By Staff Writer Jerri Clewis
A spy in disguise sneaking into a tower to steal the jewels of a king might sound like something out of a novel, but one man did just that a few centuries ago in 1671. Colonel Thomas Blood was an Irishman with the famous reputation of being the only thief to ever come close to stealing the Crown Jewels of England.
Colonel Blood disguised himself as a Parson, a member of the clergy, and visited the Tower of London, where he became friendly with the Keeper, Talbot Edwards. He promised to arrange a marriage between an imaginary nephew of his making and Edward’s daughter, which he then used as an excuse to sneak his accomplices into the tower.
Edwards showed the Crown Jewels to Blood and his accomplices, and they attacked him before beginning their mission. Blood set himself to flatten the crown with a mallet. Some sources say one of the thieves shoved the Royal Orb down his trousers while another tried to saw the Scepter in half when it would not fit in a bag.
Just as things seemed to go the thieves’ way, the alarm was raised, and the men were found.
Colonel Blood was imprisoned, but refused to speak to anyone except King Charles II. The king met with the would-be thief and pardoned him, even going as far as to restore Blood’s Irish Estates, provide a pension of five hundred pounds per annum, and make him a member of the court.
The Irishman frequently appeared at court after his failed heist and became a celebrity throughout England. The only mystery was why Colonel Blood had been pardoned in the first place.
Some sources say the king was interested in scoundrels and found Blood entertaining. Others say Blood’s Irish charms paid off when he needed it most. Another popular belief is that the king was rewarding Blood for a lifetime of espionage as a secret agent, according to the Clare County Library.
Colonel Blood was a mysterious man with links to various unscrupulous groups hostile to the government. Sometimes he was a member of those groups. At other times, he worked for the government, leading to suspicions that he may have been a double agent.
The colonel’s colorful life gave him a reputation for trickery throughout the land. Upon his death in 1680, there were accusations that he was not dead, according to the National Archives. The authorities had to exhume his body to prove the would-be thief had not faked his death to go on yet another adventure.