SKIPPON, PHILIP (d. 166o), English soldier, was born at West Lexham, Norfolk. At an early age he adopted the military profession and in 1622 served with Sir Horace Vere in the Pala tinate. He took part in most of the battles and sieges of the time in the Low Countries. At the sieges of Breda in 1625 and 1637 he was wounded, and under his old commander, Lord Vere, he was present when Bois-le-Duc ('s Hertogenbosch) and Mae stricht were attacked in 1629. A veteran of considerable ex perience, Skippon returned to England in 1639, and was ap pointed to a command in the (Honourable) Artillery Company. In January 1642 Skippon was made commander of the City troops. He was not present at Edgehill, but he cheered his raw militiamen at Turnham Green, in the face of the king's victorious army. Essex, the Lord General of the Parliament forces, made Skippon his major-general, a post which carried with it the command of the foot and the duty of arranging the line of battle.
At the end of 1644 Essex's desertion at Lostwithiel left Skippon in command; compelled to surrender without firing a shot, he bore himself with calmness and fortitude in this adversity. Soon after the second battle of Newbury he became major-general of the New Model Army. In this capacity he supported Fairfax as loyally as he supported Essex, and at Naseby refused to quit the field. He only reappeared at the siege of Oxford, which he directed.
Under the Commonwealth he held office, military and civil, but ceased to influence passing events. He was a member of Crom well's House of Lords, and was universally respected and beloved. He died in March 166o. Skippon was a deeply religious man, and wrote several books of devotion for the use of soldiers.
See Vicars, English Worthies (1647).