Pride

Pride, THOMAS, one of the most resolute of Cromwell's soldiers, was a native of London, and of humble origin. At first a drayman and brewer, he enlisted at the commencement of the Civil War, and by his merit quickly rose to be colonel. He commanded a brigade under Cromwell in Scotland, and, when the House of Commons betrayed a disposition to effect a settlement with the king, was appointed by the army to purge it of its Presbyterian royalist members. By 'Pride's Purge' about a hundred were excluded, whereupon the House, now reduced to about eighty members, proceeded to bring the king to justice. Colonel Pride sat among his judges, and signed the death-warrant. He died 23d October 1658, and so felt not the rage of his enemies when his body was dug up and hanged beside Cromwell's on Tyburn.