Colonel John Okey

Etching published by W Richardson, 1812.

A colonel in the New Model Army, Okey (1606-1662) was one of King Charles I's judges and signed the death warrant that led to his execution on 30 January 1649. As a fierce republican, he later became increasingly disillusioned with Oliver Cromwell and was cashiered from the Army. At the Restoration in 1660 he fled to Germany but was betrayed and sent back to England. After a brief trial, he was executed for treason by being hung, drawn and quartered.