John Bradshaw, the son
of a landowner in Cheshire, was born near Stockport in 1602. He was
educated at Gray's Inn and was called to the Bar in 1627.
In 1647 Bradshaw was appointed
Chief Justice of Cheshire and North Wales and in 1649 agreed to become
president of the trial of Charles
I. Bradshaw was
rewarded by Oliver Cromwell by being
appointed Permanent President of the Council of State and Chancellor
of the Dutchy of Lancaster.
A supporter of a democratic
republic, Bradshaw disliked Cromwell's authoritarian rule. When Bradshaw
opposed Cromwell dissolution of the House of
Commons in 1653 he lost his post as Chief Justice of Cheshire
and North Wales.
John Bradshaw died in 1659.
After the Restoration a special court
was appointed and in October 1660 those Regicides
who were still alive and living in Britain were brought to trial.
Ten were found guilty and were sentenced to be hung, drawn and quartered.
This included Hugh Peters, John
Jones and Thomas Harrison.
John Bradshaw, Oliver
Cromwell, Henry Ireton and Thomas
Pride were all posthumously tried for high treason. They were
found guilty and in January 1661 their corpses were exhumed and hung
in chains at Tyburn.
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