The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1860-07-27
oI the New York Evening Post:
The Head Of Oliver Cromwell.
LONDON. Nav 80

LONDON, May so. 1860.
In ono of my Ioiterings among the mon
umcnts that hallow and beautify the world. !
renowned Westminster Abhov, the thought
of tho storm cid "Protrctor" so wrought
upon my farcv, that at once determined
TO CLEAN all could relative 10 tho final dis.
position of his remains.
Nearly two hundred wears have rolled
away sinco tho death of Oliver Cromwell.
Changctnl ns wcre his fortunes in life. the
vicisstudes which bcfcl his. earthly renaios
were not less striking. When death struck
down the ret owned champion Of ecclesias-
teal right and rtlieious liberty, Lis body
was embalmcd and inferred in great pomp
in Westminster Abbey. After tho rtstora.
ton Of the Stuarts il was disinterrod agree.
ably TO u sentence which will forever blackcn
that kinely name, and iguomipiously sus.
pended at Tyburn. The head was then cut
"f, pike s;aff thrust through it. and, with
those Of The noble Irctcn und Bradshaw, il
was placed on tho Gu.Gr wall OF Wcstminis
ter lIai. Y,ars aud wears it remained
thore. exposed to the elements aud the
jbcs of an gnobIe dynasty, un!il ut last. ma
turo, kinder than man. looscd tho grasp of
iron, and tho skull rolled into tho parapet
of the Hall. AS soon as it was missed a
g. arch was instituted for it, bet without
success. and fow of all that people Of the
vast metropolis have any idea that it is still
in existence. Yet such is actually tho fact.
The SIX oil was perceived by sentinel in
his rounds, who instantly sccrcted it under
| his c'ouk and conveyed IL home, where hc
kept it carefully concealed until his death.
Tho widow then conveyed il to the Cam
bridge Russell family. who gave her tho sum
OF two hundred pounds for it. In this limo
il remained until member of tho family.
who, through extravaganza had become in
volved. sold il to tho grandfather OF the
presout proprietor. the Hon. Mr.. Wilkinson.
| BY him il is guarded us u sacred relic. being
until recently socre.Cd entirely, and even
now but rarely exhibited.
| That it is tho vcritabo head Of Cromwell
there is abundance of pront. Rnmors OF its
existence were rife in London half u century
ago, aud able Articles were written in sup.
| port OF the boliof at tho time, but not until
recently, from prudential reasons, hRs the
! fact been made patent. BoSdrs tho docn
mentary evidence and oral testimony Of
tho par ties directly concerned in Its presor-
vation, there is sufficient internal evidence
o convince the most skoptcal. In sizo Of
brain, in contour of features, aEd in general
appearance, there is striking similarity to
all the busts and portraits extant of the
Protector" Flaxman, the eminent sculp'
tor, has carefully examined il, and unhesi.
ta,irgiy pronounces |. genuine. The chief
marks of Identification arc the large wart
on the right eyebrow. tho strongly marked
chin, and the end of tho broken iron pike,
which has rusted deep in the skull
Having from various sources cleared the
above information, and being desirous Of
seeing tho century. guarded relic. obtained
o note stating NV object and yesterday
rode out to the residence of the Hon. Mr.
Wilkinson. at Bromcly, Kent near the mo
tropois. Mr. Wilkinson, few ycars since
was member of Parliament from Lambeth
but having. under a sense Of dnty, voted fol
tho opening Of tho Crystal Palace on Sat
baths, no became so unpopular with his con
stituency that ho was not sustained, ano
since then he has been in private life. Be
o ing possessed of ample means and refined
taste he has taken great pains In ornament
ing his residence, and it will favornblN
compare with the charming homes that one
meets with everywhere among tho seats o
) the gontry throughout England. Tho sit
uation is delightful, and tho surrounding
landscape is one of almost faultless lowell
?. ness. The velvet.like lawn is gay with bed
of the rarcst and sweetest flowers; huge ole
oaks throw their shadows across tho wid'
park, and the dear and beautiful Euglsl
cattle browse dOep in tho shade Of the CRANE
- old trees.
Being shown into the drawing room,
lady iu tho primo OF life. and of elegant per
son, soon nsdo her appearance. II was th
= accomplished daughter OF Mr.. W. II
whose caro- the relic has long boon conhded
With the manners Of tho truo gentiewomau
] she readily granted my request as soon a
lo fhn IL N