Thomas Blood, an Irish adventurer, generally known as Colonel Blood, born about 1628 died in Westminster, Aug. 24, 1680. He was a disbanded officer of Cromwell's army. In 1663 he formed a conspiracy to surprise the castle of Dublin, which was defeated by the vigilance of the duke of Ormond, the lord lieutenant, and some of the conspirators were executed. Blood escaped to England, determined to be revenged upon the duke. One night in 1670 he seized the duke while riding in his coach through St. James street, London, bound him on horseback behind an accomplice, and declared that he would hang him at Tyburn. The duke was finally rescued by his servants. In 1671 Blood nearly succeeded in carrying off the crown and regalia from the tower of London. It was now for the first time discovered that he was the perpetrator of the assault upon Ormond. Charles II., at the instigation of Buckingham, who is supposed to have employed Blood, granted the felon an interview, and not only pardoned him, but gave him an estate in Ireland of £500 a year, and made him a special favorite.

Blood enjoyed the pension for 10 years, but, being charged with circulating a scandal against the duke of Buckingham, was held to bail, and died in his own house before the trial came on.