John Felton (died November, 1628) was an EnglishPuritan who stabbed George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham to death in Portsmouth, because he believed that he harmed too many people.
The privy council attempted to have Felton questioned under torture on the rack, but the judges resisted, unanimously declaring its use to be contrary to the laws of England. He was hanged.
Felton may have felt that the poor state of the English Navy would not improve while the Duke was alive.
The privy council attempted to have Felton questioned under torture on the rack, but the judges resisted, unanimously declaring its use to be contrary to the laws of England.
Felton's assassination of the Duke was fictionalized in Alexander Dumas's The Three Musketeers.
His left hand was early disabled by a wound, and a morose temper rendered him unpopular and prevented his advancement.
Whether he took part in the expedition to Rh in 1627 is uncertain, but there is no doubt that he continued to be refused promotion, and that even his scanty pay earned during the Cadiz adventure was not received.
He bought a tenpenny knife on Tower Hill, and on his way through Fleet Street he left his name in a church to be prayed for as a man much discontented in mind.
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