The Audacious Crimes of Colonel Blood Read Online Free Page A
Author: Robert Hutchinson
plans to the English consul in Cadiz. Imprisoned in the Tower of London for six months from late 1663. On release, he joined the Swedish army but returned to England in 1667 and was appointed engineer to the ordnance on 19 October 1670. Beckman lived in the Tower and joined in the hue and cry after Blood ran off with the royal regalia in May 1671, receiving a £100 reward âfor resisting that late villainous attempt made to steal the crownâ. He married Elizabeth, daughter of Talbot Edwards, the deputy keeper of regalia, and in 1677 was appointed chief engineer of âall his Majestyâs castles, forts, blockhouses and other fortificationsâ, the year Elizabeth died. Knighted 20 March 1686 and naturalised 7 November 1691. Beckman married a widow, Ruth Mudd, of Stepney, Middlesex, on 31 August 1693 and died 24 June 1702 at the Tower of London.
ROYALTY
Charles II (1630â85). King of England, Scotland and Ireland. Eldest son of Charles I, deposed by Parliament and executed outside his Banqueting House in Whitehall on 30 January 1649. Left England in 1646 for exile in France and The Hague in the Netherlands. After the death of Cromwell, the monarchy was restored and he was crowned Charles II on 23 April 1661 in Westminster Abbey. Married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza on 21 May 1662 in two ceremonies in Portsmouth. As she was a Catholic, the first was according to Roman rites and held in secret, but the second was a public Anglican service. She was unable to provide an heir and had to suffer a licentious husband who fathered an acknowledged fourteen illegitimate children, some by the queenâs lady of the bedchamber, Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland. Charles suffered an apoplectic fit and died four days later, probably from uraemia, at the Palace of Whitehall, having been received into the Catholic Church the previous evening.
James II of England and VII of Scotland (1633â1701). Second surviving son of Charles I. Created Duke of York January 1644. After theRestoration, placed in charge of fire-fighting operations during the Great Fire of London in September 1666. Converted to Catholicism in 1668/9 although he still attended Anglican services until 1676. On death of his elder brother Charles II , he was crowned king on 23 April 1685. Faced a number of rebellions but in June 1688 the Protestant William, Prince of Orange, was invited to invade England. He landed on 5 November and on 11 December James fled, reputedly throwing the Great Seal of England into the River Thames. He landed in Ireland in 1689 with a small army, assisted by French troops, but was defeated by William III at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690. He died of a haemorrhage at the Chateau de Saint-German-en-laye in the Ãle de France, now in the western suburbs of Paris, on 16 September 1701.
James Scott, First Duke of Monmouth and First Duke of Buccleuch (1649â85). Illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress Lucy Walter. Fought in Second and Third Dutch wars. Exiled after claims that he was implicated in the Rye House plots. In 1685 led a rebellion to depose his Catholic uncle James II but was defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor, in Somerset, on 6 July 1685 â the last pitched battle to be fought on English soil. Beheaded for treason by five blows of the headsmanâs axe on Tower Hill on 15 July 1688.
THE ROYAL COURT
Palmer, Barbara, First Duchess of Cleveland (1640â1709). Married Roger Palmer, First Earl of Castlemaine but separated in 1662 after the birth of their first son. From 1660, mistress of Charles II who acknowledged his responsibility for five children by her, some born while she was lady of the bedchamber to the queen, Catherine of Braganza, after 1662. Converted to Catholicism in 1663. Ambitious, ruthless intriguer at court who was far from averse to meddling in politics. Cousin of George Villiers , Second Duke of Buckingham. As a result of the 1673 Test Act, which
ROYALTY
Charles II (1630â85). King of England, Scotland and Ireland. Eldest son of Charles I, deposed by Parliament and executed outside his Banqueting House in Whitehall on 30 January 1649. Left England in 1646 for exile in France and The Hague in the Netherlands. After the death of Cromwell, the monarchy was restored and he was crowned Charles II on 23 April 1661 in Westminster Abbey. Married the Portuguese princess Catherine of Braganza on 21 May 1662 in two ceremonies in Portsmouth. As she was a Catholic, the first was according to Roman rites and held in secret, but the second was a public Anglican service. She was unable to provide an heir and had to suffer a licentious husband who fathered an acknowledged fourteen illegitimate children, some by the queenâs lady of the bedchamber, Barbara Palmer, Duchess of Cleveland. Charles suffered an apoplectic fit and died four days later, probably from uraemia, at the Palace of Whitehall, having been received into the Catholic Church the previous evening.
James II of England and VII of Scotland (1633â1701). Second surviving son of Charles I. Created Duke of York January 1644. After theRestoration, placed in charge of fire-fighting operations during the Great Fire of London in September 1666. Converted to Catholicism in 1668/9 although he still attended Anglican services until 1676. On death of his elder brother Charles II , he was crowned king on 23 April 1685. Faced a number of rebellions but in June 1688 the Protestant William, Prince of Orange, was invited to invade England. He landed on 5 November and on 11 December James fled, reputedly throwing the Great Seal of England into the River Thames. He landed in Ireland in 1689 with a small army, assisted by French troops, but was defeated by William III at the Battle of the Boyne on 1 July 1690. He died of a haemorrhage at the Chateau de Saint-German-en-laye in the Ãle de France, now in the western suburbs of Paris, on 16 September 1701.
James Scott, First Duke of Monmouth and First Duke of Buccleuch (1649â85). Illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress Lucy Walter. Fought in Second and Third Dutch wars. Exiled after claims that he was implicated in the Rye House plots. In 1685 led a rebellion to depose his Catholic uncle James II but was defeated at the Battle of Sedgemoor, in Somerset, on 6 July 1685 â the last pitched battle to be fought on English soil. Beheaded for treason by five blows of the headsmanâs axe on Tower Hill on 15 July 1688.
THE ROYAL COURT
Palmer, Barbara, First Duchess of Cleveland (1640â1709). Married Roger Palmer, First Earl of Castlemaine but separated in 1662 after the birth of their first son. From 1660, mistress of Charles II who acknowledged his responsibility for five children by her, some born while she was lady of the bedchamber to the queen, Catherine of Braganza, after 1662. Converted to Catholicism in 1663. Ambitious, ruthless intriguer at court who was far from averse to meddling in politics. Cousin of George Villiers , Second Duke of Buckingham. As a result of the 1673 Test Act, which
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