Thomas Harrison
Thomas Harrison, 1616-1660
Army officer who rose to high military and political office; he was a leader of the Fifth Monarchy Men and an unrepentant Regicide
Harrison fought at Marston Moor in July 1644 and was sent after the battle to report Parliament's victory to the Committee of Both Kingdoms. His praise of Oliver Cromwell and the Independent faction greatly annoyed the Scots and Presbyterians on the committee. After the second battle of Newbury (October 1644), Harrison strongly supported Cromwell in his dispute with Manchester. In 1646, Harrison was elected to the Long Parliament he became actively involved in the political dispute between the New Model Army and Parliament. He was one of the officers who signed the letter sent to London outlining the Army's grievances on 10 June 1647.
During the Second Civil War, Harrison went to join Major-General Lambert's army holding the north against the Engagers. He acted as a mediator between Henry Ireton and John Lilburne in Ireton's negotiations to gain Leveller support for the King's trial. Harrison commanded the military escort that brought King Charles to Windsor and then to London in January 1649. Royalists were outraged that this duty should be entrusted to the fanatical Colonel Harrison. The King believed that Harrison intended to murder him, but was surprised to find him courteous and correct in his behaviour. Harrison sat as a judge at the King's trial. He was a signatory of the death warrant and was commissioned to supervise security at his funeral. In January 1649, Harrison was nominated to the Council of State. At first, his nomination was rejected by Parliament because of his extremist views. By the early 1650s, Harrison was associated with the Fifth Monarchy sect. In his zeal to establish the rule of the Saints, he secured the expulsion from Parliament of Lord Howard of Escrick for accepting bribes, and of Gregory Clement MP for committing adultery. In the constitutional discussions that followed the expulsion of Parliament, Harrison proposed a government based upon the Old Testament Sanhedrin of 70 elected "Saints". This model was adapted as the Nominated Assembly ("Barebones Parliament"), which governed England from July to December 1653.
Like other Fifth Monarchists, he called for the continuation of the Anglo-Dutch War, believing that it was part of the violent process that had started with the civil wars and the beheading of King Charles, and would lead ultimately to the overthrow of the Antichrist (the Pope) and the reign of Christ on Earth. Harrison fiercely opposed the dissolution of the "Parliament of Saints". He refused to acknowledge the Protectorate that was set up in its place and Cromwell. Harrison came to be regarded as a dangerous opponent of the Protectorate. He was imprisoned four times between 1653 and 1658.
Harrison was among the first of the regicides to be singled out for punishment. He made no attempt to escape. Parliament ordered his arrest and he was imprisoned in the Tower of London in May 1660. At his trial in October, Harrison asserted that he had acted in the name of the Parliament of England and by its authority. He was convicted and sentenced to be hanged, drawn and quartered on 13 October 1660 at Charing Cross.Harrison went bravely to his gruesome death, his religious zeal undiminished to the end. At his execution he said 'Next to the sufferings of Christ', he claimed, 'I go to suffer in the most glorious cause that ever was in the world. And one, as he passed by, asking him in derision where the good old cause was, he with a cheerful smile clapped his hand on his breast and said, Here it is, and I go to seal it with my blood.'
According to one account, whilst being quartered, he struggled to his feet and boxed the executioner's ears. Samuel Pepys notes I went out to Charing Cross, to see Major-general Harrison hanged, drawn, and quartered; 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... Thus it was my chance to see the King beheaded at White Hall, and to see the first blood shed in revenge for the blood of the King at Charing Cross.
Edmund Ludlow from the Parliamentarina perspective (and a fellow signatory to the King's Exection Warrant) put it like this "On the fifteenth (15 October 1660), 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
| Author | Samuel Pepys + |
| Description | Army officer who rose to high military and political office; he was a leader of the Fifth Monarchy Men and an unrepentant Regicide |
| Person | Oliver Cromwell +, Manchester +, Henry Ireton +, John Lilburne + and Edmund Ludlow + |
