National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1881-11-10

enezer Heathcote jealous partisan and the son.
in-law'of one Of Ireton's coinmissaties, did gain
access TO the guards, obtained the body and buried
It at night In the open space OF Red Lion Square,
under the spot now occupied by the summer
house. The story. however, Is not mentioned In
any contemporary document, and was notdssemi.
mated till much later date, though Of course. 1t
may be alleged that this was due TO the fidelity
with which the secret was kept. At any rate, II Is
only one more of the whole shoa of red herrings
drawn across the scent. The Mcrcurius Poiaicus
for January 80 says that the bodies were "drawn
upon sledges 10 Tyburn; all the way, as before
from Westminster, the universal outcry and curses
of the people VIC mt along with them. When these
three car cases were at Tyburn they were pulled
out oftheir collins and hanged ct the several an
giles Of that triple tree where they hung till the
sun was SET after which they were taken down,
their heads cut of, and their loathsome trunks
thrown into deep hole under the gallows. The
heads OF those three notorious reglcldes-0liver
Cromwell, John Bradshaw, and Henry Ireton-
were set upon poles at the top OF Westminster
Hail."
BEING COVERED WITH PITCH,
according to custom. Still no Identification and
always circumstances where no one was critical.
That there were many who believed the body was
not Cromwelrs is now known, and the belief was
expressed as soon 1t was safe to express It, When
Barkstead came forward the head was on the
spikes to COMPUTE him IL he lied, and many were
living who, If II were Cromwell's, could have
spoken and would have spoken. II II was Crom-
wells head, why should his children, devotedly
attached to him, have left It In Westminster Hall
without making some such attempt to obtain IL rs
Margaret Roper made in the case of Mores2 Their
confident belief that II was not would account for
an apathy otherwise so strange. Pepys saw the
heads February 5, 1861, and there Is curious piece
Of evidence concerning them to be noticed. Saint
hill saw the skull on the spikes at Westminster,
Every fresh embalmed." A close inspection under
such circumstances would not be easy especially
as It was plastered with pitch and so much disig-
ured that many took II for
THE HEAD OF CHARLES I.
No other spectator has noticed the fact OF the
ambalment, and Bates In describing the body does
not say that the head was embalmed at all, but
merely that the entrals were removed and the
cavity was filled with spices. Such is the difficulty
in establishing that Cromwels body was ever
buried in the Abbey and dragged to Tyburn, or that
his skull was ever shown at Westminster Hall.
Cromwelrs skull has since 1918 been In the pos
session Of q family named Wilkinson. The story
goes that II was blown down on a stormy night at
the end OF the reign OF. James H., picked up and
concealed by sentry, and sold to some conncc-
tons OF the Cromwells in Cambridgeshire named
Russell, proclamation for its return being dis
regarded. One Samuel Russell exhibited IT, and
in 1857 sold 1t to Mr.. Cox proprietor of museum
in Spring Gardens. Three men bought 1t from him
in 1899 for f230 and made peep. show of 1t in
Bond street; the daughter of one of their number
finally sold 1t to Mr.. Wilkinson, NJ. p. for Lam.
| beth. II has been partially embalmed
AND INHALED on A SPIKE
| and exposed TO the weather, and In many particu
lars closely corresponds TO the formation of the
Protectors head, and Faxman the artist, ant
King, the antiquary, have asserted their belief IL
its genuineness. Still, there is authority except
hearsay for the sentnels story, and, indeed on,
version makes him pick II up at the Temple Bar
there is no record Of proclamation and no hstor!
of the skull during long period, and TO say moth
Ing Of the existence Of another of Cromwclls skull
in the Ashmolean Museum) It is impossible that
| head should have been exposed to the weather TO
nearly quarter Of q century and yet be perfect!
| preserved 1.-THE first and last word in the VOLUME
is doubt" doubt that 1t is not likely will ever b.
solved.