From a political point of view, the new reign began decently and ably
under the direction of the Earl of Clarendon as leading minister or
adviser to the King. The first act of Charles's first Parliament was
to proclaim a pardon to all who had fought against his father in the
civil war. The only persons excepted wre the members of that high
court of justice (S448) which had sent Charles I to the block. Of
these, ten were executed and nineteen imprisoned for life. Most of
the other regicide judges were either already out of the country or
managed to escape soon after.
Among these, William Goffe, Edward Whalley, and Colonel John Dixwell
took refuge in Connecticut, where they remained concealed for several
years. Eventually the first two went to Hadley, Massachusetts, where
they lived in seclusion in the house of a clergyman until their death.
The bodies of Oliver Cromwell, Ireton, Bradshaw, and Pride, all of
whom had served as judges in the trial and condemnation of Charles
(S448), were dug up from their graves in Westminster Abbey and hanged
in chains at Tyburn.[1] They were then buried at the foot of the
gallows along with he moldering remains of highway robbers and
criminals of the lowest sort, but Cromwell's head was cut off and set
up on a pinnacle of Westminster Hall.[2]
[1] Tyburn: near the northeast entrance to Hyde Park, London. It was
for several centuries the chief place for the public execution of
felons.
[2] It has since been questioned whether Cromwell's body was disposed
of in this manner or whether another body, supposed at that time to be
his, was dealt with as here described. See the "Dictionary of
National (British) Biography," under "Oliver Cromwell."