MACCLESFIELD

macclesfield, charles gerard, 1st earl of (c. 1618-1694), eldest son of sir charles gerard, was a member of an old lancashire family, his great-grandfather having been sir gilbert gerard (d. 1593) of ince, in that county, one of the most distinguished judges in the reign of elizabeth. his mother was penelope fitton of gawsworth, cheshire. charles gerard was educated abroad, and in the low countries learnt soldiering, in which he showed himself proficient when on the outbreak of the civil war in england he raised a troop of horse for the king's service. gerard commanded a brigade with distinction at edgehill, and gained further honours at the first battle of newbury and at newark in 1644, for which service he was appointed to the chief command in south wales. here his operations in 1644 and 1645 were completely successful in reducing the parliamentarians to subjection; but the severity with which he ravaged the country made him personally so unpopular that when, after the defeat at naseby in june 1645, the king endeavoured to raise fresh forces in wales, he was compelled to remove gerard from the local command. gerard was, however, retained in command of the king's guard during charles's march from wales to oxford, and thence to hereford and chester in august 1645; and having been severely wounded at rowton heath on the 23rd of september, he reached newark with charles on the 4th of october. on the 8th of november 1645 he was created baron gerard of brandon in the county of suffolk; but about the same time he appears to have forfeited charles's favour by having attached himself to the party of prince rupert, with whom after the surrender of oxford gerard probably went abroad. he remained on the continent throughout the whole period of the commonwealth, sometimes in personal attendance on charles