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 Thomas Harrison, John
Jones, John Carew and Hugh
Peters. Others executed included Adrian Scroope, Thomas Scot,
Gregory Clement, Francis Hacker, Daniel Axtel and John Cook.
Oliver
Cromwell, Henry Ireton, Thomas
Pride and John Bradshaw 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.
It is estimated that about
twenty Regicides escaped abroad. Three of them, John
Barkstead, John Okey and Miles Corbet were arrested and were executed
in April 1662.
Execution of John Jones,
Thomas Scot,
Gregory Clement and Adrian Scroop in October 1660.
(1)
Edmund
Ludlow,
Memoirs of Edward Ludlow (c. 1680)
Another of my friends
who was well acquainted with the designs of the Court, and had all
along advised me not to trust their favour; now repeated his persuasions
to withdraw out of England, assuring, that if I staid I was lost;
and that the same fate attended Sir Henry Vane and others, notwithstanding
all engagements to the contrary. He added, that there was a design
on foot to seize the estates of all those who had been outlawed in
the late King's time, of which number my father having been one, it
would be difficult for me to escape ruin on that account. The advice
of my friend whom I had always found to be entirely sincere, and knew
to be well informed of affairs, was of great weight to induce me to
resolve upon departing from England; in which resolution I was confirmed
by the friendly counsel of the Lord Ossery, eldest son to the Marquis
of Ormond, who with divers others that had observed the inconstancy
and irresolution, to say no worse, of those in the House of Commons,
in sacrificing Mr. Carew and Colonel Scroop to the revenge of the
enemy, concurred in giving the same advice.
The time appointed for
my departure from England being come, after I had settled my affairs
in the best manner I could, and taken leave of my dearest friends
and relations, I went into a coach about the close of the day, and
passing through the City over London-Bridge to St.
George's Church in Southwark, I found a person ready to receive me
with two horses, one of which I mounted and began my journey. My guide
was so well acquainted with the country, that we avoided all the considerable
towns on the road, where we suspected any soldiers might be quartered
; and the next morning by break of day we arrived at Lewes without
interruption. On the Tuesday following, a small vessel being prepared
for my transportation, I went on board; but the wind blowing hard
and the vessel having no deck, I removed into another that had
been provided for me by a merchant of Lewes, and was struck upon the
sands as she was falling down to receive me. This vessel had carried
over Mr. Richard Cromwell some weeks before, and lay very commodiously
for my safety on that occasion; for after I had entered into her to
secure my self from the weather, till I might put to sea in the other,
the searchers came on board my small vessel to see what she carried,
omitting to search that in which I was, not suspecting any person
or thing to be in her, because she was struck upon the sands. But
the storm still continuing, and the men thinking not fit to put to
sea, we continued in the harbour all that day and the night following;
the master, who had used the ports of Ireland whilst I had been in
that country, among other things, enquiring if Lieutenant-General
Ludlow were not imprisoned with the rest of the King's judges; to
which I answered, that I had not heard of any such thing.
The next morning we set
sail, and had the wind so favourable, that we arrived in the harbour
of Diepe that evening before the gates were shut; where going ashore
I was conducted by the master, to the house of one Madame de Caux
to whom I was recommended, where I was received with all possible
demonstrations of civility; the gentlewoman leaving it to my choice
either to continue at her habitation in Diepe, or to go to her house
in the country; which last I chose to do, as well that I might enjoy
the liberty of taking the air, as to avoid the Irish who were in great
numbers in the town, and who probably might have seen me in Ireland
when I served the Parliament.
(2)
Thomas
Harrison, speech on the scaffold
(1660)
Gentleman, by reason of
some scoffing, that I do hear, I judge that some do think I am afraid
to die... I tell you no, but it is by reason of much blood I have
lost in the wars, and many wounds I have received in my body which
caused this shaking and weakness in my nerves.
(3)
Samuel
Pepys,
diary entry (13th October, 1660)
I went out to Charing Cross,
to see Major-General Harrison, hanged, drawn, and quartered... he
looked as cheerful as any man could do in that condition. He was presently
cut down, and his head and heart shown to the people, at which there
were great shouts of joy... Harrison's head has been set up (on a
pole) on the other side of Westminster Hall.
(4)
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.
(5)
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.
(6)
Edmund
Ludlow,
Memoirs of Edward Ludlow (c. 1680)
The first letters I received
from England, after my arrival at Geneva, informed me that Major-General
Harrison, Mr. John Carew, Chief Justice Coke, Mr. Hugh Peters, Mr.
Thomas Scot, Mr. Gregory Clement, Colonel Adrian Scroop, Colonel John
Jones, Colonel Francis Hacker, and Colonel Daniel Axtel being accused
of having contributed in their several stations, to the death of the
King, had been condemned and executed. This important business had
been delayed during the time that Mr. Love was to continue Sheriff
of London, he being no way to be induced, either for fear or hopes,
to permit juries to be packed in order to second the designs of the
Court. But after new sheriffs had been chosen, more proper to serve
the present occasion, a commission for hearing and determining this
matter, was directed to thirty-four persons, of whom fifteen had actually
engaged for the Parliament, against the late King; either as members
of Parliament, judges or officers in their army; most, if not all
of them, the Lord Mayor excepted, having been put into places of trust
and profit since the late revolution.
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