556:...(Harrison) not only pleaded not guilty, but justified the sentence passed upon the King (Charles I), and the authority of those who had commissioned him to act as one of his judges. He plainly told them, when witnesses were produced against him, that he came not thither with an intention to deny anything he had done, but rather to bring it to light, owning his name subscribed to the warrant for executing the King, to be written by himself; charging divers of those who sat on the Bench, as his judges, to have been formerly as active for the cause, in which he had engaged, as himself or any other person; affirming that he had not acted by any other motive than the principles of conscience and justice; for proof of which he said it was well known, he had chosen to be separated from his family, and to suffer a long imprisonment rather than to comply with those who had abused the power they had assumed to the oppression of the people. He insisted that having done nothing, in relation to the matter in question, otherwise than by the authority of the
36:
604:, in which Major General Harrison was drily reported to be "looking as cheerful as any man could do in that condition". This account is also quoted on a plaque on the wall of the Hung, Drawn and Quartered public house near Pepys Street, where the diarist lived and worked in the Navy Office. In his final moments, as he was being led up the scaffold, the hangman asked for his forgiveness. Upon hearing his request, Thomas Harrison replied, "I do forgive thee with all my heart... Alas poor man, thou doith it ignorantly, the Lord grant that this sin may be not laid to thy charge." Thomas Harrison then gave all of the money that remained in his pockets to his executioner and was thereafter executed.
615:
Mr. John Carew suffered there also, even their enemies confessing that more steadiness of mind, more contempt of death, and more magnanimity could not be expressed. To all who were present with them either in prison or at the place where the sentence was executed, they owned that having engaged in the cause of God and their country, they were not at all ashamed to suffer in the manner their enemies thought fit, openly avowing the inward satisfaction of their minds when they reflected upon the actions for which they had been condemned, not doubting the revival of the same cause; and that a time should come when men would have better thoughts of their persons and proceedings."
530:
560:, he was not justly accountable to this or any other inferior Court; which being a point of law, he desired to have council assigned upon that head; but the Court over-ruled; and by interrupting him frequently, and not permitting him to go on in this defense, they clearly manifested a resolution of gratifying the resentments of the Court upon any terms. So that a hasty verdict was brought in against him, and the question being asked, if he had anything to say, why judgement should not pass, he only said, that since the Court had refused to hear what was fit for him to speak in his defense, he had no more to say; upon which
634:
which was done there, he looking 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 was great shouts of joy. … From thence to my Lord's, and took
Captain Cuttance and Mr. Sheply to the Sun Tavern, and did give them some oysters. Pepys's cold joke about Harrison's "looking as cheerful as any man could do in that condition" referred to his being partly strangled, disemboweled, castrated, and shown his organs being burned before being decapitated.
568:) must not omit, that the executioner in an ugly dress, with a halter in his hand, was placed near the Major-General, and continued there during the whole time of his trial, which action I doubt whether it was ever equaled by the most barbarous nations. But having learned to condemn such baseness, after the sentence had been pronounced against him, he (Major-General Harrison) said aloud as he was withdrawn from the Court, that he had no reason to be ashamed of the cause in which he had been engaged.
633:
Even when they were not actively enjoying torture, people showed a chilling insouciance to it. Samuel Pepys, presumably one of the more refined men of his day, made the following entry in his diary for
October 13, 1660: Out to Charing Cross, to see Major-general Harrison hanged, drawn, and quartered;
614:
The sentence which had been pronounced in consequence of the verdict was executed upon Major-General
Harrison at the place where Charing Cross formerly stood, that the King might have the pleasure of the spectacle, and inure himself to blood." According to Ludlow, "On the fifteenth (15 October 1660),
572:
Harrison's sentence was "That you be led to the place from whence you came, and from thence be drawn upon a hurdle to the place of execution, and then you shall be hanged by the neck and, being alive, shall be cut down, and your privy members to be cut off, and your entrails be taken out of your body
589:
on 13 October 1660. Harrison, after being hanged for several minutes and then cut open, was reported to have leaned across and hit his executioner—resulting in the swift removal of his head. His entrails were thrown onto a nearby fire. His head adorned the sledge that drew fellow regicide
842:
The
Memoirs of Edmund Ludlow, Lieutenant-General of the Horse in the Army of the Commonwealth of England, 1625–1672, Edited with Appendices of Letters and Illustrative Documents, by C.H. Firth, M.A., in two Volumes, Oxford, At the Clarendon Press, 1894, Vol. 2, p.
573:
and, you living, the same to be burnt before your eyes, and your head to be cut off, your body to be divided into four-quarters, and head and quarters to be disposed of at the pleasure of the King's majesty. And the Lord have mercy on your soul."
726:, Lieutenant-General of the Horse in the Army of the Commonwealth of England, 1625–1672, Edited with Appendices of Letters and Illustrative Documents, by C.H. Firth, M.A., in two Volumes, Oxford, At the Clarendon Press, 1894, Vol. 2, pp. 303–304
1032:
505:
in April 1653. He opposed the parliament on the basis that it was blocking more stringent religious reforms – he wanted a more "godly" parliament. Harrison was a radical member of the
Nominated Assembly
1012:
510:) that replaced Parliament. When the assembly was dissolved, Harrison and others refused to leave and had to be forced out by soldiers. Harrison was dismissed from the Army in December.
47:
921:
803:
764:
467:
but was well enough to command the escort that brought the King to London in
January 1649. Harrison sat as a commissioner (judge) at the trial and was the
398:, all of whom played important roles in the political and religious conflicts that followed. This unit fought in two of the earliest battles of the war,
561:
1042:
482:
where he was apparently extremely severe. He was promoted to the rank of Major-General in 1651 and commanded the army in
England during
1037:
1027:
414:
338:, and his wife Mary. In 1646, he married his cousin Catherine Harrison; they had three children, all of whom died as infants.
946:
Graham, Aaron (2009). "Finance, Localism and
Military Representation in the Army of the Earl of Essex (June-December 1642)".
909:
874:
468:
72:
541:
After
Cromwell's death Harrison remained quietly in his home, supporting none of the contenders for power. Following the
1022:
1007:
371:
529:
432:
in 1645. By the end of the conflict he had risen to the rank of major-general and was a noted friend and supporter of
483:
1002:
35:
621:
307:
594:
to his execution, before being displayed in
Westminster Hall; his quarters were fastened to the city gates.
747:
314:
on 13 October 1660, facing his execution with a courage noted by various observers, including the diarist
586:
311:
1017:
283:
199:
501:
and became one of their key speakers. He still supported Cromwell and aided in the dissolution of the
395:
266:, baptised 16 July 1616, executed 13 October 1660, was a prominent member of the radical religious
51:
399:
367:
279:
204:
591:
422:
287:
214:
275:
229:
997:
992:
507:
472:
460:
379:
335:
111:
8:
564:
pronounced the sentence. And that the inhumanity of these men may the better appear, I (
491:
410:
245:
971:
963:
542:
418:
403:
299:
224:
209:
833:
Memoirs of Ludlow, Vol. 2, p. 309, with some light editing in spelling and punctuation
975:
905:
870:
698:
498:
387:
363:
271:
955:
926:
862:
808:
769:
514:
330:
16 July 1616, second of four children and only son of Richard Harrison, four times
295:
219:
938:
820:
706:
557:
502:
440:
433:
291:
234:
854:
930:
866:
812:
774:
518:
429:
347:
959:
986:
749:
Selections from the Trial and Execution of Col. Daniel Axtell in October 1660
723:
626:
607:
601:
565:
549:
391:
383:
186:
710:
597:
315:
702:
967:
521:. Under the Protectorate (1653–60) Harrison was imprisoned four times.
487:
375:
355:
240:
176:
161:
1033:
People executed by Stuart England by hanging, drawing and quartering
582:
448:
444:
428:
He fought in many of the major battles of the war and joined the
327:
303:
464:
359:
351:
127:
919:
Gentles, Ian (2004). "Harrison, Thomas (bap. 1616, d. 1660)".
610:
also provided an account of the execution at Charing Cross:
479:
331:
497:
By the early 1650s Harrison was associated with the radical
1013:
Parliamentarian military personnel of the English Civil War
267:
545:, Harrison declined to flee and was arrested in May 1660.
478:
In 1650, Harrison was appointed to a military command in
674:
855:"The inner demons of The Better Angels of Our Nature"
652:
650:
648:
378:
army, and Harrison enlisted in his personal troop of
662:
645:
409:In summer 1643, he transferred to the army of the
382:, which was recruited almost exclusively from the
984:
600:wrote an eyewitness account of the execution at
697:(Cromwell's Generals. ed.), London: Cape,
513:Like many, he was outraged by the formation of
16:English lawyer and military officer (1616–1660)
762:Nenner, Howard (September 2004). "Regicides".
290:in January 1649, he was a strong supporter of
801:Gentles, Ian J. (2008) . "Harrison, Thomas".
782:
925:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
807:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
768:(online ed.). Oxford University Press.
755:
581:Major-General Harrison was the first of the
298:was established in 1653. Following the 1660
454:
902:Execution, a Guide to the Ultimate Penalty
346:Harrison was probably educated at a local
34:
773:
421:by the time it took part in the decisive
528:
459:When conflict resumed he was wounded at
447:in 1646. His regiment maintained strong
417:'s regiment. He had reached the rank of
922:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
918:
804:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
800:
765:Oxford Dictionary of National Biography
656:
469:seventeenth of fifty-nine commissioners
985:
945:
899:
788:
761:
735:
692:
680:
668:
64:February 1653 – December 1653
1043:Military personnel from Staffordshire
852:
686:
552:described the trial in his memoirs,
413:as captain of a cavalry troop in the
524:
321:
302:, he was arrested, found guilty of
145:Catherine Harrison (1646–his death)
13:
471:to sign the death warrant of King
463:in July 1648. He had to return to
14:
1054:
548:He was tried on 11 October 1660.
517:and the elevation of Cromwell to
310:, and sentenced to death. He was
1038:People from Newcastle-under-Lyme
286:. One of those who approved the
1028:Executed regicides of Charles I
859:The Darker Angels of Our Nature
846:
836:
827:
794:
622:The Better Angels of Our Nature
451:sympathies, mutinying in 1647.
374:was appointed commander of the
274:, and a soldier who fought for
741:
729:
716:
484:Cromwell's Scottish expedition
85:May 1646 – April 1653
1:
638:
486:. He fought at the battle of
294:before the two fell out when
939:UK public library membership
821:UK public library membership
576:
7:
853:Smail, Daniel Lord (2021),
629:wrote about the execution:
587:hanged, drawn and quartered
312:hanged, drawn and quartered
10:
1059:
904:. Summersdale Publishers.
900:Abbott, Geoffrey (2005) .
893:
867:10.5040/9781350148437.0008
370:began in August 1642, the
284:Wars of the Three Kingdoms
200:Wars of the Three Kingdoms
1023:People from Staffordshire
960:10.1017/S0018246X09990343
537:pub in Tower Hill, London
535:Hung, Drawn and Quartered
386:. Other members included
341:
256:
192:
182:
172:
167:
157:
149:
141:
133:
117:
98:
93:
89:
78:
68:
57:
46:
42:
33:
23:
693:Ashley, Maurice (1954),
585:to be executed by being
455:Second English Civil War
134:Cause of death
1003:New Model Army generals
861:, Bloomsbury Academic,
368:First English Civil War
948:The Historical Journal
931:10.1093/ref:odnb/12448
813:10.1093/ref:odnb/12448
775:10.1093/ref:odnb/70599
636:
617:
570:
538:
439:He was elected to the
423:Battle of Marston Moor
288:Execution of Charles I
1008:English MPs 1640–1648
631:
612:
554:
532:
52:Barebone's Parliament
508:Barebones Parliament
336:Newcastle-under-Lyme
326:Thomas Harrison was
112:Newcastle-under-Lyme
69:Member of Parliament
695:Cromwell's Generals
494:in September 1651.
411:Eastern Association
791:, pp. 158–159
543:Stuart Restoration
539:
419:lieutenant-colonel
415:Earl of Manchester
406:in October 1642.
354:, where he became
300:Stuart Restoration
1018:Fifth Monarchists
937:(Subscription or
911:978-1-84024-433-5
876:978-1-3501-4060-8
819:(Subscription or
683:, pp. 40–43.
533:Sign outside the
499:Fifth Monarchists
490:in August and at
402:in September and
388:Charles Fleetwood
350:before moving to
272:Fifth Monarchists
260:
259:
153:3 died as infants
1050:
979:
942:
934:
915:
887:
886:
885:
883:
850:
844:
840:
834:
831:
825:
824:
816:
798:
792:
786:
780:
779:
777:
759:
753:
745:
739:
733:
727:
720:
714:
713:
690:
684:
678:
672:
666:
660:
654:
525:Arrest and trial
515:the Protectorate
425:in July 1644.
322:Personal details
296:The Protectorate
168:Military service
124:
109:
107:
94:Personal details
83:
62:
38:
21:
20:
1058:
1057:
1053:
1052:
1051:
1049:
1048:
1047:
983:
982:
936:
912:
896:
891:
890:
881:
879:
877:
851:
847:
841:
837:
832:
828:
818:
799:
795:
787:
783:
760:
756:
746:
742:
734:
730:
722:The Memoirs of
721:
717:
691:
687:
679:
675:
667:
663:
655:
646:
641:
579:
558:Long Parliament
527:
503:Rump Parliament
457:
441:Long Parliament
434:Oliver Cromwell
376:Parliamentarian
344:
324:
292:Oliver Cromwell
264:Thomas Harrison
252:
235:Siege of Oxford
177:Parliamentarian
126:
122:
121:13 October 1660
110:
105:
103:
84:
79:
70:
63:
58:
29:
28:Thomas Harrison
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1056:
1046:
1045:
1040:
1035:
1030:
1025:
1020:
1015:
1010:
1005:
1000:
995:
981:
980:
954:(4): 879–898.
943:
916:
910:
895:
892:
889:
888:
875:
845:
835:
826:
793:
781:
754:
740:
728:
715:
685:
673:
671:, p. 889.
661:
643:
642:
640:
637:
578:
575:
526:
523:
519:Lord Protector
456:
453:
430:New Model Army
396:Nathaniel Rich
364:Clifford's Inn
348:Grammar school
343:
340:
323:
320:
262:Major-General
258:
257:
254:
253:
251:
250:
249:
248:
243:
237:
232:
227:
222:
217:
212:
207:
196:
194:
190:
189:
184:
180:
179:
174:
170:
169:
165:
164:
159:
155:
154:
151:
147:
146:
143:
139:
138:
135:
131:
130:
125:(aged 44)
119:
115:
114:
100:
96:
95:
91:
90:
87:
86:
76:
75:
66:
65:
55:
54:
44:
43:
40:
39:
31:
30:
27:
24:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1055:
1044:
1041:
1039:
1036:
1034:
1031:
1029:
1026:
1024:
1021:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1011:
1009:
1006:
1004:
1001:
999:
996:
994:
991:
990:
988:
977:
973:
969:
965:
961:
957:
953:
949:
944:
940:
932:
928:
924:
923:
917:
913:
907:
903:
898:
897:
878:
872:
868:
864:
860:
856:
849:
839:
830:
822:
814:
810:
806:
805:
797:
790:
785:
776:
771:
767:
766:
758:
752:
750:
744:
738:, p. 158
737:
732:
725:
724:Edmund Ludlow
719:
712:
708:
704:
700:
696:
689:
682:
677:
670:
665:
658:
653:
651:
649:
644:
635:
630:
628:
627:Steven Pinker
624:
623:
616:
611:
609:
608:Edmond Ludlow
605:
603:
602:Charing Cross
599:
595:
593:
588:
584:
574:
569:
567:
566:Edmond Ludlow
563:
559:
553:
551:
550:Edmond Ludlow
546:
544:
536:
531:
522:
520:
516:
511:
509:
504:
500:
495:
493:
489:
485:
481:
476:
474:
470:
466:
462:
452:
450:
446:
442:
437:
435:
431:
426:
424:
420:
416:
412:
407:
405:
401:
400:Powick Bridge
397:
393:
392:Edmund Ludlow
389:
385:
384:Inns of Court
381:
377:
373:
372:Earl of Essex
369:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
339:
337:
333:
329:
319:
317:
313:
309:
305:
301:
297:
293:
289:
285:
281:
277:
273:
270:known as the
269:
265:
255:
247:
244:
242:
238:
236:
233:
231:
228:
226:
223:
221:
218:
216:
213:
211:
208:
206:
205:Powick Bridge
203:
202:
201:
198:
197:
195:
191:
188:
187:Major General
185:
181:
178:
175:
171:
166:
163:
160:
156:
152:
148:
144:
140:
136:
132:
129:
120:
116:
113:
101:
97:
92:
88:
82:
77:
74:
67:
61:
56:
53:
49:
45:
41:
37:
32:
25:Major General
22:
19:
951:
947:
920:
901:
880:, retrieved
858:
848:
838:
829:
802:
796:
784:
763:
757:
748:
743:
731:
718:
694:
688:
676:
664:
657:Gentles 2004
632:
620:
619:In his book
618:
613:
606:
598:Samuel Pepys
596:
580:
571:
555:
547:
540:
534:
512:
496:
477:
458:
438:
427:
408:
345:
325:
316:Samuel Pepys
280:Commonwealth
263:
261:
230:Basing House
215:Marston Moor
193:Battles/wars
123:(1660-10-13)
80:
59:
18:
998:1660 deaths
993:1616 births
789:Abbott 2005
736:Abbott 2005
681:Ashley 1954
669:Graham 2009
366:. When the
987:Categories
941:required.)
882:4 November
823:required.)
639:References
380:Lifeguards
276:Parliament
239:Battle of
173:Allegiance
158:Occupation
976:154847523
592:John Cook
583:regicides
577:Execution
562:Bridgeman
492:Worcester
488:Knutsford
473:Charles I
362:based in
246:Worcester
241:Knutsford
162:Law clerk
81:In office
60:In office
48:Nominated
968:25643862
711:6150316M
449:Leveller
445:Wendover
404:Edgehill
328:baptised
308:regicide
278:and the
225:Langport
210:Edgehill
150:Children
137:Executed
73:Wendover
894:Sources
461:Appleby
304:treason
282:in the
104: (
974:
966:
935:
908:
873:
817:
709:
703:798976
701:
465:London
360:lawyer
352:London
342:Career
220:Naseby
142:Spouse
128:Tyburn
972:S2CID
964:JSTOR
480:Wales
358:to a
356:clerk
332:mayor
306:as a
906:ISBN
884:2021
871:ISBN
699:OCLC
443:for
394:and
268:sect
183:Rank
118:Died
106:1616
102:1616
99:Born
71:for
956:doi
927:doi
863:doi
843:309
809:doi
770:doi
334:of
50:to
989::
970:.
962:.
952:52
950:.
869:,
857:,
707:OL
705:,
647:^
625:,
475:.
436:.
390:,
318:.
978:.
958::
933:.
929::
914:.
865::
815:.
811::
778:.
772::
751:.
659:.
506:(
108:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
_in_Cromwell%27s_Army_(2).jpg)