DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.70303#0127
COLONEL BLOOD,-
107
& handsome pension assigned him of’5001. per year. He
was now no longer considered as an impudent criminal,
but as a court favourite; and application was made to
the throne by the mediation of Mr. Blood*. Ob. 24
Aug. 1680.
The particulars of his attempt on the crown and regalia
in the Tower of London., is related by Mr. Edwards him-
self, at that time, keeper.
About three weeks before he put bis intended plan in
execution, he came to the Tower as a stranger, to see
the curiosities, habited as a clergyman, with a long
cloak, cassock, and canonical girdle, and brought a wo-
man with him, whom he called his wife, though it after -
wards appeared his real wife was ill at the time in Lan-
cashire: his pretended wife after seeing the crown, &c.
feigned a sudden indisposition, and desired Mr. Edwards
to procure her some spirits, who immediately caused his
wife to fetch some; after which, appearing to be some-
what recovered, Mrs. Edwards invited her up stairs,
where she pretended to repose herself for some time on a
bed; after which they departed, with great thanks for
the attention received.
In three or four days after, Blood called on Mrs. Ed-
wards, with a present of four pair of white gloves; and
having began the acquaintance, made frequent visits to
improve it, accompanied by his pretended wife, who pro-
* Dr. Walter Pope, in- his “Life of Bishop Ward,” informs us, “that
Blood, being of a sudden become a great favourite at court, and the chief agent
of the dissenters, brought the bishop a verbal message from the king not to
molest them ; upon which he went to wait on his majesty, and humbly repre*
sented to him, that there were only two troublesome nonconformists in his
diocese, whom he doubted not, with his majesty’s permission, but that he
should bring to their duty; and then he named them. These are the very men,
replied the king, you must not meddle with: to which he obeyed, letting th®
prosecution’against them fall,”
P 2 fessed;
107
& handsome pension assigned him of’5001. per year. He
was now no longer considered as an impudent criminal,
but as a court favourite; and application was made to
the throne by the mediation of Mr. Blood*. Ob. 24
Aug. 1680.
The particulars of his attempt on the crown and regalia
in the Tower of London., is related by Mr. Edwards him-
self, at that time, keeper.
About three weeks before he put bis intended plan in
execution, he came to the Tower as a stranger, to see
the curiosities, habited as a clergyman, with a long
cloak, cassock, and canonical girdle, and brought a wo-
man with him, whom he called his wife, though it after -
wards appeared his real wife was ill at the time in Lan-
cashire: his pretended wife after seeing the crown, &c.
feigned a sudden indisposition, and desired Mr. Edwards
to procure her some spirits, who immediately caused his
wife to fetch some; after which, appearing to be some-
what recovered, Mrs. Edwards invited her up stairs,
where she pretended to repose herself for some time on a
bed; after which they departed, with great thanks for
the attention received.
In three or four days after, Blood called on Mrs. Ed-
wards, with a present of four pair of white gloves; and
having began the acquaintance, made frequent visits to
improve it, accompanied by his pretended wife, who pro-
* Dr. Walter Pope, in- his “Life of Bishop Ward,” informs us, “that
Blood, being of a sudden become a great favourite at court, and the chief agent
of the dissenters, brought the bishop a verbal message from the king not to
molest them ; upon which he went to wait on his majesty, and humbly repre*
sented to him, that there were only two troublesome nonconformists in his
diocese, whom he doubted not, with his majesty’s permission, but that he
should bring to their duty; and then he named them. These are the very men,
replied the king, you must not meddle with: to which he obeyed, letting th®
prosecution’against them fall,”
P 2 fessed;