10 Facts About William Batten

William Batten was born around 1601 in Easton in Gordano, Somerset, second son of Andrew Batten, Master mariner of a merchant ship.

William Batten is more positive about Margaret's brother John, who died in 1663 after a drunken fight with one of his servants.

William Batten started as an apprentice with the Worshipful Company of Merchant Taylors in London, becoming a fully-fledged member in 1623.

William Batten later resumed his whaling career and by 1630 was master and part-owner of the Charles, a position he retained until 1638 when he took over the Confident, a merchant ship converted for military use and hired by the Royal Navy, paid for by Ship money.

William Batten immediately sent for Warwick, who declared for Parliament, followed by the majority of his captains.

William Batten took over as commander but since his promotion was viewed as temporary, he retained his original rank, a perceived lack of appreciation that marked the beginning of his alienation from the Parliamentarian cause.

William Batten was regarded with suspicion by many Royalist exiles, particularly Prince Rupert, who replaced him as commander.

William Batten escaped punishment for his actions during the Second Civil War, and focused on commercial activities during the Commonwealth period.

Many entries record their differences, and William Batten is frequently portrayed as both administratively incompetent and corrupt, although whether he was excessively so by the standards of the period is debatable.

In 1661, William Batten was elected MP for Rochester in the Cavalier Parliament, and became master of Trinity House in 1663.