Editing Frome (section)

=== Monmouth Rebellion ===

On King Charles II's death in February 1685, the [[James Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth|Duke of Monmouth]], his illegitimate son, led the [[Monmouth Rebellion]], landing with three ships at [[Lyme Regis]] in Dorset in early June 1685 in an attempt to take the throne from his Catholic uncle, [[James II of England|James II]]. On 25 June 1685, Robert Smith, the constable of Frome declared Monmouth was King in Frome's marketplace, "as confidently as if he had the crown on his head".  Frome was the first locality in England to declare for him.  On 28 June, the forces of Monmouth camped in Frome, following their defeat in a skirmish with the [[James II of England|King's]] forces at [[Norton St Philip]], arriving at 4 o'clock in the morning "very wett and weary".<ref>{{Cite book |last=McGarvie |first=Michael |title=Frome through the Ages |work=Longleat: Thynne Papers, XXII, f.185R |publisher=Frome Society for Local Study |year=2000 |isbn=0-948014-28-8 |edition=2nd |location=Frome |pages=68}}</ref> Monmouth is reputed to have stayed in a gabled house in Cork Street, now named the Monmouth Chambers.<ref>{{NHLE|num=1057818|desc=MONMOUTH CHAMBERS, Frome |access-date=2019-04-16}}</ref> Whatever discipline he had over his troops vanished as he dallied in Frome, unsure what to do. He left on 30 June for Shepton Mallett.<ref>{{Cite book |last=McGarvie |first=Michael |title=The Book of Frome |publisher=Frome Societyfor Local Study |year=2013 |isbn=978-0-948014-28-4 |location=Frome |pages=78–19}}</ref> At the [[Battle of Sedgemoor]] on 6 July, he was defeated.  Captured on 8 July, he was taken to the [[Tower of London]] and executed on 15 July on [[Tower Hill]] by [[Jack Ketch]].

At the subsequent '[[Bloody Assizes]]' more than 500 rebels were brought in front of the court; out of these, 144 were [[hanged, drawn and quartered]], their remains displayed across the country so that people understood the fate of those who rebelled against the king.  The other rebels were subjected to [[Penal transportation|transportation]] to [[British America|America]].  In all, 50 Frome men were convicted. 12 men, none of them from Frome, were hanged in the town at Gibbet Hill, Gorehedge.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Davis |first1=Mick |title=Foul Deeds & Suspicious Deaths in & around Frome |last2=Lassman |first2=David |publisher=Pen & Sword True Crime |year=2018 |isbn=978-1-52670-604-1 |location=Barnsley |pages=90}}</ref>