At Weidenfeld & Nicolson, Alan Samson has, as always, been encouraging and helpful, as has Lucinda McNeile, and I would like to record my gratitude to my meticulous editor Anne O’Brien and to David Atkinson for compiling the index and to my agent Andrew Lownie. Any errors or omissions are entirely my responsibility.
Robert Hutchinson
West Sussex, 2015
Illustrations
Unknown man, formerly known as Thomas Blood, attributed to Gilbert Soest and painted in the 1670s.
Thomas Blood by George White.
James Butler, First Duke of Ormond, lord lieutenant of Ireland during the attempted seizure of Dublin Castle in 1663, and victim of Blood’s attempted kidnap and murder.
Sir Joseph Williamson, secretary of state and operational head of the Stuart secret service.
Henry Bennet, First Earl of Arlington, secretary of state and pursuer of the would-be assassins of the Duke of Ormond.
Charles II, the ‘Merry Monarch’, who had a less than happy time with the constant threat of rebellion or assassination posed by radical religious dissenters or veteran republicans.
George Villiers, Second Duke of Buckingham. An ambitious archconspirator who probably employed Blood for unpleasant tasks but then turned against him.
Barbara Palmer, née Villiers, Duchess of Cleveland. The ruthless mistress of Charles II who played dangerous political games at court.
Charles II wearing the new Imperial State Crown and carrying the orb and sceptre made for his coronation – the targets of Colonel Blood and his accomplices.
The Martin Tower in the north-east corner of the Tower of London, where Charles II’s new crown jewels were stored. For a small payment, anyone could see them.
Blood and his accomplices stealing the regalia from the Tower.
Colonel Blood’s daggers.
A bird’s eye view of the Tower of London as it was in 1688.
Index
Page numbers listed correspond to the print edition of this book. You can use your device’s search function to locate particular terms in the text.
Abbot, Colonel Daniel, 28
Act of Uniformity, 6–7, 154
Acts of Settlement, 1, 3–4, 8, 24, 238
Adam the Leper, xv, 229
Adventurers’ Act, 236
Agincourt, Battle of, 270
Aires, George, 64
Albany, New York, 204–5
Albemarle, George Monck, Duke of, 50, 57, 61, 160, 198, 200–1
Alberti, Girolamo (Venetian ambassador to London), 99, 133, 146
Alden, Philip, 63, 9–11, 13, 18, 20–1, 26, 31, 36, 44, 63, 200–1, 245
Aldworth, Robert, 133
Alexander VII, Pope, 257
Alexander, Captain Ralph, 73, 121, 198, 202, 272
Anabaptists, 27, 54, 60, 71, 87, 121, 141, 163–5, 242
Anderson, John, 101
Andrews, Mrs Mary, 203
Anglesey, Arthur Annesley, Earl of, 155
Argyll, Archibald Campbell, Marquis of, 41, 246
Arlington, Sir Henry Bennet, Earl of, 50–1, 55–6, 58–60, 62–4, 68–9, 71, 74, 81
and assault on Ormond, 94, 99, 101–2, 104–6, 108–9, 111
and Blood’s imprisonment, 130, 136, 141, 146
and Blood’s pardon, 146–8, 150–1
and Blood’s work for government, 153, 156–9, 166–8, 171
and Dublin Castle conspiracy, 10, 12–13, 23–4, 32–3, 42, 44
Freer’s appeal to, 86–7
and plots against king, 113, 135
and religious toleration, 161–2, 164
resignation and death, 197–8
rivalry with Buckingham, 110
and Rochester’s satire, 150–1
Arlington House, St James’s, London, 198
Armorer, Sir Nicholas, 33, 243
Armstrong, Sir Thomas, 19
Arran, Lord, 26
Arundel House, London, 104, 267
Ashenhurst, William, 254
Ashton, Sir William, 47
Atkinson, John, 57, 59–61, 74, 84, 86
Aubrey, John, 286
Aungier, Francis, Baron, 24
Austin, Widow, 91
Axtell, Daniel, 238
Baber, Sir John, 158, 280
Bagot, Edward, 247
Baines, Edward, 22
Ball, Henry, 167, 283
Ball, Thomas, 21
Barillon, Paul (French ambassador), 180, 182
Barker, Sir Richard (physician), 177, 285
Barkstead, John, 67
Barnes, Captain Toby, 67, 204, 256
Barnsley, Justice, 186
Barrington, Colonel Alexander, 32
Barrington, Major Thomas, 30
Barrow, Colonel, 277
Barry, Alderman Richard, 244
Bear tavern, Southwark, 184
Beckman, Captain Martin, 127–9, 151, 201, 273
Bedloe, Captain William, 178–80
Begs, John, 3
Benbow, John, 6
Bennet, Sir Henry, see Arlington, Sir Henry Bennet, Earl of
Bennet, Sir John, 56
Benson, Robert, 84
Beresford, Michael, 93–4
Berkeley House, Piccadilly, London, 264
Berry, Henry, 178
‘Bess’s Day’ (17 November), 198, 289
Betson, John, 60, 83
Beverley, Sir Thomas, 237
Biddell, John, 21
Bincks, Joseph, 52
Black Boy tavern, Oxmantown, 68
Blaine, Jenny, 122
Blake, Admiral Robert, 229
Blakeys, Robert, 191
Blenheim, Battle of, 203
Blood, Charles (Colonel Blood’s son), xxv, 166, 186, 191, 201–2, 204
Blood, Edmund, xvii–xviii
Blood, Edmund (Colonel Blood’s son), xxv, 89, 168, 202
Blood, Edmund (Colonel Blood’s grandson), 204–5
Blood, Elizabeth (Colonel Blood’s daughter), xxv, 189–90, 202, 204
Blood, Elizabeth (née Fowler) (Holcroft Blood’s wife), 203–4
Blood, Holcroft (Colonel Blood’s son), xxv, 168, 191, 202–4
Blood, Margaret, xvii–xviii
Blood, Mary (née Holcroft, or Holdcroft), xviii, 231
Blood, Mary (née Holcroft) (Colonel Blood’s wife), xxiii, xxv, 71, 87, 98–9, 122, 146, 189
Blood, Mary (Colonel Blood’s daughter), xxv, 189–90, 204
Blood, Mrs Mary, 204–5
Blood, Neptune, xvii–xviii, xx, 168, 231–2, 283
Blood, Thomas, senior, xviii–xix
Blood, Colonel Thomas
acquires house, 151
allegiance to Lauderdale, 156–7
apology to Ormond, 147–8
assault on Ormond, 91–2, 94–114, 133, 135–7, 143–4
attempt on Crown Jewels, 120–31, 143–5
becomes government agent, 146–7, 153–4
belief in Providence, 189
burial and exhumation, 192–3
death, 190–1
downfall at Buckingham’s hands, 182–90
and Dublin Castle conspiracy, 13, 18–19, 22–3, 25, 28–9, 31–2, 34, 40–3 46, 48, 133
escape from Dublin, 42–3
family and early life, xvii–xxiii
family’s land holdings, 3
forfeits properties, 4–6, 67, 91, 204
forged confession, 141–2
gains pardons for accomplices, 159–60
government agent in Netherlands, 66–7, 166–7
government salary, 167, 186–7
granted pardon, 146–51, 204
granted pension, 149
and Great Fire, 69, 177, 188
and Holcroft estates, 168–9
imprisonment and interrogation, 132–48
and Leving’s death, 85
and licences for worship, 163–4
marriage, xxiii–xxv
meeting with Ludlow, 66–8, 136
his notebook, 188–9
and Pentland uprising, 71
and plots against king, 114, 136, 138–9
and political clubs, 173
and Presbyterian conspiracy, 59–65
and rehabilitation of nonconformists, 154–66
relations with nonconformists, 143–4, 154–5, 158, 166
rescue of Mason, 75–85, 133, 188
restoration of properties, 149, 167, 204–5
Romford medical practice, 71–2, 87–9
rumour of his death, 87
suspected presence in Ireland, 68–70
trial of fellow conspirators, 61–2
warrants for his arrest, 71, 73, 84, 185–6
his will, 190–1, 204
Blood, Thomas (alias ‘Thomas Hunt’) (Colonel Blood’s eldest son), xxv, 71, 188–9
and highway robbery, 88–9, 143, 189
and assault on Ormond, 91–2, 95–8, 100–3, 106, 108–9, 133
and attempt on Crown Jewels, 121, 126–7, 129–30
imprisonment, 134, 141, 148
army career, 168
his widow, 191, 204
Blood, William (Colonel Blood’s son), xxv, 166, 168, 191, 202
Blood, William (Edmund Blood’s son), xviii
Bloxton, Barnaby, 88
Bold, Samuel (vicar of Shapwick, Dorset), 284
Boleyn, Anne, xxiv
Book of Common Prayer, 6
Book of Daniel, 54
Book of Revelation, 54
Boscobel woods, 108
Boulter, Margaret, 102
Boyd, Thomas, 48
Boyle, Archbishop Michael (lord chancellor of Ireland), 174
Boyne, Battle of the, 203
Bradford, William, 21–2
Bradley, Jane (barmaid), 181–2
Bradshaw, John, 262
Braithwaite, Mr, 130
Brandon, Richard, 239
Brazil, or Brasil, isle of, discovery of, 240
Breten, John, 68
Bridgeman, Sir Orlando, 144
Bridges, Sir Thomas, 154
broadsheets, 193
Broderick, Sir Allan, 237
Brooks, Thomas, 97
Browne, Captain, 18, 28, 63
Browne, Sir Richard, 160
Bruce, Alexander, 130
Buckingham, George Villiers, Duke of, 53–4, 56–7, 62, 86
and assault on Ormond, 110–12, 135
and attempt on Crown Jewels, 142, 144–5
and Blood’s downfall, 182–90
death, 195–6
enmity towards Ormond, 110–12, 135–6, 262, 269
founder of Bilsdale Hunt, 288
and political conspiracies, 173, 175–6, 179–80, 202
reputation for violence, 183
Buffalo Head tavern, Westminster, 185
Buggery Act, 183
Bull Head tavern, Charing Cross, London, 94–5
Burghclere, Lady, 258
Burgoyne, Sir Roger, 150
Burnet, Gilbert, Bishop of Salisbury, 142
Burnett, Ralph (Lincoln postmaster), 285
Bury, Captain John, 180 Butler, Dr Nicholas, 155–6, 158, 162, 164
Butler, Timothy, 60, 71, 73, 76, 81, 83–5, 87, 114
Buxton, John, 106, 141
Calveley, Edward, 5
Calveley, Ralph, 237
Calveley, Richard, 169
canary wine, 95, 264
Careless, William, 108
Caroon House, South Lambeth, housing debtors, 280
Carpenter, Philip, 244
Carr, Colonel Gilbert (‘Gibby’), 28, 30–2, 41–2, 60, 64
Carr, Mrs, 42
Carrickfergus, capture of, 203
Carter, Captain Nicholas, 168
Cartmel Priory, xxiv
Cashel, capture of, 203
Catherine of Braganza, Queen, 92–3, 107, 178, 198, 262, 273
Catholicism, royal family and, 165–6
Catholics, banished from London, 179
Cellier, Elizabeth, 284–5
Chamberlain, Dr (Middlesex magistrate), 182
Chamberlain, Thomas, 202
Chamberlin, John (Dublin brewer), 28, 32, 43
Chambers, Captain John, 21, 32, 48
Chambers, Robert, 28
Chapel of the Pyx, Westminster Abbey, xvi, 115, 229
Charles I, King, xx, xxiii, xxv, 115, 196, 233, 238–9, 252
Charles II, King
and assault on Coventry, 112
and assault on Ormond, 99–100
and Blood’s interrogation, 134–41
and Blood’s pardon, 146–9
and Blood’s role in Pentland uprising, 71
and Crown Jewels, 116, 119, 137, 144–5
and Dublin Castle conspiracy, 8–9, 15, 25, 30, 33, 35–6, 44, 48
entry into London, 248
and forfeiture of Blood’s property, 67
and intelligence gathering, 49, 51–2, 56–7
interrogation of Oates, 180
Lauderdale’s influence with, 157
pardons Blood’s accomplices, 159–60
plots against, xv, 50, 113–14, 121, 135–6, 138–9, 144, 160, 170, 174–81, 198–200
proclaimed king at Pontefract, 233
and religious toleration, 156, 158, 161–3, 165–6
and restoration of Blood’s properties, 149, 167, 204
Rochester’s satire on, 150–1
and scientific experiments, 177
shortage of money, 92, 117, 144, 151
and succession to throne, 92–3, 165
tendency to absolutism, 165
total of illegitimate children, 263
Charnock, Stephen, 14, 31, 33–4, 42
Choqueux, Dr (French physician), 179
Christian, Edward, 182–3, 186
Christmas Day, observance of during Commonwealth, 248
Church, Mr, 155–6, 158, 186
Churchill, Winston, 24, 237, 242
ciphers, 50–1
Clancarty, Earl of, 17
Clarendon, Edward Hyde, Earl of, 10, 56, 61, 90, 110, 231
Clarendon House, Piccadilly, London, 90, 96–8, 100, 262
Clarges, Sir Thomas, 33
Clarke, Thomas, 98
Claveley, John, 6
Cleveland, Barbara Villiers (née Palmer), Duchess of, no, 135–6, 198
Clifford, Sir Thomas, 149
Clotworthy, John, 39
cock-fighting, 259
Coddan, Philemon, 182, 184–5
coffee houses, 11, 133, 142, 160, 239
Committee of Foreign Affairs, 153
Congress of Cologne, 167
Constable, John, 108
Conventicles Act, 154–5
Conway, Viscount, 71, 257
Cook, Mrs Dorothy, 204
Cooke, Colonel Edward, 237
Cooke, William, xix
Cooke (brewer), 64
Corbet, Miles, 67
Court of Claims, 4, 15, 22, 24, 179
Covent Garden, London, 94, 263
Coventry, Sir John, 112–13
Craven, William, Earl of, 139, 265
Cromwell, Henry, xxv, 14, 18, 21–2, 31, 34
Cromwell, Oliver, xxv, 1–2, 233–4, 262
Cromwell, Richard, xxv, 173, 285
Cromwell, Thomas, 183, 253
‘Cromwell’s Barracks’, 236
Crowe, Captain Thomas, 150
Crown Jewels, 115–31, 143–5, 151, 155, 175
and improved security, 205–6
Crown tavern, Ram Alley, London, 184
Cruice, Patrick, 3
Curtis, Thomas, 184, 186
Cutts, Lord, 203
daggers, associated with Blood, 130, 274–5
Dale, William, 144
Dalziel, Lieutenant General Thomas, 70
Danby, Countess of, 184
Danby, Thomas Osborne, Earl of, 170, 178–9, 182, 185
Danvers, Colonel Henry, 73
Darcy, Patrick, 34, 37, 39, 244
Darcy, Corporal William, 75–6, 78, 81–2
Darrington, affray at, 75–85
Davies, Jonathan, 99
Davies, Sir Paul, 23
Davies, Robert, 21
Davis, Henry, 268
Dawson, Christopher, 60
de Gomme, Bernard, 273
De la Rock, Lieutenant, 28
de Ros, General William Fitz-Gerald, 206, 290–1
de Ruyter, Admiral Michiel, 59, 92
Declaration of Indulgence, 161–3, 165, 277
Dering, Sir Edward, 237
Devonshire, William Cavendish, Duke of, 264
Devonshire House, Piccadilly, London, 264–5
Dixey, Thomas, 108
Dizey,John, 108
‘dog killers’, 63
Dog tavern, Westminster, 185
Dolben, Sir William, 187, 287
Dolman (butcher), 4–5
Domville, Sir William, 38–9
Done, William, 104
‘Dons’, the, 155
Downing, Sir George, 67, 256
Draper, Henry, 108
Draper, Sir Thomas, 280
Drayton, Thomas, 89
Drinkwater, Robert, 5
Drogheda, massacre at, xviii, 2, 234
Dryden,John, 173
Dublin Castle conspiracy, 8–48, 91, 117, 133
‘Ducklings’, the, 156
duelling, 112
Dungannon, Lord, 19
Duval, Claude, 145
Dyve, Sir Lewis, xxi
Edith, Queen, 116
Edwards, Elizabeth, 118, 123–4, 127, 201
Edwards, Talbot, 118–19, 122–7, 130, 151–2, 206
Edwards, Wythe, 118, 126–7, 129, 134, 151
Egerton, Daniel, 50
Elizabeth I, Queen, anniversary of her accession, 198, 289
Elton, Lieutenant, 87
Essex, Arthur Capel, Earl of, 167, 200
Evelyn, John, 55–6, 91, 136, 149
Exby (footman), 96
executions, in Dublin, 39–40, 44–6, 48
Fairfax, Sir Thomas, xxi
Farriner, Thomas, 69
Fellows, John, 36
Feversham, George Sondes, First Earl of, 54
Fielding, Henry, 99
The Audacious Crimes of Colonel Blood Page 37