grants of former royal forest were commonly made to courtiers in return for substantial sums of money, as a means to bolster Charles I's finances independent of Parliament. The lands were worked for iron ore and timber. During riots aimed at destroying the enclosures and returning the lands to common in 1631, an effigy of the "odious projector" Sir Giles was thrown into the iron ore pits and buried as they were filled in by the rioters. Another agent in his employ was shot at and his house burnt. Last years During his later years, his name was not forgotten by Parliamentarian forces. He was a Royalist during the English Civil War and visited the king, though he did not take part. His own will was tested in court and proved on 3 August 1663, so he died some (probably short) time before that date. References Lee, Sidney and Sean Kelsy. "Giles Mompesson". In Matthew, H.C.G. and Brian Harrison, eds. The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. vol. 38, 569–572. London: OUP, 2004. MOMPESSON, Giles (1584-c.1651), of Little Bathampton, Wilts. and London; Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629, ed. Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris, 2010 Lists the Royal Proclamations issued by the Tudors and Stuarts 3 March 1621 1580s births 1663 deaths 17th-century English criminals English MPs 1614 English MPs 1621–1622