he represented Northamptonshire in the Second Protectorate Parliament from 1656 to 1658. Early in 1658, Boteler replaced William Packer as commander of Cromwell’s regiment of Horse.

Legal problems

Boteler was not returned to Third Protectorate Parliament in 1659, and he suffered a mauling by MPs over his record as a Major-General. He was exempted from pardon at the Restoration, but was not prosecuted. In 1665, he was arrested on suspicion of plotting against Charles II, and was arrested again in 1670 for attending an unlawful prayer meeting. The date of his death is not known.

References

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir Gilbert Pickering, Bt John Crew Sir John Norwich, Bt John Claypole, senior Sir John Dryden, Bt	Member of Parliament for Northamptonshire 1640 With: Sir Gilbert Pickering, Bt John, Lord Claypole James Langham Thomas Crew Alexander Blake	Succeeded by Richard Knightley Philip Holman