HARRISON, THOMAS (1606-166o), English parliamen tarian, a native of Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, the son of a butcher and mayor of that town, enlisted in 1642 in Essex's lifeguards, became major in Fleetwood's regiment of horse under the earl of Manchester, was present at Marston Moor, at Naseby, Langport and at the taking of Winchester and Basing, as well as at the siege of Oxford. In 1646 he was returned to parliament for Wendover, and served in Ireland in 1647 under Lord Lisle, return ing to England in May, when he took the side of the army in the dispute with the parliament and obtained from Fairfax a regiment of horse. In November he opposed the negotiations with the king, whom he styled "a man of blood" to be called to account, and he declaimed against the House of Lords. At the surprise of Lam bert's quarters at Appleby on July 18, 1648, in the second civil war, he was severely wounded. He showed a special zeal in bring ing about the trial of the king. Charles was entrusted to his care on being brought up from Hurst Castle to London. Harrison was assiduous in his attendance at the trial, and signed the death-war rant. He took part in suppressing the royalist rising in the mid lands in May 1649, and in July was appointed to the chief com mand in South Wales, where he is said to have exercised his powers with exceptional severity. On Feb. 20, 1651, he became a member of the council of state, and during Cromwell's absence in Scotland held the supreme military command in England. He failed to stop the march of the royalists into England at Knutsford on Aug. 16, 1651, but after the battle of Worcester he pursued the fugitives. Later he pressed on Cromwell the necessity of dismissing the Long Parliament, and it was he who at Cromwell's bidding, on April 20, 1653, laid hands on Speaker Lenthall and compelled him to vacate the chair. He was president of the council of thir teen which now exercised authority. Harrison belonged to the faction of Fifth Monarchy men, whose political ideals were en tirely destroyed by Cromwell's assumption of the protectorate. He was deprived of his commission on Dec. 22, 1653, and on Feb. 3, 1654, was ordered to confine himself to his father's house in Staffordshire. He was imprisoned for a short time in September, and on Feb. 15, 1655, he was imprisoned in Carisbrooke Castle, being liberated in March 1656. At the Restoration, Harrison, who was excepted from the Act of Indemnity, refused to take any steps to save his life, to give any undertaking not to conspire against the government or to flee. He was arrested in Stafford shire in May 166o, and executed at Charing Cross on Oct. 13, 166o.
Richard Baxter, who was acquainted with him, describes Har rison as "a man of excellent natural parts for affection and ora tory, but not well seen in the principles of his religion; of a san guine complexion, naturally of such a vivacity, hilarity and alacrity as another man hath when he hath drunken a cup too much, but naturally also so far from humble thoughts of himself that it was his ruin." Cromwell also complained of his excessive eagerness. "Harrison is an honest man and aims at good things, yet from the impatience of his spirit will not wait the Lord's leisure but hurries me on to that which he and all honest men will have cause to repent." See C. H. Simpkinson, Life of Harrison (19os).