John Jones, a Puritan,
was elected to the House of Commons as
the representative of Merioneth. During the Civil
War Jones led the Parliamentary forces in North Wales.
Jones married Catherine
Cromwell, the sister of Oliver Cromwell.
A staunch republican, Jones advocated the trial and execution of Charles
I.
On 3rd September 1658,
Oliver Cromwell died. Parliament
and the leaders of the army now began arguing amongst themselves about
how England should be ruled. General George
Monck, the officer in charge of the English army based in Scotland,
decided to take action, and in 1660 he marched his army to London.
When Monck arrived he reinstated
the House of Lords and the Parliament of
1640. Royalists were now in control of Parliament. Monk
now contacted Charles
II, who was living
in Holland. Charles agreed that if he was made king he would pardon
all members of the parliamentary army and would continue with the
Commonwealth's policy of religious toleration. Charles also accepted
that he would share power with Parliament and would not rule as an
'absolute' monarch as his father had
tried to do in the 1630s.
This information was passed
to Parliament and it was eventually agreed to abolish the Commonwealth
and bring back the monarchy. In
August 1660, Charles
II and Parliament
agreed to pass the Act of Indemnity and Oblivion. This resulted in
the granting of a free pardon to anyone who had supported the Commonwealth
government. However, the king retained the right to punish those people
who had participated in the trial and execution of Charles
I.
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 John Jones, Thomas Harrison
and Hugh Peters.
Execution of John Jones,
Thomas Scot,
Gregory Clement and Adrian Scroop in October 1660.
(1)
Edmund
Ludlow,
Memoirs of Edward Ludlow (c. 1680)
Colonel John Jones who
next appeared on this bloody theater, was a gentleman of a competent
estate in North- Wales, and so well beloved in his country that he
did considerable service to the public cause by his interest in those
parts. He reduced the Isle of Anglesey to the obedience of the Commonwealth,
and was soon after chosen to serve in Parliament for that place. He
had been one of the Council of State, and in the year 1650 was constituted
one of the Commissioners of Parliament for managing the civil affairs
of Ireland. This trust he discharged during the course of divers years,
with great diligence, ability, and integrity, in providing for the
happiness of that country, and bringing to justice those who had been
concerned in the murders of the English Protestants. When the Great
Parliament was restored to the exercise of their authority, after
the long interruption, they chose him to be one of those eight persons,
to whom they committed the care of the public safety, till they could
establish a Council of State. Of this also he was chosen a member,
and soon after sent by the Parliament to his former trust in Ireland,
where he continued till the late change.
(2)
Mercurius Publicus, newsbook (17th October, 1660)
John Jones chose to marry
Oliver Cromwell's sister... and had his hand in the murder of the
king. This morning Thomas Scot, Gregory Clement, Adrian Scroop and
John Jones were executed at Charing Cross.... Jones, the last to be
executed... lifted up his hands as he was drawn upon the hurdle and
at the place of execution... to gain the peoples' prayers.
(3)
John
Evelyn, diary entry
(17 October, 1660)
The traitors executed were
Scroop, Cook and Jones. I did not see their execution, but met their
quarters mangled and cut and reeking as they were brought from the
gallows in baskets.
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