The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and ProgressJackson, Mason
History
The Pictorial Press: Its Origin and Progress
Jackson, Mason
Illustration of books; Newspapers -- Illustrations
It is well known that General Harrison, Hugh Peters, and others were
executed with all the barbarous circumstances indicated in the words of
their sentence. Peters was made to sit upon the scaffold, exposed to the
jibes and jeers of the mob, and compelled to witness the mutilation of
his fellow-victims. The executions were continued day after day both at
Charing-cross and at Tyburn, and were stopped at last, not for lack of
victims, or disinclination for more slaughter on the part of the
authorities, but from a dread of the effect such bloodthirsty
proceedings might have on the minds of the people. The horrors of such a
scene, of course, attracted the sensational news-writer of the day; and
a broadside of the time gives us a picture and description of the
executions, coupled with a representation of the execution of Charles I.
This broadside was evidently intended to exhibit at one view the
commission of a great crime and its just punishment. The engraving shows
on one side the execution of the King and on the other the punishment of
the regicides. The description of the latter is preceded by an account
of the trial and death of Charles. The title runs thus: '_A true and
perfect Relation of the Grand Traytors Execution, as at severall times
they were Drawn, Hanged, and Quartered at Charing-Crosse, and at
Tiburne. Together with their severall Speeches and Confessions which
every one of them made at the time of their Execution. London, printed
for William Gilbertson, 1660_.'
[Illustration: EXECUTION OF THE REGICIDES, 1660.]
The following account is given of the execution of Major-General
Harrison: 'The next day being _Saturday_ Major-Gen. _Harrison_ was drawn
upon a Hurdle from Newgate to the Round, or railed Place near
Charing-Crosse, where a Gibbet was set upon which he was Hanged. Many
of his acquaintance did seem to triumph to see him die so Confidently;
whiles numbers of true Christians did grieve in earnest to see him die
so impenitently. We have been told that when he took his leave of his
wife, he comforted her, and told her that he would come again in three
days; but we hear nothing as yet of his Resurrection.' In describing the
execution of Hugh Peters, it is said, 'He came to the Ladder
unwillingly, and by degrees was drawn up higher and higher. Certainly he
had many Executioners within him; he leaned upon the Ladder being
unwilling to part from it, but being turned off, the spectators gave a
great shout, as they did when his Head was cut off, and held up aloft on
the point of a Spear. The very souldiers themselves whom heretofore he
did animate to slaughter, and a thorough execution of their Enemies were
now ashamed of him, and upon the point of their Spears showed that
guilty head which made them guilty of so much blood.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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