The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1859-11-04
after resting the Sunday, went off to &C.
neva at six on Monday morning, and got
back to Vevey at seven on Tuesday evening


Inc Head OF OlKVGr CrOmWeAs
That the veritable head of Oliver Crom-
we'll now exists, and is in good state pre-
servation near London, in the custody of q
lady, there is no doubt. Having been seen
and actually handled, and its .witten and
printed history carefully noted down, there
can hardly be the possibility OF mistake.
Rumors of the existence of the head were in
circulation in London half century since,
and periodicals now in the British Museum
suggested such fact. Various cores.
pondents alluded to its concealment, and as
having been seen privately, but it is only
recently that an American gentleman was
permitted to see the relic and handle it in
person.
Cromwells body was embalmed and
buried with great pomp in Westminster
Abbey. After the restoration of the
Stuarts, the body was disinterred, the head
cut off and pike thrust through the neck.
1t was then placed on Westminster Hall.
1t remained there number of years, until
either blown down by the wind or carried
off by stealth. 1t was secreted for long
series of years, and handed down from gem
Grafton to generation among the descendants
of Cromwell, until it now rests in the Gus
tody of the accomplished daughter of Hon.
Mr.. Wilkinson, an ex.member of Parliament,
residing at Bromley, Kent, near London.
While on recent visit to England, the
writer passed the Sabbath with Rev. Mr..
Verrell, pastor of the Dissenting Chapel at
Bromley, Kent. During the evening Of
that day, an allusion was made to his having
seen Cromwell's head in that vicinity. 1t
was agreed that the next morning an effort
should be made to procure sight of it, the
possessors not being desirious that it should
be too often exhibited. Near noon we
called at the residence of Hon. Mr.. Wilkin.
son, at Beckenham, not a long distance
from the home of the estimable Miss Marsh.
Rev. Mr.. Verrell sent in bis card to Miss
w., and we were soon shown into the
drawing room. Like most of the residences
of the English gentry, the windows looked
out upon landscape of faultless lovellness
and beauty. Lawns, velvet like in appear
ance, with the sweetest beds of flowers, lay
before the eye. In the distance, clusters Of
aristocratic oaks threw their deep shadows
over the lawns, shading from the rays of a
summers sun groups Of beautiful English
cattle.
Very soon lady of mature years, and of
handsome person, entered the room, with an
air that indicated position and the manners
of the true lady. An introduction followed,
and the purpose of our visit being made
known, it was cheerfully granted, especially
when it was stated that the stranger was an
American. Very soon wooden box was
brought into the room and opened. En-
closed in it was smaller one of oak, with
dark brass hinges. Two or three coverings
of cloth and silk were successfully removed,
and then was lifted out the veritable head
of Oliver Cromwell!
The thoughts were strange when that
renowned face was first seen. Stranger still
were the emotions when the head of Crom-
we'll, so mighty in the intellect and stupen-
dous in power, was grasped by the hand.
Yet what commentary on greatness !! The
head having been embalmed, retains the
flesh in shriveled, dry state, but the fea-
lures are distinct, and the hair almost as
perfect as at its burial. The huge wart
over one Of the eyes, so historically true, is
clearly distinct, and the resemblance to a
bust, copied from real life, which is near by,
carries conviction of the identity of the
head beyond misgiving. The iron pike
which was thrust through the throat and
came out at the top of his head is rusted in.
Its age and exposure have consumed the
upper part, and only couple of inches of
the iron remain above the head. The
wooden part of the pike was broken off just
below the throat, and the fracture shows
that it was severed by violence and not cut
asunder by an instrument.
Altogether, the singular memorial of an
other age is in better state representation
than any Of the embalmed Egyptians, and so
we'll preserved are the features, and the
shriveled skin so entire, that it has little that
is hideous or repulsive. Flaxman, the emil
nent sculptor, who had examined it with
care, in connection with contemporaneous
busts and portraits, unhesitatingly expresses
entire confidence that it is the head of Oliver
Cromwell. In addition, the family who po-
sesses this strange relic ofan illustrious man
have both printed documents and written
details of its history, so minute and circum-
stantial, that they knew beyond doubt, its
authenticity. Yet in London little or moth
ing is known of this head, even among men
of position and influence. Until recently il
has been kept secreted, and now it is not
easily accessible. The following letter from
Rev. Mr.. Verrel, who is an intimate friend
of the family of Hon. Mr.. Wilkinson, pre-
pared at the request of the writer of this
paragraph, is of historical interest, and con
firms the above statement. WA.
BROMLEY, Kent, July 6, 1858.
DEAR SIR: The head we saw at w. A
Wilkinson's, of Shortlands, Beckenham,
believe to be that of Oliver Cromwell. The
history of his death, interment after being
embalmed, and the sentence passed for hi
exhumation, hanging at Tyburn and placing
the heads of Ireton, Bradshaw and Crom
well on Westminster Hall, are all patent
The head having rolled into the parapet Of
the hall by the breaking of the spear, OF
halbert on which it was placed, after twenty
years; the sentinel taking it under his cloak
and hiding it till his death his widow ther
conveying it to the Cambridgeshire Russell
family; its being possessed by them until il
was sold for G100 by one of the family, who
from his dissipated habits had squandered
his property; the purchase of it by the
present proprietor for the sum mentioned
its present appearance being the akull of one