Thomas Blood

Thomas Blood (1618 – 24 August 1680) was an Anglo-Irish officer and self-styled colonel best known for his attempt to steal the Crown Jewels of England from the Tower of London in 1671.

[1] Described in an American source as a "noted bravo and desperado,"[2] he was also known for his attempt to kidnap and, later, to kill, his enemy James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond.

[6] As part of the expression of discontent, Blood conspired to storm Dublin Castle, usurp the government, and kidnap for ransom the 1st Duke of Ormond, who was the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

Blood managed to evade the authorities by hiding with his countrymen in the mountains, and ultimately escaped to the United Dutch Provinces in the Low Country.

[2] In 1670, despite his status as a wanted man, Blood returned to England and is believed to have taken the name Ayloffe and practised as a doctor or an apothecary in Romford Market, east of London.

[6][7] Over the following days Blood returned to the Tower to visit the Edwardses and presented Mrs Edwards with four pairs of white gloves as a gesture of thanks.

[6][7] After removing the grille, Blood used the mallet to flatten the Imperial State Crown of Charles II[8][9] so that he could hide it beneath his clerical coat.

Another conspirator, Blood's brother-in-law Hunt, filed the Sceptre with the Cross in two (as it did not fit in their bag), while the third man, Perrot, stuffed the Sovereign's Orb down his breeches.

As Blood and his gang fled to their horses waiting at St Catherine's Gate, they dropped the sceptre and fired on the warders who attempted to stop them, wounding one.

As they ran along the Tower wharf it is said they joined the calls for alarm to confuse the guards until they were chased down by Captain Beckman, brother-in-law of the younger Edwards.

Having fallen from his cloak, the crown was found while Blood refused to give up, struggling with his captors and declaring, "It was a gallant attempt, however unsuccessful!

In contrast, Edwards' family was awarded less than £300 by the King, a sum which was never paid in full, and he returned to his duties at the Tower regaling visitors with his tales of the attempted theft.

[7] Others speculate that the King had a fondness for audacious scoundrels such as Blood, and that he was amused by the Irishman's claim that the jewels were worth only £6,000 as opposed to the £100,000 at which the Crown had valued them.

[5] There is also a suggestion that the King was flattered and amused by Blood's revelation that he had previously intended to kill him while he was bathing in the Thames but had been swayed otherwise, having found himself in "awe of majesty.

[11] Following his pardon, Blood became a familiar figure around London and made frequent appearances at Court, where he was employed to advocate in the claims of suitors to the Crown.

It is believed that his body was exhumed by the authorities for confirmation: such was his reputation for trickery, it was suspected he had faked his death and funeral to avoid paying his debt to Buckingham.

Blood's epitaph read: Here lies the man who boldly hath run through More villainies than England ever knew; And ne'er to any friend he had was true.