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!»«#ifc^i If Mrs. Hutchinson in descanting upon the advantages of her native country,
and giving almost an epitome of its history, should seem to digress a little too
much, it is hoped the reader will find beauty and singularity in her sketch sufficient
to excuse it.
4
tants of this place. The Britlaincs that thought it belter to worke
for their conciuerors in a good land, then to have the freedom to
sterve in a cold and barren quarter, were by degrees fetcht away,
and wasted in the civill broyles of these Roman lords, till the land,
allmost depopulated, lay open to the incursions of every borderer,
and were forc'd to call a stout warlike people, the Saxons, out of
Germany, to their assistance. These willingly came at their call,
but were not so easily sent out againe, nor perswaded lo lett their
hosts inhabite with them, for they drove the Brittaines into the
mountaines of Wales, and seated themselves in those pleasant coun-
tries which from the new masters receiv'd a new name, and ever
since retain'd it, being call'd England ; on which the Avarlike Dane
made many attempts, with various successe, but after about 2 or 300
yeares vaine contest, they were for ever driven out, Avith shame and
losse, and the Saxon Heptarchie melted into a monarchic, Avhich
continued till the superstitious prince, who Avas sainted for his un-
godly chastilie, left an emptie throne to him that could seize it.
He who first set up his standard in it, could not hold it, but Avith
his life left it againe for the Norman usurper, Avho partly by violence,
partly by falshood, layd here the foundation of his monarchic, in
the people's blood, in Avhich it hath sAvom about 500 yeares, till the
flood that bore it Avas ploAv'd into such deepe furroAvs as had allmost
sunke the proud vessell. Of those Saxons that remain'd subjects to
the Noiman conqueror, my father's famely descended; of those
Normans that came in Avith him, my mother's Avas derived; both of
them, as all the rest in England, contracting such affinity, by mu-
tuall marriages, that the distinction remain'd but a short space; Nor-
mans and Saxons becoming one people, Avho by their vallour grcAve
terrible to all the neighbouring princes, and have not only bravely
quitted themselves in their OAvne defence, but have shew'd abroad,
hoAv easily they could subdue the Avorld, if they did not preferre the
quiett enioyment of their OAvne part above the conquest of the Avhole.
Better lawes and a happier constitution of governement no na-
tion ever enioy'd, it being a mixture of monarchy, aristocratic, and
democracy, Avith sufficient fences against the pest of every one of
those formes, tiranny, faction, and confusion ; yett is it not possible
for man to devize such iust and excellent bounds, as Avill keepe in
wild ambition, when prince's flatterers encourage that beast to breake
his fence, which it hath often done, with miserable consequences
both to the prince and people : but could never in any age so tread
downe popular liberty, but that it rose againe with renewed vigor,
till at length it trod on those that trampled it before. And in the
iust bounds wherein our kings Avere so Avell hedged in, the surround-
ing princes have with terror sene the reproofe of their usurpations
over their free brethren, Avhom they rule rather as slaves tlien sub-
iects, and are only serv'd for feare, but not for love ; A\diereas this
people have ever bene as afectionate to good as unpliable to bad
soveraignes.
Nor is it only vallour and generosity that renoAvne this nation ;
in arts A\'ee have advanc'd equall to our neighbors, and in those
that are most excellent, exceeded them. The Avorld hath not
yeilded men more famous in navigation, nor ships better built or
furnisht. Agriculture is as ingeniously practis'd : the English
archery Avere the terror of Christendome, and their clothes the or-
nament : but these Ioav things bounded not their greate spiritts, in
all ages it hath yeilded men as famous in all kinds of learning, as
Greece or Italy can boast of.
And to compleate the crowne of all their glorie, reflected from
the lustre of their ingenuity, vallour, Avitt, learning, iustice, Avealth,
and bounty, their pietie and devotion to God, and his Avorship,
hath made them one of the most truly noble nations in the Christian
Avorld. God having as it Avere enclosed a people here, out of the
wast common of the Avorld, to serve him with a pure and undefiled
worship. Lucius the Brittish king was one of the first monarchs of
the earth that received the faith of Christ into his heart and kingdome :
llenrie the eighth, the first prince that broke the antichristian yoake
of from his owne and his subiects necks. Here it was that the first
Christian emperor received his crowne : Here began the early dawne
of gospell hght, by Wickhffe and other faithful wittnesses, Avhom God
rays'd up after the black and horrid midnight of antichristianisme,
and a more plentifull harvest of devout confessors, constant mar-
tirs, and holy worshippers of God, hath not growne in any field of
the church, throughout all ages, then those Avhom God hath here
glorified his name and gospell by. Yett hath not this wheate bene
without its tares, God in comparison with other countries hath made
this as a paradice, so, to compleate the parallell, the serpent hath in
all times bene busy to seduce, and not unsuccessefull, ever stirring
up opposers to the infant truths of Christ.
No sooner was the faith of Christ embrac'd in this nation, but
the neighbouring heathens invaded the innocent Christians, and
slaughtei"'d multitudes of them ; and when, by the mercy of God,
the conquering Pagans were afterwards converted, and that there
Avere none left to opose the name of Christ with open hostillity;
then the subtile serpent putt of his owne horrid appearance, and
comes out in a Christian dresse, to persecute Christ in his poore
prophetts, that bore Avittnesse against the corruption of the times.
This intestine quarrell hath bene more successefuU to the devill, and
more aflictive to the church then all open Avarres, and, I feare, a\ ill
never happily be decided, till the Prince of Peace come to con-
clude the controversie, which att the time of my birth Avas Avorking
up into that tempest, wherin I have shar'd many perills, many feares,
and many sorroAvs, and many more mercies, consolations and pre-
servations, Avhich I shall have occasion to mention in other places.
From the place of my birth I shall only desire to remember the
goodnesse of the Lord Avho hath caused my lolt to fall in a good
ground, Avho hath fed me in a pleasant pasture Avhere the Avell-
/
springs of life flow to all that desire to driiike of tlieni. And this is
no small favour, if I consider how many poore people perish amono-
the heathen, where ikey never heare the name of Christ; how many
poore Christians spring up in countries enslav'd by Turkish and
antichristian tirants, whose soules and bodies languish under miser-
able slavery. None knowes what mercy 'tis to live under a good and
■wholsome law, that have not consider'd the sad condition of beinei:
subject to the will of an unlimited man, and surely 'tis too universall
a sin in this nation, that the common mercies of God to the Avhole
land, are so slightly regarded and so unconsideralely past over ; cer-
tainely these are circumstances which much magnifie God's loving-
kindnesse and his speciall favor to all that are of English birth, and
call for a greater returne of duty from us then from all other people
of the world.
Nor is the place only, but the time of my comming into the world
a considerable mercy to me. It was not in the midnight of poperie,
nor in the dawne of the gospell's restored day, when light and
shades were blended and almost undislinguisht, but when the Sun
of truth was exalted in his progresse and hastening towards a meri-
dian glory. It was indeed early in the morning, God being pleased
to allow me the privelledge of beholding the admirable growth of
gospell light in my dayes: and oh! that my soule may never foi'gett
to blesse and prayse his name for the wonders of power and good-
nesse, Avisdome and truth, which have bene manifested in this my
time.
The next blessing I have to consider in my nativity is my pa-
rents, both of them pious and vertuous in their owne conversation,
and carefull instructors of my youth, not only by precept but
example. Which if I had leizure and abillity, I should have trans-
mitted to my posterity, both to give them the honor due from me
in such a gratefull memoriall, and to encrease my children's era-
proovement of the patterns they sett them ; but since I shall detract
8
from those I would celebrate, by my imperfect commemorations, I
shall content myselfe to summe up some few things for my owne use,
and let the rest alone, which I either knew not, or have forgotten,
or cannot worthyly expresse.
My grandfather by the father's side was a gentleman of a com-
petent estate, about 7 or 800/. a yeare, in Sussex. He being
descended of a younger house, had his residence att a place called
Pulborough ; the tamely out of which he came was an Apsley of
Apsley, a towne Avhere they had bene seated before the conquest,
and ever since continued, till of late the last heire male of that
eldest house, being the sonne of Sr. Edward Apsley, is dead without
issue, and his estate gone with his sister s daughters into other fame-
lies. Particularities concerning my father's kindred or country, I
never knew much of, by reason of my youth, at the time of his
death, and my education in farre distant places, only in generall I
have heard, that ray grandfather was a man well reputed and l)e-
loved in his country, and that it had bene such a continued custome
for my ancestors to take wives att home, that there was not scarce a
famely of any note in Sussex, to which they were not by inter-
marriages neerely related ; but I was myselfe a stranger to them all,
except my Lord Goring, who living att court, I have sene Avith my
father, and heard of him, because he was appoynted one of my
father's executors, though he declin'd the trouble. My grand-
father had seven sonns, of which my father was the youngest: to
the eldest he gave his whole estate, and to the rest, according to the
custome of those times, slight annuities. The eldest brother married
to a gentlewoman of a good famely, and by her had only one sonne,
whose mother dying, my uncle mamed himselfe againe to one of
his own maides, and by her had three more sons, whom, with
their mother, my cousin William Apsley, the sonne of the first wife,
held in such contempt, that a greate while after, dying without
children, he gave his estate of inheritance to my father, and two of
9
my brothers, except about 100/. a yeare to the eldest of his halfe
brothers, and annuities of 30/. a piece to the 3 for tlieir Uves. He
died before I vvas borne, but I have heard very honorable mention of
him in our famely ; the rest of my father's brothers went into the
-warres in Ireland and the Low Countries, and there remain'd none
of them, nor their issues when I was born, but only three daughters
who bestowed themselves meanely, and their generations are worne
out except two or three unregarded children. My father att the death
of ray grandfather being but a youth att schoole had not patience to
stay the perfecting of his studies, but putt himselfe into present
action, sold his annuitie, bought hhnselfe good clothes, put some
mony in his purse, and came to London ; and by meanes of a relation
at court, got a place in the household of Queenc Elizabeth, where
he behav'd himselfe so that he won the love of many of the court;
but being young tooke an affection to gaming, and spent most of
the mony he had in his purse. About that time the Earle of Essex
was setting forth for Cales voyage, and my father, that had a mind
to quitt his idle court life, procured an employment from the Vic-
tuallar of the Navie, to goc allong with that fleete. In which voyage
he demean'd himselfe with so much courage and prudence, that
after his returne he Avas honor'd with a very noble and profitable
employment in Ireland. There a rich widow that had many chil-
dren cast her affections upon him, and he married her ; but she not
living many yeares with him, and having no children by him,
after her death he distributed all her estate among her children, for
whom he ever preserv'd a fatherly kindnesse, and some of her grand-
children were brought up in his house after I was borne. He, by
God's blessing, and his fidellity and industry, growing in estate and
honor, receiv'd a knighthood from King James soone after his
coming to the crowne, for some eminent service done to him in
Ireland, which having only heard in my childhood, I cannot per-
fectly sett downe. After that growing into a familliarity Avith
c
10
Sr. George Carew, made now by the King Earle of Tolnesse, a
niece of this earls, the daughter of Sr. Peter Carew, who Uv'd a
young widow in her uncle's house, fell in love Avith him, which her
uncle perceiving, procur'd a marriage betweene them. She had
divers children by my father, but only two of them, a sonne and
daughter, survived her, Avho died whilst my father was absent from
her in Ireland. He led all the time of his .Aviddowhood a very dis-
consolate life, carefull for nothing in the Avorld but to educate and
advance the sonne and daughter, the deare pledges she had left
him, for Avhose sake he quitted himselfe of his employments abroad,
and procur'd himselfe the office of Victualler of the Navie, a place
then both of credit and greate revenue. His friends, considering
his solitude, had procur'd him a match of a very rich widdow, who
was a lady of as much discretion as wealth ; but while he was upon
this designe he chanc'd to see my mother, att the house of Sr. William
St. John, who had married her elder sister, and though he went on
his iourney, yett something in her person and behaviour, he carried
allong with him, Avhich would not lett him accomplish it, but brought
him back to my mother. She was of a noble famely, being the
youngest daughter of Sr. John St. John, of Lidiar Tregoz, in the
county of Willz; her father and mother died when she Avas not
above five yeares of age, and yet at her nurses, from Avhence she Avas
carried to be brought up in the house of the Lord Grandison, her
father's younger brother, an honorable and excellent person, but
married to a lady so iealous of him, and so illnatured in her iealous
fitts, to any thing that Avas related to him, that her cruelties to my
mother exceeded the stories of stepmothers : the rest of my aunts,
my mother's sisters, Avere disperst to severall places, Avhere they
grcAV up till my uncle Sr. John St. John being married to the daughter
of Sr. Thomas Latcn, they were all againc brought home to their
brother's house. There Avere not in those days so many beautifull
women found in any famely as these, but my mother Avas by the
most iudgements prefere'd before all lier elder sisters, Avho, some-
11
thing envious att it, us'd her unkindly, yett all the suiters that came
lo them, still turned their addresses to her, which she in her youth-
ful innocency neglected, till one of greater name, estate, and repu-
tation then the rest, hapncd to fall deepl}' in love with her, and to
manage it so discretely, that my mother could not but entertaine
him, and my uncle's wife, Avho had a mother's kindnesse for her,
persAvaded her to remoove herselfe from her sisters envie, by going
along with her to Isle of Jernsey, where her father was governor ;
which she did, and there went into the towne, and boarded in a
French minister's house, to learne the languao-e, that minister havina:
bene, by the persecution in France, driven to seeke his shelter there.
Contracting a deare friendship with this holy man and his Avife, she
was instructed in their Geneva discipline, Avhich she liked so much
better then our more superstitious service, that she could have
bene contented to have liv'd there, had not a powerfull passion in
her heart drawn her back. But at her returne she met with many
aflictions, the gentleman who had professt so much love to her, in
her absence had bene, by most vile practises and treacheries, drawne
out of his sences, and into the marriage of a person, whom when he
recover'd his reason he hated : but that serv'd only to augment his
misfortune, and the circumstances of that story not being necessary
to be here inserted, I shall only adde that my mother liv'd in my
uncle's house, secretly discontented at this accident, but was com-
forted by the kindnesse of my uncle's Avife, who had contracted such
an intimate friendship Avith her, that they seemed to have but one
soule. And in this kindnesse she had some time a great sollace, till
some mallicious persons had Avrought some iealousies Avhich Avere very,
groundlesse in my uncle, concerning his wife, but his nature being
inclinable to that passion, Avhich Avas fomented in him by subtile
wicked persons, and my mother endeavouring to vindicate iniur'd
innocence, she Avas herselfe not Avell treated by my uncle, Avhere-
upon she left his house, with a resolution to withdraw herselfe into
the island, Avhere the good minister Avas, and there to weare out her
n
life in tlie service of God. While she was deliberating, and had fixt
upon it in her owne thoughts, resolving to impart it to none, she
was with Sr. William St. John, who had married my aunt, when my
father accidentally came in there, and fell so heartily in love with
her, that he perswaded her to marry him, which she did, and her
melancholly made her conforme chearfully to that gravity of habitt
and conversation, wliich was becoming the wife of such a person;
who was then 48 yeares of age, and she not above l6. The 1st yeare
of their marriage was crown'd with a sonne, call'd after my father's
name, and borne at East Smithfield, in that house of the king's,
which belong'd to my father's employment in the navie: the next
yeare they removed to the Tower of London, whereof my father was
made licftenant, and there had 2 sonns more before me and 4
daughters, and two sonnes after: of all which only three sons and
two daughters surviv'd him att the time of his death, which was in
the sixty-third yeare of his age, after he had three yeares before
languisht of a consumption that succeeded a feaver which he gott in
the unfortunate voyage to the Isle of Rhee.
He died in the month of May 1630, sadly bewail'd by not only
all his dependants and relations, but by all that were acquainted
■with him, for he never converst Avith any to whom he was not at
some time or in some way beneficiall ; and his nature was so de-
lighted in doing good, that it wan him the love of all men, even his
enemies, whose envie and mallice it was his custome to overcome
with obligations. He had greate naturall parts, but was too active
in his youth to stay the heightning of them by study of dead writ-
ings, but in the livins; bookes of men's conversations he soone be-
came so skillfull that he was never mistaken but where liis owne
good would not lett him give creditt to the evill he discern'd in
others. He was a most indulgent husband, and no lesse kind to his
children; a most noble master, who thought it not enough to main-
taine his servants honorably while they were with him, but for all
that deserv'd it, provided offices or settlements as for children. He
1 f>
io
was a father to all his prisoners, sweehiing with such compassionate
kindnesse their restraint, that the atliction of a prison was not felt
in his dayes. He had a singular kindnesse for all persons that were
eminent cither in learning or amies, and when through the ingrati-
tude and vice of that age many of the wives and chilldren of queene
Elizabeth's glorious captaines were reduc'd to poverty, his purse was
their common treasury, and they knew not the inconvenience of
decay'd fortunes till he was dead : many of those valliant seamen he
maintain'd in prison, many" he redeem'd out of prison and cherish t
with an extraordinary bounty. If among his excellencies one out-
shin'd the rest, it was the generous liberallity of his mind, wherein
goodnesse and greatenesse were so equally distributed that they mu-
tually embellisht each other. Pride and coveteousnesse had not the
least place in his brest. As he was in love with true honor, so he
contemn'd vaine titles, and though in his youth he accepted an
addition to his birth, in his riper yeares he refus'd a barondry, which
the king offer'd him. He was severe in the regulating of his famely,
especially would not endure the least immodest behaviour or dresse
in any woman under his roofe. There was nothing he hated more
then an insignificant gallant, that could only make his leggs and
prune himselfe, and court a lady, but had not braines to employ
himselfe in things more suteable to man's nobler sex. Fidelity in
his trust, love and loyalty to his prince, Avere not the least of his
vertues, but those wherein he was not excell'd by any of his owne
or succeeding times. The large estate he reapt by his happie in-
dustry," he did many times over as freely resigne againe to the king's
service, till he left the greatest part of itt at his death in the king's
hands. All his vertues wanted not the crowne of all vertue, piety
and true devotion to God. As his life was a continued exercise of
faith and charity, it concluded with prayers and blessings, which
' Mrs. Hutchinson, though a republican, does not fail justly to appreciate loyalty.
The noble family of Bathur.it, in which that of Apsley is merged by repeated mar-
riages, will with good title claim this as their appropriate virtue of inheritance.
u
were the only coiisola lions his desolate famely could receive in his
death. Never did any two better agree in magnanimity and bounty
then he and my mother, who seem'd to be acted by the same soule,
so little did she grutch any of his liberallities to strangers, or he
contradict any of her kindncsse to all her relations; her house
being a common home to all of them, and a nursery to their
children. He gave her a noble alloAvance of 300/. a yeare for her
owne private expence, and had given her all her owne portion to
dispose of how she pleas'd, as soone as she was married ; which she
suffer'd to encrease in her friend's hands; and what my father
allow'd her she spent not in vanities, although she had what was
rich and requisite upon occasions, but she lay'd most of it out in
pious and charitable uses. Sr. Walter Rawlcigh and Mr. Ruthin
being prisoners in the Tower, and addicting themselves to chi-
mistrie, she suffer'd them to make their rare experiments at her
cost, partly to comfort and divert the poore prisoners, and partly to
gaine the knowledge of their experiments, and the medicines to
helpe such poore people as were not able to seeke to phisitians.
By these means she acquir'd a greate deale of skill, which was veiy
profitable to many all her life.' She was not only to these, but to
all the other prisoners that came into the Tower, as a mother. All
the time she dwelt in the Tower, if any were sick she made them
broths and restoratives with her owne hands, visited and tooke care
of them, and provided them all necessaries; if any were aflicted
^ This anecdote of Sir Walter Rawlcigh will no doubt attract the notice of the
observant reader: it merits to be born in mind, as it will account for a passage in the
memoirs, where Mrs. Hutchinson is represented as acting the part of a surgeon in
the siege of Nottingham-castle : and as the treatment Sir Allen Apsley and his lady gave
their prisoners forms a striking contrast with that which it will appear at the end of the
history was practised by some of his successors, at a time when mildness seemed most
requisite, and was most professed. Perhaps prejudice will render it incredible that in
the Bastile of Paris, which has become a proverbial expression to signify cruel durance,
the conduct of the murdered governor resembled that of Sir Allen Apsley; it is never-
theless true.
15
she comforted ihem, so that they felt not the inconvenience of a
prison wlio were in that place. She was not lesse bountifull to many
poore widdowes and orphans, whom officers of higher and lower
rank had left behind them as objects of charity. Her owne house
was fill'd with distressed families of her relations, whom she sup-
plied and maintain'd in a noble way. The care of the Avorship and
service of God, both in her soule and her house, and the education
of her children, was her principall care. She was a constant fre-
quenter of weekeday lectures, and a greate lover and encouragcr of
good ministers, and most dilligent in her private reading and devo-
tions.
When my father was sick she was not satisfied with the attend-
ance of all that were about him, but made herselfe his nurse, and
cooke, and phisitian, and, through the blessing of God and her
indefatigable labours and watching, preserv'd him a greate while
longer then the phisitians thought it possible for his nature to hold
out. At length when the Lord tooke him to rest she shew'd as much
humility and patience, under that greate change, as moderation
and bounty in her moie plentifull and prosperous condition, and
died in my house at Owthorpe, in the comity of Nottingham, in
the yeare 1659- The privelledge of being borne of and educated by
such excellent parents, I have often revolv'd with greate thankfull-
nesse for the mercy, and humilliation that I did no more emproove
it. After my mother had had 3 sons she was very desireous of a
daughter, and when the Aveomen at my birth told her I was one,
she receiv'd me with a greate deale of ioy; and the nurse's fancy-
ing, because I had more complexion and favour then is usuall in so
young children, that I should not live, my mother became fonder
of me, and more endeavour'd to nurse me. As soone as I ^vns
wean d a French woman was taken to be my drie nurse, and I was
taught to speake French and English together. My mother, Avhile
she Avas Avith child of me, dreamt that she Avas Avalking in the garden
Avith my father, and that a starre came doAvne into her hand, Avith
16
other circumstances, which, though I ha\'e often heard, I minded not
enough to remember perfecll}' ; only my father told her, her dreame
signified she should have a daughter of some extraordinary emi-
nency; which thing, like such vaine prophecies, wrought as farre
as it could its own accomplishment:' for my father and mother
fancying me then beautifull, and more than ordinarily apprehensive,
applied all their cares, and spar'd no cost to emproove me jn mv
education, which procur'd me the admiration of those that flatter'd
my parents. By that time I was foure yeares old I read English
j^erfectly, and having a greate memory, I was carried to sermons,
and while I was very young could remember and repeate them so
exactly, and being caress'd, the love of praise tickled me, and
made me attend more heedfully. When I was about 7 yeares of
age, I remember I had att one time 8 tutors in severall quallities,
languages, musick, dancing, writing, and needlework, but my genius
was quite averse from all but my booke, and that I was so eager of,
that my mother thinking it preiudic'd my health, -would moderate
me in it; yet this rather animated me then kept me back, and
every moment I could steale from my play I Avould employ in any
booke I could find, when my own were lockt up from me. After
dinner and supper I still had an hower allow'd me to play, and
then I Avould steale into some hole or other to read. My father
Avould have me learne Latine, and I was so apt that I outstript my
brothers who were at schoole, allthough my father's chaplaine that
was my tutor was a pittifuU dull fellow. My brothers who had a
* This is an ingenious way of accounting for the fulfilment of superstitious pre-
dictions and expectations, which might frequently with close attention be traced to
their source, as is here done. It is clear that in the present case it occasioned a pecu-
liar care to be taken of her education; and this again caused her mind and disposition
to take that singular stamp which attracted the notice of Mr. Hutchinson, and led her
to the highest situation that she could wish for, that of the lady of a counsellor of
state in her beloved, but short-lived, republic. When tlie reader shall have followed
her to the end of her labors, let him judge whether there could be any situation to
which she was not adequate.
17
greate deale of witt, had some emulation at the progrcsse I made
ill my learning, which very well pleas'd my father, tho' my mother
would have bene contented, I had not so wholly addicted myselfe
to that as to neglect my other quallities: as for musick and dancing
I profited very little in them, and would never practise my lute or
hai'psicords but Avhen my masters were with me; and for my needle
I absolutely hated it; play among other children I despis'd, and
when 1 was forc'd to entertaine such as came to visitt me, I tir'd
them with more grave instructions then their mothers, and pluckt
all their babies to pieces, and kept the children in such awe, that
they were glad when I entertain'd myselfe with elder company ; to
whom I Avas very acceptable, and living in the house Avith many
persons that had a greate deale of Avitt; and very profitable serious
discourses being frequent at my father's table and in my mother's
drawing roome, I Avas very attentive to all, and gather'd up things
that I would utter againe to greate admiration of many that tooke
my memory and imitation for Avitt. It pleas'd God that thro' the
good instructions of my mother, and the sermons she carried me to,
I Avas convinc'd that the knoAvledge of God Avas the most excellent
study, and accordingly applied myselfe to it, and to practise as I
was taught: I us'd to exhort my mother's maides much, and to turne
their idle discourses to good subjects; but I thought, Avhen I had
done this on the Lord's day, and every day perform'd my due taskes
of reading and praying, that then I Avas free to anie thing that Avas
not sin, for I Avas not at that time convinc'd of the vanity of conver-
sation Avhich Avas not scandalously Avicked, I thought it no sin to
learne or heare Avittie songs and amorous sonnetts or poems, and
twenty things of that kind, wherein I Avas so apt that I became the
confident in all the loves that Avere managed among my mother's
young Aveomen, and there was none of them but had many lovers
and some particular friends belov'd above the rest; among these I
D
18
have ' * * * * * * * — Any one mcntion'd him to me, 1 told them I
Imd forgotten those extravagancies of my infancy, and knew noAV
that he and I were not equall ; but I could not for many yeares
heare his name, without several inward eijiotions * * * Five years
after me my mother had a daughter that she nurst at her owne brest,
and was infinitely fond of above all the rest, and I being of too seri-
ous a temper was not so pleasing to my « ****** *
f At this place is a great chasm, many leaves being torn out apparently by the
writer herself. '
8 This sentence appears to relate to some amour in which Mrs. H. was disappointed.
Here the story of herself abruptly ends.
Great care being taken to \follow the orthography of the writer, the
reader need be under no apprehension as to the correctness of the prints
though he should find the same xeord spelt differently even in the same line:
as unperfect, imperfect \ son, sonne, 8^c. The only deviation we have made
from the MS. is in putting the U a?id V in their proper places ; they being
xvritten promiscuously.
FAC-SIMILE OF MRS. HUTCHINSON'S HAND-WRITINGj
TAKEN PROM HER THEOLOGICAL REMARKS.
rr^
cvnj
art vas intrusted with for the be-
nefitt of all, and particularly hi* owne posterity, I must withhold a
greate part from them, I hope I shall be pardon'd for drawing an
imperfect image of him, especially when even the rudest draught
that endeavours to counterfeit him, will have much delightfull love-
lienesse in it.
Let not excesse of love and delight in the streame make us for-
gett the fountaine, he and all his excellencies came fi'om God, and
floAv'd back into their owne spring; there lett us seeke them, thither
lett us hasten after him ; there having found him, lett us cease to
bewaile among the dead that which is risen, or rather was immortall;
his soule converst with God so much when he was here, that it
reioyces to be now eternally freed from interruption in that blessed
exercise; his vertues were recorded in heaven's annalls, and can
never perish, by them he yett teaches us and all those to whose
knowledge they shall arrive: 'tis only his fetters, his sins, his in-
firmities, his diseases, that are dead never to revive againe, nor
would wee have them; they were his enemies and ours; by faith in
Christ he vanquisht them : our coniunction, if wee had any with
him, was nndissoluble, if wee were knitt together by one spiritt into
one body of Christ, wee are so still, if wee were mutually united in
one love of God, good men, and goodnesse, wee -are so still; what
is it then we waile in his remoove ? the distance ? faithlesse fooles !
sorrow only makes it; let us but ascend to God in holy ioy for the
greate grace given his poore servant, and he is there Avith us. He is
only remoov'd from the mallice of his enemies, for which wee should
not expresse love to him in being aflicted, wee may mourne for our-
selves that Avee come so tardily after him, that wee want his guide
and assistance in our way, and yet if our teares did not putt out our
eies wee should see him even in heaven, holding forth his flaming
lamp of vertuous examples and precepts to light us through the
darke world. It is time that I Ictt in to your knowledge that splen-
dor which while it chcares and enlightens your heavy senses, let us
remember to give all his and all our glorie to God alone, who is the
father and fountaine of all lia-ht and excellence.
Desiring, if my treacherous memory have not lost the dearest
treasure that ever I committed to its trust, to relate to you his holy,
vertuous, honorable life, I would put his picture in the front of his
booke,' but my unskillfull hand will iniure him. Yet to such of you
as have not scene him to remember his person, I leave this —
' The editor is happy to have it in his power to do this in a manner that will be
gratifying to the lovers of the arts. The original pictures of Mr. and Mrs. Hutchinson,
HIS DESCRIPTION.
He was of a middle stature, of a slender and exactly well-pro-
portion'd shape in all parts, his complexion fair, his hayre of a light
brownc, very thick sett in his youth, softer then the finest silke, curling
into loose greatc rings att the ends, his eies of a lively grey, well-
shaped and full of life and vigour, graced with many becoming
motions, his visage thinne, his mouth well made, and his lipps very
ruddy and gracefull, allthough the nether chap shut over the upper,
yett it was in such a manner as was not unbecoming, his teeth were
even and white as the purest ivory, his chin was something long, and
the mold of his face, his forehead was not very high, his nose was
rays'd and sharpe, but withall he had a most amiable countenance,
which carried in it something of magnanimity and maiesty mixt
with sweetenesse, that at the same time bespoke love and awe in all
that saw him; his skin was smooth and white, his legs and feete
excellently well made, he was quick in his pace and turnes, nimble
and active and gracefull in all his motions, he was apt for any
bodily exercise, and any that he did became him, he could dance
admirably avcII, but neither in youth nor riper yeares made any prac-
tise of it, he had skill in fencing such as became a gentleman, he
had a greate love to musick, and often diverted himselfe with a
viol], on which he play'd masterly, he had an exact eare and iudge-
ment in other musick, he shott excellently in bowes and gunns, and
much us'd them for his exercise, he had greate iudgment in paint-
ings," graving, sculpture, and all liberal arts, and had man}^ curio-
sities of valine in all kinds, he tooke greate delight in perspective
with their two ciiildren, were found by him in their house at Owthorpe, and are now
deposited, along with the manuscript, at Messrs. Longman's and Co.
^ There remained some fcwof tliese at Owtliorpe unspoiled, but many were spoiled
by neglect, at the death of the last possessor.
olasses, and for his oilier rarities was not so much affected widi the
antiquity as die merit of the worke — he tooke much pleasure in em-
proovement of grounds, in planting groves and walkes, and fruite-
trees, in opening springs and making fish-ponds ;' of couni ry recrea-
tions he lov'd none but hawking, and in that was very eager and
much delighted for the time he us'd it, but soone left it of; he Avas
wonderful neate, cleanly and gentile in his habitt, and had a very
good fancy in it, but he left off very early the wearing of aniething
that was costlj^, yett in his plainest negligent habitt appear'd very
much a gentleman ; he had more addresse than force of body, yet
the courage of his soule so supplied his members that he never
wanted strength when he found occasion to employ it; his conversa-
tion Avas very pleasant for he Avas naturally chearfull, had a ready
Avitt and apprehension; he A\'as eager in every thing he did, earnest
in dispute, but Avithall very rationall, so that he was seldome over-
come, CA^ery thing that it Avas necessary for him to doe he did Avith
delight, free and unconstrein'd, he hate.d cerimonious complement,
but yett had a naturall civillity and complaisance to all people, he
was of a tender constitution, but through the vivacity of his spiritt
could undergo labours, Avatchings and iourneyes, as Avell as any of
stronger compositions; he Avas rhcumatick, and had a long sicknesse
and distemper occasion'd diercby two or three y cares after the Avarre
ended, but elce for the latter lialfe of his life Avas healthy the'
tender, in his youth and childhood he Avas sickly, much troubled
Avith Avcaknesse and tooth akes, but then his spiritts carried him
through them ; he Avas very patient under sicknesse or payne or any
common accidints, but yet upon occasions, though never without
iust ones, he would be very angrie, and had exen in that such a
grace as made him to be fear'd, yet he Avas never outragious in
' Many traces of his taste, judgment, and industry, in each of these, were to be
seen at the distance of 140 years.
6
passion; he had a very good facultie in perswading, and would
speake very well pertinently and effectually without premeditation
upon the greatest occasions that could be off'er'd, for indeed his
iudgment was so nice, that he could never frame any speech before-
hand to please himselfe, but his invention was so ready and wise-
dome so habituall in all his speeches, that he never had reason to
repent himselfe of speaking at any time without ranking the Avords
beforehand, he was not talkative yett free of discourse, of a veiy
spare diett, not much given to sleepe, an early riser when in health,
he never was at any time idle, and hated to see any one elce soe, in
all his naturall and ordinary inclinations and composure, there was
somthing extraordinary and tending to vertue, beyond what I can
describe, or can be gather'd from a bare dead description; there
was a life of spiritt and power in him that is not to be found in any
copie drawne from him : to summe up therefore all that can be sayd
of his outward frame and disposition wee must truly conclude, that
it was a very handsome and well furnisht lodging prepared for the
reception of that prince, who in the administration of all excellent
vertues reign'd there awhile, till he was called back to the pallace of
the universall emperor.""
HIS VERTUES.
To number his vertues, is to give the epitome of his life," which
was nothing elce but a progresse from one degree of vertue to an-
■" Is not here Plato's system pourtiay'd in language worthy of that sublime and
eloquent philosopher ?
° Highly panegyrical as the character Mrs. Hutchinson here gives of her husband
may appear, yet every point of it will be completely exemplified in the narrative ; but
if the widow's fondness for his memory should have led her into some excess, who will
blame it ?
other, till in a sliort time he arriv'd to that height, which many
longer lives could never reach, and had I but the power of rightly
disposing and relating them, his single example would be more in-
structive then all the rules of the best morallists, for his practise was
of a more dcvine extraction, drawne from the word of God, and
wrought up by the assistance of his Spiritt; therefore in the head of
all his vertues, I shall sett that which was the head and spring of
them all, his Christianity — for this alone is the true royall blood that
runs through the whole body of vertue, and every pretender to that
glorious famely, who hath no tincture of it, is an imposter and a
spurious bratt. This is that sacred fountaine which baptizeth all the
gentile vertues, that so immortalize the names of Cicero, Plutarch,
Seneca, and all the old philosophers ; herein they are regenerated
and take a new name and nature ; dig'd up in the willdernesse of
nature, and dipt in this living spring, they are planted and flourish
in the Paradice of God.
By Christianitie I intend that universal 1 habitt of grace which is
wrought in a soule by the regenerating spiritt of God Avhereby the
•whole creature is resigned up into the divine will and love, and all
its actions design'd to the obedience and glory of its maker. Assoone
as he had improov'd his naturall understanding with the acquisition
of learning, the first studies he exercised himselfe in, were principles
of religion, and the first knowledge he labour'd for was a knowledge
of God, which by a dilligent examination of the scripture, and the
severall doctrines of greate men pretending that ground he at length
obtein'd. — Afterward when he had layd a sure and orthodox foun-
dation in the doctrine of the free grace of God given us by Jesus
Christ, he began to survey the superstructures, and to discover
much of the hay and stubble of man's inventions in God's Avorship
which his spiritt burnt up in the day of their triall. His faith being
established in the truth, he was full of love to God and all his
E
8
saints." He hated persecution for religion, and was alhvayes a cham-
pion for all religious people against all their greate oppressors. He
detested all scoffes att any practise of worship though such a one as he
was not perswaded of Whatever he practiz'd in religion was neither
for faction nor advantage, but contrary to it, and purely for con-
science sake. As he hated outsides in religion so could he worse
endure, those apostacies and those denialls of the Lord and base
compliances with his adversaries, which timorous men practise
under the name of prudent and iust condescensions to avoid perse-
cution. Christianity being in him as the fountaine of all his vertues,
and diffusing itselfe into every streame, that of his Prudence falls
into the next mention. He from a child was wise, and sought to by
many that might have bene his fathers for councell, Avhich he could
excellently give to himselfe and others, and whatever crosse event
in any of his affaires may give occasion to fooles to overlooke the
wisedome of the designe, yett he had as greate a foresight, as strong
a iudgment, as cleare an apprehension of men and things as no man
more. He had rather a firme impression than a greate memory, yett
he was forgettful of nothing but injuries. His owne integritie made
him credulous of other mens, till reason and experience convinc'd
him, and as unapt to believe cautions which could not be receiv'd
without entertaining ill opinions of men, yet he had wisedome enough
never to conmiitt himselfe to a traytor, though he was once wickedly
betrey'd by friends whom necessity and not mistake forc'd him to
trust.'' He was as ready to heare as to give councell, and never
peitinacious in his will when his reason was convinc'd. There was
" Saints. An expression commonly used in that time to signify good and religious
people.
p It is not known what peculiar transaction this refers to, though it may be con-
jectured to refer to the false protestations of Monk and Sir Ashley Cooper at the
restoration ; whom he and many others trusted much against their will.
9
no opinion whicli he was most settled in either concerning devine or
humane things but he would patiently and impartially heare it de-
bated. In matters of faith his reason allwayes submitted to the word
of God, and what he could not comprehend he would believe be-
cause 'twas written, but in all other things, the greatest names in
the world could never lead him without reason : he would deliberate
when there was time, but never lost an oppertunity of anie thing
that was to be done by tedious dispute. He would heare as well as
speake, and yet never spoke impertinently or unseasonabl3^ He
very well understood himselfe his owne advantages, naturall parts,
guifts, and acquirements, yett so as neither to glorie of them to
others, nor overvallue himselfe for them, for he had an excellent
vertuous modesty, Avhich shutt out all vanity of mind, and yett ad-
mitted that true understanding of himselfe which was requisite for
the best improovcment of all his tallents; he no lesse understood and
was more hecdfull to remarke his defects, imperfections, and disad-
vantages, but that too only to excite his circums])ection concerning
them, not to damp his spiritt in any noble enterprize. He had a
noble spiritt of governement, both in civill, military, and oecumeni-
call'' administrations, which forc'd even from unwilling subjects a
love and reverence of him, and endear'd him to the soules of those
rejoyc'd to be govern'd by him. He had a native maiesty that
struck an awe of him into the hearts of men, and a sweete great-
nesse that commanded love. He had a cleare discerning of men's
spirits, and knew how to give every one their iust weight, he con-
temn d none that were not wicked, in whatever low degree of nature
or fortune they were otherwise : where-ever he saw wisedome, learn-
ing, or other vertues in men, he honor'd them highly, and admir'd
them to their full rate, but never gave himselfe blindly up to the
conduct of the greatest master. Love itselfe, which Avas as power-
•> CEcumenicall — Domestick.
10
lull ill his as in any soule, rallier quick'ned tlien blinded the eies of
his iudgment in discerning the imperfections of those that were most
deare to him. His soule ever reign'd as king in the internall throne,
and never was caplive to his sence; religion and reason, its two
favour'd councellors, tooke order that all the passions kept within
their owne just bounds, there did him good service, and fuither'd
the publick Aveale. He found such fehcity in that proportion of
wisedome that he enjoyed, as he was a greate lover of that which
advanc'd it, learning and the arts, which he not only honor'd in
others, but had by his industry arrived to be himselfe a farre greater
schollar then is absolutely requisite for a gentleman. He had many
excellent attainements, but he no lesse evidenc'd his wisedome in
knowing how to ranke and use them, then in gaining them. He
had witt enough to have bene subtile and cunning, but he so ab-
hoiT'd dissimulation that I cannot say he was either. Greatenesse of^
■courage would not suffer him to put on a vizard, to secure him from
any, to retire into the shaddow of privacy and silence was all his
prudence could effect in him. It Avill be as hard to say which was
the predominant vertue in him, as which is so in its owne nature.
He was as excellent in iustice as in wisedome — the greatest advan-
tage, nor the greatest danger, nor the dearest interest or friend in
the world could not prevaile on him to pervert justice even to an
enemie. He never profess'd the thing he intended not, nor pro-
mis'd what he believ'd out of his owne power, nor fail'd the per-
formance of aniething that was in his power to fullfill. Never fear-
ing aniething he could suffer for the truth, he never at any time
would refreine a true or give a false witnesse; he lov'd truth so much
that he hated even sportive lies and gulleries. He was so just to
his owne honour that he many times forbore things lawfull and
delightfull to him, rather than he would give any one occasion of
scandal]. Of all lies he most hated hipocrisie in religion, either to
compile with changing governments or persons, without a reall per-
11
swasion of conscience, or to practise holy things to gett the applause
of men or any advantage. — As in ReUgion so in Friendship, he
never profest love when he had it not, nor disguiz'd hate or aver-
sion, which indeed he never had to any party or person, but to their
sins : and lov'd even his bitterest enemies so well, that I am wit-
nesse how his soule mourn'd for them, and how heartely he desir'd
their conversion. If he were defective in any part of iustice, it was
when it was in his power to punish those who had iniur'd him,
whom I have so often knowne him to recompence Avith favours in-
stead of revenge, that his friends us'd to tell him if they had any
occasion to make him favourably partiall to them they would pro-
voke him by an iniury. He Avas as faithfull and constant to his
friends as mercifull to his enemies : nothing griev'd him more than
to be oblieg'd, Avhere he could not hope to returne itt. He that was
a rock to all assaults of might and violence, was the gentlest easie
soule to kindnesse, that the least warme sparke of that melted him
into aniething that was not sinfull. There never was a man more
exactly iust in the performance of duties to all relations and all
persons. Honor, obedience, and love to his father, were so naturall
and so lasting in him, that it is impossible to imagine a better sonne
than he was, and whoever would pray for a blessing in children to
any one, could but wish them such a sonne as he.' He never re-
pined at his father's will in aniething, how much soever it were to his
preiudice, nor would endure to lieare anie one say his father was
not so kind to him as he might have bene, but to his dying day
preserv'd his father's memory with such tender affection and reve-
rence as was admirable, and had that high regard for his mother-in-
law and the children she brought his father, as he could not have
bene more dearly concern'd in all their interest if she had bene his
' This we shall find called in question by his mother-in-law, and will be discussed
in the course of the history.
12
owne mother — which all things consider'd, although they were de-
serving persons, was an example of piety and goodnesse that will
not easily be matcht. For coniugul affection to his wife, it was
such in him, as whosoever would draw out a rule of honour, kind-
nesse, and religion, to be practiz'd in that estate, need no more,
but exactly draw out his example; never man had a greater passion
for a woman, nor a more honourable esteeme of a wife, yet he was
not uxorious, nor remitted not that iust rule which it w^as her honor
to obey, but manag'd the reines of governement with such prudence
and affection that she who would not delight in such an honourable
and advantagcable subjection, must have wanted a reasonable soule:
he govern'd by perswasion, which he never employ 'd but to things
honorable and profitable for herselfe: he lov'd her soule and her
honor more than her outside, and yet he had even for her person a
constant indulgence, exceeding the common temporary passions of
the most uxorious fooles: if he esteem'd her att a higher rate then
she in herselfe could have deserv'd, he was the author of that vertue
he doted on, while she only reflected his own glories upon him : all
that she was, Avas him, while he was here, and all that she is now at
best but his pale shade. So liberall was he to her and of so gene-
rous a temper, that he hated the mention of sever'd purses : his
estate being so much at her dispose that he never would receive an
account of aniething she expended ; so constant was he in his love,
that when she ceast to be young and lovely, he began to shew most
fondnesse, he lov'd her at such a kind and generous rate as words
cannot expresse, yet even this, which was the highest love he or
anie man could have, was yet bounded by a superior, he lov'd her
in the Lord as his fellow creature, not his idoll, but in such a man-
ner as shew'd that an affection bounded in the just rules of duty,
far exceeds every way all the iiTCgular passions in the world. He
lov'd God above her and all the other dear pledges of his heart,
13
and at his command and for his glorie chearefully resign'd them.
He was as kinde a father, as deare a brother, as good a master, and
as faithfull a friend as the world had, yet in all these relations, the
greatest indulgence he could have in the Avorld never prevail'd on him
to indulge vice in any the dearest person, but the more deare any
was to him, the more was he offended at any thing that might take
of the lustre of their glorie. As he had great severity against errors
and follies pertinaciously persued, so had he the most merciful,
gentle, and compassionate frame of spiritt that can be imagin'd to
those who became sensible of their errors and frailties, although they
had bene never so iniurious to himselfe.
Nor was his soulc lesse shining in honor then in love. Pietie
being still the bond of all his other vertues, there Avas nothing he
durst not doe or suffer, but sin against God, and therefore as he
never regarded his life in any noble and just enterprize, so he never
staked it in any rash or unwarrantable hazard. He was never sur-
priz'd, amaz'd, nor confounded Avith greate difficulties or dangers,
which rather serv'd to animate then distract his spiritts: he had
made up his accounts with life and death, and fixt his purpose to
entertaine both honorably, so that no accident ever dismay'd him,
but he rather reioic'd in such troublesome conflicts as might signa-
lize his generosity. A truer or more lively vallour there never was
in anie man, but in all his actions, it ever marcht in the same file
with Avisedome. He understood well, and as Avell perform'd Avhen
he undertooke it, the millitary art in all parts of it: he naturally lov'd
the employment as it suited Avith his active temper, more then any,
conceiving a mutual delight in leading those men that lov'd his con-
duct; and Avhen he commanded souldiers, never Avas man more
loved and reverenced by all that Avere under him: for he would
never condiscend to them in anie thing they mutinously sought, nor
suffer them to seeke what it Avas fitt for him to provide, but prevented
14
them by his loving care ; and while he exevcis'd his authority no
way but in keeping them to their iust duty, they ioy'd as much in
his commands, as he in their obedience : he was very liberall to
them, but ever chose iust times and occasions to^exercise it. I can-
not say whether he were more truly magnanimous or lesse proud :
he never disdain'd the meanest person nor flatter'd the greatest ; he
had a loving and sweete courtesie to the poorest, and would often
employ many spare howers with the connnonest souldiers and
poorest labourers, but still so ordering his familliarity as it never
rays'd them to a contempt, but entertained still at the same time a
reverence with love of him : he ever preserv'd himselfe in his owne
rank, neither being proud of it so as to despise any inferior, nor
letting fall that iust decorum which his honor obliged him to keepe
up. He was as farre from envie of superiors as from contemning
them that were under him : he was above the ambition of vaine
titles, and so well contented with the even ground of a gentleman,
that no invitation could have prevailed upon him to advance one
step that way; he lov'd substantiall not ayrie honor: as he was
above seeking or delighting in emptie titles for himself, so he neither
denied nor envied any man's due precedency, but pittied those that
tooke a glorie in that which had no foundation of vertue. As little
did he seeke after popular applause, or pride himselfe in it, if at
any time it cried up his just deserts ; he more delighted to doe well
then to be prays'd, and never sett vulgar commendations at such a
rate, as to act contrary to his owne conscience or reason for the
obteining them, nor would forbear a good action which he was
bound to, though all the world disliked it, for he ever look'd on
things as they were in themselves, not through the dimme spectacles
of vulgar estimation. As he was farre from a vaine affectation of
popularity, so he never neglected that iust care that an honest man
ought to have of his reputation, and was as carefull to avoyd the
15
appearances of evill as evill itselfe ; but if he were evill spoken of
for truth or righteousnesse sake, he rejoyc'd in taking up the re-
proach ; which all good men that dare beare their testimony against
an evill generation must suffer. Though his zeale for truth and
vertue, caus'd the wicked with the sharpe edges of their mallicious
tongues, to attempt to shave of the glories from his head, yett
his honor springing from the fast roote of vertue, did but grow the
thicker and more beautiful for all their endeavours to cut it ' of.
He was as free from avarice as from ambition and pride. Never
had any man a more contented and thankfull heart for the estate
that God had given, but it was a very narrow compasse for the
exercise of his greate heart. He lov'd hospitallity as much as he
hated riott : he could contentedly be without things beyond his
reach, though he tooke very much pleasure in all those noble
delio-hts that exceeded not his faculties. In those thinos that
were of meere pleasure, he lov'd not to aime at that he could
not attaine : he would rather weare clothes absolutely plaine, then
pretending to gallantry, and would rather chuse to have none
then meane iewells or pictures, and such other things as were not
of absolute necessity : he would rather give nothing then a base
reward or present, and upon that score, liv'd very much retir'd,
though his nature were very sociable and delighted in going into
and receiving company ; because his fortune would not allow him
to doe it in such a noble manner as suited with his mind. He was
so truly magnanimous that prosperity could never lift him up in
the least, nor give him any tincture of pride or vaineglory, nor
diminish a generall aflfabillity, curtesie, and civillity, that he had
allwayes to all persons. When he was most exalted he was most
mercifull and compassionate to those that were humbled. At the
' Samson and Dulilah.
F
16
same time that he vanquisht any enemie, he cast away all his ill-
will to him, and entertain'd thoughts of love and kindnesse as soone
as he ceast to be in a posture of opposition. He Avas as farre
from meannesse as from pride, as truly generous as humble, and
shew'd his noble spiritt more in adversity then in his prosperous
condition : he vanquisht all the spite of his enemies by his manly
suffering, and all the contempts they could cast at him were theirs,
not his, shame.
His whole life was the rule of temperance in meate, drinke, ap-
parell, pleasure, and all those things that may be lawfully enjoy 'd,
and herein his temperance was more excellent then in others, in
whom it is not so much a vertue, but proceeds from want of appetite
or gust of pleasure ; in him it was a true, wise, and religious go-
vernement of the desire and delight he tooke in the things he en-
joy'd. He had a certeine activity of spiritt which could never
endure idlenesse either in himselfe or others, and that made him
eager for the time he indulg'd it as well in pleasure as in businesse ;
indeed, though in his youth he exercis'd innocent sports a little
while, yett afterwards his businesse was his pleasure ; but how mtent
soever he were in aniething, how much soever it delighted him,
he could freely and easily cast it away when God called him to
something elce. — He had as much modesty as could consist with a
true vertuous assurance, and hated an impudent person. Neither
in youth nor riper age could the most faire or enticeing weomen
ever draw him so much as into unnecessary familliarity or vaine
converse or dalliance with them, yet he despis'd nothing of the
female sex but their follies and vanities ; wise and vertuous weomen
he lov'd, and delighted in all pure, holy, and nnblameable conver-
sation with them, but so as never to excite scandall or temptation.
Scurrilous discourse even among men he abhorr'd, and though he
sometimes tooke pleasure in witt and mirth, yett that which was
17
mixt with impurity he never would endure. The heate of his youth
a httle encUn'd him to the passion of anger, and the goodnesse of
his nature to those of love and griefe, but reason was never de-
thron'd by them, but continued governesse and moderator in his
soul.'
' In this place Mrs. Hutchinson has written, " All this and more is true, but I so
much dislike the manner of relating it, that I will make another assay." And accord-
ingly she proceeds to write his character over again, but it has the appearance of being
much more laboured, and much less characteristick, and therefore the former is pre-
ferred.
At the same place is written : " This book was written by Lucy, the widow and
relict of Col. John Hutchinson, of Owthorp." J. H.
(Julius Hutchinson, grandfather of the Editor.)
^
lothEdw.I.iiSJ.
The daughter of
Barnard Hutchin-"
-John Boyvill, Esq.
son, Esq. of Cow-
lam, Co. Ebor.
Robert Hutchinson._D.ught.rof New. John HutcWmson-pEdcth, daughwrof Mary Hutchinson.-W^Iiam Sutton of
comme of Salftect- William Would- Wasscnbroughe.
hie, of Wouldbie.
Barbara Hutchinson.— Lewis Ashion, of James Hutchinson,-
Spalding, Esq. of Cowlam.
-Ursula.daughterof
Mr. Gregory, of
Naffortonne.
Julia Hutchinson.— Allyne Bruxbie.of Margaret Hutchinson.— William Champer-
Shobie, Esq. nownc, Esq.
John Hutchinson,
»d son of James.
-Dauehter of John Barbara Hutchinson.-John Ha.horn., of William Hutchinson.-p.'Vnne. daughter of Second daughter.-John Ocam, Esq. Elenor Hutchinson^ThomasBrown.Esq.
- ^ - ■" Cransweke, Esq. of Cowlam, Esq. William Bennet.of
Theckley, Esq.
Conycrs, Esq.
OliverHitchinson.-Daughter of John Judith.daughterof-AnthouyHutchin-pnabel. daugh.er Mary Hutchinson. -J ervas Abtoste. Alice Hutchinson—William English.
Tindall, Esq.
Thomas CrosUnd,
Esq. first wift-
son, of Cowlam.
of Robert Harvie,
Esq.
Edmond, ancth son. Leonard, fifth son. John, third son, William Hutchin-pBridget, d.iughtcr of Thomas Hutchinson,
Esq. eldest
WilHam Cake, of of OweChorpe, Esq.
Weslharleton, Esq- ad son.
The daughter and heir Richard,the fourth son, Francis, the seventh Andrew, the eighth
of Mr. Drax, of Kynol-
ton, county Notts.
supposed to have gone son.
to Ireland.
Grizell, eldest — John Reeps, Esq.
daughierofWil-
William Hutchin-
son, of Cowlam^
Esq.
Ann, daughter of Joyce, »d daugh — Thomas Beed,
."THenry Layborne. tcr.
Isabell, third — Thomas Cooke,
daughter.
WilliamHutchinson, The daughter of John Hutchinson, — Mary, daughter of
of Owechorpe, Esq. TMr. Watson. of Bafsford. Mr. Chamberlaine.
Eldest daughter. — John Eplcthwatt.
William Hutchinson, — Daughter of Mr. Dal-
of Wykome Abbey, tJn.of Kirby overCarr,
Com. Ebor. Com. Ebor.
Second daughter. — Richard Garret. Elizabeth, ttie third — Mr. Bonncyeaton, Isabell, the second — Mr. Smith, of the Jane.
daughter.
of Grcasby Castle, daughter.
Monks, near Lin-
coln.
-Thomas Ellis, of Jane, daughter of— Thomas Hutchinson.
Wyhara, Esq. Sir George Pier- ofOwethorpe, Esq.
point.
Sir William Fitz-
William, temp. R.
Elizabetha:.
ThomaiHutchinson.of.
Owethorpe, Esq.
f_Jane, daughter
j Mr.Sachevcrell,
I Soar, in the coi
I:
.Elenor.daughterofMr.
GeorgeZouche.ofCod-
nor, county of Derby.
^hter and coheir of
r.Sachevcrell,of Ratclifupon
county of Notts.
Dorothy Hutchinson. — .... Warren Esq.
Sir William Fitzwilliam,
John, Maiy, and Phi-
lippa.
Margaret. Sir John Biron.
I
John and Richard, Lords Margaret. Sir Thomas Hutchinson, Knt. ob. i8 August,__Catherinc, daughter of Sir John Stanhope, of Elvaston, Jane Hutchinson. — .... Grantham.
Biron, five more sons and j 164.3, set. js. buried at St. Paul's, Covent-Xand sister of Philip, Earl of Chesterfield, ob. 1694., ait.
one daughter. Garden, Middlesex. 101. Buried at St. Paul's Covent-Garden, Middlesex.
1 I
Col
lohr
Hutchi
nson,
Ob.
,,S.p
ember,
.661,
zt.
49.
Lucie, daughter of Sir Allen George Hutchinson. R arham, daughter
Apsley, Lieut. oftheTowerof TofSirAllenApsley,
London, to King Charles I. I ob. [6(14., xt. 75.
diea i. p.
Isabella. Charles Cotton, of Charles. Ob. 1695,.
I Berrislord, county ;et. 57. Buried at
I of Derby, Esq. Owethorpe.
One son and four daughters. Berisford, son and
heir. Oliver mar. Dr. Stanhope, Dean of Canterbury;
Katherine married Sir B. Lucy ; and Jane married
Beaumont Parkins, county of Notts. Esq.
.Isabella, daughter and coheir
of Sir Francis Boiiler, of Hat-
field Woodhall, Kent.
Edward, Lucius,
& fourdaughierc.
Ob. s. p.
Thomas Hutchinson.
Ob. s. p.
—Jane, daugbterof Sir.
Alexander Ratcliife.
John Hutchin:
third son.
TA daughter of ... .
Morgan, of Wales.
Issue two sons.
Charles and Francis,
first and second sons.
Ob. s. p.
Thomas and Botiler, Stanhope & Francis,
thirdandfourchsons. fifth and sixth sons,
Ob. s. p. Ob. s. p.
Julius Hutchinson.~y-Betty,
Willi
daughter of John, Earl of Ken — Elizabeth. — John Hamilton, Earl Isabella.
L Norton, of nedy, eldest son of of Ruglen. Second Ob. cxI.
Weltow, Co. Hants, the Earl of Cassilis. husband.
Esq. First husband.
Sir Allen Apsley, Lieutenant of the.
Tower to James and Cliarlt '
'---Lucy,
St. Jol
d.aughtcr of Sir William
John.
pAnn, daughter of Botiler.
I SirRd.Wrottesley, Ob.ca;!.
Charles. — Ann Hanson.
Ob. 9. p.
Elizabeth, daughter-pNorton.-r-Judith Scharm.
of Dr. P. Waldo.
Sir Alien Apsley .-^-F ranees, daughter and heir of
. Pctre, of Bowkay, Esq.
Lucy, married to
Col. Huti;hinson,
Barbara, married to Lieut.
Col. Hutchinson.
Sir Peter Apsley.
's,-pSir. Benjamin
Bathurst.
Thomas and Julim,
Ob. cal.
Julius. Ob, carl.
iabella.— Richard Norton.Esq.
of Ixworth Abbey.
Julius.
(The Editor.)
Thomas. Casandra.
Peter.
Ob.ca:l.
Catherine. -
Heiress.
-Allen, Lord
fiatburtt.
Peter, of Claren-
don Park.
Ben/amin, of Lyd-
ney Park.
MEMOIRS
OF THE
LIFE OF COL. HUTCHINSON,
19
THE LIFE OF JOHN HUTCHINSON,
OF OJVTHORPE,
IN THE COUNTY OF NOTTINGHAM, ESQUIREo
He was the eldest surviving sonne of Sr. Thomas Hutchinson, and'
the lady Margarelt, his first wife, one of the daughters of Sr. John
Biron, of Newsted, in the same county, two persons so eminently
vertuous and pious in their generations, that to descend from them
was to sett up in the world upon a good stock of honor, which
oblieg'd their posterity to improove it, as much as it was their pri-
velledge to inheritt tlieir parents glories. Sr. Thomas was he that
remoov'd his dwelling to Owthorpe; his father, though he was pos-
sessor of that lordship, having dAvelt at Cropwell, another towne,
within two miles wherein he had an inheritance, which if I mistake
not was the place where those of the family that begun to settle the
name in this county first fixt their habitation. The famely for many
generations past have bene of good repute in Yorkshire, and there
is yett a gentleman in that county, descendant of the elder house,
that possesses a faire estate and reputatioa in his father's auncient
inheritance." They have bene in Nottinghamshire for generations;
wherein I observe that as if there had bene an Agrarian law in the
famely, assoon as they arrived to any considerable fortune beyond
" AtWykeham Abbey, in the county of York, where it is believed they still reside.
20
his who was first transplanted hither, they began other houses,
of which one is soone decay 'd and worne out in an unwoorlhy
branch (he of Basford) another begins to flourish, and long may it
prosper." It is further observable in their descent that though none
of them before Sr. Thomas Hutchinson advanc'd beyond an esquire,
yet they successively matcht into all the most eminent and noble
famelies in the country, which shewes that it was the unambitious
genius of the famely rather then their want of meritt which made
them keepe upon so even a ground after their first atchievements
had sett them on a stage elevated enough from the vulgar to per-
forme any honorable and vertuous actions, I spoke with one old
man who had knoAvne five generations of them in these parts, where
their hospitalit}^ their love to their country, their plaine and honest
conversation with all men, their generous and vmambitious inclina-
tions, had made the famely continue as well belov'd and reputed as
any of the prouder houses in the country." Although they chang'd
not their titles, yet every succession encreast the reall honor of their
house. One disadvantage they had, that few of them were so long
Hv'd as to prevent their sons from the bondage of wardship, whereby
they fell into the hands of wicked guardians, that defac'd instead of
cultivating their seates, and made every heir a new planter. Sir
Thomas Hutchinson, as I have heard, was not above eight yeares
of age when his father died, and his wardship fell into the hands of
an unworthy person, Sr. German Poole, who did him so many iniu-
ries, that he was faine, after he came of age, to have suites with
him. This so rays'd the mallice of the wicked man that he watcht
an opportunity to assassinate him unawares, and as Sr. Thomas was
landing out of a boate at the Temple staires in London, Poole
"" It stood only two generations ; the last possessor, who was the great grandson of
Sir Thomas Hutchinson, directing by his will the estate to be sold, and the produce
given to strangers.
^ Sir Thomas Hutchinson's son and grandson fell no way short of him in this.
n
having on a private coate, with some wicked assistants, before he
was aware, gave him some cutts on the head and his left hand that
was upon the boate ; but he full of courage drew his sword, runne
at Poole and broke his weapon, which could not enter his false
armor, whereupon he runne in to him, resolv'd not to be murther'd
without leaving some marke on the villaine; he bitt of his nose, and
then, by the assistance God sent him of an honest waterman, being
rescued, he was carried away, so sorely wounded that his life was
in some danger: but the fact being made publick, his honorable
carriage in it procur'd him a great deale of glory, and his adversary
carried the marke of his shame to the grave/ After this returning
into the country, he there liv'd with very much love, honor, and
repute; but having bene toss'd up and downe in his youth, and in-
terrupted in his studies, he grew into such an excessive humor of
bookes, that he wholly addicted himselfe to them, and deepely en-
gaging in schoole divinity, spent even his houres of meate and sleepe
among his bookes, with such eagernesse, that though he himselfe
attain'd a high reputation of learning thereby, and indeed a greate
improovement in wisedome and pietie, yett he too much deprived
his deare friends and relations of his conversation. When he was
enter'd into this studious life, God tooke from him his deare wife,
who left him only two weake children; and then being extreamly
aflicted for so deplorable a losse, he entertained his melancholy
'' This is a singular tale^ and savours almost too much of the ridiculous for the
gravity of an historian : however Rushworth recites a story of this same man not a
little resembling it. In the appendix to his 2d vol. " Sir German Poole vowed re-
venge against a Mr. Brighthouse, shot two pistols at him out of a window, set two ser-
vants on him with swords, who ran him through the cloak between the arm and body,
but killed him not, he defending himself effectually till Sir German came on, who
wounded him, and for which he and another were committed to the Fleet, fined
llOOl. &c." This does not seem to have cured him; perhaps the mark set on him by
Sir Thomas H. succeeded better. Did Charles the Second take the hint from this
when he set assassins to slit Mr. Coventry's nose, which caused the Coventry act to
pass?
22
among the old fathers and schoolemen, instead of diverting it, and
having furnisht himselfe Avith the choycest hbrary in that part of
England, it drew to him all the learned and religious men there-
abouts, who found better resolutions from him then from any of his
bookes. Living constantly in the country, he could not be ex-
empted from administ'ring justice among them, which he did with
such equitie and wisdome, and was such a defender of the coun-
trie's interest, that, without affecting it at all, he grew the most po-
pular and most belov'd man in the country, even to the envie of
those prouder greate ones that despis'd the common interest.
What others sought, he could not shun, being still sought by the
whole county, to be their representative, to which he was several
times elected,^ and ever faithful to his trust and his countries in-
terest, though never approoving violence and faction. He was a
man of a most moderate and wise spiritt, but still so enclin'd to
favour the oppressed saints and honest people of those times, that,
though he conformed to the government, the licentious and profane
encroachers upon common native rights branded him Avith the re-
proach of the world, though the glory of good men, Puritanisme;
yet notwithstanding he continued constant to the best interest, and
died at London in the year 1643, a sitting member of that glorious
Parliament that so generously attempted, and had almost effected,
England's perfect liberty. He was a person of greate beautie and
comelinesse in all ages,' of a bounteous and noble nature, of cleare
^ He was omitted only in that parliament which was chosen at a time when he and
other patriots were imprisoned to prevent their being re-elected. See note % page 30.
=■ His picture remained at Owthorpe, and very well justified this description. For
the bounty and nobleness of his nature take this instance from Thoroton's histoiy of
Notts. " Henry Sacheverell, Esq. being dissatisfied with his only daughter for an
improper marriage, left his whole estate at Ratcliff upon Soar to Sir Thomas Hutch-
inson, his sister's son, who willingly divided it with the disinherited lady." His moiety
came afterwards to Alderman Ireton, being saciificed to him through necessity by
Col. Hutchinson, as will hereafter be shewn.
-23
courage, sweete and aflable conversation, of a publick spiritt, of
greate prudence and reputation, a true lover of all pious learned
persons, and no lesse of honest plaine people, of a most tender
conscience, and therefore declaring much ior and endeavouring mo-
deration, if it had bene possible in the beginning of our wans that
the greatest wisedome could have cast on any dropps of healing
councel, to have allay'd the furious rage of both parties. Though
never man was a deeper nor truer mourner than he for his first wife,
yett that long dropping griefe did but soften his heart for the im-
pression of a second love, which he conceiv'd for a very honorable
and beautifull lady, who was Katherine the youngest daughter of
Sr. John Stanhope, of Elvaston, a noble famely in Derbyshire, by
whom he had a sonne and two daughters surviving him, not un-
worthy of their famely.
Mr. John Hutchinson, the eldest of his surviving sons, by his
first wife, was borne at Nottingham in the month of September, in
the year I616. That yeare there had bene a greate drought, by
reason of Avhich the country Avould not afford his father any }:)rovi-
sion for his stables, so that he was forc'd to remoove from Owthorpe
to winter in the towne of Nottingham, somewhat before his lady's
time of account. She being in the coach on her way thither, and
seing her husband in some danger b}^ reason of a mettled horse he
ridd upon, tooke a fright, and was brought to bed the next day, as
they imagin'd some three Aveekes before her time, and they were
confirm'd in that opinion by the weakenesse of the child, which con-
tinued all his infancy. When he was borne there was an elder bro-
ther in the famely, but he died a child. Two yeares and a lialf after
this was Mr. George Hutchinson, his younger brother, borne at
Owthorpe, and halfe a yeare after his birth the two children lost
their mother, who died of a cold she had taken, and was buried at
Owthorpe. She Avas a lady of a noble famely as any in the county,
of an incomparable shape and beauty, embellish t with the best edu-
G
24
cation those dayes aflfordcd, and above all had such a generous
virtue ioined with attractive sweetenesse, that she captivated the
hearts of all that knew her : she was pious, liberall, courteous, pa-
tient, kind above an ordinary degree, ingenuous to all things she
would applie hei"selt"to, and notwithstanding she had had her edu-
cation att court, Avas delighted in her own country habitation, and
managed all her faniely affaires better then any of the homespun
huswifes, that had been brought up to nothing elce : she was a most
atfectionate wife, a greale lover of her father's house, shewing that
true honor to parents is the leading virtue, which seldome wants the
concomitancy of all the rest of honor's traine. She was a wise and
bountifull mistresse in her famely, a blessing to her tenants and
neighbourhood, and had an indulgent tendernesse to her infants;
but death veil'd all her mortal glories in the 26th yeare of her age.
The stories I have receiv'd of her have bene but scanty epitaphs of
those things which were worthy a large chronicle, and a better
recorder then I can be, I shall therefore draw againe the sable cur-
teine before that image which I have ventur'd to looke at a little,
but dare not undertake to discover to others. One that was present
at her death told me that she had an admirable voyce, and skill to
manage it, and that she went away singing a psalme, Avhicli this
maid apprehended she sung with so much more then usuall sweete-
nesse, as if her soule had bene already ascended into the coelestial
quire.
There is a story of her father and mother so memorable that
though it be not alltogether pertinent to their grandchild's affaires,
which I only intend, yet I shall here putt it in, since the third ge-
neration, for whom I make this collection, is not alltogether uncon-
cern'd in the greate grandfather. He (the great grandfather) Avas
not the eldest sonne of his father Sr. John Biron, but had an elder
brother that had married a private gentlesman's daughter in the
country, and so displeas'd his father in that match, that he intended
25
an equall part of his estate to this Sr. John Biron, his younger sonne,
and thereupon married him to a young lady who was one of the
daughters of my lord Fitz William, that had bene deputy of Ireland
in the reigne of Queene Elizabeth, and liv'd as a prince in that
country." This daughter of his having an honorable aspiring to all
things excellent, and being assisted by the greate education her
father gave her, attained to a high degree of learning and language,
to such an excellencie in musick and poetry, that she made rare
compositions in both kinds; and there was not any of those extra-
ordinary quallities, which are therefore more glorious, because more
rare in the female sex, but she was excellent in them: and besides
all these ornaments of soule, she had a body of as admirable forme
and beauty, which iustly made her husband so infinitely enamour'd
of her as never man was more. She could not sett too high a value
on herselfe if she compar'd herselfe with other weomen of those
times, yett it was an allay to her glories that she was a little griev'd
that a lesse Avoman, the elder brother's wife, was superior to her in
regard of her husband, the' inferior in regard of her birth and
person; but that griefe was soone remoov'd by a sad accident.
That man-iage, Avherein the father had not bene obey'd, was fruite-
lesse, and the young gentleman hiraselfe being given to youthful
vanity, as he was one day to goe out a hunting with his father, had
commanded something should be pult under the saddle of a young
serving man, that was to goe out with them, to make sport at his
affright, when liis horse should proove unquiett. The thing suc-
ceeded as it was dcsign'd, and made them such sport, that the young
^ By mistake Mrs. Hutchinson calls liim lord. The person here meant was Sir
William Fitzwilliam, appointed governor of Ireland seven times, with the different
titles of Lord Justice and Lord Deputy, b}' that distinguishing and judicious princess.
A sufficient eulogy! From him descends in a direct line the present Earl Fitzwilhani.
Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis. The reader will most likely find this episode too
beautiful and affecting to think it needs the apology the writer makes.
26
gentleman, in the passion of laughter, died, and turn'd their mirth
into mourning; leaving a sad caveat by his example, to take heed
of hazarding men's precious lives for a little sport. The younger
brother by this means became the heire of the famely, and was
father of a numerous and hopeful issue. But while the incom-
parable mother shin'd in all the humane glorie she wisht, and had
the crownc of all outward felicity to the full, in the enioyment of
the mutuall love of her most beloved husband, God in one moment
tooke it away, and alienated her most excellent understanding in a
difficult childbirth, wherein she brought forth two daughters which
liv'd to be married, and one more that died, I think assoone or
before it was borne:' but after that, all the art of the best physitians
in England could never restore her understanding; yet she was not
frantick, but had such a pretty deliration, that her ravings were
more delightfull then other women's most rationall conversations.
Upon this occasion her husband gave himselfe up to live retired
with her, as became her condition, and made hast to marrie his
Sonne, which he did so young that I have heard say Avhen the first
child Avas borne, the father, mother, and child, covdd not make one-
and-thirty yeares old. The daughters and the rest of the children
as soon as they grew up were married and disperst. I think I have
heard she had some children after that childbirth Avhich distemper'd
her, and then my lady Hutchinson must have bene one of them,
for she was the youngest daughter, and at nine yeares old so taking,
and of such an amiable conversation, that the lady Arabella'' would
■^ The twins here mentioned as daughters are said by Thoroton to have been sons,
viz. Sir John, presently herein spoken of as the brother-in-law of Sir Thomas Hutch-
inson, and Sir Nicholas, who served Charles the Tirst with the same zeal as the rest of
that fiuiiily.
"* By the lady Arabella is here meant the lady Arabella Stuart, whose romantic
and melancholy story is told by Rapin, vol. ii. p. l6l and 189, in the reign of James
the First. That mcan-soul'd tyrant shut her up in the Tower, where she died, not
without suspicion of poison.
27
needs take her from her parents, allong with her to the court, where
she minded nothing but her lady, and grew up so intimate in all
her councells, that the princesse was more delighted in her then in
any of the weomen about her, but when she (the princess) was
carried away from them to prison, my ladle's brother fetcht her home
to his house; and there although his wife, a most prudent and ver-
tuous ladie, labour'd to comfort her with all imaginable kindnesse,
yet soe constant was her friendship to the unfortunate princesse, as
I have heard her servants say, even after her marriage, she would
steale many melancholly houres to sitt and weepe in remembrance
of her. Meanewhile her parents were driving on their age, in no
lesse constancy of love to each other, when even that distemper
which had estrang'd her mind in all things elce, had left her love
and obedience entire to her husband, and he retein'd the same fond-
riesse and respect for her, after she was distemper'd, as when she
was the glory of her age. He had two beds in one chamber, and
she being a little sick, two weomen watcht by her, some time before
she died. It was his custome, as soon as ever he unclos'd his eies,
to aske how she did; but one night, he being as they thought in a
deepe sleepe, she quietly departed towards the morning. He Avas
that day to have gone a hunting, his usuall exercise for his health,
and it was his custome to have his chaplaine pray with him before
he went out: the weomen, fearfull to surprize him with the ill newes,
knowing his deare affection to her, had stollen out and acquainted
the chaplaine, desiring him to informe him of it. Sr. John wakino-,
did not that day, as Avas his custome, ask for her, but call'd the
cliaplaine to prayers, and ioyning with him, in the middst of the
prayer, expir d, and both of them were buried together in the same
grave. Whether he perceiv'd her death and would not take notice,
or whether some strange sympathy in love or nature, tied up their
lives in one, or whether God was pleas'd to exercise an unusuall
providence towards them, preventing them both from that bitter
28 ,
sorrow which such separations cause, it can be but coniectur'd; but
the thing being not ordinary, and having receiv'd it from the re-
lation of one of his daughters and his grandchild, I thought it
not impertinent here to insert, I shall now proceed to our OAvne
story.
Assoone as my lady Hutchinson was dead, her brother, Sr. John
Biron, came over and found the most desolate aflicted widower
that ever was beheld, and one of his sisters, the lady Ratcliflfe, who
was the deare sister of the dead lady, scarce allive for sorrow; and.
indeed such an universall lamentation in the house and neighbour-
hood, that the protraction of their griefes for such a funerall as was
intended her, might possibly have made them all as she: Sr. John
tlierefore the next morning privately, unknowne to her husband,
with only her owne famely, carried her to the church, which was
but the next door, and enterr'd her without further ceremony. It
booted not Sr. Thomas tobe angric att her friend's care of him, who
'persued it so farre, that the next day he carried away Sr. Thomas,
lady Radcliffe, and Mr. John Hutchinson, towards his owne house
at Bulwell, leaving ]\Ir. George at his nurse's. But the horses of
the coach being mettled, in the halfway betweene Owthorpe and
Nottingham runne away, overthrew it, and slightly hurt all that
were in the coach; who all gott out, one by one, except the maid
that had the child in her arms, and she stay'd as long as there was
any hope of preventing the coach from being torne to pieces: but
when she saw no stop could be given to the mad horses, she lapp'd
him as close as she could in the manlle, and flung him as farre as
she could from the coach into the plow'd lands, whose furrows were
at that time very soft, and by the good providence of God the cliild,
reserv'd to a more glorious death, had no apparent hurt. He was
taken up and carried to Bulwell, where his aunt had such a mo-
therly tendernesse for him that he grew and prosper'd in her care.
As the fresh memory and excessive love they bore the mother en-
29
dear'd the young child to all her relations at the first, so as he
grew, he discover'd so much groAving wisdome, agillity, and prettie
spritefullnesse, had such a naturall gravity M'ithout sullennesse, and
such sweete innocence, that every child of the lamely lov'd him
belter than their owne brothers and sisters, and Sr. John Biron and
my lady were not halfe so fond of any of their owne. When it was
time for them to go to schoole, both the brothers were sent to board
with Mr. Theobalds, the master of the free schoole att Nottingham,
Avho was an excellent schollar, but having no children, some wealth,
and a little living that kept his house, first grew lazie, and after left
of his schoole. Sr. Thomas then remoov'd his sons to the free
schoole at Lincolne, Avhere there was a master very famous for
learning and piety, ISIr. Clearke, but he was such a supercilious
pedant, and so conceited of his owne pedantique forms, that he
gave INIr. Hutchinson a disgust of him, and he profited very little
there. At this place it was that God began early to exercise him
with afliction and temptation: he was depriv'd of the attendance
and care he had bene us'd to, and mett Avith many inconveniences,
unsuitable to his tender and nice constitution i but this Avas little,
for he had such discretion in his childhood that he understood what
was fitt for him to require, and governed Avhereere he liv'd; for he
■would not be denied reasonable, and Avould not aske other things.
He Avas as a father over his brother, and having some advantage of
y cares, tooke upon him to be the guide of his youth, yet Avith such
love, that never Avere children more commendable and happie in
mutuall affections: but it pleas'd God to strike his brother Avith a
sad disease, the falling sicknesse, Avherein Mr. Hutchinson most
carefully attended him Avhile he continued at Lincolne, Avhicli his
father permitted him to doe, for the opertunity of Dr. Pridgeon, one
of the best physitians in those parts. When he had in veine exercis'd
all his art on the young gentleman, and that he found no successe
in it, he advis'd he should returne to his father's house, and be
30
entertain'd with all the sports that could be found to delight his mind
or exercise his body. Accordingly he Avas carried home, and had a
pack of hounds, huntsmen, and horses kept for him, and was some-
thing recreated, but not cured thereby, till afterward it pleased God
to effect that cure b}^ a young practitioner, which the ablest phi-
sitians of the country could not worke. The separation from this
brother to whom he had such an entire affection, considered with
the sad occasion of it, was a greate afliction to the elder brother,
who remain'd in a place where he had little to delight him, having
an aversion to his austere pedantique master, and that encreast by
an opinion that his severitie had bene the cause of his deare brother's
distemper.
The ijreate encouraoement Sr. Thomas had to trust his sons in
this towne, was, because att that time, a gentleman inhabited there
who had married his uncle's widow, and had bene his fellow-sufferer
in a confmement in Kent, when King Charles the First had broken
up a parliament to the disgust of the people, and durst not trust
those gentlemen that had bene most faithfull defenders of their
countries interests, to returne for some time to their owne countries,
for which they serv'd." Of these worthy patriots Sr. Thomas Hutch-
inson and Sr. Thomas Grantham, the gentleman of whom I am
speaking, were confined from Nottingham and Lincolneshire to the
house of one Sr. Adam Newton in Kent ; the good father little
thinking then, that in that fatall countrie, his sonne should suffer
an imprisonment, upon the same account to the destruction of his
' This piece of history is mentioned by Rapin, Sir Thomas Grantham is named,
but Sir Thomas Hutchinson and laany others not named. It appears, in Thoroton's
History of JSottingham, edited by Tiirosby, that this confinement so far answered the
purpose of Charles the First, that it caused another to be chosen instead of Sir Thomas
Hutchinson, Knight of the Shire; but as soon as Sir Thomas got free he was again
chosen, and continued to represent the county till. his death.
31
life and faniely. Sr. Thomas Grantham Avas a gentleman of greate
repute in his country, and kept up all his life the old hospitallity of
England, having a greate retinue and a noble table, and a resort of
all the nobillily and gentry in those parts. He had only two sons,
whereof the eldest was a fine gentleman, bred be}- ond the seas, ac-
cording to the best education of those times ; the other was a foolish
youth, schoolefellow with Mr. Hutchinson, who every Saturday
night was fetcht from schoole to Sr. Thomas Grantham's, and re-
tm'n'd againe the Munday morning. Upon the intimate friendship
betweene Sr. Thomas Hutchinson and this gentleman, Sr. Thomas
Hutchinson had a lodging always kept for him at Lincolne, and
was very often there. My Lady Grantham had with her a very
pretty young gentlewoman, whom she brought with her out oif
Kent, the daughter of Sr. Adam Newton; my lady's designe was to
begin an early acquaintance, which might after draw on a marriage
betweene her and Mr. Hutchinson, and it tooke such effect that
there was a greate inclination in the young gentlewoman to him ;
and so much good nature on his side, as amounted to a mutuall
respect, and such a friendship as their youth was capable of, which
the parents and others that wisht soe, interpreted to be a passion of
love ; but if it were, death quencht the flame, and ravisht the
young lady from him in the sweete blooming of her youth. That
night she died, he lay in his father's chamber, and by accident
being very sick, it was imputed to that cause, but he himselfe least
perceiv'd he had any more of love for her, then gratitude for her
kindnesse to him, upon which account her death was an afliction
to him, and made that house which had bene his reliefe from his
hated schoole lesse pleasant to him : especially when he mett there
continuall sollicitations to sin by the travel'd gentleman, who living
in all seeming sobriety before his father, Avas in his owne chamber
not only vicious himselfe, but full of endeavour to corrupt Mr.
Hutchinson, who by the grace of God resisted and detested his fre-
H
32
quent temptations ot" all kinds. The advantage he had at this
schoole, there being very many gentlemen's sons there, an old low-
country souldier was entertain'd to traine them in arms, and they
all bought themselves weapons, and instead of childish sports, when
they were not at their bookes, were exercis'd in all their military pos-
tures, and in assaults and defences ; Avhich instruction was not use-
lesse in a few yeares after, to some of them : Col. Thornhagb, who
was now train'd in this sportive millitia, Avitli Col. Hutchinson,
afterwards was his fellow souldier in earnest, when the greate cause
of God's and England's rights, came to be disputed with swords
against encroaching princes. Sr. Thomas Grantham dying, Mr.
Hutchinson was removed from Lincolne to the freeschoole at Not-
tingham, where his father married a second wife, and for a Avhile
went up to London with her, leaving his sonne at bord in a very
religious house, where new superstitious and pharisaical holiness,
straining at gnatts and swallowing camels gave him a little disgust,
and was a while a stumbling block in his Avay of purer profession,
when he saw among professors such unsuitable miscarriages. There
was now a change in the condition and contentment of his life ; he
was old enough to be sensible that his father's second love and mar-
riage to a person of such quallity, as required a setllement for her
sonne, must needs be a lessening to his expectation, but he Avas so
affectionate to his father that he receiv'd it very conlenledly, and
reioic'd in his remoove, comming from a supercilious pedant to a very
honest man; Avho using him with respect advanc'd him more in one
month then the other did in a year. This tied him to no observation,
nor restrein'd him from no pleasure, nor needed not, for he was so
moderate when he was left at his liberty that he needed no regulation.
The familliar kindnesse of his master, made him now begin to love that
which the other's austerity made him loath; and in a yeare's time he
advanc'd exceedingly in learning, and was sent to Cambridge. He
was made a fellow-commoner of Peter Plouse, under the tuition of one
S3
Mr. Norwich, an admirable schollar, who by his civill demeanor to
him wonnc so much upon liis good nature, that he lov'd and reve-
renc'd him as a father, and betooke himselfe with such dehght to
his studies that he attain'd to a greate height of learning, pertbrm'd
publick exercises in his colledge with much applause, and upon
their importunity took a degree in the university, whereof he Avas at
that time the grace, there not being any gentleman in the towne
that lived with such regularity in himselfe, and such generall love and
good esteeme of all persons as he did. He kept not companie with
any of the vaine young persons, but with the graver men, and those
by whose conversation he might gaine improovement. He was con-
stant at their chapcll, Avhere he began to take notice of their
stretching superstition to idolatry; and Avas courted much into a
more solemne practise of it then he could admit, though yet he
considered not the emptinesse and carnallitie, to say no more, of
that publick service which was then in use. For his exercise he
practis'd tennis, and play'd admirable well att it ; for his diversion,
he chose musick, and gott a very good hand, which afterwards he
improov'd to a greate mastery on the violl; there were masters that
tailght to dance and valt, whom he practis'd Avith, being very agile
and apt for all such becoming exercises: his father stinted not his
expence, Avhich the bounty of his mind made pretty large, for he
was very liberall to his tutors, and servitors, and to the meaner of-
ficers of the house. He was entic'd to bow to their greate idoll
learning, and had a higher veneration for it a long time than can
strictly be allow'd, yet he then look'd upon it as a handmaid to de-
votion, and as the greate improover of natural reason. His tutor
and the masters that govern'd the colledge while he was there, Avere
of Arminian principles, and that colledge Avas noted above all for
popish superstitious practises, yet through the grace of God, not-
withstanding the mutuall kindnesse the whole household had for
him and he for them, he came aAvay, after five yearcs study there,
34
untainted with those principles or practises, though not yet enlight-
ened to discerne the spring of them in the rites and usages of the
English church.
When he came from the university, he was about twenty yeares
of age, and rclurned to his father's house, who had now settled his
habitation at Nottingham ; but he there enjoyed no greate delight,
another brood of children springing up in the house, and the servants
endeayouring with tales and flatteries to sow dissention on both
sides. Therefore, having a greate reverence for his father, and being
hot willing to disturb him with complaints, as soon as he could ob-
teine his leave he Avent to London. In the meane time the best
company the towne afforded him, was a gentleman of as exquisite
breeding and parts as England's Court ever enjoy 'd, one that was
now married, and retir'd into this towne, one of such admirable
power of language and perswasion as was not anie where else to be
found; but after all this, discontents or the debaucheries of the
times had so infected him, that he M'ould not only debauch him-
selfe, but make a delight to corrupt others for his sport: some he
would commend into such a vaine-glorious humor, that they be-
came pleasantly ridiculous ; some he would teach apish postures
and make them believe themselves rare men, some he would en-
courage to be poets and laugh at their ridiculous rhimes, some
young preachers he would make stage-players in their pulpitts, and
severall wayes sported himself with the follies of most of the young
men that he converst with. There was not any way which he left
impractis'd upon Mr. Hutchinson ; but when, with all his art and
industry he found he could not prevaile, then he turn'd seriously to
give him such excellent advice aitd instructions for living in the
world as were not afterward unuseful to him.^ There was besides
' Who tlic first gentleman was does no where appear. The Physician here meant,
is Dr. Plumtre, of whom much more will be said in this work.
35
this gentleman a young phisitian, who was a good schollar and had
a great deale of witt, but withall a profest atheist, and so proud
insolent a scurrilous fellow, daring to abuse all persons hoAv much
soever above him, that he was throwne out of familliarity with the
greate people of the country, though his excellency in his profession
made him to be taken in againe. — There was alsoe an old man, who
had bene Mr. Hutchinson's first schoolemaster, a person once of
greate learning, but afterwards becomming a cinick, yet so plea-
santly maintaining that kind of humor, that his conversation was
sometimes a good diversion. These were Mr. Hutchinson's com-
panions, yet, through the grace of God, had not power to infect
him, who, like a bee, suckt a greate deale of honie from these
bitter flowers. At that time, there was in the towne a young maid,
beautifull, and esteemed to be very rich, but of base parantage and
penurious educal ion, though else ingenuous enough: she was the
grandchild of an old phisitian, and from her childhood, having bene
accpiainted wiih Mr. Hutchinson, who used to visitt her grand-
mother, she had conceiv'd a kindnesse for him, Avhich though he
civilly resented,^ his greate heart could never stoope to thinke of
marrying into so meane a stock ; yet by reason of some liking he
shew'd of her company, and the melancholly he had, with some dis-
contents at home, she was Avilling to Hatter herselfe that it was love
for her, wherein, when she discover'd her mistake it was a greate
griefe. However she was, without much love on cither side, mar-
ried to an earle's sonne, and both of them, wanting the ground of
happinesse in marriage, muttuall love, enioy'd but little felicity,
either in their greate fortunes or in one another.''
s Resent, in English, never used but in a bad sense; in French^ ressenlir is used
to signify a reciprocal sentiment of kindness as well as unkindness.
'' It is written in the margin by Julius Hutchinson, Esq. probably from the in-
formation given him by Lady Catharine Hutchinson, that this lady's name was Mar-
tin, and the gentleman who married her Mr. Pierrepont. It would not have been
36
In the house with Mr. Hutchinson, there was a young gentle-
woman, of such admirable tempting beauty, and such excellent
good nature, as would have thaAv'd a rock of ice, yett even she
could never gett an acquaintance with him : wealth and beauty thus
in vaine tempted him, for it was not yett his time of love ; but it was
not farre of. He was now sent to London, and admitted of Lin-
coln's Inne, where he was soone coveted into the acquaintance of
some gendemen of the house, but found them so frothy and so
vaine, and could so ill centre with them in their delights, that the
towne beo-an to be tedious to him, who was neither taken with
wine, nor game, nor the converse of wicked or vaine weomen, to
all which he wanted not poAverfull tempters, had not the power of
God's orace in him bene above them. He tried a little the study of
the law, but finding it unpleasant and contrary to his genius, and
the plague that spring beginning to drive people out of the towne,
he beo-an to thinke of leavino; it, but had no inclination to returne
home, finding his father's heart so sett upon his second famely, that
his presence was but disturbance : yet his father was wonderfully
free and noble to him in allowance, at all places, as large as any
of his quallity had made to them, and it Avas very well bestow'd on
him, who consum'd nothing in vaine expence, but liv'd to the honor
of his friends and famely. For his diversion, he exercis'd himselfe in
those quallities he had not had so good opertunities for in the coun-
try, as dancing, fencing, and musick, wherein he had greate apt-
nesse and addresse, and entertaining the best tutors, was at sonie
expence that way, and loath to leave them of before he had per-
fected himselfe. However, manie things putting him into the
thouglit worth while to inform the reader of these minute particuhus in a note, but
but for the sake of pointing out the accuracy with wliich Mr. Jiihus Hutchinson read
and remarked upon this history, and the full knowledge he had of all the circumstances
of Col. Hutchinson's life.
37
thoughts of quitting the towne, while he was in dehberation how to
dispose of himselfe, and had some reflections upon travell, a cousin
gcrnian of his, a French merchant, came to visit him one moining,
and told him, he was immediately going into France, and under-
standing Mr. Hutchinson had some such inclination, had allmost
perswaded him tcf goe along with him. Tlie only obstacle in the
way, was that his father could not be acquainted with it time
enough to receive his answer before they went. While he was in
this deliberation, his musick-master came in, to whom he communi-
cated his thoughts, and the man told him, it was better to go into
France, att the latter end then the beginning of summer, and that
if he pleas'd, in the meane time, to goe to Richmond, where the
Prince's court was, he had a house there, where he might be ac-
commodated, and there was very good company and recreations,
the king's hawkes being kept neere the place, and severall other
conveniences. Mr. Hutchinson considering this, resolv'd to accept
his offer; and that day telling a gentleman of the house whither he
was going, the gentleman bid him take heed of the place, for it was
so fatall for love, that never any young disengag'd person went
thither, Avho return'd againe free. Mr. Hutchinson laughtathim,
but he to confirme it, told him a very true story of a gentleman, who
not long before had come for some time to lodge there, and found
all the people he came in company with, bewailing the death of a
gentlewoman, that had lived there. Hearing her so much deplor'd
he made enquiry after her, and grew so in love with the description,
that no other discourse could at first please him, nor could he at
last endure any other ; he grew desperately melancholly, and would
goe to a mount Avhere the print of her foote was cutt, and lie there
pining and kissing of it all the day long, till att length death in
some months space concluded his languishment. This story was
very true ; but Mr. Hutchinson was neither easie to believe it, nor
frighted at the example; thinking himselfe not likely to make
38
another. He therefore went to Richmond, where he found a greate
deale of good young company, and many ingenuous persons, that
by reason of the court, Avhere the young princes were bred, enter-
tained themselves in that place, and had frequent resort to the house
where Mr. Hutchinson tabled : the man being a skilfull composer
in musick, the rest of the king's musitians often met at his house to
practise new ayres and prepare them for the king ; and divers of
the gentlemen and ladies that were affected with nmsick, came
thither to heare ; others that were not, tooke that pretence, to enter-
tain themselves with the companie. Mr. Hutchinson was soone
courted into their acquaintance and invited lo their houses, Avhere
he was nobly treated, with all the attractive ails, that young weomen
and their parents use to procure them lovers, but though some of
them Avere very handsome, others wealthy, wittie, well quallified,
all of them sett out with all the gayety and bravery, that vaine
weomen put on to sett themselves of, yet Mr. Hutchinson could not
be intangled in any of their fine snares, but without any taint of
incivillity, in such a way of handsome rallerie reproov'd their pride
and vanitie as made them asham'd of their glory, and vext that he
alone, of all the young gentlemen, that belong'd to the court or
neighbourhood, should be insensible of their charms. In the same
house vvith him, there was a younger daughter of Sr. Allen Apsley,
late lieftenant of the Towdr, tabled for the practice of her lute, till
the returne of her mother, who was gone into Wiltshire for the ac-
complishment of a treaty that had bene made some progresse in,
abovit the marriage of her elder daughter, with a gentleman of that
covmtry, out of which my lady herself came, and where her brothers
Sr. John St. John and Sr. Edward Hungerford, living in greate honor
and reputation, had invited her to a visitt of them. This gentle-
woman, that was left in the house with Mr. Hutchinson, was a very
child, her elder sister being at that time scarcely past it, but a child
of such pleasantnesse, and vivacity of spiritt, and ingenuity in the
39
quallily she practis'd, that INlr. Hutchinson tooke pleasure in hear-
ing her practise, and would fall in discourse with her. She liaviao-
the keyes of her mother's house, some halfc a mile distant, would
some times aske Mr. Hutchinson, when she went over to walk along
"xvilh her: one day when he was there, looking upon an odde by-
shelf, in her sister's closett, he found a few La tine bookes ; asking
whose they were, he was told lliey were her elder sister's, where-
upon, enquiring more after her, he began first to be sorrie she was
gone, before he had scene her, and gone upon such an account,
that he was not likely to see her ; then he grew to love to heare
mention of her, and the other gentleweomen who had bene her
companions, used to talke much to him of her, telling him how
reserved and studious she was, and other things which they esteem'd
no advantage ; but it so much inflam'd Mr. Hutchinson's desire of
seeing her, that he began to wonder at himselfe, that his heart,
which had ever had such an indifterency for the most excellent of
weomenkind, should have so strong impulses towards a stranger, he
never saw; and certainly it was of the Lord, (though he perceiv'd
it not), who had ordein'd him, thro' so many various providences,
to be yoak'd with her in whom he found so much satisfaction.
There scarcely past any day, but some accident or some discourse
still kept alive his desire of seeing this gentlewoman, although the
mention of her, for the most part, was enquiries whether she had
yett accomplisht the marriage that was in treaty. One day there
was a greate deale of company mett att Mr. Coleman's, the gentle-
man's house where he tabled, to heare the musick, and a certeine
song was sung, which had bene lately sett, and gave occasion to
some of the company to mention an answer to it, which was in the
house, and upon some of their desires read : a gentleman saying
'twas believ'd that a woman in the neiohbourhood had made it, it
was presently enquir'd who.'' whereupon a gentleman, then present,
who had made the fii'st song, sayd, there were but two weomen that
I
40
could be guilty of it, Avlieicof one was a lady then among them,
the other Mrs. Apslcy. Mr. Hutchinson, fancying something of
rationallity in the sonnett, beyond the customary I'each of a she-
witl, although, to speake truth, it signified very little, addrest him-
selfe to the gentleman, and told him, he could scarcely believe it
was a woman's, whereu[)on this gentleman, Avho was a man of good
understanding and expression, and inspir'd with some passion for
her himselfe, which made him regard all her perfections through a
multiplying glasse, told Mr. Hutchinson, that though for ci\ ilHty to
the rest, he entitled another ladie to the song, yet he was confident
it was Mrs. Apsley's only, for she had sence above all the rest, and
fell into such high prayses of her, as might well have begotten those
vehement desires of her acquaintance, Avhich a strange sympathie in
nature had before produc'd : another gentleman, that sate by,
seconded this commendation, with such additions of prayse, as he
would not have given if he had known her. Mr. Hutchinson hear-
ing all this, sayd to the first gentleman, I cannot be at rest till this
ladie's relurne, that I may be acquainted with her ; the gentleman
replied, " Sir, you must not expect that, for she is of an humour she
will not be acquainted with any of mankind, and however this song
IS stolen forth, she is the nicest creature in the world of suffering her
perfections to be knowne, she shuns the converse of men as the
plague, she only lives in the enioyment of herself, and has not the
humanitie to communicate that happinesse to any of our sex :"
" Well," sayd Mr. Hutchinson, " but 1 will be acquainted with
her;" and indeed the information of this reserv'd lumiour, pleas'd
him, more then all elce he had heard, and fill'd him now with
thoughts, how he should attaine the sight and knowledge of Ikm".
While he was exercis'd in this, many days past not, but a foolcboy
of my lady her mothers came to young Mrs. Apsley ' as they were
' It was tlie custom at tliat time to cull young ladies Mistress, not Miss. Shake-
speare calls Ann i^age, Mrs. Ann.
41
at dinner bringing ncwcs that her mother and sister would in few
dayes return ; and when they enquir'd of him, whether Mrs. Apslej
Avas married ; having before bene instructed to make them beheve
it, he smiled, and pull'd out some bride laces, which were given at
a wedding, in the house wdicre she was, and gave them to the young
gentlewoman and the gentleman's daughter of the house, and told
them Mrs. Apsley bade him tell no news, but give them those
tokens, and carried the matter so, that all the companie believ'd
she had bene married. Mr. Hutchinson immediately turned pale as
ashes, and felt a fainling to seize his spiritts, in that extraordinary
manner, that finding himselfe ready to sinke att table, he was faine
to pretend something had oifended his stomach, and to retire from
the table, into the garden, where the gentleman of the house going
with him, it was not necessary for him to feigne sicknesse, for the
distemper of his mind had infected his body with a cold sweate and
such a dispersion of spirilt, that all the courage he could at present
recollect was little enough to keep him allive. His host was ver}'
troublesome to him, and to be quitt of him he went to his chamber,
saying he would lie downe. Little did any of the company suspect
the true cause of his sudden qualme, and they Avere all soe troubled
att it, that the boy then past without further examination. When
Mr. Hutchinson was alone he began to recollect his wisdome and
his reason, and to wonder att himselfe, why he should be so con-
ccrn'd in an unknowne person ; he then remember'd the story was
told him, when he came downe, and began to believe there Avas
some magick in the place, Avhich enchanted men out of their rioht
sences ; but it booted him not to be angric att himselfe, nor to sett
Avisedome in her reprooving chaire, nor reason in her throne of
councell, the sick heart could not Ik; chid nor adviz'd into heallli;
this anxiety of mind affected him so, ihat it sent him to his bed
that afternoone, Avhich indeed he tookc to entertaine his thoughts
alone that night, and having forlilied himselfe Avitli resolution, he
42
gate up the next day, but yett could not quitt himself of an extra-
vagant perplexitie of soule, concerning this unknowne gentle-
woman, which had not bene admirable in another light person,
but in him, who was from his childhood so serious and so rationall
in all his considerations, it was the effect of a miraculous power
of providence, leading him to her that was destin'd to make his
future ioy. While she so ran in his thoughts, meeting the boy
againe, he found out, upon a little stricter examination of him, that
she was not married, and pleas'd himselfe in the hopes of her speedy
returne, when one day, having bene invited by one of the ladies of
that neighbourhood, to a noble treatement at Sion Garden, which a
courtier, that was her servant, had made for her and whom she
would bring, Mr. Hutchinson, Mrs. Apsley, and Mr. Coleman's
daughter were of the partie, and having spent the day in severall
pleasant divertisements, att evening they were att supper, when a
messenger came to tell Mrs. Apsley her mother was come. She
would immediately have gone, but Mr. Hutchinson, pretending
civillity to conduct her home, made her stay 'till the supper was
ended, of which he eate no more, now only longing for that sight,
which he had Avith such perplexity expected. This at length he
obteined ; but his heart being prepossesst with his owne fancy, was
not free to discerne how little there was in her to answer so greate
an expectation. She was not ugly, in a carelessc riding-habilt, she
had a melancholly negligence both of herselfe and others, as if she
neither affected to please others, nor tooke notice of anie thing
before her ; yet spite of all her indifferency, she was surpiiz'd with
some unusuall liking in her soule, when she saw this gentleman,
who had haire, eies, shape, and countenance enough to begett
love in any one at the first, and these sett of with a gracefull and
generous mine, which |)romis'd an extraordinary person ; he was at
that time, and indeed always very neatly habited, for he wore good
and rich clothes, and had variety of them, and had them well
43
suited and every way answerable, in that little thing, shewing both
good iudgement and greate generosity, he equally becoming them
and they him, which he wore with such unalfectcdnesse and such
neatenesse as doe not often mcete in one. Allhough he had but an
evenino; sight of her he had so long desir'd, and that at disadvantaoe
enough for her, yett the prevailing sympathie of his soule, made
him ihinke all his paynes well payd, and this first did Avhett his
desire to a second sight, which he had by accident the next day,
and to his ioy found she was wholly disengag'd from that treaty,
which he so much fear'd had been accomplisht ; he found withall,
that though she was modest, she was accostable and willing to en-
tertaine his acquaintance. This soone past into a mutuall friendship
betweene them, and though she innocently thought nothing of love,
yet was she glad to have acquir'd such a friend, who had wisedome
and vertue enough to be trusted with her councells, for she was
then much perplext in mind ; her mother and friends had a greate
desire she should marry, and were displeas'd that she refus'd many
oftbrs which ihey thought advantageous enough ; she was obedient,
loath to displease them, but more herselfe, in marrying such as she
could find no inclination to. The troublesome pretensions of some
6f the courtiers, had made her willing to trie wholhcr siie could
bring her heart to her mother's desire, but being by a secret Avork-
ing, which she then understood not, averted, she was troubled to
returne, lest some might believe it was a secret liking of them
which iiad caus'd her dislike of others, and being a little disturb'd
Avitli these things and melancholly, Mr. Hutchinson, appearing, as
he was, a person of vertue and honor, who might be safely and
advantageably converst with, she thought God had sent her a happy
reliefe. Mr. Hutchinson, on the other side, having bene told, and
seeing how she shun'd all other men, and how civilly she entertain'd
him, believ'd that a secret power had wrought a mutuall inclination
betweene ihem, and dayly frequented her mother's house, and had
44
the opertunitic of conversing with her in those pleasant walkes,
which, at that sweete season of the spring, invited all the neigh-
bouring inhabitants to seeke their ioyes; where, though they were
never alone, yet they had every day opcrtunity for converse with
each other, which the rest shar'd not in, while every one minded
their OAvne delights.
They had not six Aveekes enioy'd this peace, but the young men
and weomen, who saw them allow each other that kindnesse which
they did not afford commonly to others, first began to grow iealous
and envious at it, and after to use all the mallitious practises they
could invent to breake the friendship. Among the rest, that gentle-
man, who at the first had so highly commended her to Mr. Hutch-
inson, now began to caution him against her, and to disparedge her,
with such subtile insinuations, as would have ruin'd any love, lesse
constant and honorable then his. The weomen, with wittie spite,
represented all her faults to him, which chiefly terminated in the
negligence of her dresse aitd habitt, and all womanish ornaments,
giving hei'selfe wholly up to studie and writing. Mr. Hutchinson,
who had a very sharpe and pleasant witt, retorted all their mallice
Avith such iust reproofes of their idlenesse and vanity, as made them
hate her, who, Avithout affecting it, had so engag'd such a person in
her protection, as they with all their arts could not catch. He in
the meanewhile prosecuted his love, with so much discretion, duty,
and honor, that at the length, through many difficulties, he accom-
plisht his designe. I shall passe by all the little amorous relations,
which if I would take the paynes to relate, would make a true
history of a more handsome management of love then the best
romances describe : '' for these are to be forgotten as the vanities of
youth, not Avorthy mention among the greater transactions of his
life. There is this only to be recorded, that never Avas there a pas-
'' Will not many regret that she passes so transiently these scenes of tenderness and
sentiment?
45
sion more ardent and lesse idolatrous; he lov'd her better then his
life, with inexpressable tendernesse and kindnesse, had a most liigh
obliging esteeme of her, 3'et still, consider'd honour, religion, and
duty, above her, nor ever sufli'er'd the intrusion of such a dotage as
should blind him from marking her imperfections: these he look'd
upon with such an indulgent eie, as did not abate his love and
esteeme of her, while it augmented his care to blott out all those
spoils which might make her ap.peare lesse worthy of that respect
he pay'd her; and thus indeed he soone made her more equall to
him then he found her; for she was a very faithfull mirror, reflecting
truly, though but dimmely, his ownc glories upon him, so long as
he was present; but she, that was nothing before his inspection gave
her a faire figure, when he was remoov'd, Avas only fiil'd with a
darkc mist, and never could againe take in any delighlfull obiect,
nor returne any shining representation. The greatest excellencie she
had was the power of apprehending and the virtue of loving his:
soe as his shadow, she waited on him every where, till he was taken
into that region of light, which admilts of more, and then she
vanisht into nothing. 'Twas not her face he lov'd, her honor and
her vertue were his mistresses, and these (like Pigmalion's) images
of his own making, for he polisht and gave forme to what he found
with all the roughnesse of the quarrie about it; but meeting wilh a
compliant, subiect for his owne Avise government, he found as much
satisfaction as he gave, and never had occasion to number his mar-
riage amono; his infelicities. That day that the friends on both sides
met to conclude the marriage, she fell sick of the small pox, which
was many wayes a greate triall upon him ; first her life was allmost
in desperate hazard, and then the disease, for the present, made her
the most deformed person that could be scene, for a greale while
after she recover'd; yett he was nothing troubled at it, but married
her assoone as she was able to quitt the chamber, when the priest
and all that saw her were atfrighted to looke on her: but God re-
46
C(Jinpenc"d his iustice and constancy, by restoring her, though she
was longer then ordinary before she recover'd, as well as before.
One thing is very observable, and worthy imitation in him; allhough
he had as strong and violent affections for her, as ever any man had,
yet he declar'd it not to her till he had acquainted first his father,
and after never would make any engagement but what his love and
honor bound him in, wherein he was more firmc and iust then all
the promisarie oathes and ties in the world could have made him,
notwithstanding many powerful temptations of wealth and beauty,
and other interests, that were laid before him ; for his father had
concluded another treaty, before he knew his son's inclinations Avere
this way fixt, with a party in many things much more advantageable
for his famely, and more worthy of his liking: but his father was
no lesse honorably indulgent to his son's aftbction, then the sonne
was strict in the observance of his duty, and at length, to the full
content of all, the thing was accomplisht, and on the third day of
July, in the yeare 1638, he was married to Mrs. Lucy Apsley, the
second daughter of Sr. Allen Apsley, late lieftenant of the Tower of
London, at St. Andrew's church in Holborne. He liv'd some time
in this neighbourhood with her mother, but foure months Avere
scarce past after their marriage before he was in greate danger to
have lost her, Avhen she lost two children she had conceiv'd by him.
Soone after conceiving againe, she grew so sickly, that her indulgent
mother and husband, for the advantage of her health, remoov'd
their dwelling out of the city, to a house they tooke in Enfield chace,
call'd the Blew House, Avhere, upon the third of September 1639, she
was brought to bed of two sonns, whereof the elder he named after
his OAvne father, Thomas, the younger was call'd Edward, who both
surviv'd him. September 1641 she brought him another sonne, call'd
by his owne name, John, Avho liv'd scarce six yeares, and was a very
hopefull child, full of his father's vigor and spiritt, but death soone
nipt that blossome.
47
Mr. Hutcbinson, after about 14 months various exercise of his
mind, in the pcrsuite of his love, being now at rest in the enioy-
ment of his wife, his next designe was to draw her into his owne
country, but he woukl not set upon it too roughly, and therefore
lelt her rest awhile, when he had drawne her ten miles nearer it,
out of the city, where she had had her birth and education, and
where all her relations Avere most conversant, and which she could
not suddainely resolve to quitt for altogether, to betake herself to
the north, Avhich was a formidable name among the London ladies.
While she was weaning from the friends and places she had so long
converst in, Mr. Hutchinson employ 'd his time in making an en-
traunce upon the study of schoole divinit}^, wherein his father was
the most eminent schollar of any gentleman in England, and had a
most choyce library,' vallued at a thousand pounds; which Mr.
Hutchinson mistakingly expecting to be part of his inheritance,
thought it would be very ingloiious for him not to understand how
to make use of his father's bookes. Having therefore gotten into
the house Avith him an excellent schollar in that kind of learning,
he for two yeares made it the Avhole employment of his time. The
gentleman that assisted him he converted to a right beliefe in that
greate poynt of predestination, he having bene before of the Aimi-
nian iudgment, till upon the serious examination of both principles,
and comparing them with the scriptures, Mr. Hutchinson convinc'd
him of the truth, and greAV so Avell instructed in this principle,
that he Avas able to maintaine it against any man. At that time,
this greate doctrine grew much out of fashion Avith the prelates, but
' This is spoiicn of in the preface, and did in fact remain at Owthorpe, but pro-
bably was placed there by Charles, the son of Sir Thomas Hutchinson by his second
wife: it was of excessively small value when taken possession of in the year 177G.
It is apparent, from Sir Thomas Hutchinson being upon all the committees for
religion, as may be seen in Rushwortii's collection, that he was in repute for this kind
of knowledge.
K
48
was generally embrac'd by all religious and holy persons in the land.
Mr. Hutchinson being desirous to informe himself thoroughly of it,
when he was able to manage the question, offer'd it to his father,
but Sr. Thomas would not declare himselfe in the poynt to him, nor
indeed in any other, as wee conceiv'd, least a father's authority
should sway against his children's light, who he thought ought to
disccrne thinos Avith their owne eies, and not with his. Mr. Hutch-
inson taking delight in the study of divinity, presently left oft" all
foollish nice poynts, that tended to nothing but vaine braiigling,
and employ 'd his whole study in laying a foundation of sound and
necessary principles, among which he gave the first place to this of
God's absolute decrees. This was so farrc from producing a care-
lessenesse of life in him, a thing generally obiected against this
faith," that, on the other side, it excited him to a more strict and
holy walking in thankefullnesse to God, avIio had bene pleas'd to
chuse him out of the corrupted masse of lost mankind, to fix his
love upon him, and give him the knowledge of himselfe by his ever
blessed Sonne. This principle of love and life in God, which had
bene given him Avhen he discern'd not Avhat it was in himselfe, had
from a child prescrv'd him from wallowing in the mire of sinne and
wickednessc, wherein most of the gentry of those times were mise-
"' Mis. Hutchinson, in exculpating her husband, goes no part of the way towards
shewing that the natural tendency of this principle differs from that which is objected
against it, but merely that he resisted this bias from another consideration. This is
certainly not a suitable place to discuss' such a subject; and it is therefore dismissed
with this remark, that the partizans of the two opposite, or supposed opposite, prin-
ciples of predestination and free will, while they endeavour to implicate each other in
absurdity and irreligion, agree in practice, and, guiding their actions by the best dis-
cretion they are masters of, end with referring the event to Providence, and praying
to God for a blessing on their endeavours : — much more rational in so doing than
farther exposing the weakness of human understanding by disquisitions far too refined
for its reach. The conduct of modern times is in this respect more commendable tliaii
that of the past.
49
rablv plunged, except a few, that were therefore the scorne of man-
kind ; and but few of those lew, that liad not naturall and supersti-
tious folhes, that were in some kind iustly ridiculous and con-
temptible. It was a remarkable providence of God in his life, that
must not be past over without speciall notice, that he gave him
these two yeares leizure, and a heart so to employ it, before the
noyse of warre and tumult came upon him. Yett about the yeare
1639 the thunder was heard afarre of ratling in the troubled ayre,
and even the most obscured woods Avere penetrated with some
flashes, the forerunners of the dreadfull storme which the next yeare
was more apparent; but Mr. Hutchinson was not 3^ett aAvak'ned till
it pleased God to deliver him from a danger into Avhich he had
runne himselfc, had not mercy prevented him. His wife having
allready two sons, and being againe Avith child, consider'd that it
would be necessary to seeke an augmentation of revenue, or retire
into a cheaper country; and more enclining to the first, then to
leave att once her mother, and all the rest of her deare relations,
had propounded to him to buy an office, Avhich he was not of him-
selfe very inclinable to, but, to give her and her mother satisfaction,
he hearkened to a motion that Avas made him in that kind. Sr.
William Pennieman, who had married his cousin-german, a very
worthy gentleman, who had greate respect both for and from his
father, had purchas'd the chiefe office in the starre chamber; the
gentleman who held the next to him Avas carelesse and debosht, and
thereby a greate hinderance of Sr. William's profitts, Avho appre-
hended if he could gett an honest man into that place, that they
might mutually much advantage each other; Avhereupon he per-
swaded Mr. Hutchinson to buy the place, and oft'er'd him any
termes, to goe any share Avith him, or any way he could desire.
Mr. Hutchinson treated with the gentleman, came to a conclusion,
Avent downe into the country, provided the money, and came up
againe, thinking presently to enter into the office; but the gentle-
50
man llial should have sold it, being of an uticerteine humor,
thouo-ht to make the benefit of another terme, before he sold his
place; and it pleas'd God in the meane time that arbitrary court
was, by the parliament then sitting, taken away. Mr. Ilulchinson
was very sensible of a peculiar providence to him herein, and
resolv'd to adventure no more such hazards, but to retire to that
place whither God secm'd to have call'd him by giving him so good
an interest there, and to study how he was to emproove that talent.
His wife convinc'd by this kind check which God had given to her
desires, that she ought to follow her husband where the Lord seem'd
to call him, went allong with him, and about October 1641 they
came to their house at Owthorpc. Here Mr. George Hutchinson
(Sr. Thomas being then chosen knight for Nottinghamshire, and
sitting in the parliament at London) came and gave a glad enter-
tainement of his brother and sister into the country, by his good
company, and they were for a few months peacefull and happie in
their own house, till the kingdome began to blaze out with the
lono:-concei\'ed tlame of civill warre. But here I must make a short
digression from our particular actions, to summe up the slate of
the kingdome at that time, which though I cannot doe exactly, yet
I can truly relate what I was then able to take notice of, and if any
one have a desire of more particular information, there were so
many bookes then written, as will sufficiently give it them: and
although those of our enemies are all fraught with abominable lies,
yett if all ours were supprest, even their owne writings impartially
consider'd would be a sufficient chronicle of their iniusticc and op-
pression; but I shall only mention what is necessary to be remem-
ber'd, for the better carrying on of my purpose."
° Most of those who read the summary account Mrs. Hutchinson gives of the
public transactions, will extremely regret that she was not much more full in it,
seeing the candour and perspicuity with which she writes: short as it is, however,
it will be found to throw light upon many obscure points^ and, from being so much
51
When the dawne of the gospell began to breake upon this isle,
after the darke midnight of papacy, the morning was more cloudy
here then in other places by reason of the state interest, which Avas
mixing and working itselfe into the interest of religion, and which
in the end quite wrought it out. King Henry the Eighth, who by
his royall authority cast out the pope, did not intend the people of
the land should have any ease of oppression, but only change their
forreigne yoake for homebred fetters, deviding the pope's spoyles
betweene himselfe and his bishops, who cared not for their father
at Rome, so long as the}^ enioy'd their patrimony and their honors
here under another head: soe that I cannot subscribe to those who
entitle that king to the honor of the reformation. But even then
there wanted not many who discern'd the corruptions that were
retein'd in the church, and eagerly applied their endeavours to ob-
teine a purer reformation, against whom those who saw no need of
further reformation, through excesse of ioy for that which was all-
ready brought forth, or else through a secret love of superstition
rooted in their hearts, thought this too much, were bitterly incens'd,
and hating that light which reproov'd their darknesse, every where
stirr'd up spiritts of envy and persecution against them. Upon the
greate revolution which tookc place at the accession of Queene
Elizabeth to the crown, the nation became divided into three greate
factions, the papist, the state protcstant, and the more religious
zelotts, who afterward Mere branded with the name of Puritane.
In vaine it was for these to addresse to the queene and the parlia-
ment; for the bishops, under the specious pretences of unifonuity
and obedience, procur'd severe punishments to be inflicted on such
as durst gainsay their determinations in all things concerning wor-
ship, whereupon some even in those godly dayes lost their lives.
concentiated^ will be useful and acceptable to many, as serving to fix a general
and just idea of tlie public mind, as well as transactions, in the times of which she
treats.
52
The papists had a most inveterate hatred to all the protestanls,
but especially to those Avho were godly," and they againe many of
them sufFerd their zeale to runne out into bitter personall hate.
Bctweene these two extreames, the common protestant Avas in the
middle, though I cannot reckon them as a vertuous medium ; for
of them the more prophane and ignorant only left popery, because
it grew out of fashion, but in their hearts inclin'd that way ; those
who were peaceable, conscientious, or morall persons, enclin'd to
the puritane ; of whom there were many that unwillingly bore the
burthen of the cerimonies, for quietnesse sake, and through false
doctrine of their unfaithfull teachers, as well as some that discern'd
the base and carnall minds of those seducers, and would not be
perswaded by them to defile their consciences : the former sort of
these, in zeale to reduce the whole land from their idolatrous prac-
tises, procur'd lawes and invented oathes to suppresse popery,
which they little thought, but wee now sadly find, are the bitterest
engines to batter downe the pure worship and destroy the pure
worshippers of God ; which I have often looked upon as an evidence
that God is not pleas'd with the conversions that are enforc'd by
men's laAves. We have spirituall weapons given us for spirituall
combates, and those who go about to conquer subiects for Christ
Avith swords of Steele, shall find the base metall breake to shivers
Avhen it is used, and hurtfully file in their OAvne faces.
About the time of the reformation, there was a greate change in
the civill interest of all that part of the Avorld which had long layne
under the bondage of the Roman prelate and his tirannicall clergie.
These had by degrees so encroacht upon all the secular princes,
that they Avere nothing but vassalls and hangmen to the proud inso-
lent priest. Obtaining his empire by fraud, false doctrine, lies and
" Godly. The name always given by the Puritans to those of their own party, and
not unfrequently so used by different sectaiies at the present day.
53
hipocrisie, he maintained it by blood and rapine, till it pleasVl God
to cause that light to breake forth about Luther's time, which hath
ever since bene encreasing, and notwithstanding all the attempts of
Sathan and his ministers, will in the end grow up to a glorious
flame and quite devoure that bloody cit3^ When the wrath of
princes and priests was in vaine at first blowne up against the pro-
fessors of the gospell, and their blood and ashes became fruitefull
seed in God's field, then the old fox comes into the fold as a lamb,
and seduces some of them that saw the approach of Christ's king-
dome, to sett it up irregularly, and indeed, (though I know not
whether they perceiv'd their owne delusion), to sett up themselves
in Christ's throne, casting downe the thrones of all other magistrates,
and destroying the proprieties of men, and ruling by their owne ar-
bitrary lust, which they brought forth in the name of God's law.'
This example was so threatning to all mankind, that the gospell it-
self, by the adversaries thereof, suffer'd much reproach upon this
miscarriage; whereupon the Protestants, in all places, to cleare
themselves from the iust aspersions, which the Munster anabaptists
and others had occasioned, fell into an error on the other hand, not
much lesse hurtfull in the consequence ; for to flatter the princes of
the world, whether Popish or Protestant, they invested them with
God's prerogative, and preach'd to them and the people such
doctrines as only chang'd the idoll, but left the idolatry still in
practice.''
P A description of the principles of the most extravagant of those whom in liistory
they call Fifth Monarchy Men, from their affecting to set up the empire of Christ as
the fifth; the Assyrian, Persian, Grecian, and lloman, being the first four.
1 This could hardly be carried farther any wl>ere than in England : where in all
cases passive, in most cases active obedience w.is indiscriminately inculcated ; where
two divines stating in their discourses, one, " that it was the king's duty to make laws,
and the subject's to obey them;" another, that " the king is not bound to observe the
laws of the realm, but that his royal will and command in imposing taxes and loans
54
The Popes of Rome had for many ages challeng'd and pracds'd a
power to disthrone princes, to give away their reahnes, to interdict
whole kingdomes and provinces and devote them to slaughter, to
loose subiects from all bonds and oathes of allegiance to their sove-
raignes, and to stirre up both princes and people to the mutuall
murther of each other, which abominable courses had bene iustly
cast upon them as reproach, they pretending to doe all these things
for the propagation of the true worship and the advance of God's
glorie. This reproach they retorted when some protestants upon
the same pretence did mainlaine that idolatrous princes were to be
remoov'd, and such magistrates sett up as feared God, who were
guardians of both tables, and bound to compell all their people to
the right religion. This confusion was there among the sons of dark-
nesse at the first appearance of gospell light.
About this time in the kingdom of Scotland, there Avas a wicked
queene, daughter of a mother that came out of the bloody house of
Guize,' and brought up in the Popish religion, which she zealously
persever'd in, as most suitable to her bloody lustful temper ; she
being guilty of murthers and adulteries, and hateful for them to the
honestest of the people, was depos'd, imprison'd, and forc'd to flie
for her life ; but her sonne was receiv'd into the throne, and edu-
cated after the strictest way of the protestant religion according to
Calvin's forme. Those who were chiefely active and instrumental!
in the iustice executed on this wicked queene, were the reformers
without consent of parliament doth oblige the subject's conscience, upon pain of eternal
damnation." For refusing to license the publication of the first sermon, the good
Archbishop Abbot was banished and confined to a bad and unhealthy country-house.
For the latter, the preacher, though sentenced by the lords to be fined and imprisoned,
was by the king pardoned, and promoted to a bishoprick. After this, let it be de-
cidi-d whether Charles reverenced episcopacy as a divine institution, or valued it as an
engine of state ? and in what light he caused his subjects to view it?
' Mary Queen of Scots.
55
of religion in Scotland, which made the neighbouring idolatrous
princes to feare iheni of the same faith. About the same time like-
■w'lse, the provinces of the Netherlands united themselves in a re-
sistance of the King of Spaine, and cast of that yoake wherewith he
had most barbarously gall'd them. The King of France, persecut-
ing his protestant subiects with much inhumane violence, forc'd
them to defend themselves against his unsanctified league, and much
blood was shed in those civill warrs, 'till at length those who had
had so much experience of God's providence, in delivering them
from their cruell princes, were perswaded to make up an alliance
with the enemies of God and religion, and by the treacherous foe
drawne into his snares, where they were most wickedly and barba-
rously massacred.' Now, although religion were the maine ground
of those bloody quarrel Is, yet there were, in all these countries,
many disputes of civill right, which for the most part bore the face
of the warrs ; whereat I have only hinted, in this survey of the con-
dition of other states, and their interests in those days and since ;
Avhicii is something necessary to be knowne for the better under-
standing of our owne, with which I shall now proceed.
The civill government of England from the time called the Con-
quest, had been administer'd by a King, Lords, and Commons, in
a way of Parliaments ; the Parliament entrusted with the legislative,
and the King with the executive power ; but severall of the kings
not satisfied with their bounded monarchic, made attempts to con-
vert it into an absolute soveraignety, attempts fatall both to them-
selves and their people, and ever unsucccssefull ; for the generous
people of England, as they were the most free and obsequious sub-
iects in the Avorld to those princes that manag'd them with a kind
and tender hand, commanding them as freemen, not as slaves, so
were they the most untameable invincible people, in defence of
' The famous massacre on St. Bartholomew's day at Paris.
L
o
6
their freedonies against all those usurping lords, that scorn d to al-
low tliem liberty. The nobillity of the reahne having at first the
greate ballance of the lands, and retaining some of that free honor-
able vertue, for which they were exalted above the vulgar, ever
stood up in the people's defence and curb'd the wild ambition of
the tyrants, Avhom they sometimes reduc'd to moderation, and
sometimes dcpos'd for their misgovernments, till at length, the
kings, eager to breake this yoake, had insensibly worne out the
interest of the nobillity, by drawing them to their courts, where
luxuries melted away the greate estates of some, others were de-
stroy'd by confiscations in divers civill warrs, and others otherwayes
mould'red with time. While the kings were glad to see the abate-
ment of that power, which had bene such a check to their exorbi-
tancies, they perceiv'd not the growing of another more dangerous
to them, and that when the nobillity shrunke into empty names,
the throne lost its supporters, and had no more but a little puffe of
wind to beare it up, when the full body of the people came rolling
in upon it.' The interest of the people, which had bene many
yeares growing, made an extraordinary progresse in the dayes of
King Henry the eighth, who returning the vast revenues of the
church into the body of the people, cast the ballance cleare on their
' It is wonderful that the experience of so many ages and so many other states had
not been sufficient to warn the princes of the House of iionrbon of this fatal error i
From the moment of Cardinal Riclielieu's coining into power under Louis the Xlllth,
to Meckar's return to power after his rustication under Louis the X\'lthj the plan of
lowering the power of the noblesse of France had been systematically pursued. The
last stroke was given to it when this delusive and deluded minister advised that imfor-
tuuate monarch to give to the commons a double number of representatives in the
States General, and to blend the noblesse with them. It was in vain that the Prince
of Conty gave him a short note of admonition, written on the spur of the occasion upon
his hat—" Sire, the moment you sign this arret your tluone is overturned." He re-
jected the advice, and betrayed the author.
side, and left them now only to expect" an opeitunity to resume
their power into their OAvnc hands, and had not diiferences in reli-
);ion devided them among themselves, and thereby prolong'd the
last gasps of expiring monarch}^ they had long since exercis'd it in
a free conmionwealth.
England was not an idle spectator of the greate contest betweene
the Papist and Protestant, in which all Christendome seem'd to be
engag'd. During the reigne of Queene Elizabeth, the protestant
interest, being her peculiar interest, that princesse became not only
glorious in the defence of her owne realme, but in the protection
she gave to the whole protestant cause, in all the neighbouring
kingdomes : wherefore, as if it had bene devolv'd upon her person,
the Pope shott all his arrowes at her head, and sett on many des-
perate assassinations against her, which, by the good providence of
God, were all frustrated, and she not only miraculously deliver'd
from those wretches, but renown'd at home and abroad for suc-
cesses against her rebellious subiects in England and Ireland, and
for the assistance of her distressed neighbours ; but above all for the
mercy which it pleased God to afford her and this realme in the year
2588, when the invading Spaniard had devour'd us in his proud
hopes, and by the mighty hand of God was scatter'd as a mist
before the morning beames. "i'liat which kept alive the hopes of the
Papists, most part of her reigne, was, the expectation of the Queene
of Scots, who entring into confederacy with them lost her head for
the forfeit, Avherein the Duke of Norfolke sufter'd alsoe for her the
losse of his. The Queene of England was very loath to execute
this necessary iustice ; but the true-hearted protestants of her coun-
cells, foreseeing the sad effects that might be expected, if ever she
arriv'd to the crowne, urg'd it on," and after the death of Queene
" Expect, a Latinism; expeclare, to wait for; or Italian, aspettare id.
* The signing and expediting the warrant for the execution of Mary Queen of
Scots is an enigma which has employed the wits of many to solve — perhaps this may
58
Elizabeth, the wiser of tliein much oppos'd the admission of her
son : but he dissembhng the resentment of his mother's death, by
bribes and greater promises, manag'd a faction in the court of the
dechning queene, which prevail'd on her dotage to destroy the
Earle of Essex, who only had courage to have kept out him they
thought dangerous to lelt in. So subtilly brought they their purpose
about, that Avise councell was in vaine to a blinded and betrey'd
people. The antiprelaticall party hoping that with a king bred up
among the Calvinists, they should now be freed from the episcopal
yoake, were greedie of entertaining him, but soone cured of their
mistake, when immediately after his entry into the kingdome, him-
selfe being moderator at a dispute betweene both parties, the non-
conformists were cast out of doores, the offensive cerimonies, insteed
of being remoov'd, were more strictly impos'd, the penalties against
papists relax'd, many of them taken into favour, those families who
suffer'd for his mother grac'd and restored as farre as the times would
beare, and those who consented any way to the iustice done upon
her, disfavour'd. A progresse was made suitable to this beginning,
the protestant interest abroad was deserted and betrey'd, the prelates
at home dayly exalted in pride and pomp, and declining in vertue
and godlinesse. Arminianisme " crept in, to the corruption of sound
doctrine, till at length they had the impudence to forbid preaching
of those greate and necessary truths, concerning the decrees of God ;
secret treaties were entertained with the court of Rome,*^ and not-
withstanding that hellish ponder plott, the papists lost not their
creditt at court, where they now wrought no longer by open and
be the true solution of it; it is at least clear that it thus appeared to well-informed
persons, living in times when the thing was recent, and accounts for it more naturally
than the mean jealousy attributed to Queen Elizabeth, which would in fact have been
a better reason for putting her to death many years sooner.
* Jamesj however, professed himself a great enemy to it.
y The first volume of Clarendon's State Papers is half filled with them.
59
direct wayes, but humouring the king and queene in their lusts and
excesses, found the most ready way to destroy the doctrine of the
gospeil, was to debosli the professors. Tlie court of this king was
a nursery of kist and intemperance, he had brought in witli him a
company of poore Scotts, who comming into this plentiful king-
dome, surfetted with riott and debaucheries, and gott all the riches
of the land only to cast away. The honor, Avealth, and glory of the
nation, wherein Queene Elizabeth left it, were soone prodigally
wasted by this thriftlesse heire, the nobillity of the land utterly
debased by setting honors to publick sale, and confemng them on
persons that had neither blood nor meritt fitt to weare, nor estates
to beare up their titles, but were faine to invent proiects to pilP the
people, and pick their purses for the maintenance of vice and lewd-
nesse. The generallity of the gentry of the land soone learnt the
court fashion, and every greate house in the country became a sty
of uncleannesse. To keepe the people in their deplorable security,
till vengeance overtooke them, they were entertained with masks,
stage playes, and sorts of ruder sports. Then began ^murther, in-
cest, adultery, drunkennesse, swearing, fornication, and all sort of
ribaldry, to be no conceal'd but countenanc'd vices ; because they
held such conformity with the court example. Next to this, a
greate cause of these abominations was the mixt marriages of papist
and protestant famelies, Avhich, no question, was a designe of the
popish party to compasse and procure, and so successefull that I
have observ'd that there was not one house of ten, where such a
marriage was made, but the better party Avas corrupted, the chil-
drens soules were sacrific'd to devills, the worship of God was laid
aside in that famely, for feare of distasting the idolater ; the kindred,
tenants, and neighbours, either quite turn'd from it, or cool'd in
their zeale for religion. As the fire is most fervent in a frosty sea-
^ Pill— pillagCj plunder.
60
son, so the generall apostacy from liolinesse, if I may so call il, and
defection to lewdnesse, stirr'd up sorrow, indignation, and feare, in
all that retein'd any love of God in (he land, whither ministers or
people : the ministers warn'd the people of the approaching iudge-
ments of God, which could not be expected but to follow such
high provocations ; God, in his mercy, sent his prophets into all
corners of the land to preach repentance and cry out against the
ingratitude of England, who thus recpiited so many rich mercies as
no nation could ever boast of more ; and by these a few were every
Avhere converted and established in faith and holincsse: but at court
these were hated, disgrac'd, and revil'd, and in scorn had the name
of Puritane' fix'd upon them. And now the ready way to prefer-
ment there, was to declare an opposition to the power of godlinesse,
under that name; so that their pulpitts might iustly be called the
scorner's chair, those sermons only pleasing that flatter'd them in
their vices and told the poore king that he was Solomon, that his
sloth and cowardize, by which he betrey'd the cause of God and
honour of the nation, Avas gospell meekenesse and peaceablenesse,
lor which they rays'd him up above the heavens, Avhile he lay wal-
lowing like a swine in the mire of his lust. Me had a little learning,
" This artifice of affixing a name of reproach on those of an opposite party, in order
indiscriminately to subject them to hatred or ridicule, could hardly be better exposed
than it is here. That Mrs. Hutchinson is guilty of no exaggeration, may well be con-
jectured from some speeches in parliament preserv'd by Ruslnvorth, peculiarly one of
Sir Benjamin Rudyard, at least a moderate man, if not a favourer of the king, com-
plaining of the very same thing. Rushworth, vol. ii. 1355, " It is the artifice of the
favourers of the catholick and of the prelatical party to call all who are sticklers for
the constitution in church or state, or would square their actions by any rule humane
or divine, Puritans." In the petition and remonstrance this is stated nearly in the
same manner. It waS no way inconsistent with the other injustices of the French revo-
lutionists to invent the term of Aristocrat, and mark out by it every one whom the
populace or their demagogues designed to plunder or destroy ; it would not be so ex-
cuseable if in this country we should suffer cant terms or nicknames to pass for reason-
ing or proof. For the rest, the name of Puritan should have no bad meaning.
61
and this they call'd the spiritt of wisedome, and so magnified him,
so falsely flatter'd him, that he could not endure the words of truth
and soundnesse, but rewarded these base, wicked, unfaithful! fawn-
ers with rich preferments, attended with pomps and titles, which
heav'd them up above a humane heighth : with their pride their
envie swell'd against the people of God, whom they began to pro-
iect how they might roole out of the land ; and when they had once
given them a name, whatever was odious or dreadfull to the king
that they lixt upon the Puritane, which, according to their charac-
ter, was nothing but a factious hipocrite.
The king had upon his heart the dealings both of England and
Scotland with his mother, and harbour'd a secrett desire of revenge
upon the godly in both nations, yet had not courage enough to as-
sert his resentment like a prince, but employ 'd a wicked cunning he
was master of, and called king-craft, to undermine what he durst
not openly oppose, the true religion : this was fenc'd with the liberty
of the people, and so link'd together, that 'twas impossible to make
them slaves, till they were brought to be idolaters of royalty and
glorious lust, and as impossible to make them adore these gods while
they continued loyall to the government of Jesus Christ. The payment
of civill obedience to the king and the lawes of the land satisfied not;
if any durst dispute his impositions in the worship of God, he was
presently reckon'd among the seditious and disturbers of the publick
peace, and accordingly persecuted : if any were griev'd at the dishonor
of the kingdome or the griping of the poorc, or the uniust oppressions
of the subiect, by a thousand wayes, invented to maintaine the
riotts of the courtiers and the swarms of needy Scotts, the king had
brought in to devoure like locusts the i)lenty of this land, he was a
Puritane: if any, out of mere morallily and civill honesty, discoun-
tenanc'd the abominations of those days, he was a Puritane, how-
ever he conform'd to their superstitious worship : if any sliew'd fa-
vour to any godly honest person, kept them company, relieved them
62
in want, or prelected them against violent or uniust oppression, he
was a Puritane : if any gentleman in his country maintain'd the
good lawes of the land, or stood up for any publick interest, for
good order or government, he was a Puritane : in short, all that
crost the viewes of the needie courtiers, the proud encroaching
priests, the theevish proiectors, the lewd nobillity and gentrie, who-
ever was zealous for God's glory or worship, could not endure blas-
phemous oathes, ribbald conversation, prophane scoffes, sabbath
breach, derision of the word of God, and the like ; whoever could
endure a sermon, modest habitt or conversation, or aniething good,
all these were Puritanes ; and if Puritanes, then enemies to the king
and his government, seditious factious hipocrites, ambitious dis-
turbers of the publick peace, and finally, the pest of the kingdome :
such false logick did the children of darknesse use to argue with
against the hated children of light, Avhom they branded besides as
an illiterate, morose, melancholly, discontented, craz'd sort of men,
not fitt for humane conversation '' ; as such they made them not only
the sport of the pulpitt, which was become but a more solemne sort
of stage, but every stage, and every table, and every puppett-play,
belcht forth prophane scoffes upon them, the drunkards made them
their songs, all fidlers and mimicks learnt to abuse them, as finding
it the most gainefull Avay of fooling. Thus the two factions in those
dayes grew up to greate heighths and enmities, one against the
other, while the Papist wanted not industry and subtilty to blow the
coals betweene them, and was so successcfidl that, unlesse the mercy
•> Snch is the idea entertained of them in general even at this day ; whoever shall
read these memoirs will be well convinced that not one of these qualities needs or does
by any natural consequence accompany the character. It is a great misfortune that
many of the zealous professors of piety should give it so austere an aspect, and this
can never be better contrasted than by the chearful and amiable one this professed
Puritan gives it.
63
of God confound them, by their owne imaginations, wee may iustly
feare they will at last obtane their full wish.
But to dcale impartially, wee must, Avith sadnesse enough, con-
fesse, that the wolfe came into the fold in a sheepe's clothing, and
wrought more slaughter that way among the lambs, then he could
have done in his owne skin ; for it is true that many of witt and
parts, discontented, when they could not obteine the preferments
their ambition gaped at, would declare themselves of the puritane
party, and such were either bought of, or, if the adversary would
not give their price, seduc'd their devout hearers, sometimes into
undiscreete opposition, to worke out their owne revenge, others that
had neither learning, nor friends, nor opertunities to arrive to any
preferrements, would put on a forme of godlinesse, finding devout
people that way so liberall to them, that they could not hope to
enrich themselves so much any other way. Some that had greater
art and parts, finding there Avas no inconsiderable gaine to be made
of the simple devotion of men and weomen, applied their witts to it,
and collected oreate summes for the advancement of the rehsious
interest, of which they converted much to their OAvne private uses.
Such as these tempted the people of God to endeavour to shelter
themselves in humane pollicies, and found out wayes, by bribes
and other not lesse indirect courses, to procure patrones at court,
and to sett up against the prelates with countermines and other en-
gines, which being of man's framing, were all at last broken.
The puritane party being weake and oppress'd, had not faith
enough to disowne all that adhered to them for Avorldly interests,
and indeed it requir'd more then humane wisedome to discerne at
the least all of them, wherefore they, in their low condition, gladly
accepted any that would come over to them, or encline towards
them ; and I heir enemies throusjh envie at them ausimented much
their party, while, Avith iniuries and reproaches, they drove many,
that never intended it, to take that party; which in the end got
64
notliing but confusion by those additions. Wliile these parties were
tiius counterworking, the treasure of the kingdome being wasted b}'
court-caterpillars, and parliaments call'd to resupply the royall cof-
fers, therein there wanted not some, that retein'd so much of the
English spirit, as to represent the publick grievances, and desire to
call the corrupt ministers of state to an account; but the king,
grudging that his people should dare to gainesay his pleasure, and
correct his misgovernement, in his favourites, broke up parliaments,
violated their privilledges, imprisoned their members for things
spoken in the house, and grew disaffected to them, and entertain'd
proiects of supplie b}" other grievances of the people. The prelates
in the meane time, finding they lost ground, meditated reunion with
the popish faction, who began to be at a pretty agreement Avith
them ' ; and now there was no more endeavour in their publick ser-
mons, to confute the errors of that church, but to reduce our doc-
trines and theirs to an accommodation : the king, to bring it about,
was deluded '' into the treaty of a match for his sonne Avith the In-
fanta of Spaine ; and the Prince, Avith the Duke of Buckingham,
privately sent into Spayne, from whence he difhcuUly came back,
but to the greate reioycing of the whole people in generall, who
were much afiicted at his going thither. During this treaty the
papists got many advantages of the king, to the preiudice of the
protestant interest at home and abroad, and the hearts of all but the
papists were very much sadned, and the people loath to lay the
miscarriages of things at the king's owne dore, began to entertaine
an universall hatred of the Duke of Buckingham, rays'd from a
knight's fourth sonne to that pitch of glorie, and enioying greate
possessions, acquir'd by the favour of the king, upon no meritt but
•^ The first volume of Clarendon's State Papers abounds with instances.
** It is very rare to sec a delusion so long and successfully carried on as this appears
to have been, at the expence of this modern Solomon, in the State Papers just men-,
tioned.
65
that of his beauty and his prostitution. The parhament had drawne
up a charge against him, and though the king seeni'd to protect
him, yet knowing the fearefulhiesse of his nature, and doubting his
constancy, it Avas behev'd he added some helpe to an ague that
kih'd that king ; however the king died, and the Duke continued as
high in the favour of the next succeeding as of the deceased prince ;
whereupon one, not unaptly, sayes of him, " he seem'd as an un-
" happie exhalation, drawne up from the earth, not only to clowd
" the setting, but the rising sun." '
The face of the court was much chang'd in the change of the
king; for King Charles was temperate, chast, and serious; so that
the fooles and bawds, mimicks and catamites, of the former court,
grew out of fashion; and the nobillity and courtiers, who did not
quite abandon their debosheries, had yet that reverence to the king,
to retire into comers to practise them : men of learning and inge-
nuity in all arts were in esteeme, and receiv'd encouragement from
the king; who was a most excellent iudge and a greate lover of
paintings, carvings, gravings, and many other ingenuities, less offen-
sive then] the bawdry and prophane abusive witt, which was the
only exercise of the other court. But as in the primitive times, it
is observ'd that the best emperors were some of them stirr'd up by
Sathan to be the bitterest persecutors of the church, so this king
was a worse encroacher upon the civill and spirituall liberties of his
people by fan'e then his father. He manied a papist, a French
lady, of a haughty spiritt, and a greate witt and beauty, to whom
he became a most uxorious husband. By this meanes the court Avas
replcnisht with papists, and many who hoped to advance them-
selves by the change, turned to that religion; all the papists in the
kingdom were favoured, and, by the king's example, matclit into the
' The justice of the character here given of James, as well as the candour of that
about to be given to Charles, will, it is hoped, be recognized by every reader.
66
best famelies; the purilanes more than ever discountenanc'd and
persecuted, insomuch that many of them chose to abandon their
native country, and leave their dearest relations, to retire into any
foreigne soyle or plantation, where they might, amidst all outward
inconveniences, enioy the free exercise of God's Avorship; such as
coidd not flee were tormented in the bishops courts, fin'd, whipt,
pillor'd, imprison'd, and suflfer'd to enioy no rest, so that death was
better then life to them; and notwithstanding their patient suft'rance
of all these things, yet was not the king satisfied till the whole land
were reduc'd to perfect slavery. The example of the French king
was propounded to him, and he thought himselfe no monarch, so
long as his will was confin'd to the bounds of any law; but knowing
that the people of England Avere not pliable to an arlaitrary rule, he
plotted to subdue them to his yoke by a forreigne force, and till he
could effect it, made no conscience of granting aniething to the
people, Avhich he resolv'd should not obi lege him longer then it
served his turne; for he Avas a prince that had nothing of faith or
truth, iustice or generosity, in him; he Avas the most obstinate per-
son in his selfcAvill that ever Avas, and so bent upon being an abso-
lute uncontroulable soveraigno, that he Avas resolv'd either to be
such a king or none. His firme adherence to prelacy was not for
conscience of one religion more then another, for it Avas his principle
that an honest man might be sav'd in any profession; but he had a
mistaken principle that kingly government in the state could not
stand Avithout episcopall government in the church, and therefore
as the bishops flatter d him Avith preaching up his soveraigne prero-
gative, and inveying against the puritanes as factious and disloyall,
so he protected them in their pomp and pride, and insolent prac-
tises against all the godly and sober people of the land."^ In the first
' In note '', page 53, it has been shewn that their political, not their religious prin-
ciples, were the criterion whereby the king judged the prelates of the church of Eng-
land. That the same served for the church of Home is shewn pretty clearly in the first
67
parliament after he came to the crowne the duke of Buckino-ham
was impeacht concerning the death of king James, and other mis-
demeanours, but the present king, who had receiv'd him into the
same degree of favour that he was with the former, would not
endure the question of his favourite, and, to deliver him from it,
broke up the parliament, Avhich gave too iust a suspition that he
favour'd the practise; for it is true that the duke's mother, without
the consent of the phisitians, had made an application to the wrists
of the king for his ague, after Avhich he died in his next fitt. Some '^^ *^ iJ "*'
other parliaments there were, but still abruptly broken up, when
they putt forth any endeavour to redresse grievances. The pro-
testants abroad were all lookt upon as pm'itanes, and their interest
insteed of being protected, sadly betrey'd; ships lett out to the
French king to serve against them; all the flower of the English
gentry lost in an ill-manag'd expedition to the Isle of Rhee, under
pretence of helping them, but so order'd that it proov'd the losse of
Rochell, the strong fort and best defence of all the protestants in
France. Those in Germany were no lesse neglected in all treaties,
although his owne sister and her children were so highly concem'd.
The whole people were sadly griev'd att these misgoveininents, and
loath to impute them to the king, cast all the odium upon the duke
of Buckingham, Avhom at length a discontented person stabb'd, be-
lieving he did God and his country good service by it. All the
volume of Clarendon's State Papers; where Mr. Courtenay having refused some com-
pliances against conscience, and giving as his reason that " the king was not the law
" maker, but the king and parliament, and that the king has not a dispensing power,"
and father Scudamore, alias Leander, asserting that he has, Courtenay is committed to
prison, held tiiere, and a trial refused him ; Leander protected, encouraged, and re-
warded ; and it is stated that " Laud was at the helm of the king's councils in these
" matters." This opinion of the king's candour, or even indifference, as to the mode of
religion, is stated in nearly the same manner in Rushworth, but it is not said on what
authority. The Stuarts sported with and ruined all religions, and in turn were ruined l\
by them.
68
kingdome, except the duke's owne dependents and kindred, reioyc'd
in the death of this duke, but they found Utile cause, for after it
the king still persisted in his designe of enslaving them, and found
other ministers, ready to serve his selfe-will'd ambition, such as
were Noy his atturny-generall, who set on foote that hatefull tax of
ship mony, and many more illegall exactions; and ten of the iudges
who perverted iudgement in the cause of those who refused the ille-
gall imposition; although there were even in that time found two
honest iudges, who durst iudge rightly against the king, although
he had chang'd the words usuall in their commissions, which were
Quamdiu bene se gesserint, ^ into another forme, Durante bene
placito. Besides these, and a greate rascally company of flatterers
and proiectors, there Avere all the corrupted tott'ring bishops and
others of the proud prophane clergy of the land, who, by their inso-
lencies, growne odious to the people, bent their strong endeavours
to disaffect the prince to his honest godly subiects, and to gett a
pretence of power from him, to aflict those who would not subniitt
to their insolent dominion. But there were two above all the rest,
who led the van of the king's evill councellors, and these were Laud,
archbishop of Canterbury, a fellow of meane extraction and arro-
gant pride, and the earl of Strafford, who as much outstript all the
rest in favour as he did in abillities, being a man of deepe pollicy,
Sterne resolution, and ambitious zeale to keepe up the glory of his
own greatnesse. In the beginning of this king's reigne, this man had
bene a strong assertor of the liberties of the people, among whom
he had gain'd himselfe an honorable reputation, and was dreadfull
to the court party, who thereupon strew'd snares in his way, and
when they found a breach at his ambition, his soule was that way
enter'd and captivated. He was advanc'd first to be lord president
s " Quamdiii bene se gesserint," during good behaviour, as long as they act right.
" Durante bene placito," during the king's good pleasure.
60
of the councell in the north, to be a baron, after an earle, then
deputy of Ireland; the nccrcst to a favourite of any man since the
death of the duke of Buckingham, who was rays'd by his first master,
and kept up by the second, upon no account of personall woitli or
any deserving abilhties in him, but only upon violent and piivate
inclinations of the princes; but the earle of Strafford wanted not
any accomplishment that could be desir'd in the most serviceable
minister of state: besides he having made himselfe odious to the
people, by his revolt from their interest to that of the oppressive
court, he was now oblieg'd to keepe up his owne interest with his
new party, by all the mallitious practises that pride and revenge
could inspire him with." But above all these the king had another
instigator of his owne violent purpose, more powcrfull then all the
rest, and that was the queene, Avho growne out of her childhood,
began to turne her mind from those vaine extravagancies she liv'd
in at first, to that which did lesse become her, and Avas more fatall
to the kingdome, which never is in any place happie, where the
hands which were made only for distaffes affect the management of
sceptres. — If any one obiect the fresh example of Queene Elizabeth,
let them remember that the felicity of her reigne was the effect of
her submission to her masculine and wise councellors; but wherever
male princes are so effeminate as to suffer weomen of forreigne birth
and different rehgions to entermeddle with the affairs of state, it is
alwayes found to produce sad desolations; and it hath bene observ'd
that a French queene never brought any happinesse to England :
some kind of fatality too the English imagin'd to be in her name
of Marie, which, 'tis sayd, the king rather chose to have her calf d
by then her other, Henrietta, because the land should find a blessing
in that name, Avhich had bene more unfortunate; but it was not in
his power, though a greate prince, to controule destiny. This lady
*■ Called by Lord Digby the grand apostate of the commonwealth.
70
being by her priests affected with the meritoriousnesse of advancing
her owne rehgion, whose principle it is to subvert all other, applied
that way her greate witt and parts, and the power her haughty
spiritt kept over her husband, who was enslav'd in his affection only
to her, though she had no more passion for him then what serv'd to
promote her designes. / Those brought her into a very good cor-
respondency with the archbishop and his prelaticall crew, both
ioyning in the cruell designe of rooting the godly out of the land.
I'he foolish protestants were meditating reconcilliations with the
church of Rome, who embrac'd them as farre as they would goe,
carrying them in hand, as if there had bene a possibillity of bring-
ing such a thing to passe ; meanewhile they carried on their designe
by them, and had so ripened it, that nothing but the mercy of God
prevented the utter subversion of protestantisme in the three king-
domes. — But how much soever their designes were fram'd in the
darke, God reveal'd them to his servants, and most miraculously
order'd providences for their preservation. About the yeare 1639 the
Scots having the English service bookc obtruded upon them vio-
lently, refus'd it, and tooke a nationall covenant against it, and
enter'd Enoland with a greate armie, to luring their complaints to
the kino-, -which his unfaithful! ministers did much, as they sup-
pos'd, misreport. The king himself leavied an armie against them,
wherein he was assisted by the nobillity and gentry, but most of all
by the prelates, insomuch that the warre got the name of bellum
episcopale;' but the commonalty of the nation, being themselves
under grievous bondage, were loath to oppose a people that came
only to claime their iust liberties. When the king was at Yorke, the
chiefe of the Scotch covenanters came, under a pretence of treating
with the king, but their chiefe intent Avas to disabuse '' the nobillity
of England, and to take of their edge against them by remonstrat-
' The bishops' war.
*= Disabuse, from the French desabuscr, to undeceive.
71
ing those grievances and oppressions from the prelaticall innovators,
which had forc'd them thus to defend their rehgion and hberlies.
This they did so effectually, that the hearts of the English Avere much
n\ooved towards them, and the king perceiving it, by their media-
lions, consented to a dissembled peace for that time, and return'd
home. But the Scotls unsatisfied in the performance of their arti-
cles, made preparation for a second returne into England; where-
upon the king, in his anger and necessity, was forc'd to have
recourse to the long neglected remedie of parliaments, and as-
sembled one at Westminster the IS"* of April 1640, which he suffered
to sitt but 21 dayes, and broke it up againe, apprehending that if
he had suffer'd them to sitt a day longer, they would have voted
against the war Avith Scotland, which he was violently bent to
prosecute.
The bishops at that time devised as an anti-covenant, in their
convocation house, that execrable oath knowne by the name of the
etccttera, wherein all ministers were required to sweare to uphold I c^i T^
the government of the church of England by archbishops, deanes, [
archdeacons, <^-c. After this the Scotts enter England, the king
makes a second expedition into the north against them, and sends
part of his armie to keepe the passes upon the river Tine; but the
souldiers being raw and heartlesse to this warre, and the com-
manders themselves unexperienced, they were vanquisht, and the
Scotts forc'd their Avay, after they had bene refus'd to passe quietly
by, with their petitions in their hands, and thus possessed themselves
of Newcasde and Durham. At that time the Scotts had put forth
a declaration, wherein they had affirm'd their intentions not to lay
downe arms till the reform'd religion Avere setled in both nations
upon sure grounds, and the causers of these present troubles brought
to publick iustice, and that in a parliament. This was so plausible
to the English, that the king, finding both the hearts and hands of
his people faile him in this occasion, was induc'd to grant the peti-
N
72
tion of twelve noble lords, who at that lime interpos'd, and calling
together all his lords at Yorke, agreed upon a parliament at Lon-
don, to convene the third of November following. In the meane
-time there was a treaty condiscended to of sixteene lords of each
side, Scotch and English, who agreed upon a cessation betweene
both armies for the presentt, in order to a peace, to be concluded
at London with the parHament, Avho mett as appoynted in No-
vember.
They began with throwing downe monopolies, and then im-
peacht the earle of .Straff'oTd of high treason, who, after a solemne
triall and hot disputes on both sides, was at length attainted of trea-
son, and the king, against his owne mind, to serve his ends, gave
him up to death." The archbishop of Canterbury was alsoe made
prisoner upon an accusation of high treason, for Avhich he after
suifer'd ; ' Wren bishop of Norwich was likewise committed to the
'' Whoever has read the propositions deUvered to his majesty by the earl of Straf-
ford, for bridling of parliaments and increase of his revenue, which is preserved in the
third volume of Ludlow's Memoirs, p. 32'i, ingenious, bold, and dangerous bevond
example, will think him richly to have deserved his fate, but not at the hand of Charles,
vi'ho herein acted so treacherously by his friends, that their very adversaries are shocked
r.t it, and fixed on his reputation a deep and indelible stain; accordingly he seems all
his life long to have borne in mind an incessant regret of this crime. — As it was a thing
thought of but little consequence at the time, perhaps it will ere long be forgotten
that Louis the Sixteenth suffered sentence of death to be executed on a Mr. De Favras
for planning to assist him, or his brother, or both, to escape, but when he did really
efiect his escape in part, there appeared great eai'nestness and zeal in stopping him!
Did he not merit this?
May says that the cause of Lord Strafford's condemnation was a note produced by
Sir H. Vane, proving that as a privy counsellor he had proposed to the king to bring
his army from Ireland to reduce this kingdom to obedience; but Ludlow's seems the
stronger reason.
' It may well be doubted whether it was justifiable to change the proceedings
against Laud from impeachment to attainder, in order to vote his death, which the
law would not have condemned him to; but certainly deposition and banishment at
least were due to the man who brought ruin and disgrace upon that pure and moderate
73
Tower; severall other prelaticall preachers were question'd for popish
and treasonable doctrines; the starre chamber, an uniust and arbi-
trary court, was taken away, and the high-commission court; an act
was procur'd for a trienniall parhament, and another for the conti-
nuation of this, that it shoukl not be broken up without their owne
consents. There were greate necessities for mony by reason of the
two armies that were then maintain'd in England, and the people
would give the king no mony without some ease of grievances,
which forc'd him against his inclination to grant those bills, which,
after he had granted, he found he had bound up his owne "" hands,
and therefore privately encourag'd plotts that were in those times
contriv'd against the parliament. One of them was to have rescued
the earle of Strafford out of prison, and put him in the head of eight
thousand Irish, which the king would not consent to disband, when
the parliament had some time before moov'd him to it; then the
English armie in the north should have bene brought up and engaged
against the parliament itselfe upon a pretence of maintaining the
king's prerogative, episcopacy, and some other such things. This
plott was manag'd by Percy, Jermyn, Goring, Wilmot, Ashburnham,
system of religion of which he was the unworthy head : that to his conduct its ruin was
principally attributable may be clearly seen by the speeches preserved by Rushworth,
in his fourth volume, of Lord Digby, Falkland, Fiennes, and especially Grimston.
At this day there is perhaps hardly to be found a son of the churcii who would con-
descend to meddle in such base projects as this archbishop assiduously employed him-
ielf in.
™ This act for perpetuating the parliament was in fact that which gave them a
clear ascendancy over the king. The proposing this, as it shewed the ingenuity and
judgment of Mr. Pierrepont, to whom oNlrs. Hutchinson attributes it, so does it the
weakness of the king and his counsellors, who having granted this, had no longer any
power of refusal left. — For extraordinary evils extraordinary remedies are often sought,
but this, as it soon proved too strong for the king, so was it at last thought too strong
for the people. The omnipotence of parliament would be indeed dreadful alike to both
if, instead of being amovible, it was permanent.
74
Pollard, Suckling, O'Neale, and olliers, of Avhom some confess'd
and impeaclit their fellows, others fled, others were put in prison.
While this parliament w^as sitting, the king would needs, contrary to
their desires, take a iourney to Scotland, and past by the two dis-
banding armies in his iourney, where some report that he secretly
attempted to urge the Scotch armie against the parliament, which
then succeeded not. The houses had reiourned for some time, and
left a standing committee of fifty to prepare businesses. About
that time a plott was discover'd to them from Scotland, against the
lives of some of the greatest peeres of that kingdome; the com-
mittee fearing the like attempts from the same spring, placed strong
guards in divers parts of the cilie of London. The king's designe
in going to Scotland was variously coniectur'd, but this was a cer-
teine effect of it, that it retarded all the aftaires of the government
of England, which the king had put into such disorder that it was not
an easie taske to reforme what was amissc, and redresse the reall
grievances of the people; but yet the parliament shew'd such a
wonderfull respect to the king, that they never mention'd him, as
he Avas, the sole author of all those miscarriages, but imputed them
to evill councellors, and gave him all the submissive languao-e that
could have bene us'd to a good prince, fixing all the guilt upon his
evill councellors and ministers of state, which flattery I feare they
have to answer for: I am sure they have thereby expos'd themselves
to much scandall." While the king was in Scotland, that cursed
rebellion in Ireland broke out, wherein above 200,000 were mas-
sacred in two months space, being surpriz'd, and many of them
most inhumanely butcher'd and tormented; and besides the slaine,
abundance of poore famelies stript and sent naked away, out of all
° This is an oversight of Mrs. Hutchinson 's^ of which she is seldom guilty. Good
policy required then, as it does now, that the king should be held incapable of wrong,
and the criminality fixed on ministers, who are amenable to the law. If the patriots
of that day were the inventors of this maxim, we are higlily obliged to them.
75
their possessions: and, had not the providence of God miraculously
prevented the surprize of Dublin castle, the night it should have
bene seiz'd, there had not bene any remnant of the protestant name
left in that country. Assoone as this sad newcs came to the par-
liament, ihey vigorously set themselves to the worke of relieving
them, but then the king return'd from Scotland, and being sumptu-
ously Avelcomed home by the citie, tooke courage thereby against
the parliament, and obstructed all their proceedings for the efFectuali
reliefe of Ireland. Long was he before he could be drawne to pro-
claime these murtherers rebells, and when he did, by speciall com-
mand, there Avere b\it 40 proclamations printed, and care taken
that they should not be much dispeis'd ; Avhich courses aflicted all
the good protestants in England, and confirm'd that the rebellion in
Ireland receiv'd countenance from the king and queene of Eng-
land." The parliament, besett with so many difficulties, were forc'd
for their owne vindication to present the king with a petition and a
remonstrance of the state of the kingdome, wherein they spared him
as much as truth would beare, and complained only of his ill coun-
sellors and ministers; but this, instead of admonishing, exasperated
him, and was answer d with another declaration of his, and upon
several! occasions the parliament being enforc'd to iustifie their pro-
ceedings publickly, and the king setting forth replies, these open
debates were but the prologue to the ensuing tragedie. The citie
" It would be difficult to draw a distinction so nice as would discriminate between
the countenance shewn to the rebels both before and after the rebellion breaking out,
and the encouraging the rebellion itself: now that passion and prejudice have subsided
there are probably many more that condemn than acquit the king and queen; but
whilst the blood of the massacred protestants yet reeked, and indignation glowed, it
was neither to be wondered at nor blamed that persons the most tolerant, as the inde-
pendents professed to be, and Mrs. Hutchinson especially, shoukl speak witli enmity
of the queen and the catholics, and attribute to them those principles of intolerance
and antipathy to protestants which, wliether they professed or not, they practised.
It will hereafter be seen that, when they ceased to be dangerous, Mr. Hutchinson did
not peisecutCj but protect them.
76 .
declaring iheir good affections to the parliament by a petition, gave
the king distrust, and he was observ'd to entertaine an extraordinary
guard of cavaliers, Avho killed and wounded some of the poore un-
arm'd men that pass'd by his house at Whitehall, and the parliament
conceiving themselves not safe, desir'd a guard might be allow'd
them under the command of the Earle of Essex ; but he refus'd it,
with an assurance that he would conunand such a guard to waite
upon them as he would be responsible to Almighty God for, and
that the safety of all and every one of them was as deare to him as
that of his owne person and children. Yet the very next day after
this false message he came to the house of commons, attended with
his extraordinary guard, of about four hundred gentlemen and soul-
diers, arm'd with sAvords and pistolls, and there demanded five of
their members, whom not finding there (for a greate lady at court
had before informed one of them of his coming, and the house or-
der'd them to retire) he return'd, leaving the house under a high
sense of this breach of their privelledge.'' At this time the people
began in greate numbers to bring petitions to the king and parlia-
P The force of opinion being the only real force of any prince, and the notion of
inviolability his best protection, it was a strange infatuation in him to overthrow them
both.
Turno tempiis erit magno cum optavei'it emptum
Intactum Pallanta, et cum spolia ilia, diemque
Oderit. ViRG. .^n. 10.
The time shall come zchcn Tiinnis, hut in vain.
Shall zcish niitouclid the trophies of' the slain,
And curse the dire remembrance of that day. Dryden.
An English gentleman, who was resident in France at the time that Louis the Sixteenth
sent his guards to the parliament of Paris to seize some of the members (one of whom
was the famous Duval Despresinenil), and sent out decrees and manifestoes, as has
been here just before related, made this remark, " He hiis entered upon the career of
Charles the First, and he will follow it to the end." // est entrt dans la carriere de
Cluirles I, et il la suivra jitu/u' an lout. AVhen he saw again in England, as emi-
77
ment, to beg a more chearefull concurrence betweene them for the
rehefe of Ireland, and to encourage the parhament in their honor-
able endeavours for the rehefe of both kino-domes. The kino- was
oft'cnded at ihis, and retir'd first to Ilamptou-court, then went with
the queene to Canterbury, whom he sent from thence into Holland
with her daughter, lately married to the prince of Orange, under
pretence of conducting her to her owne court, but really to manage
his businesse abroad, and procure arms to be em ploy 'd against the
parliament, by the sale of the crowne iewells, Mdiich she carried
over with her. Ai'lcv her departure the king, taking the prince and
the duke of Yorke with him, went to Theobalds, whither the parlia-
ment sent a petition to him to returne to his parliament and abide
neere London, and that he would not carry the prince away with
him, and that he Avould grant the millitia of the kingdome to be
put into such hands as the parliament should recommend, and might
confide in; all Avhich he denied, and went immediately to New-
market, and from thence to Yorke; all this while, by many false
pretences, really obstructing the reliefe of bleeding Ireland, and
seducing many of the poore people of England into blood and
ruine.
In conducting the stale of England, in those dayes, Avherein he,
whose actions I am tracing, began to enter into his part, in this
greate tragedy, I have bene too long for that I intended, and too
short to give a cleare understanding of the righteousnesse of the
parliament's cause; '' Avhich I shall desire you to informc yourselves
grants, the same French gentlemen before whom he had made this remark, they
reminded him of it ; saying how Httle probable this had seemed to them at the period
of its being spoken, a year before the holding of the states general!
1 Probably few people will think Mrs. Hutchinson has been too prolix, many will
that she has been too concise. Mr. May's history comes down onl}' to September,
1643, which is much to be regretted, as he may justly be called an impartial and clear
historian, but is little read, probably because his history finishes before that period
which was the most interesting.
78
belter of by llieir owne printed papers, and Mr. Maye's history,
which I find to be impartially true, so farre as he hath carried it on,
saving some little mistakes in his owne iudgement, and misinforma-
tions which some vaine people gave of the state, and more in-
dulgence to the king's guilt then can iustly be allow'd.
To take up my discourse of Mr. Hutchinson where I left it, he
was now come to his owne house at Owthprpe, about the time
when the Irish massacre was acted, and finding humors begin to
be very stirring, he applied himselfe to understand the things then
in dispute, and read all the publick papers that came forth, be-
tweene the king and parliament, besides many other private trea-
tises, both concerning the present and foregoing times. Hereby he
became abundantly informed in his understanding, and convinc'd'in
conscience, of the righteousnesse of the parliament's cause, in poynt
of civill right; and though he was satisfied of the endeavours to
reduce ' poperie, and subvert the true protestant religion, which in-
deed was apparent to every one that impartially considered it, yet
he did not thinke that so cleare a ground of the warre, as the de-
fence of the iust English liberties;' and although he was clearly
■■ Reduce^ Latin reducerc, to bring baci<, restore, revive.
' This observation clearly shews that Mr. Hutchinson did not suffer his -zeal for
religion to run into fanaticism, so as to mislead his judgment in political matters, and
is in unison with a sentiment vvhich appears in May's history, who, in pages 115, 11(5,
and 117, shews by various facts and arguments, "that laws and liberties havmg been
" so much violated by the king, if the parliament had not so far drawn religion also
" into their cause, it might have sped better; that by doing it they frequently weak-
" ened their reasoning, and assuredly lost a more considerable party of gentlemen
" than they gained."
Had he continued his history to the end he would probably have remarked that by
thus forcing religion into their service, and making as it were a tool of it, they found
it had two edges, and, as it well might, proved rather more destructive to them than
their adversaries, as it served to disunite the parliament, to whose very existence union
was necessary.
79
swaj'd by his owne iudgement and reason to the parhament, he,
thinking he had no wan-antable call, at that time, to doe aniethino-
more, contented himselfe with praying for peace. At that lime
Mr. Henry Ireton was in the country, and being a kinsman of Mr.
Hutchinson's, and one that had received so much advantage to him-
selfe and his famelj'' in the country by Sr. 'J'homas Hutchinson's
countenance and protection, that he seem'd a kind of dependant
upon him, being besides a very grave, serious, religious, person;
there Avas a greate league of kindnesse and good will betweene
them.' Mr. Ireton being very active iu promoting the parliament.
' As it will be seen in the sequel that Mr. Hutchinson reposed a very great confi-
dence in Ireton, and even allowed to the information he received from him such weight
in forming his judgment as he did to that of no one else, it may be well to examine
how far the one was deserving, and the other discerning, in this.
The question will be probably decided to general satisfaction upon the testimony
of Whitelock and Ludlow, men of very different dispositions, but both of great good
sense and knowledge of their subject. Whitelock, in speaking of some reforms pro-
posed in the election and composition of the house of commons, says, " Ireton was
" chiefly employed in them, having learned some grounds of law, and having a labo-
" rious and working brain and fancy." When he comes to speak of the reforms of
the law which Ireton likewise meditated, he says, " he was a man full of invention
" and industry, who had a little knowledge of the law, which led him into the more
" errors." But when by his death the jealousy lest he should bring about those re-
forms which Whitelock, and most of the lawyers, were averse to, had ceased, he says
of him, page 5l6, " this gentleman was a person very active, industrious, and stiff in
" his ways and purposes; he was of good abilities for council as well as action, made
" much use of his pen, and was very forward to reform the proceedings in law,
" wherein his having been bred a lawyer was a great help to him. He was stout in
" the field, and wary and prudent in councils; exceedingly forward as to the business
" of a c'bmmonwealth. Cromwell had a great opinion of him, and no man could
" prevail so much, nor order him so far, as Ireton could." But Ludlow, who viewed
him more constantly and closely in a post of great power and temptation, that of
deputy of Ireland, being himself next in command to him, gives the following account
of his conduct in one instance, which will render all others superfluous. " The parlia-
" ment also ordered an act to be brought in for settling two thousand per annum on
O
80
and the godly interest in the country, found greate opposition by
some proiectors and others of corrupt interest that were in commis-
sion of the peace, whereupon making complaint at the parliament,
he procur'd some of them to be put out of the commission, and
others, better affected, to be put into their roomes, of which Mr.
Hutchinson was one; but he then forbore to take his oath, as not
willing to lanch out rashly into publick employments, Avhile such a
storme hung threat 'ning over head ; yet his good affections to gpdli-
nesse and the interest of his country, being a glory that could not
be conceal'd, many of his honest neighbours made applications to
him, and endeavoured to gaine his conduct, which he at first in
modesty and prudence would not too hastily rush into." The par-
liament had made orders to deface the images in all churches:
within two miles of his house there was a church, where Christ upon
the crosse, the virgin, and John, had bene fairly sett up in a win-
dore over the altar, and sundry other superstitious paintings, of the
priest's owne ordering,^ were drawne upon the walls. When the
order for razing out those reliques of superstition came, the priest
only tooke downe the heads of the images, and laid them carefully
up in his closett, and would have had the church officers to have
certified that the thing was done according to order; whereupon
they came to Mr. Hutchinson, and desir'd him that he Avould take
the paynes to come and view their church, which he did, and upon
" the lord-deputy Ireton, the news of which being brought over was so unacceptable
" to him, that he said, they had many just debts, which he desired they would pay
" before they made any such presents; that he had no need of their land, and would
" not have it ; and that he should be more contented to see them doing the service of
" the nation, than so liberal in disposing of the public treasure."
" Mr. Hutchinson being born in the latter end of the year l6l6, was only about
three-and-twenty years old at this period; when some may think this modesty became
him. It was not the fashion of those times to arrive at the perfection of wisdom and
judgment so early as in our days !
81
discourse with the parson, persuaded him to blott out all the super-
stitious payntings, and breakc the images in the glasse; which he
consented to, but being ill-atTccled, was one of those who began to
brand Mr. Hutchinson with the name of Puritane.
At that time most of the gentry of the country were disaffected
to the parliament, most of the middle sort, the able substantial!
freeholders, and the other commons, who had not their dependance
upon the malignant nobillity and genliy, adher'd to the parliament.
These, when the king was at Yorke, made a petition to him, to re-
turne to the parliament, which, upon their earnest entreaty, Mr.
Hutchinson went, with some others, and presented at Yorke,"
Avhere, meeting his cousins the Birons, they were extremely troubled
to see him there, on that account. After his returne, Sr. John
* Persons of the description which now go under the name of Yeomanry, seem to
have been passed over by Charles and his advisers as of little consequence, and per-
haps this was the real ground of the grand error they were in of supposing they had
all or most of the strength of the nation with them, because they had most of the no-
bility and richer gentry ; whereas it was found, when a general movement took place,
that the great bulk of the people was against them, and, like an overwhelming tide,
bore down all before it. Yet he and they had abundant warnings by this and such
like petitions, and by associations which began very early to be entered into; or still
earlier in the expedition against the Scots, wherein the averseness of the common
souldiers to the war was so evident, that it compelled the patching up a peace, " And,
" astonishing as it might be, (says May, p. 6-4), it was seen that the common people
" were sensible of public interest and religion, when lords and gentlemen seemed not
" to be." It is true that the mass of the people, having little time for contemplation,
are content to let those to whom affluence gives leisure think for them ; but when they
do think for themselves, and strongly adopt a sentiment, he is a bold man, and ought
to have astonishing resources, who contravenes it. That will be generally, if not al-
ways, found the wiser government which informs itself well as to the real bent of the
public mind; and, if it is misled by a faction, takes the way of candour and frankness
to dispel the mist of error or prejudice, but avoids to do violence to the general opi-
nion. The Editor of this work is proud of being the first person who, two years before
its adoption, suggested an appeal to the sense and spirit of the nation by tlie association
of armed volunteers.
82
Biron being likewise come to his house at Newsted, Mr. Hutchinson
went to visit him there, and not finding him return'd to Notting-
ham, five miles short of his owne house. There, going to the mayor
to hear some newes, he mett with such as he expected not, for as
soone as he came in, the mayor's wife told him, that the sheriff e of
the county was come to fetch away the magazine that belong'd to
the trained bands of the county, which was left in her husband's
trust, and that her husband had sent for the country to acquaint
them, but she fear'd it Avould be gone before they could come in,
whereupon Mr. Hutchinson, taking his brother from his lodgings
allong A\dth him, presently went to the towneshall, and asking who
were above, he was told that the lord lieftenant, my Lord Newark,
was there, to whom he sent his name and desired to speake with
him ; and being come vip, found in the roome, where the pouder
was weighing, my Lord Newark, the sheriffe Sr. John Digbie, and
two or three captaines ; Mr. Hutchinson, addressing himself to my
lord only, spoke to him — ." ,
H. My Lord, hearing that there was some question, concerning
the county's powder, I am come to kisse your lordship's hands, and
to beseech you that I may know what your desires and intents are
concerning it .''
N. Cousin, the king desires to borrow it of the country, to
supply his greate necessities.
if. I beseech your lordship, what commission have you to de-
mand this .''
N. Upon my honor, I have a commission from his maiestie, but
y Eldest son of the Earl of Kingston, and brother of two Mr. Pierreponts men-
tioned in this work ; this nobleman was afterwards created Marquis of Dorchester, and
will be spoken of under that title in the sequel.
This passage being more fully treated in that particular account mentioned in the
Preface, this dialogue is transcribed from thence, supposing it might amuse some
readers.
83
it is left behind me ; but I will engage my honor it shall be repaid
the country.
H. Your lordship's honor is an engagement, would be accepted
for more than I am worth ; but in such an occasion as this, the
greatest man's engagement in the kingdome, cannot be a satisfaction
to the country.
JV. The king's intents are only to borrow it, and if the country
will not lend it, he will pay for it.
H. My Lord, 'tis not the valine of the ponder we endeavour to
preserve, but in times of danger, as these are, those things which
serve for our defence, are not valluable at any price, should you
give us as many barrells of gold as you take barrells of ponder.
N. Upon my faith and honor, cousin, it shall be restored in
ten dayes.
H. My Lord, such is the danger of the times, that for aught
we know, we may in lesse than foure dayes be ruined for want of
it ; and I beseech your lordship to consider, how sad a thing it is,
in these times of warre, to leave a poore country and the people in
it, naked and open to the iniury of every passenger ; for if you take
our ponder, you may as well take our amies, without which we are
unable to make use of them, and I hope your lordship will not dis-
arme the country.
N. Why, who should the country feare ? I am their lord lief-
tenant and engaged with my life and honor to defend them ! what
danger are they in ?
H. Danger, yes my lord, greate danger; there is a troope of
horse now in the towne, and it hath often hap'ned so that they have
committed greate outrages and insolencies, calling divers honest
men puritanes and rogues, with divers other provoking termes and
carnages ; I myself was abused by some of them, as I passed on
the roade : I chanced to meete some of these gentlemen, who, as-
soone as I was past, enquired my name, and being told it, gave me
84
another, saying among themselves, that I was a puritane and a
traitor; as two or three honest men that came behind told me.
Besides 3^our lordship may be farre of, and we ruin'd before 3'ou
can come to us, being unarm'd and not able to defend ourselves
from any body, and this countr}'^ being a roade through which,
under the name of souldiers, rude people dayl}' passe from north to
south and temhe the country; which if they knew to be naked and
unanned, they would thereby be encouraged to greater insolencies
and mischiefes.
N. The king's occasions are such and so urg-ent as I cannot dis-
pence with it for any reasons, but must needs have it.
H. I hope your lordship will not denie that the country hath a
right, interest, and propertie in it.
A^. I do not denie it.
H. Then, my Lord, I hope his males tie will not command it
from them.
N. No, he doth but desire to borrow it.
H. Then, I hope, if he doe but desire to borrow it, his maiestie
hath signified his request to those that have interest in it, under his
hand.
N. Upon my honor he hath, but I left it behind me.
H. I beseeche your lordship then, that you would not take it
away, 'till you have acquainted the country with it, who only have
power to lend it; and if your lordship be pleased to doe this, I Avill
engage myselfe that by to-morrow at twelve of the clock, that part
of the country who have interest in the pouder, shall all waite on
your lordship and give you their resolutions.
N. The king's occasions cannot admitt of that delay.
H. I beseech of your lordship, yet be pleas'd to consider the
dangerous consequence of taking it without the countries consent,
and be pleased but to stay 'till they can come in.
85
N. That time is more than his majesties necessities can dispence
withall.
With tliat Mr, Hutchinson went downe staires, -where b}- that
time a good company of the country were gathered together, to
whom Mr. Hutchinson told what my lord had sa3''d to him, and
they desu'ed him that he would but stand to them, and they Avould
part with ever}^ drop of blood out of their bodies before he should
have it ; and sa3''d besides, that they would go up and breake ni}^
lord's neck and the sheriff's out of the windores ; but Mr. Hutchinson
desired them to stay below, till he had once more spoken to my
lord, and then, taking only one or two more with him, Avent up and
spoke to my lord.
H. My Lord, I am againe, at the request of the countric, that
are below, come to your lordship, and doe once more humbly be-
seeche you, to consider the businesse you are about, before you
proceed further in it, for it may proove of dangerous consequence
if you goe on.
N. Cousin, I am confident it cannot, for the countric will not
denie this to the king.
H. It's very probable they will not, if your lordship please to
hsu*e patience, till they can be call'd in, that they may be acquainted
with his maiesties desires.
JV. His maiesty is very well assured of the willingnessc and
cheerfullnesse of the greater part of the country to it.
H. My Lord, I doe not know what assurance his maiesty hath
of it, but if you please to look out of this window, (pointing to the
countrymen below in the streets), you will see no inconsiderable
number gathered, who I feare will not be willing to part Avith it.
N. Those are but some few factious men, not to be con-
sidered. —
H. My Lord, we have bene happy yet, in these unhappy dif-
ferences, to have had no blood shed, and I am confident 3'our lord-
86
ship is soe noble and tender of your country, that it would very
much trouble you, to have a hand in the first man's blood that
should be spent iw this quanrel. \
N. Cousin, it cannot come to that, feare it not, (this was spoken
ver}' slightly and contemptuously), his maiesties occasions are urgent
and must be serv'd. —
(With that, the countrie came very fast up, which when the ca-
valier captanes saw, they slunk downe).
H. Why then, my lord, I must planiely tell you, not one here
but will loose every drop of blood in his body, before he will part
with one corne of it, without your lordship can shew either a com-
mand or a request for it under his maiesties hand and scale, or that
the countrie be call'd together to give their free consent to it, for
we have all propcrtie and interest in it, being members of this county,
and it being bought Avith our money, for the particular defence and
safetie of the same.
My lord desired to borrow part of it, but that being denied, he
turned to Sr. John Digbie and took him to the window, where, after
he had whispered with him a while, Sr. John Digbie laid downe his
pen, inke, and paper, with which he had been taking an account
of the ponder, match, and bullet. The countrymen desired my
lord aloud, that he Avould not take away their ponder, out of the
country ; upon which, turning to them, he thus spoke —
" Gentlemen, his maiesty was assured by some of the cheerfull-
nesse of this country's affections to him, which I am very sorry to
see so much failing in, and that the countrie should come so much
short of this towne, which hath cheerfully lent his maiestie one bar-
rell of ponder, but it seems he can have none from you ; I pray God
you doe not repent this carriage of yours towards his maiestie, which
he must be acquainted withall."
A countryman, standing forth, asked his lordship this question,
•*' Whethei', if he were to lake a iourney into a place where pro-
87
hablj he might be set upon by thieves and robbers, and having a
charge about him, if any friend should aske him to lend his sword,
he would part with it and goe himself without r" My lord the case
is ours; our lives, Avives, children, and estates, all depend upon
this countries safetie; and hoAv can it be safe in these danoerous
times, when soe many troopcs and companies passe through and
committ outrages and abuses among us, if we have not amies and
ponder Avherewith to defend us ?
My Lord made no replic, but bade the men whom he had em-
ploy 'd to weigh up the ponder desist; and soe Avent downe the
staires. Mr. Hutchinson follow'd him, and as he Avent, an auncient
gentleman, Avho Avas Avith my lord, Avhose face and name Avere both
unknoAvne to him, came to him and sayd these Avords : — " Stand to
it, I'll Avarrand you, gentlemen it is Avell done." And as they pass'd
through a Ioav roome, my lord tooke Mr. Hutchinson aside, and
sayd,
N. Cousin, I must acquaint the king Avith this !
H. My Lord, it's very likely you must, being, employ 'd upon
his maiesties service, give him an account.
N. Nay cousin, (smiling), I meane not soe, but I must acquaint
him, and I am sorry I must, that you are the head and ringlcadev. of
a faction, Avhereby you hinder his maiestie's service.
H. My Lord, I doe not conceive hoAv this can be a faction, I
speaking only, out of the noble respect and honor I beare your lord-
ship, in private to you, to prevent a mischiefe, the sence of these
men, Avho I perceivVl Avere come to know by Avhat authoritie, and
Avhy, their pouder, Avhich is their proper goods and only means of
safetie, in these times of danger, should be taken from them ; and
if it Avere a faction, I am not the head of it, I, accidentally coming
to toAvne from Sr. John Biron's last night, and neither knoAving nor
imagining any of this businisse, Avas this morning importun'd to Avaite
88
on your lordship, at the town's hall, by many countrymen, who in-
f'orm'd me you were taking away their ponder out of the country.
N. Cousin, if you can answer it, I shall be glad of it; but III
assure you I must let his maiestie know.
H. If his maiestie must know it, I am very happy I spoke to
none but your lordship; who, I am confident, is so noble that you
will neither adde nor diminish anietliing to my preiudice, and then I
am confident the iustnesse and reasonableness of what I have say'd,
with my own innocencie in speaking it, will beare me out.
N. I, cousin, but your name is up alreadie.
H. It may be soe, my lord; and I believe those that sett it up,
had no good wishes to me, and as it rose, soe, in the name of God,
let it fall ; for I know my owne clearenesse and innocencie in anie-
thing that can be obiected against me.
N. Well, cousin, well ; I am glad of j^our good resolution.^
And so my lord left him. The gentlemen of the country that
were there, upon consideration, what they should doe with their
pouder, determin'd to returne my lord thanks for sparing it, and to
lock it up with two locks, whereof the sherjfte should have one key,
and the mayor another : which accordingly was done, but Mr.
Hutchinson came no more at my lord.
In the meane time, at Yorke, the king had sent the parliament a
message, that he intended to goe in person to Ireland, and to rayse
a guard for his owne person, about West Chester, which he would
arme out of his magazine at Hull. But the parliament, having
before intercepted a letter of the Lord Digbie's, sent to the queene
^ How my lord may have reported this matter to the king signifies little ; but he
probably remembered as a kindness Mr. Hutchinson's interposition between him and
the more rough arguments of the countrymen ; for there appears to have existed, on
all suitable occasions^ an intercourse of friendship during the remainder of their
lives.
89
from Middleburgh in Zealand, wherein he intimated, that, if the
king Avould retire to some safe place, and declare himselfe, he
should be able to waite upon him from thence, &c. Upon this
letter and other presumptions, thc}^ suspected that the chiefe end of
the king's going northward, was to seize the magazine at Hull, and
arme himselfe from thence, against them ; wherefore they sent a
petition, for leave to remove that magazine to the tower of London,
and accordingly had sent Sr. John Hotham thither to doe it. Sr.
John prevented the Earle of Newcastle, whom the king had sent
for the same purpose, to seize the magazine, and kept him out ; at
which the king was much incens'd, and on the 23d of Aprill 1642,
went himselfe to Hull, attended with some noblemen, gentlemen,
and souldiers, and demanded entrance ; but the gates were shutt,
and Hotham, kneeling upon the wall, intrcated the king not to
command that, Avhich, without breach of trust, he could not obey.
In conclusion, the king not getting entrance, proclaimed Ho-
tham traitor, and sent a complaint of the affront to the parliament.
The parliament iustified Hotham, many declarations about it were
published on both sides, many crosse-commands, the parliament
authorizing Hotham to issue out warrants to constables and other
officers, to come in armed, to the defence of Hull, the king for-
bidding it. The king meane while in the north, summon'd divers
of the nobility and gentry to attend him, and made speeches to
them, to desire a guard for his person, pretending danger from the
parliament. He then began to entertaine souldiers, and was much
encourag'd by the defection of divers lords and many of the com-
mons house, who forsooke their trust and came to him at Yorke ;
whereupon he call'd those who remain'd only a faction, a pretended
parliament, and such names ; but they continued still petitioning to
him, and the well-affected and godly, in all countries, did the like,
that he would returne to his parliament. The papists all over Eng-
land were high partakers with him and promoters of his designcs, and
90
all the debosht iiobillit}' and gentry, and their dependents, and the
lewder rout of people ; yet even of these some there were, that had
English hearts, who came in to the parliament ; but finding after-
wards that the advance of liberty and righteousnesse could not con-
sist with riot and ungodlinesse, they forsooke their party, and were
content to be the king's slaves, rather then divorce themselves from
those lusts, w'hich found countenance from both priests and princes
on one side ; and on the other was preacht downe by the ministers,
and punisht by the magistrates \
Towards the end of May, the j^arliauient sent the king word,
that if he would not disband his forces, and rely upon the lawes
and affections of his people, for his security, as all good princes
before him had done, they held themselves bound in duty to God
and the people's trust reposed in them, and by the fundamcntall
lawes, to employ their utmost care and power, for securing the par-
liament and preserving the kingdome's peace. AVhereupon they
voted, " That it seems the king, seduced by wicked councell, in-
tends a warre against the parliament, &c.
" That whensoever the king makes waiTc upon the parliament,
it is a breach of the trust reposed in him by the people, contrary to
his oath, and tending to the dissolution of this government.
" That whosoever shall assist him in such warres, are traytors,
by the fundamentall lawes of this kingdome, and have bene so ad-
iudg'd, in two acts of parliament, 11 Richard 2, and 1 Henry 4 ;
and that such persons ought to suffer as traytors."
a Whatever may be said at this day of ihc hj-pocrisy of the religionists of those
times, the most that can possibly be allowed, is that their professions might somewhat
outgo their practice; but this must in some degree befal ever\' Christian, No one can
deny that, instead of captivating vulgar minds by breaking the bonds of morality, as
modern demagogues have done, the forefathers of our liberties set the pattern of a reli-
gious and decent conduct, and caused the same to be -observed in their armies with aa
exactness that surprizes us, and of which rigour many striking examples are to be
found in Whitelock's Memorials.
91
Hereupon nine of the lords, that first went to the king, were
summon'd to returne ; wlio sending a letter of" deniall, were, by the
whole house of peeres, sentenc'd to be incapable of ever sitting
againe as members of that house, or of benefit or priviledge of par-
liament, and to suffer imprisonment during pleasure. Then the
lord keeper, who had appear'd firme to the parliament, and voted
with them, for settling the millitia by ordinance of parliament,
runne away to the king, after he had deliver'd up his scale, the
day before, to one the king sent for it. The king, having this,
issued out man}^ proclamations, and among the rest, one that no
man should obey the parliament's warrants, about setling the mil-
litia. The parliament, on the other side, made ordinances forbid-
ding all men to ra3'se armes, by warrant from the king, without
authority of parliament. And now they began to settle the king-
dome's millitia, both by land and sea, and made the Earle of War-
wick admiral!, which place the king had conferral upon Sr. John
Pennington, in the roome of the Earle of Northumberland, and
commanded my lord of Warwick to resigne ; but he chose to obey
the parliament, and got the fleete at length wholly into his hands,
and took a ship with ammunition comming to the king out of Hol-
land. The parliament now, despairing of the king's returne, made
an ordinance for mony and plate to be brought in, for raysing
armes for the cause ; which came in, in greate abundance, upon
publick faith, and likewise horses and armes for the service. The
king, Avho had recciv'd mony, amies, and ammunition, which the
(}e.ecnc had piocur'd in Holland, b}' pawning the crowne iewells,
sent out commissions of array, to arme the people in all counties,
and mockt the parliament, using their owne word, wherein they
invited men to arme for the defence of the protestant religion, the
king's person, dignitie, and authority, the lawes of the land, the
peace of the kingdome, and privelledge of parliament ; and thus
decciv'd many peo])le, and gott contributions of plate, mony, and
92
amies in the country. While lliese things were in transaction, the
king made a solemne protestation before the lords, as in the presence
of God, declaring that he would not engage them in any warre,
against the parliament, but only for his necessary defence ; that his
desire was to maintaine the protestant religion, the liberties of the
subiect, and privelledge of parliament; but the next day, he did
some action, so contrary to this protestation, that two of the lords
durst not stay with him, but return'd to the parliament; and one of
them conuning back through Nottinghamshire, acquainted Mr.
Hutchinson with the sad sence he had, discovering that falsehood
in the king.
Now had the king rays'd an armie of three thousand foote and
one thousand horse, Avith which he went to Beverly, in order to
besiege Hull. When he was within two howers march of the place,
Sr. John Hotham floted the country about it, and Sr. John Mel-
drum, sallying out of the towne, with five hundred townsmen,
made the king's party retreate to Beverly: but however they be-
leaguer'd the towne, into which the parliament sent a reliefe of five
hundred men, by water, with whom Meldrum made another sally,
routed the leagucr-souldiers, kill'd some, made others prisoners,
tooke the magazine of amies and ammunition, which was in a
barne, with their fire-balls, and fired the barne. Hereupon the
king's councell of warre broke up the siege, from whence the king
went back to Yorke, and about the middle of August came lo
Nottingham, Avhere he sett up his standard royall, and hither his
two nephewes, Prince Rupert and Prince Maurice, came to him
and were put into commands. The king marching through Notting-
ham, Derby, and Leicestei-shire, call'd together the trained bands
as to attend him, disarm'd those counties, and march'd to Shrews-
berry, and there sett up a mint and coyned the plate, that had
bene brought in to him. Here a greate many men came in to him,
with whom, marching into Warwickshire, he there fought his first
93
battle at a village call'd Keynton;'' it not being yett agreed who
gain'd the victory that day.
As the king, on his part, made this progresse, so the parliament,
on theirs, upon the twelfdi of July, voted an armie to be rays'd,
and the Earle of Essex to be general! of it. Divers of the lords and
severall members of the house of commons tooke commissions, and
rays'd regiments and companies under his command, who march'd
with his armie of about fourteen thousand horse and foote to his
rendevouz at Northampton, whither the parliament sent a petition
to him, to be deliver'd to the king, in a safe and honorable way;
the summe of which was, to beseeche him to forsake those Avicked
people with whom he was, and not to mix his danger with theirs,
but to returne to his parliament, &c. The king intending to make
"Worcester a garrison, sent Prince Rupert thither; the Earle of Essex,
to prevent him, sent other forces, betweene whom there was some
skirmish, but the prince left the towne at their approach. My lord
of Essex left a garrison in Northampton, putt others into Coventry
and Warwick, and went to Worcester. Here he made some stay,
till the king, marching from Shrewsberrie, there was some appre-
hension of his going up to London, for which cause my lord left
part of his artillery behind him, and follow'd the king's motions,
which the king perceiving, tooke an opertunity, before his artillery
and the foote left with it were come up to him, and resolv'd to give
him battle; which was not declined on the other side, but fought
with doubtfull successe, the circumstances whereof may be read at
large in the stories of those things. The king's generall was slaine,
his standard Avas taken, though not kept; but on the other side
•» Commonly called Edge-hill fight. Both king and parliament claimed the victory,
but our authoress shews rather more candour than either. The king's main design of
marching to London was however frustrated, and therefore the parliament might be
most properly termed gainers.
94
alsoe there were many brave men slaine and prisoners. My lord of
Essex marcht to Coventry; the king to take up his winter quarters
at Oxford, from whence Prince Rupert flew about the countries
with his body of horse, plunder'd and did many barbarous things;
insomuch that London, growing into apprehensions of the king's
armie, the parliament call'd back the Earle of Essex to quarter
about London; and he being returned thither, the king was advanc'd
as farre as Colebrooke, where he was presented widi a petition
from the parliament for accommodation, to which he answer'd, with
a protestation to God, how much he was griev'd for his subiects'
sufferings, and, in order to peace, Av-as willing to reside neare Lon-
don, to receive their propositions, and to treate with them. As-
soone as ever the commissioners Avere gone, the king advanc'd with
his horse and artillery towards London, and, taking the advantage
of a grcate mist, fell upon a broken regiment of Col. Hollis's, quar-
tered at Brainft)rd, and kill'd many of them, and had destroy 'd
them all, but that Brooke's and Hampden's regiments, by Provi-
dence, came seasonably to their rescue; and then so many forces
flockt with the generall, out of London, that the king Avas enclos'd,
and the Avarre had bene ended, but that I know not hoAv three thou-
sand of the parliament's forces Avere call'd aAvay by their procure-
ment Avho design'd the continuance of the Avarre; and so the king
liad a way of retreate left open, by Avhich he gott back to Oxford,
and the parliament's generall Avas sent out againe ' Avitli their armic;
Avhose proceedings I shall take up againe in their due places, so
farre as is necessarie to be remember 'd, for the story I most particu-
larly intend.
* The account Mrs. Hutchinson gives of the affair of Brentford is much more clear
and probable than that given by Rapin, vol. ii. p. 465. Indeed he himself seems dis-
satisfied with those varying accounts he could collect of that business from Clarendon
and others: but Ludlow, who was a military man and an eye-witness, gives a clear
account, agieeing with that of Mrs. Ilutchiuson.
95
Before the flame of the warre broke out in tlie lop of the chiin-
iiies, the smoake ascended in every country; the king had sent forth
commissions of array, and the parUament had given out commis-
sions for their miUitia, and sent of their members into all counties
to put them in execution. Betweene these in many places there
were fierce contests and dispytes, allmost to blood, even at the first;
for in the progresse every county had the civil) warre, more or lesse,
Avithin itselfe. Some counties were in the beginning so wholly for
the parliament, that the king's interest appear'd not in them; some
so wholly for the king, that the godly, for those generally were the
parliament's friends, were forc'd to forsake their habitations, and
seeke other shelters: of this sort was Nottinghamshire. All the
nobillity and gentry, and their dependents, were generally for the
king, the chiefe of whose names I shall summe up here, because I
shall often have occasion to mention them. The greatest famely
was the Earle of Newcastle's,'' a lord so much once beloved in his
country that, Avhen the first expedition was against the Scotts, the
gentlemen of the country sett him forth two troopes, one all of
gentlemen, the other of their men, who waited on him into the
north at their owne charges. He had indeed, through his greate
estate, his liberall hospitality, and constant residence in his countr}^
so endear 'd them to him, that no man was a greater prince then he
in all that northerne quarter, till a foolish ambition of glorious slavery
carried him to court, where he ran himselfe much in debt, to pur-
chase neglects of the king and cjueene, and scornes of the proud
courtiers. Next him was the Earle of Kingston, a man of vast
estate, and not lesse covetousnesse, who devided his sonns betweene
both parties, and conceal'd himselfe, till at length his fate drew him
^ This title was at that time in the family of Cavendish, of which this line ceased
with the nobleman here mentioned: — that of Devonshire continuing for many gene-
rations; and for many more may it continue! to produce the firmest supporters of tlic
constitution of their country.
Q
96
to declare himselfe absolutely on the king's side, wherein he behav'd
himselfe honorably, and died ^emarkabl3^ His eldest sonne " was
lord lieftenant of the county, and at that time no nobleman had a
greater reputation in the court for learning and generosity then he,
Avho was so high of the king's partie, that the parliament was very
much incens'd against him. Lord Chesterfield and all his famely
Avere highly of the royall party: so was the Lord Chaworth: the
Earle of Clare was very often of both parties, and I thinke never
advantag'd either. All the popish gentry were wholly for the king,
Avhereof one Mr. Golding, next neighbour to Mr. Hutchinson, had
bene a private collector of the catholicks' contributions to the Irish
rebellion, and for that was by the queene's procurement made a
knight and baronett. Sr. John Biron, afterwards Lord Biron, and
all his brothers bred up in arms, and valiant men in their owne
persons, were all passionately the king's. Sr. John Savill, a man of
vast estate, was the like : so were Sr. Gervas Eyre, Sr. John Digby,
Sr. Matthew Pulmer, Sr. Thomas Williamson, Sr. Roger CoAvper, Sr.
W. Hickman, Sr. Hugh Cartwright, Sr. T. Willoughby, Sr. Thomas
Smith, Sr. Thomas BlackAvell, Markham, Perkins, Tevery, Pearce,
Palme, Wood, Sanderson, Moore, Mellish, Butler, Avith divers
others. — Of the parliament men, Mr. Sutton, afterAvards Lord liCx-
ington, and Sr. Gervas Clifton, forsooke the parliament, went to the
king, and executed his commission of array. Mr. William Stanhope
left the parliament, and came home disaffected to them, Avhose eldest
sonne Avas after slaine in the king's service. Mr. William Pierre-
pont,^, second sonne of the Earl of Kingston, Avas of the parliament,
' Lord Newark, before spoken of. In Collins's Peerage, under the title of Duke of
Kingston, there are cited singular proofs of this nobleman's learning.
' From this gentleman the late Duke of Kingston and the present Earl of Newark
are lineally descended. His wisdom as a politician is sufficiently evinced by this
masterly stroke, which decided the fate of the king and the parliament: of his mode-
ration Whitelock speaks repeatedly: of his eloquence there are preserved by Rush-
97
though he serv'd not for his owne country, to which notwithstanding
he was an ornament, being one of the Avisest councellors and ex-
cellent speakers in the house, and by him was that bill promoted
and carried on Avhich past for the continuation of this parliament.
He had a younger brother living at Nottingham, who coldly own'd
the parliament. Sr. Thomas Hutchinson continued Avith the parlia-
ment, was fimie to their cause, but infinitely desirous the difterence
might rather have bene composed by accommodation, then ended
by conquest; and therefore did not emproove his interest to engage
the country in the quarrell, Avliich, if he could have prevented, he
Avould not have had come to a warre. He Avas hoAvever clearly on
the parliament side, and never discourag'd his tAvo sons, Avho
thought this prudentiall tardinesse in their father Avas the declension
of that vigour Avhich they deriv'd from him, and Avhich better be-
came their youth. It is true they AA'ere the foremost in poynt of
time and in degree, except a piece of a nobleman that Avas after
drawne in, Avho OAvned the parliament's interest in their country.
Mr. Henry Ireton, their cousin, Avas elder then they, and having
had an education in the strictest way of godlinesse, and being a very
grave and solid person, a man of good learning, greate understand-
worth some specimens^ from one of which is extracted this as a singular trait of
candour and delicacy. " It is pleasing to the nature of man that others should obey
" his will, and well-framed dispositions of princes may easily be persuaded their
" power is unlimited, when they are also put in mind that they have therefore more
" cause to do well, and for doing well are more renowned: for the most oppressive
" designs we have suffered under, the pretences to his majesty have been the good of
" his subjects: his is the sin, who is to judge by the laws, who knows the laws ai'e to
" the contrary, yet puts and confirms such thoughts in his prince. He that incites
*' another to arbitrary government usually doth it for self-ends, and when tliey are
" compassed, hates him for taking that power he himself persuaded him unto." This
will be found an elegant solution of the paradox which appears in the character given
by Mrs. Hutchinson of Charles tlie First, " that so good a man should make so bad a
" prince."
98
ing, and other abiilities, to which was ioyn'cl a wilHng and zealous
heart to the cause and his country, he was the chiefe promoter of
the parhament's interest in the country; but finding it generally dis-
affected, all he could doe, when the king approacht it, was to gather
a troope of those godly people Avhich the cavalliers drove out, and
wilh them he went into my lord of Essex his armie; which he,
being a single person, might the better doe: Mr. Hutchinson was
not willing so soone to quitt his house, to which he was so lately
come, if he could have bene suffered to live quietly in it, but his
affections to the parliament being taken notice of, he became an
obiect of cnvic to the other part}'.
Sr. Thomas Hutchinson, a litde before the standard was sett up,
was come to Nottingham, where his house Avas, to see his children
and refresh himselfe, when, hearing of the king's intentions to come
to the towne, he, some days before his comming, M'ent over to Ow-
thorpe, his sonn's house, to remaine there till he could fitt himselfe
to returne to the parliament. One day, as Mr. Hutchinson was at
dinner, the mayor of Nottingham sent him word that the high sheriff^
had broken open the lock of the countrie's ammunition, Avhich was
left in his trust, and was about to take it awa3\ ]\Ir. Hutchinson
immediately went in all hast to prevent it, but before he came to
the towne it was gone, and some of the king's souldicrs were all-
ready come to towne, and were plund'ring all the lionest men of
their amies. As one of them had taken a muskett, seeing Mr.
Hutchinson goe by, he wisht it loaden for his sake, and sayd he
hoped the day would shortly come when all such roundheads Avould
be faire markes for them. This name of Roundhead comming so
opertunely in, I shall make a little digression to tell how it came
up. AVhen puritanisme grew into a faction, the zealotts distinguisht
themselves, both men and women, by severall affectations of habitt,
lookes, and Avords, which, had it bene a reall declension of vanity,
and embracing of sobriety in all those things, had bene most com-
99
mendable in them; but their quick forsaking of those things, when
they were where they Avoukl be, shew'd that they either never tooke
them up for conscience, or were corrupted by their prosperity to
take up those vaine things they durst not practise under persecu-
tion. Among other affected habitts few of the puritanes, what
degree soever they were of, wore their haire long enough to cover
their cares, and the ministers and many others cut it close round
their heads, with so many little peakes, as was something ridiculous
to behold ; Avhereupon Cleaveland, in his Hue and Crie after them,
begins,
With hayre in Characters and Luggs in Text, &c.
From this custome of wearing their haires, that name of Roundhead
became the scornefuU terme given to the Avhole parliament party; ^
whose army indeed marcht out so, but as if they had bene sent out
only till their haire was growne: two or three yeares after any
stranger that had scene them, would have enquir'd the reason of
that name. It Avas very ill applied to Mr. Hutchinson, who having
naturally a very fine thicksett head of haire, kept it clean and hand-
some, so that it was a greate ornament to him, allthough the godly
of those dayes, when he embrac'd their party, would not allow him
to be religious because his hayre Avas not in their cutt, nor his Avords
in their phraze, nor such little formallilies altogether fitted to their
humor, Avho were, many of them, so Aveake as to esteeme rather
for such insignificant circumstances, then for solid Avisdome, piety,
and courage, Avhich brought reall ayd and honor to their party: but
as Mr. Hutchinson chose not them, but ihe God they serv'd, and
the truth and righteousnesse they defended, so did not their Aveake-
nesses, censures, ingratitude, and discouraging behaviour, Avith Avhicii
he Avas abundantly exercis'd all his life, make him forsake them in
any thing Avherein they adher'd to iust and honorable principles or
practizes, but Avhen they apostalized from these, none cast them of
Avilh greater indignation, how shining soever the profession Avere that
100
"uilt, not a temple of living grace, but a tomb, which only held the
carkase of religion. Instead of digressing, I shall ramble into an
inextricable wildernesse, if I pursue this sad remembrance: to returne
therefore to his actions at that time.
• When he found the ponder gone, and saw the souldiers taking
up quarters in the towne, and heard their threates and revilings, he
Avent to his father's house in the towne, where he had not bene long
but an uncivill fellow stept into the house, with a carabine in his
hand; Mr. Hutchinson askt what he would have; the man replied,
he came to take possession of the house; Mr. Hutchinson told him,
he had the possession of it, and would know on what right it was
demanded from him; the man sayd, he came to quarter the general 1
there; Mr. Hutchinson told him, except his father and mother, and
their children, were turn'd out of doores, there was no roonie; the
quarter-master, upon this, growing insolent, Mr. Hutchinson thrust
him out of the house, and shut the doores upon him. Immediately
my lord of Lindsey came himselfe, in a great chafe, and ask'd who
it was that denied him quarter? Mr. Hutchinson told him, he that
came to take it up for him deserv'd the usage he had, for his un-
civill demeanour, and those who had (juarter'd his lordship there
had much abus'd him, the house being no wayes fitt to receive a
person of liis quallity, which, if he pleas'd to take a view of it, he
would soone perceive; Avhereupon my lord, having scene the roomes,
was very angry they had made no better provision for him, and
would not have layne in the house, but they told him the towne was
so full that it was impossible to gett him roome any where elce.
Hereupon he told Mr. Hutchinson, if they would only allow him
one roome, he would have no more; and Avhen he came upon termes
of civillity, Mr. Hutchinson was as civill to him, and my lord only
employ 'd one roome, staying there with all civillity to those that
Avere in the house. Assoone as my lord was gone, Mr. Hutchinson
was inform'd by a friend, that the man he had turn'd out of doores
was the quarter-master generall, who, upon his complaint, had pro-
101
cur'd a warrant to seize his person; whereupon Mr. Hutchinson,
Avith his brother, went immccliately home to his owne house at Ow-
thorpe. About four or five da^x^s after a troope of cavalhers, under
the command of Sr. Lewis Dives, came to Stanton, neere Owthorpe,
and searcht ]\Ir. Needham's house, who was a noted puritane in those
dayes, and a collonell in the parhament's service, and governor of
Leicester: they found not him, for he hid himselfe in the gorse, and
so escaped them; his house being lightly plunder'd, they went to
Hickling and plunder'd another puritane house there, and were
comming to Owthorpe, of Avhich Mr. Hutchinson having notice,
went away to Leicestershire; but they, though they had orders to
seize Mr. Hutchinson, came not at that time because the night
grew on ; but some dayes after he was gone another company came
and search'd for him, and for arms and plate, of which finding none,
they tooke nothing elce.
Two dayes after Mr. Hutchinson was in Leicestershire he sent
for his Avife, Avho Avas then big Avith child, to come thither to him,
Avhere she had not bene a day, but a letter Avas brought him from
Nottingham, to give him notice that there was a warrant sent to
the sheriife of Leicestershire to seize his person. Upon this he de-
termined to go the next day into Northamptonshire, but at five of
the clock that evening the sound of their trumpetts told him a
troope Avas comming into the towne ; he stay'd not to see them, but
Avent out at the other end as they came in, Avho, by a good provi-
dence for his Avife, (somcAvhat aflicted to be so left alone in a
strange place) proved to be commanded by her OAvne brother, Sr.
Allen Apsley, Avho quarter'd in the next house to that Avhere she Avas,
till about two or three dayes before all the king's horse that were
thereabouts march'd aAvay, being commanded upon some service to
go before the rest.
Mr. Hutchinson, in the meanc time, was carried by a servant
that Availed on him to the house of a substantiall honest yeoman,
102
who was bayliffe to the lord of the towne^ of Kehnaish, in Nortli-
araptonshire ; this man and his wife, being godly, gave Mr. Hutch-
inson very kind entertainment, and prevailed with him to be ac-
quainted with their master, who had iust then made ready plale and
horses to goe in to the king, that had now sett up his standard at
Nottingham; but Mr. Hutchinson diverted him, and persuaded
him and another gentleman of quallity, to carrie in those aydes,
they had provided for the king, to ni}' lord generall Essex, who Avas
then at Northampton, where Mr. Hutchinson visited him, and could
gladly at that time have engag'd with him, but that he did not then
find a cleare call from the Lord ; and therefore, intelligence being
brought of the king's remoove, he was now returning to his wife,
when unawares he came into a towne, where one of Prince Rupert's
troopes was, Avhich he narrowly escap'd, and returning to his former
honest host, sent a letter to his wife, to acquaint her what hazard he was
in, by attempting to come to her, but that assoone as the horse was
marcljt away, he would be with her. This letter was intercepted,
at Prince Rupert's quarters, and opened and sent her. There was
with Prince Rupert, at that time, one Captaine Welch, who having
us'd to come to Captaine Apsley, and scene Mrs. Hutchinson with
him, made a pretence of civillity to visitt her, that day that all the
Prince's horse marcht away. They marcht by the doore of the
house where she was, and all the household were gone out to see
them, and had left her alone in the house, with Mr. George Hutch-
inson, who was in her chamber, when Capt. Welch came in, and
she went downe into the parlour to receive him. He taking occa-
sion to tell her of her husband's letter, by way of complement, sayd
it was a pittie she should have a husband so unworthy of her, as to
enter into any faction, which should make him not dare to be scene
with her; whereat she being pecck'd, and thinking they were all
s It is customary, in Nottinghamshire^ to call every village of any size a town.
103
marcht away, told him he was mistaken, she had not a husband
that would at any time hide himselfe from him, or that durst not
shew his iace where any honest man durst appeare ; and to confirme
3'ou, sayd she, he shall noAv come to you ; with that she call'd
downe her brother, Avho, upon a private hint, own'd the name of
husband she gave him, and receiv'd a compliment from AVelch,
that in any other place he had bene oblig'd to make him a prisoner,
but here he Avas in sanctuary ; and so, after some little discourse,
went away. When the gentleman of the house and the rest of the
famcly, that had bene seeing the march, were rcturn'd, and while
they sate laughing together, att those that Avent to see the Prince,
telling how some of the neighbouring ladies Avere gpne allong Avith
him, and Mrs. Hutchinson telling hoAV she had abused the captaine,
Avith Mr. Hutchinson insteed of her husband, the captaine came
back, bringing another gentleman Avith him, and told Mr. Hutch-
inson, that his horse having lost a shoe, he must be his prisoner,
"till the smith releast him ; but they had not sate long, ere a boy
came in Avith tAvo pistolls, and Avhisper'd the captaine, Avho desiring
Mr. Hutchinson and the gentleman of the house to Avalke into the
next roome, seiz'd Mr. George, in the name of Mr. John Hutch-
inson. It booted not for them both to endeavour to undeceive him,
by telling him Mr. John Avas still at Northampton, for he Avould not,
at least Avould seeme not, to believe them, and carried him aAA'ay,
to be revcng'd of Mrs. Hutcjiinson, att Avhoni he was vex'd for
haA'ing deluded him: soe, full of Avickcd ioy, to have found an in-
nocent gentleman, Avhom he knew the bloodhounds Avere after, he
went and informed the prince, and made it of such moment, as if
they had taken a much more considerable person. The prince had
sent back a troope of dragoones to guard him to them, which troope
had besett the house and tOAvne, before Welch came in to them the
second time, Avhen, notwithstanding all informations of his error, he
carried aAvay ISIr. Hutchinson, and pult his sister into affright and
R
104
distemper with it; whicli when the weomen about her saw they
rail'd at him for his treachery and basenesse, but to no purpose.
Assoone as he overtooke the body of horse, with his prisoner, there
was a shout from one end to the other of the souldiers. Mr. Hutch-
inson, being brought to the prince, told him he was the younger
brother, and not the person he sent for, which three or four of the
Birons, his cousin gcrmanes, acknowledg'd to be soe, yet Welch
outswore them all, that it was Mr. John Hutchinson. The Lord
Viscount Grandison, a cousin germane of Mrs. Hutchinson's, was
then in the king's armie, to whom she immediately dispatcht a
messenger, to entreate him to obliege her, by the procurement of
her brother's liberty, who, upon her imprudence, had bene brought
into that trouble : my lord sent her word, that, for the present, he
could not obteine it, but he would endeavour it afterwards, and in
the meane time gave her notice that it was not safe for her husband
to returne, there being forty men left to lie close in the country,
and watch his comming to her. So Mr. George Hutchinson was
carried to Derby, and there, with some difficult}^ his liberty ob-
tein'd, by the interposition of my Lord Grandison and the Birons.
They would have had him to have given them an engagement, that
he would not take arms with the parliament ; but he refus'd, telling
them, he liv'd peaceably at home, and should make no engagement
to doe anie thing, but what his conscience led him to, that if they
pleas'd, they might deteine him, but it would be no advantage
to them, nor losse to the other side ; upon which considerations,
they were perswaded to lett him goe. Immediately after his release,
he went to London to his father, where his elder brother was before
him ; for assoone as he understood from his wife what his brother
suffer'd in his name, he tooke post to London, to procure his re-
lease, and there they both stay'd till they receiv'd assurance, that
the king's forces were quite drawne out of the country, and then they
together return'd to Leicestershire, where Mrs. Hutchinson, within
105
a few dayes after her brother was taken, was brought to bed of her
eldest daughter, Avhich by reason of the mother's and the nurse's
griefes and frights, in those troublesome times, was so Aveake a child
that it liv'd not foure yeares, dying afterwards in Nottingham castle.
When Mr. Hutchinson came to his Avife, he carried her and her
children, and his brother, back againe to his house, about the time
that the l^attle Avas fought at Edge Hill. After this the tAvo brothers,
going to Nottingham, melt there most of the godly people, Avho
liad been diiven away, by the rudenesse of the king's armie, and
plunder'd upon the account of godlinesse, Avho were now return d to
their famelies, and desireous to liA^e in peace Avith them, but haA^ng,
by experience, found they could not doe so, unless the parliament
interest Avere maintein'd, they Avere consulting hoAv to rayse some
recruites, for the Earle of Essex, to assist in Avhich Mr. Hutchinson
had provided his plate and horses ready to send in.
About this time Sr. John Gell, a Derbyshire gentleman, Avho
had bene sheriffe of the. county, at that time, Avhen the illegall tax
of ship-mony Avas exacted, and so violent in the prosecution of it,
that he sterv'd Sr. John Stanhope's cattle in the pound, and Avould
not suffer any one to relieve them there, because that Avorthy gentle-
man stood out against that uniust payment, and Avho had by many
aggravating circumstances, not only concerning his prosecution of
Sr. John Stanhope, but others, soe highly misdemean'd himselfe
that he lookt for punishment, from the parliament, to prevent it,
very early putt himselfe into their service, and after the king Avas
gone out of these countries, prevented the cavalier gentry from
seizing the tOAvne of Derby, and fortified it, and rays'd a regiment
of foote. These Avere good, stout, fighting men, but the most li-
centious ungovernable wretches, that belonged to the parliament.
He himselfe, no man knowes for Avhat reason, he chose that side ;
for he had not understanding enough to iudge the equity of the
cause, nor pietie or holinesse, being a foAvlc adulterer all that time
106
he serv'd the parliament, and so uniust, tliat, without any remorse,
he suffer 'd his men indifferently to plunder, both honest men and
cavaliers; so revengefuU, that he persued his mallice'to Sr. John
Stanhope, upon the foremention'd account with such barbarisme
after his death, that he, pretending to search for arms and plate,
came into the church and defac'd his monument that cost six
hundred pounds, breaking of the nose and other parts of- it; he
digg'd up a garden of flowers, the only delight of his widdow, upon
the same pretence ; and thus woo'd that widdoAV, who was by all
the world believ'd to be the most prudent and affectionate of
womankind, but deluded by his hypocrisies, consented to marry
him, and found that was the utmost poynt to which he could carrie
his revenge, his future carriage making it apparent, he 'sought her
for nothing elce but to destroy the glory of her husband and his
house. This man kept the diurnall makers "^ in pension, so that
Avhatever was done in the neighbouring counties, against the enemy,
was attributed to him ; and thus he hath indirectly purchas'd him-
selfe a name in stor}^ which he never merited ; who Avas a very bad
man, to summe up all in that word, yet an instrument of service to
the parliament in those parts. I thought it necessary to insert this
little account of him here, because there will be often occasion to
mention him, in my following discourse ; and because, although
*■ Sir John Gell succeeded so far as to get some of this puffing intelligence intro-
duced even into his Memorials by Whitelock ; who, p. 186, talks of an expedition
where he killed five of the enemy ! He likewise gives him the honour of taking Shel-
ford Manor, at least two years before it was really taken by Colonel Hutchinson. It
is very much to be wondered at, that Mrs. Hutchinson no where speaks of»his trial
and condemnation for misprision of treason, which Whitelock notes in the year l6jO,
during the time of Mr. Hutchinson's being in tiie second council of state. Whitelock
does not say what it consisted in, but he was pardoned by the third council, just
before Cromwell's usurpation ; and was among those members of parliament who op-
posed him boldly.
107
there never was an}' personall acquaintance betweenc him and
Mr. Hutchinson, yet that naturall antipathic which is betweene
good and evil, render'd him a very bad neighbour to Mr. Hutch-
inson's garrison, and one that, under the name of a friend and as-
sistant, spoyl'd our country, as much as our enemies. He indeed
gave his men leave to commit all insolencies, without any restreint,
whereas Mr. Hutchinson took up amies to defend the country as
much as was possible from being a prey to rude souldiers, and did
oftentimes preserve it both from his and other rude troopes,' which
stirr'd up in him envie, hate, and ill will against his neighbour. He
was not wise in ordering the scouts and spies he kept out, and so
had the worst intelligence in the world. Mr. Hutchinson,- on the
other side, employed ingenuous persons, and was better inform'd of
the true state of things, and so, oftentimes communicated those in-
formations, to the chiefe commanders, which convinc'd the false-
hood of his ; and that was another cause of envie. Some that knew
him well, sayd he was not valliant, though his men once held him
up, among a stand of pikes, while they obtein'd a glorious victory,
when the Earle of Northampton was slaine : certeine it is he was
never by his good Avill in a fight, but either by chance or necessity;
and that which made his courage the more question'd was, the care
he tooke, and the expence he was att, to get it weekely mention'd
in the diurnalls, so that when they had nothing elce to renowne him
for, they once putt in that the troopes of that valliant commander
Sr. John Gell tookc a dragoon with a plush doublett. Mr. Hutch-
inson, on the other side, that did well for vertuc's sake, and not for
the vaine glory of it, never would give aniething, to buy the flat-
teries of those scriblers, and when one of them had once, while he
' To the interposition of such men as Colonel Hutchinson we must attribute the
proportionably small quantity of mischief that was suffered by this nation, in so long
and sharp a civil war as this was.
108
was ill lowne, made mention of something done at Nottinoham,
with falsehood, and given Gell the glory of an action wherein he
was not concern'd, Mr. Hutchinson rebuk'd him for it, whereupon
the man begg'd his pardon, and told him he would write as much
for him, the next weeke: but Mr. Hutchinson told him he scorn'd
his mercenary pen, only warn'd him not to dare to lie in any of his
concernments, whereupon the fellow was awed, and he had no more
abuse of that kind.
But to turne out of this diorcssion into another, not allooclher
impertinent, to the story which I would carrie on. In Nottingham-
shire, upon the edge of Derbieshire, there dwelt a man, who was of
meane birth and low fortunes, yet had kept company Avith the un-
derling gentry of his neighbourhood : this man had the most factious,
ambitious, vaincglorious, envious, and mallitious nature that is ima-
ginable ; but he was the greatest dissembler, flatterer, traitor, and
hipocrite that ever was, and herein had a kind of wicked pollicy,
knowing himselfe to be inferiour to all gentlemen, he put on a
vizard of godlinesse and humillity, and courted the common people
with all plausibillity and flattery that could be practiz'd ; all this
while he was addicted to many lusts, especially to that of weomen,
but practiz'd them so secretly, that they were not vulgarly taken
notice of, though God, to shame him, gave him up to manie a
wench out of one of the alehouses he frequented ; but to keepe up
a fame of godlinesse, he gave large contributions to puritane
preachers, who had the art to stop the people's mouths, from speak-
ing ill of their benefactors. By a thousand arts this fellow became
popular, and insinuated himselfe so, into all the gentlemen, that
own'd the parliament's party, that till he was discover'd some years
after, they believ'd him a most true-hearted, faithful!, vigilant, ac-
tive man for the godly interest; but he could never climb higher
then a presbyterian persecutor, and in the end fell quite of to a
declar'd cavalier. In Sr. George Booth's business, tliinking he could
109
sway the scales of a country, he rays'd a troope, and brought them
into Derby, and pubhsht a declaration of his owne for the king,
then ranne aAvay to Nottingham, and lost all his troope in the route
there, and hid himselfe till the king '' came in, when he was re-
warded for his revolt with an office, which he enioy'd not many
months, his wife and he, and some of his children, dying all together
in a few dayes of a feaver little lesse then the plague. This man,
call'd Charles White, att the beginning of the civill warre gott a
troope of dragoones, who arm'd and mounted themselves out of de-
votion to the parliament's cause, and being of his neighbourhood,
marcht forth in his conduct, he having procur'd a commission to be
their captaine, and they, having stocks and famelies, were not will-
ing to march as farre as the armie, but ioyn'd themselves to those
who were allready in arms at Derby.
After the battle at Edge-hill Sr. John Digby, the high sherifFe
of Nottinghamshire, return'd from the king, and had a designe of
securing the county against the parliament, whereupon he sent out
summons to all the gentlemen resident in the country to mcetc him
at Newark. Mr. Hutchinson was at the house of Mr. Francis Pierre-
pont, the Earle of Kingston's third sonne, Avhen the letter was de-
liver'd him, and another of the same to Mr. Pierrepont, and while
they were reading them, and considering what might be the mean-
ing of this summons, an honest man, of the sheriffe's neighbourhood,
came and gave them notice, that the sheriffe had some designe in
agitation, for he had assembled and arm'd about fourscore of his
neighbours, to goe out Avith them to Newark, and, as they heard,
from thence to Southwell, and from thence to Nottingham, through
which towne many arm'd men marcht day and night, to their greate
terror. Mr. Hutchinson, upon this intimation, went home, and in-
stead of going to meete the sheriffe, sent an excuse, by an intelligent
^ By the king is here meant Charles the Second.
110
person, well acquaiiUed with all ihe country, who had orders to
find out their designe; Avhich he did so well, that he assur'd Mr.
Hutchinson if he and some others had gone in, they would have
bene made prisoners; for the sherifFe came into Newark with a
troope of 80 men, with whom he was gone to Southwell, and was
to goc the next day to Nottingham, to secure those places for the
king. Mr. Hutchinson immediately went with his brother and ac-
quainted them at Nottingham with his intelligence, which they had
likewise receiv'd from other hands. Although the towne was gene-
rally more malignants then well affected, yet they cared not much
to have cavalier soldiers quarter Avith them, and therefore agreed
to defend themselves against any force which should come against
them, and being call'd hastily together, as the exigence requir'd,
about seven hundred listed themselves, and chose INIr. George Hutch-
inson for their captaine, who having liv'd among them, was very
much lov'd and esteem'd by them. The sheriffe hearing this, came
not to Nottingham, but those who were now there thus became
engaged to prosecute the defence of themselves, the towne, and
country, as farre as they could. They were but few, and those not
very considerable, and some of them not very hearty; but it pleas'd
God here, as in other places, to carry on his worke by weake and
unworthy instruments. There were seven aldermen in the towne,
and of these only alderman James, then ma^^or, own'd the parlia-
ment. He was a very honest, bold man, but had no more but a
burgher's discretion; he was yett very well assisted by his Avife, a
woman of create zeal and courage, and more understandino- then
weomen of her ranke usually have. All the devout people of the
towne Avere very vigorous and ready to offer their lives and famelies,
but there Avas not halfe the halfe of the towne that consisted of these;
the ordinary civill sort of people coldly adher'd to the better, but
all the debosht, and such as had liv'd upon the bishops persecuting
courts, and bene the lacfjucys of proiectors and monopolizers, and
Ill
the like, they were all bitterly malignant; yett God awed them, that
they could not at that time hinder his people, whom he overruled
some of their greatest enemies to assist, such as were one Chadwick
and Plumptre, two Avho, at the first, put themselves most forward
into the businesse. Plumptre was a doctor of phisick, an inhabi-
tant of Nottingham, who had learning, naturall parts, and under-
standino- enoui>;h to discerne fcetweene naturall civill rio;hteousnesse
and iniustice, but he was a horrible atheist, and had such an intol-
lerable pride, that he brook'd no superiours, and having some witt,
tooke the boldnesse to exercise it, in the abuse of all the gentlemen
wherever he came.' Sr. Thomas Hutchinson first brought him into
creditt and practise in the country, it having pleas'd God to make
him instrumental! in the cure of Mr. George Hutchinson, who had
in vaine tried the skill of the best doctors in England, for an epi-
leptick disease, under which he labour'd some yeares. Upon this
occasion Sr. Thomas, and Ijoth his sons, gave him much respect,
and this cure gave him reputation, and introduc'd him into practise,
in all the gentlemen's houses in the country, which he soone lost
againe by his most abusive tongue and other ill carriages, and was
even gott out of favour with Sr. Thomas Hutchinson himselfc, for
some abusive scoffes given out against his lady: but ]\lr. Hutchinson
and his brother, in pitty to him, and in remembrance of what God
had done through him, still own'd him, and protected him a little
against the bitter zealotts, though it was impossible for his dark-
nesse and their light long to continue mix'd. This man had sence
enough to approove the parliament's cause, in poynt of civill right,
' It is said of him, in Thoroton's history of Notts, " he was a person eminent in
" his profession, of great note for wit and learning, as he had formerly been for poetry,
"■ when he printed a book of epigrams:" a species of composition which the more it
pleases the reader, the less it renders the author beloved. This inclination to sport
with the feelings of others was not at all likely to recommend him to Mr. Hutchinson,
nor make him a good associate in weighty and serious business.
S
112
and pride enough to desire to breake the bonds of slavery, whereby
the king endeavour'd to chaine up a free people, and upon these
scores, appearing high for the parliament's interest, he was admitted
into the consultations of those who were then putting the country
into a posture of defence."" Chadwick was a fellow of a most prag-
maticall temper, and, to say truth, had strangely Avrought himselfe
into a station unfitt for him. He was at first a boy that scrap'd
trenchers in the house of one of the poorest iustices in the county,
but yet such a one as had a greate deale of formallity and under-
standing of the statute law, from whom this boy pick'd such ends
of law, that he became first the iustice's, then a lawyer's, clearke ;
then, I know not how, gott to be a parcell-iudge in Ireland, and
came over to his owne country swell'd with the reputation of it,
and sett on foote a base, obsolete, arbitrary court there, which the
■" Doubtless many adhered to the parliament's side merely on a civil and political
account, and these would naturally unite with the independents, as having no inclina-
tion to support the pretensions of the presbyterians. It is said by Clarendon that
many deists took part with the independents ; and it is not improbable that Dr. Plumptre
might have an inclination at least to scepticism, as sarcasm was his talent, and for this
by Mrs. Hutchinson, who was a rigorist, he was termed an atheist.
After the deaths of Colonel Hutchinson and Dr. Plumptre there began a great
friendship between their families, which lasted many generations. Charles, the half
brother of Colonel Hutchinson, and his successor in his estate at Owthorpe and in the
borough of Nottingham, was guardian of Dr. Plumptre's son, and is represented by
Thoroton to have executed^iis trust with great fidelity.
The Editor has in his possession several pieces, in verse and prose, written by the
late Dr. Charles Hutchinson in favour of the last Mr. Plumptre, who represented the
town of Nottingham, and in vindication of him against a party headed by Langford
Collin, Esq. a lineal descendant of Colonel Hutchinson's master gunner, who will be
spoken of hereafter: they are all in a jocose or satirical style; but one of them, a short
advertisement, which too well described Mr. Collin, was deemed libellous, and cost
Dr, Hutchinson 500/. which was well repaid by Mr. Plumptre's obtaining for him a
king's living of 330/. per ann. At this time Mr. Plumptre and Mr. Hutchinson's
families were of the Whig or Hanover party, Mr. Collin of the Tory or Jacobite.
113
Conqueror of old had given to one Peverel, his bastard, which this
man enlithng my lord Goring unto, executed the office under him,
to the greatc abuse of ihe country. At the beginning of the par-
liament, they had prosecuted him for it, but that my lord Goring
beg'd of Sr. Thomas Hutchinson to spare him, and j^romis'd to lay
it downe for ever: so from die beginning of the parliament he exe-
cuted not that office, but having an insinuating witt and tongue,
procur'd himselfe to be deputy recorder of Nottingham, my lord of
Clare being chiefe. When the king was in towne a little before,
this man so insinuated into the court that, comming to kisse the
king's hand, the king told him he was a very honest man ; yet by
flatteries and dissimulations he kept up his creditt with the godl}',
cutting his haire, and taking up a forme of godlinesse, the better to
deceive. In some of the corrupt times he had purchas'd the honor
of a barrister, though he had neither law nor learning, but he had
a voluble tongue, and was crafty; and it is allmost incredible that
one of his meanc education and poverty should arrive to such things
as he reacht: he was very poore, although he got abundance of
mony by a thousand cheates, and other base wayes, wherein he
exercis'd all his life, for he was as greate a prodigall in spending as
knave in oettino- and amons; other villanies, which he secretly
practis'd, was a libidinous goate,-for which his wife, the}' say, pay'd
him Avith making him a cuckold; ye tt were there not two persons
to be found that pretended more sanctity then he and she, who had
a tongue no lesse o-laverino- and false then his. This basencsse he
had, that all the iust reproaches in the world could not moove him,
but he would fawne upon any man that told him of his villanies to
his face, even at the very time. Never was a truer Judas, since
Iscariott's time, then he, for he would kisse the man he had in his
heart to kill; he naturally delighted in mischiefe and treachery, and
was so exquisite a villaine, that he destroy 'd those dcsignes he
might have thriven l)y, with overlaying them Avith fresh knaveries.
114
I have bene a little ledious in these descriptions, yet have spoken
veryf-little in coK.parison of Avhat the truth would beare; indeed
such assistants as these were enough to disgrace the best cause by
their owning of it, but the truth of God, being above the testimony
of men, could neither receive credit from the good, nor discredit
from the worst men: Ijut they were not all such, who first offer'd
themselves to carrie on the Lord's worke with him of Avhom wee
chiefely treate. There was then dwelling at Nottingham a third
Sonne of the Earle of Kingston's, a man of good naturall parts, but
not of education according to his quallity, who was in the maine
well affected to honest men, and to righteous liberty; a man of a
very excellent good nature, and full of love to all men; but that
his goodnesse receiv'd a little allay by a vaine-glorious pride, which
could not well brooke any other should outstrip him in virtue and
estimation." Mr. Francis Thornhagh, the eldest sonne of Sr. Francis
Thornhagh, Avas a man of a most upright faithfull heart to God and
God's people, and to his countrie's true interest, comprehended in
the parliament's cause; a man of greater vallour or more noble
daring fought not for them, nor indeed ever drew sword in any
cause; he Avas of a most excellent good nature to all men, and
zealous for his friend ; he Avanted councell and deliberation, and Avas
sometimes too facile to flatterers, but had iudgment enough to dis-
cerne his errors Avhen they Avere represented to him, and worth
enough not to persist in an iniurious mistake because he had once
entertain'd it." Mr. Pigott Avas a very religious, serious, Avise gentle-
" Mr. Francis Pierrepont, who will frequently be mentioned again in the course
of the storjTj when it will be clearly seen that Mrs. Hutchinson here s^aks with can-
dour, or rather favour, of him, though he was her husband's opponent.
° Colonel Thornhagh is often mentioned by other writers, and always with praise
in his military capacity, in which only he was known to the public. Mrs. Hutchinson
here delineates with a masterly hand a frank, open, unsuspecting, amiable, soldier.
The family of Colonel Thornhagh continued to flourish in the county of Nottingham
115
man, truc-lieailed lo (Jod and his country, of a generous and
liberal nature, and that thought nothing too deare to expose, nor
too difficult to undertake, tor his friend; one that delighted not in
the ruin of his neighbours, but could endure it, rather then the de-
struction of religion, law, and liberty; one that wanted not courage,
yet chose rather to venture hiniselfe as a single person then a leader
in armes, and to serve his country in councell then in action; there
was no man in his nature, and his whole deportment, shew'd him-
selfe more a gentleman then he. '' There Avas one Mr. Widmer-
poole, a man of good extraction, but reduc'd to a small fortune,
had declin'd all the splendor of an old house, and sunke into
the way of the middle men of the country; yet had a perfect
honest heart to God, his country, and his friend; he had a good
discretion, and though he were elder then all the rest, yet Avas
so humble, to be content to come in the reare of them all,
having through the declining of his famely, the slendernesse of
his estate, and the parsimony of his nature, lesse interest in the
so late as the year 1750^ at which time one of them represented the county; they are
believed to be now extinct in the male line, and their possessions to have centered in
the family of Hewitt of Shireoaks.
P Mr. Pigott survived Colonel Hutchinson about five years. He was summoned
to parliament by Cromwell, but it is very uncertain whether he condescended to sit
or no. Thoroton, in his history of Notts, says of him that " he was a person of grcaf
" parts, natural and acquired : he was sheriff of the county in 1669, and died presently
" after the summer assizes; at wfiich time being in mourning for his daughter Marj',
" wife of Robert, eldest son of Sir Francis Burdett, of Formark, he gave his attendants
" black liveries with silver trimmings, which served for his own funeral. His sobriety,
" ingenuity, generosity, piety, and other virtues, few of his rank will ever exceed, if
" any equall."
It is thought necessary to take more particular notice of what may appertain to
L'eton, Colonel Thornhagh, and Mr. I'igott, because they are the three persons who
enjoyed the greatest share in the friendship and esteem of Colonel Hutchinson, and
made him a due return.
11(3
country."' To yoakc with him, there was a very honest man, who
could not be reckon'd among the gentry, though he wci'c call'd by
the name of Mr. Lomax, he was in the strength and perfection of
his age, a stout and an miderstanding man, plain and bhmt, but
withall godly, failhfull to his country, and honest to all men.
There liv'd att Nottingham, a man call'd Mr. Salusbury, who hacj
very good abillilies widi his pen, upon which he was taken in, to
be their secretary, but he proov'd ambitious and froward, and being
poore, when he was after made treasurer, fell into some temptation;
but he carried at first a faire colour of religion and honest3^ These
were they, whom Mr. Hutchinson was first mated with, whose cha-
racters it Avas necessary thus farre to hint at, for the better carrying
on of his story.
Sr. John Digby having notice that they had prevented him, by
getting armes in their hands before, came not to Nottingham,
where now they had taken up the sword, it was not safe to lay it
downe againe, and hold a naked throatc to their cnemie's whetted
knifes. Wherefore, upon the parliament's commission, for settling
the militia, sometime before, there having bene three collonells no-
minated ; viz. Sr. Francis Thornhagh, Sr. Francis IMolineiix, and
Mr. Francis Pierrepont ; they propounded to them, to raise their re-
giments. Sr. Francis Molineux altogether dcclin'd, Sr. Francis
Thornhagh appoynted his sonnc for his lieftcnant collonell, and he
began to rayse a regiment of horse, with whom many of the honest
men, that first listed themselves with Mr. George Hutchinson, be-
came troopers. Mr. John Hutchinson and his brother were per-
suaded to be lieftenant collonell and maior, to Collonell Pierrepont's
regiment of foote ; and accordingly Mr. George Hutchinson had
"i The pedigree of the family of Widmerpoolc in Thoroton, shews him to have
been of very ancient and good descent, his ancestor represented the town of Notting-
ham in the reign of Edward the Third.
117
inmicdiatcly a very good standing companie of foole, formed out
of those lownesmen, who first came in to list under him. Mr. John
Hutchinson had a full companie of very honest godly men, who
came for love of him and the cause, out of the country. It Avas six
weekes before the collouell would be perswaded to put on a sword,
or to list any men, which at length he did, of substantiall honest
townsmen, and Mr. Poulton, a nephew of Sr. Thomas Hutchinson,
a stout 3'oung gentleman, who liad scene some service abroad, -was
his captaine-lieftenant : there were two companies more rays'd, one
under Captaine Lomax, and another under one Captaine Scrimp-
shire. The first thing these gendemen did, was to call Captaine
White with his dragoones, raj^s'd in Nottinghamshire, home to the
service of his owne country, for Sr. John Gell, at Derby, had re-
ceiv'd from Hull a regiment of grey coates, who were at first sent
downe from Loudon, for the assistaace of that place, when the
king attempted it. They alsoe sent to the Earle of Essex, to desire
that Captaine Ireton, with a troope of horse, which he had carried
out of the country, into his excellencies army, might be commanded
back, for the present service of his country, 'till it were put into a
posture of defence, which accordingl}^ he was, and was maior of the
horse regiment. They sent alsoe to the parliament, and receiv'd
from them a commission, with instructions, whereby they were im-
power'd to leavie forces and to rayse contributions, for the main-
taining them, with all authority of seizing delinquents, sequestring,
and the like. The conmiittee appoynted were the parliament men
that serv'd for the county, Mr. Francis Pierrepont, INIr. John Hutch-
inson, Mr. Francis Thornhagh, Mr. Gervas Pigott, Mr. Henry
Ireton, Mr. George Hutchinson, Mr. Joseph Widmerpoole, Mr.
Gervas Lomax, Dr. Plumtre, the maior of Nottingham, Mr. James
Chad wick, and Mr. Thomas Salusbury. Then did neighbouring
counties every where associate, for the mutuall assistance of each
other ; and the parliament commissionated maior-gencralls, to com-
118
mand in cliiefc, and give out commissions, to the seveiall com-
manders of the regiments. Nottinghamshire was put into the asso-
ciation with Leicestershire and other counties, whereof Lord Grey
of Grooby, eldest sonne to the Earle of Stamford, was commander
in chiefe, and from liim the gentlemen of Nottingham tooke their
first commissions.
The high sheriffe and llie mallignant gentry, finding an oppo-
sition they expected not, Avritt a letter to Mr. Francis Pierrepont,
and Mr. John Hutchinson, excusing the sheriife's force, that he
brought with him, and desiring a meeting with them, to consult for
the peace of the country, security of their estates, and such like
faire pretences ; which letter was civilly answer'd them againe, and
the treaty kept on foote some fourteen dayes, by letters sign'd by
the Lord Cliaworth, Sr. Thomas Williamson, Mr. Sutton, Sr. Gervas
Eyre, Sr. John Digbie, Sr. Roger Cooper, Mr. Palmer, Mr. John
Millinglon : at length a meeting was appoynted, att a village in the
country, on the forrest side, where Mr. Sutton should have mett
Mr. John Hutchinson. Mr, Hutchinson came to the place, but
found not Mr. Sutton there, only the Lord Chaworth came in and
call'd for sack, and treated Mr. Hutchinson very kindly ; when
Mr. Hutchinson, telling my lord he was come according to appoynt-
ment, to conclude the treaty which had bene, betweene Nottinghaip
and Newark, my lord told him, he knew nothing of it ; whereupon,
Mr. Hutchinson being inform'd, that some of my Lord Newcastle's
forces were to be in that towne that night, and that Mr. Sutton was
gone to meete them, and conduct them into the country, return'd
to Nottinoham, where he receiv'd a kind of lame excuse, from Mr.
Sutton for his disappoynting of him, and for their bringing in strange
souldiers in to Newark, which they pretended was to save the towne
from the plunder of some Lincolneshire forces: but Mr. Hutch-
inson, seeing all their treaties were but a snare for him, would no
longer amuse himselfe about them ; but being certainly inform'd,
119
that Henderson who commanded the souldiers at Newark, if he
were not hiraselt'e a papist, had many Irish papists in his troopes,
he, with the rest of the gentlemen, sent notice, to all the townes
about Nottingham, desiring the well-affected to come in to their
assistance, which the ministers pressing them to, upon Christmasse
day 1642, many came in to them, and stay'd Avith them, 'till they
had put themselves in some posture of defence.
Assoone as these strange souldiers were come into NcAvark, they
presently began to block up and fortifie that towne, as on the other
side, they att Nottingham began workes about that towne, but
neither of them being yet strong enough to assault each other, con-
tented themselves to stand upon their owne defence. The Earle of
Chesterfield had rays'd some horse for the king, and Avas in the vale
of Belvoir Avilh them, where he had plunder'd some houses neere
Mr. Hutchinson's; Avhereupon Mr. Hutchinson sent a troope of
horse in the night, for they were not strong enough to march in the
day, and fetcht away his wife and children to Nottingham.
The preservation of this towne was a speciall service to the par-
liament, being a considerable passe into the north, Avhich, if the
enemie had first possest themselves of, the parliament had bene cut
of of all intercourse betweene the north and south, especially in the
Avinter time, Avhen the river Trent is not fordable, and only to be
pass'd over by the bridges of Nottingham and NcAvark, and up
higher at a place call'd Wildcn Ferry, Avhere the enemie alsoe had
a gaiTison.' The attempting to preserve this place, in the middst of
so many potent enemies, Avas a Avorke of no small difficulty, and no-
thing but an invincible courage, and a passionate zeale for the
' In the place of Wilden Ferry has been substituted in modern days a vciv' beauti-
ful bridge, called Cavendish Bridge, with a good and firm road of considerublo length
at each end to approach it: it is about midway on the high road between Lougli-
borough and Derby. There is near to it a place called Sawley Ferry, little used, and
hardly at all practicable in winter.
T
120
interest of God and his couniry, could have engag'd Mr.' Hutch-
inson, who did not, through youlhfull inconsideration and impro-
vidence, want a foresight of those dangers and travailes he then
undertook : he knewe Avell enough that the towne was more then
halfe disaffected to the parhament, that had they bene all otherwise,
they were not halfe enough to defend it against any unequall force,
that they Avere farre from the parliament and their armies, and could
not expect any timely reliefe or assistance from them, that he him-
selfe was the forlorne hope of those who Avere engag'd Avith him, and
had then the best stake among them ; that the gentlemen Avho Avere
on horseback, Avhen they could no longer defend their country,
might at least save their lives, by a handsome retreate to the armie ;
but he must stand victorious, or fall, tying himselfe to an inde-
fensible tOAvne. Althouo;h his collonell might seeme to be in the
same hazard, yet he Avas Avise enough to content himselfe Avilh the
name, and leave Mr, Hutchinson to act all things, the glory of
which, if they succeeded, he hoped to assume ; if they fail'd, he
thought he had a retreate : but Mr. Hutchinson, though he knew
all this, yett Avas he so Avell perswaded in his conscience, of the
cause, and of God's calling him to undertake the defence of it, that
he cast by all other considerations, and cheerefully resign'd up his
life, and all other particular interests, to God's dispose, though in
all humane probability, he Avas more like to loose then to save
them.
He and his brother AVere so suddenly call'd in to this worke,
that they had not time beforehand to consult their father; but they
sent to him lo buy their armour and usefull swords, Avhich he did,
giving them no discouragement, but promoting all their desires, to
the parliament very effectually.'
' The reader is desired to bear this in mind, as it tends much to invalidate the cre-
dibihty of an assertion made by the stepmother of these gentlemen, which will b
le
121
By reason of the coldiiessc of the collonell, ihe affaires of the
warre at Nottingham went more tardily on tlien elce they would
have done ; but the gentlemen there, thinking it Avould be easier to
prevent Newark, from being made a fortitied garrison, then to take
it when it was so, sent over to Lineohie and Derby, to propound
the business to them. At length it was, about Candlemas, agreed
and appoynted that the forces of Nottingham and Derby should
come on their side of the towne, and those of Lincolne on the other.
All the disaffected gentry of both those counties, were, at that time,
gone into NcwarJ\, and one Ballard, a gentleman, who, decay'd in
his famely, and owing his education to many of them, had bene
bred up in the warres abroad, was commander in chiefe for the par-
liament in Lincolneshire. Much ado had the gentlemen of that
county to engage him in the designe against Newark; but when he
could not divert them, he was resolv'd to cast them away, rather
then ruine his old benefactors. He had appoynted the forces of
Nottingham and Derby to come to a rendevouz within a mile of
Newark upon Saturday, upon which day, all the perswasions the
Lincolnshire gentlemen could use, could not prevaile with him to
march out, according to appoyntment; which those at NcAvark
had notice of, and had prepared an ambuscade to have cutt of all
those forces if they had then come to the place ; but by providence
of an extraordinary stormie season, they marcht not 'till the next
day, and so were preserv'd from that danger, which no doubt was
treacherously contriv'd. Assoone as they came, who were about a
thousand horse, foote, and dragoones, the Lincolneshire com-
manders inform'd our's of the slowth and untoward carriage of Bal-
noticed in its proper place.- It is said, in a note by Julius Hutchinson, Esq. that
Sir Thomas Hutchinson bought his two sons armour, tliough he knew not of their ac-
cepting commissions against the king. What was the armour for? Was it to serve the
king against the parliament.-'
122
luid, and told tlicni Iioav that day, he had play'd his ordinance, at
a mile's distance from the tOAvne, and how, when the Newark horse
came out to face them, upon the Beacon Hill, he would not sutler
a man of the Lincolneshire troopes to fall upon them, though the
Lincolne horse were many more in number then they, and in all
probabillity might have beaten them. The next day, notwithstand-
ing Mr. Hutchinson went to him, to give him an account of the
forces they had brought, and to receive orders, he could have none,
but a carelesse answer to stand at such a side of the towne and fall
on as they saw occasion. Accordingly they did, and beate the
encmie from their workes, with the losse of only four or five men,
and entrencht themselves ; when the night comming on upon them,
they provided straw to have lodg'd in their trenches, all the night.
On the other side of the towne, Captaine King of Lincolneshire had
taken a streete, cut up a chaine, and placed a drake ' in a house ;
whereupon the Newark gentlemen were allniost resolv'd to yield up
the towne, and some of them began to flie out of it, but Ballard
would not suifer the horse to persue them, only one captaine went
out without his leave and tooke fifty hoises, and turn d back Mr.
Sutton and many others that Avere flying out of the towne. At
length, when he could no otherway preserve his olde patrons, but by
betraying his friends, he order'd Capt. King to retreate ; whereupon
the whole force of Newark fell upon the forces of Nottingham and
Derby, in their trenches, Avhere they fought very resolutely, 'till a
Lincolneshire trooper came and bade them flie for their lives, for
elce they were all lost men. At this two hinidred Ijincolneshire
men, whom Ballard with much entreaty had sent to relieve them,
first ran away, and then Sr. John Gell's grey coates made their
retreate after them ; Maior Hutchinson and Capt. White, all this
while, kept their trenches, and commanded their Nottingham men
' Drake, a piece of cannon so called.
123
not to stirre, who accordingly shott there, till all their ponder was
spent. The lief'tenant-collonell in ^•aine importun'd Ballard to
send them ammunition and reliefe, but could obteine neither, and
so they were forc'd, unwillingly, to retreate, which they did in so
good order, the men first and then their captaines, that they lost
not a man in comming of. The towne was sallying upon them, but
they discharged a drake and beate them back. The next day all the
Captaines importun'd Ballard they might fall on againe, but he
Avould neither consent nor give any reason of his dcniall, so that the
Noltingham forces returned with greate dissatisfaction, though Bal-
lard, to stop their mouths, gave them two pieces of ordnance.
It being necessary to carrie on the mainc story, for the better un-
derstanding the motion of those lesser wheeles that moov'd within
the greate orbe, I shall but name in what posture things Avere
abroad in the kingdome, while these afiiiires I relate were transacted
at Nottingham. After the retreate from Brainford fight, a treaty
Avas ineffectually carried on betweene the king and parliament from
the 31st of January 1642, to the 17th of Aprill l643, after which
my Lord of Essex marched to Reading, where the king had a gar-
rison and besieg'd it. The king's horse came to relieve it, and had
an encounter with my lord's armie, wherein many gentlemen of
quallity fell on the king's side, the king himsclfe being in a place
where he saw them. In a few dayes after Reading was yeilded
upon composition to the Earle of Essex, whose souldiers having
bene promis'd their pay and a gratuity to spare the j^lunder of the
towne, fell into a mutiny upon the failing of the performance, and
many of them disbanded. Among those Avho rcmain'd there was a
greate mortallily, occasioned by the infected ayre in the towne of
Reading ; in so nuich that my lord Avas forc'd to returne and quarter
his sick and Aveake armie about Kingston and those townes neere
London. And now Avere all the countryes in England noe longer idle
spectators, but severall stages, whereon the tragedie of the civill
124
warre was acted, except the easterne association, where Mr. OHver
Cromwell, by his dilhgence, prevented the designes of the royall
party, which were so successtull the first yeare in all other places,
that the parliament's condition appear'd so desperate, as many of
their members, of both houses, ran away to Oxford to the king,
and others sate among them conspiring against them. One plott,
conducted by Mr. Waller, and carried on among many disaffected
persons, in the citie, was neere taking effect, to the utter subversion
of the parliament and people ; but that God, by his providence,
brought it timely to light, and the authors were condemn'd, and
some of them executed ; but Waller, for being more a knave then
the rest, and peaching his complices, was permitted to buy his life
for ten thousand pounds. This summer all the west was reduc'd by
the king, the Earle of Stamford yielding up Exeter, and Collonell
Fiennes BristoU. Sr. William Waller had lost all his armie, which
had bene victorious in many encounters. The king was master of
all or most part of Wales, and the parliament had no armie left in
the field, soe that had he taken the opportunity to have gone im-
mediately to London, that summer, he had accomplisht his designe:
but being denied the towne of Glocester, and taking it in disdaine,
that that towne, in the heart of the land, should make a resistance
when the greater cities Avere yielded to him, he stopp'd his course
to take in that place, Avhere he stay'd to turne the tide of his good
fortune, as his generall my Lord of Newcastle did, at the siege of
Hull." My Lord Newcastle was generall of the north, and master
" The impolicy of this measure is more fully noticed and explained, and the cause of
it set down by Sir Philip Warwick, in his Memoirs, p. 260. " One or the like councell
" in both quarters, north and west, soon blasted the prosperity in each place, for the
" king pitcht upon that fatall resolution, recommended to him by Lord Culpeper, of
" besieging Glocester, thinking it a good policy not to leave a strong towne behind
" liim: but the councell proved fatall, for had the king at that time resolv'd in himself
" to have struck at the proud head of London, and had had authority enough at that
125
of all the strong places, to the very borders of Scotland, and for-
midable to all the neighbouring counties. Only the Lord Fairfax,
with his Sonne Sr. Thomas, headed all the relio;ious, honest Enohsh-
men, they could rayse, in those parts, and Avilh a far inferior force,
kept him in play, and in severall skii mishcs came of " conquerors.
But as the fortune of the parliament declined, in odier places, so
those who had not principles strong enough to hold them fast to a
iust, though falling cause, sought early to secure their lives by trea-
sons, which destroy 'd them. The Earle of Newcastle's armie was
iudg'd to be about eight thousand, horse and foote, my Lord Fair-
fax had not above two thousand one hundred foote, and seven
troopes of horse. After this there was a greate accession of strength
to my Lord Newcastle, by the coming, first of the Lord Goring,
with many old commanders ; then of Generall King, with six thou-
sand arms, from beyond the seas ; then of the queene herselfe, who,
in February 1642, landed neere Sunderland, commmg out of Hol-
land, with large provisions of arms, ammunition, and commanders
"time to have required the Earl of Newcastle to have joined with him; humanely
•' speaking, he had raised such contusion among the two houses and the Londoners,
" that they had either sent him his own terraes, or if they had fought him most probably
" he had been victorious. But the king fixes on Glocester and the Earl of Newcastle
" on Hullj upon the advice of his Lieut. General King, who was suspected."
A few pages further he reckons among the king's misfortunes the Earl of New-
castle's too much afTecting independency, which may serve to account for some other
matters which will occur ; but it is here natural to observe, that the king having, by
separating himself from his parliament, lost his ackowledged and unquestionable au-
thority, he retai-ned only a very precarious one over the different chiefs of his party :
which, on many occasions, turned to the disadvantage of his cause. After all, it is
noway certain that his march to London would have been so effectual and so little op-
posed, as it is here taken for granted it would have been.
" In fact, the resistance so long maintained, and frequently with such success, by
Lord Fairfax and his sons against so superior a force, has been always thought next to
miraculous, and marked out SirThomas as the fittest man in the kingdom to command
the forces and fix the fortunes of the parliament.
12()
of note, with wliicli she was convoy'd, by the Earle of Newcastle,
to Yorke, and thither came to her the Earle of Montrossc, out of
Scotland, ^y\[h a hundred and twenty horse: then Sr. Hugh Cholnily,
governor of Scarborough, revolted from the parliament, whereof he
was a member, and came to the queene, with three hundred men.
Browne Bushell alsoe, who was left in charge with the towne,
yielded it up. Then had the queene's practises wrought so upon
the two Hothams, that their treason was not all together undis-
cerned ; but my Lord Fairfax, having only strong presumptions,
and no power to secure them, while they had the' strong tOAvne of
Hull in their hands, it was all he could doe to be vigilant and silent,
till God should give opcrtunity to secure that great danger. My
Lord of Newcastle had given the papists in the north commissions
to arme in the king's defence,'' and now the queene was preparing
to march up, with the assistance she had gotten to the king. Those
countries through which she was to passe, could not but be sensible
of their danger, especially the gentlemen at Nottingham, Avho were
but a few young men, environn'd with garrisons of the enemie, and
scarcely firme among themselves, and hopelesse of reliefe from
above, where the parliament, strugling for life, had not leii^ure to
bind up a cutt-finger. But God was with them in these difficulties,
and gave an unexpected issue.
The Earle of Kingston a few months stood neuter, and would
not declare himselfe of either party, and being a man of greate
wealth and dependancies, many people hung in suspence, by his
example; whereupon the gentlemen of Nottingham often spoke to
y The king pretended never to do this himself; but the Earl of Newcastle did it,
as most people would in his place, and avowed it as became him. Sir Philip Warwick
recites a witticism of his on the occasion of his going to see him at the siege of Hull,
where liis men being very badly entrenched, he said to Sir l^hilip, who remarked it,
" You hear us often called the Popish Army, but you see we trust not in our good
" works."
127
his Sonne, to perswade his father to declare himselfe; but he told
them, he knew his father's atfections were firme to the parliament,
that he had encourag'd him to ioin with them, and promis'd him
money to carrie it on, and such like things, which he continually
assur'd them, till the collonell's cold behaviour, and some other
passages, made them at length, those at least who were firme to the
cause, iealous both of the father and the sonne. Hereupon when
the danger grcAv more eminent, and my lord lay out a brave prey
to the enemie, they sent Captaine Lomax, one of the committee,
to understand his aft'ections from himselfe, and to presse him to de-
clare for the parliament, in that so needfull season. My lord pro-
fessing himselfe to him rather desirous of peace, and fully resolv'd
not to act on either side, made a serious imprecation on himselfe in
these words: " When," said he, " I take amies with the king against
" the parliament, or with the parliament against the king, let a
" cannon bullet devide me betweene them;" which God was pleased
to bring to passe a few months after: for he going into Gainsbo-
rough, and there taking up armes for the king, was surpriz'd by
my lord Willoughby, and, after a handsome defence of himselfe,
yielded, and was put prisoner into a pinnace, and sent downe the
river to Hull, when my lord Newcastle's armie marching allong the
shore, shot at the pinnace, and being in danger, the Earle of King-
ston went up upon the decks to shew himselfe, and to prevaile with
them to forbearc shooting,^ but assoone as he appear'd a cannon
bullett flew from the king's armie and devided him in the middle,
being then in the parliament's pinnace, Avho perished according to
his owne unhappie imprecation. His declaring himselfe for the
king, as it enforced the royall, so it weak'ned the other party.
^ This is a most singular story, and no doubt peculiarly gratifying to a fatalist to
recite; it is however assuredly true, being mentioned by several historians, witii only
the difference of his being said to be under, instead of on, the deck ; the latter of which
is far the most probable.
U
us
St. Richard Biion was come to be governor of Newark. A house
of my lord Chaworlh's in the vale was fortified, and some horse putt
into it, and another house of the Earle of Chesterfield's, both of them
within a i'cw miles of Nottingham.' Ashby de la Zouch, within
eight miles of Nottingham, on the other side, was kept by Mr.
Hastings. On the forrest side of the country, the Earle of New-
castle's house Imd a garrison in it, and another castle of his, within
a mile, was garrison'd. Sr. Roger Cooper's house, at Thurgaton, was
alsoe kept; so that Nottingham, thus beleaguer'd with enemies,
seem'd very unlikely to be able either to resist the enemie or sup-
port itselfe.'' Therefore the gentlemen, upon the newes of my lord
Newcastle's intended approach that way, sent up Mr. John Hutch-
inson to acquaint the parliament with their condition, who so ne-
gotiated their businesse that he procur'd an order for Coll. Cromwell,
Coll. Hubbard, my lord Grey, and Sr. John Gell, to unite their
forces, and rendevouz at Nottingham, to prevent the queene from
joining with the king, and to guard those parts against the cavaliers.
Accordingl}^ in the Whitsun holidays 1643, they all came, and the
younger Hotham alsoe brought some more rude troopes out of York-
shire, and ioin'd himsell'e to them. The forces now united at Notting-
ham Avere about five or six thousand, my loi-d Grey being their
commander in chiefe. Upon the urgency of the gentlemen at Not-
tingham, he drew them out against Wiverton-house in the vale, but
upon a groundlesse apprehension quitted it, Avhcn they might in all
probabilliiy have taken it, and retreated to Nottingham, where, two
or three days after, the enemie's horse faced them, but they would
not be prevailed with to goe out, though they were not inferior to
them. Young Hotham, at that time, earned on a private treaty
* Wiverton-house and Shelfoid manor.
'' Tn a letter to the king, the queen writes from Newark that " all the force tlic
" parliament had in tliose parts was only one thousand men in Nottingham."
129
with the queene, and every day receiv'd and sent irumpetts, of
which he would give no account. Then Avas Nottingham more
sadly distrest by their friends then by their enemies; for Hotham's
and Cell's men not only lay upon free quarter, as all the rest did,
but made such havock and plunder of friend and foe, that 'twas a
sad thing for any one that had a generous heart to behold it. When
the committee offered Hotham to assigne him quarters for his men,
because they were better acquainted with the country, he would
tell them he was no stranger in any English ground. He had a
greate deale of wicked witt, and would make sport with the miseries
of the poore country, and, having treason in his heart, licens'd his
souldiers, Avhicli were the scumme of mankind, to all villanies in
the country that might make their partie odious. Mr. Hutchinson
was much vext to see the country wasted, and that little part of it,
which they could only hope to have contribution from, eaten up by
a company of men Avho, insteed of relieving them, devour'd them,
and Hotham's souldici's, having taken away goods from some honest
men, he went to him to desire restitution of them, and that he Avould
restreine his souldiers from plunder; whereupon Hotham replied,
" he fought for liberty, and expected it in all things." Replies fol-
low'd, and they grew to high language; Hotham bidding him, if he
found himselfe griev'd, to complaine to the parliament. Mr. Hutch-
inson was passionately concern'd, and this being in the open field,
Coll. Cromwell, who had likewise had greate provocations from him,
beo;an to shew himselfe affected Avith the countrie's iniuries, and the
idle Avast of such a considerable force, through the unexperience of
the chiefe commander, and the disobedience and irregularities of
the others; so they, at that time, being equally zealous for the pub-
lick service, advis'd together to seeke a remedie, and dispatcht aAvay
a post to London, Avho had no greater ioy in the Avorld then such
employments as tended to the displacing of greate persons, Avhether
they deserv'd it or not; him they sent away immediately from the
130
place, to informe the parliament of Hotham's carriages, and the
strong presumptions they had of his treachery, and the ill manage-
ment of their forces. This they two did, without the privity of any
of the other gentlemen or commanders, some of which were little
lesse suspected themselves, and others, as my lord Grey, through
credulous good nature, too greate a favourer of Hotham. The mes-
senger was verv dillig-ent in his charoe, and return'd assoone as it
was possible with a committment of Hotham, who accordingly was
tlien made prisoner in Nottingham-castle, and Sr. John Meldrum
Avas sent downe to be connnander in chiefe of all those united
forces. When they marcht away, a troope of my lord Grey's having
the charge of guarding Hotham, towards London, suifer'd him to
escape, and thereby putt the towne of Hull into a greate hazard;
but that the father and sonne were there unexpectedly surprizd,
sent up prisoners to London, and after some time executed. Those
who knew the opinion Cromwell after had of Mr. Hutchinson, be-
liev'd he registred this businesse in his mind as long as he liv'd, and
made it his care to prevent him from being in any power or capacity
to pursue him to the same punishment, when he deserv'd it; but
from that time, growing into more intimate acquaintance with him,
he allwayes us'd to professe the most hearty affections to him, and
the greatest delight in his plainnesse and open-heartednesse that was
imaginable."
■= Those who consider and represent Cromwell as a prodigy not only of treachery,
design, ambition, and artifice, but likewise of sagacity and foreknowledge, will deem
this a proof of his having thus early conceived his scheme of aggrandizement; but to
those who are better satisfied with the probable than the marvellous it will seem to
prove no such thing; they must well know that if he had so soon any great views,
they must have been very distant and indistinct; they will find here only the first of a
long series of instances, wherein will be seen the quick and clear discernmeni, the
strong and well-poised jiulgment, the promptitude and firmness of decision, which
enabled him to seize and convert to his advantage every opportunity that presented
itself, and even the actions^ thoughts, and inclinations, of other men; and they will
131
Assoone as Sr. John Meldrum came downe to liis charge at
Nottingham the qucene's forces came and faced the towne, where-
upon the cannon discharging upon them, the Duke of Vendosme's
Sonne and some few others were slaine. The parhament horse
drew out of Nottingham to receive the queene's, but they came not
on, after tliis execution of the cannon, for in the meane time the
queene Avas passing by, and although the parhament horse pursued
them, yet would not they engage, for it was not their businesse; so
when they saw they had lost their designe, the horse return'd againe
to Nottingham, where the foote had stay'd all the Avhile they Avere
out. When the Earle of Kinoston declar'd himselfe for the king
he rays'd Avhat forces he could and went into Gainsborough, a towne
in Lincolneshire, scituate upon the river of Trent. There, before
he was fortified, my lord Willoughby, of Parham, surpriz'd the
towne and all his souldiers, Avho disputed it as long as they could,
but being conquer'd, Averc forc'd to yield, and the earle himselfe
retreated into the strongest house, Avhich he kept till it was all on
flame round him, and then giving himselfe up only to my lord
Willoughby, he Avas immcdialely sent prisoner to Hull, and shott
see united to these such a command over his own thoughts and passions as permitted
exactly so much, and no more of them than was convenient, to appear: these qua-
lities, though less astonishing than the prescience and almost the power of creating
events, which is attributed to him, would and did equally well answer the purpose of
his progression ; which he effected in such a manner as to fill with the greatest pro-
priety all the intermediate situations through which he passed, to take as it were a
firm footing at each gradation, and to arrive at the pinnacle of power without having
once xun any considerable risk of an overthrow in his career. Such rational observers,
will likewise see here, what will in the sequel still more strikingly appear, that if he
must be called a traitor, he was not of that paltry treachery which sacrifices a man's
party to self; he was steadily bent on procuring the triumph of his own party over
their opiiouciits, but too covetous of commanding his party himself. It may be thought
there wanted but little, perhaps only the survivance of Ireton, to have made Cromwell
intrinsically as well as splendidly great.
132
according to his owne imprecation. Immediately pari of my lord
Newcastle's armie, with all that Newark could make, besieg'd my
lord Willoughby in Gainsborough, and Generall Essex sent a com-
mand to Sr. John Meldrum to drawe all the horse and foote he could
out of Nottingham, to relieve ray lord, leaving only a garrison in
the casile of Nottingham. Sr. John Meldrum call'd the committee
of Nottingham together, to consult Avhat was to be done for the
settlement of the place, which upon deliberation he had iudg'd not
fitt to leave in the hands it was, nor in Coll. Pierrepont's, who, with
some ' apparence, lay under suspition at that time; and therefore
conceivino- Mr. Hutchinson the most able to manaoe, and the most
responsible for it, both Sr. John and the whole committee order'd
him to take the castle into his charge, which, though there were
many causes why he should decline, yet believing that God hereby
call'd him to the defence of his country, and Avould protect him in
all the dangers and dithculties he led him into, he accepted it, and
the 29 of June, l643, receiv'd an order for that government from
Sr. John Meldrum and the whole committee; whereunto Collonell
Pierrepont subscrib'd, tliough Avith a secret discontent in his heart,
not for any ill opinion or ill affection he had to Mr. Hutchinson's
person, but for that he resented it as a greate affront that himselfe
was past by. It is true that this discontent produc'd some envious
and malitious practises, secretly in him, against Mr. Hutchinson,
who in the end overcame him, with so many good offices, in re-
quitall of his bad ones, that he lived and died full of love, and
acknowledoment of kindnesse to him.
The castle was built upon a rock, and nature had made it ca-
pable of very strong fortification, but the buildings Avere very ruinous
and unhabitable, neither affording roome to lodge souldiers nor
provisions. The castle stands at one end of the toAvne upon such
an eminence as connnands the chiefe streetes of the toAvne. There
had bene enlargements made to this castle after the first building
\
\:
133
of it/ There was a strong tower, which they call'cl the old tower,
built upon the top of" all the rock, and this was that place where
Queene Isabell, the mother of King Edward the Third, was sur-
priz'd with her paramour Mortimer, who by secret windings and
holloAvs in the rock came up into her chamber from the meadows
lying low under it, through which there ranne a litlle rivolelt, call'd
the Line, almost under the castle rock. At the entrance of this
rock there was a spring, Avhich was call'd Mortimer's Well, and the
caverne Mortimer's Hole: the ascent to the top is very high, and
not without some wonder at the top of all the rock there is a
spring of Avater; in the -midway to the top of this tOAver there is
a little piece of the rock, on Avhich a do\'e-coate had bene built,
but the governor tooke doAvne the roofe of it, and made it a plat-
foniie for two or three pieces of ordinance, Avhich commanded some
streetes and all the meadowes better then the higher tOAver; under
that toAver, Avhich Avas the old castle, there Avas a larger castle, Avhere
there had bene severall tOAvers and many noble roomes, but the
most of them Avere downe ; the yard of that Avas pretty large, and
Avithout the gate there Avas a very large yard that had bene Avall'd,
but the Avails Avere all doAvne, only it was scituated upon an ascent
of the rock, and so stood a pretty heighth above the streetes; and
there Avas the ruins of an old paire of gates, Avith turrets on each
side.
Before the castle, the towne Avas on one side of a close, Avhich
commanded the fields approaching the tOAAme; which close the go-
vernor afterAvards made a platforme ; behind it Avas a place call'd
the Park, that belong'd to the castle, but then had neither tleere nor
trees in it, except one, growing under the castle, Avhich was almost
'' Though this description be a good and a just one, it may nevertheless be accept-
able to many readers to see a perspective view of the castle and towrvof Nottingham,
which will enable them to judge of the strength and importance of the latter.
134
a prodigee, for from the root to the top, there was not one streight
twig or branch of it ; some say'd it Avas planted by King Richard
the Third, and resembled him that sett it. On the other side the
castle, was the little river of Line, and beyond that, large flatt mea-
dowes, bounded by the river of Trent. In the whole rock there were
many large caverns, Avhere a greate magazine and many hundred
souldiers might have bene dispos'd, if they had bene cleans'd and
prepar'd for it, and might have bene kept secure from any danger
of hring the magazines by any moiter-pieces shott against the castle.
In one of these places, it is reported, that one David, a Scotch
king, was kept in cruell durance, and with his nayles, had scratcht
on the wall the story of Christ and his twelve apostles. The castle
Avas not flanker'd, and there was no workes about it, when Mr.
Hutchinson undertooke it, but only a little brestworke, before the
outmost gate. It Avas as ill provided, as fortified, there being but
ten barrclls of ponder, eleven hundred and fifty pounds of butter,
and as much cheese, eleven quarter of bread corne, seven beeves,
two hundred and fourteen flitches of bacon, five hundred and sixty
fishes, and fifteen hogsheads of beere. Assoone as the governor
receiv'd his charge, he made proclamation in the towne, that Avhat-
soever honest persons desir'd to secure themselves or their goods in
the castle, should have reception there, if they would repaire their
quarters, Avhich divers Avell aftccted men accepting, it was presently
made capable of receiving 400 men commodiously.
In the beginning of July l643, Sr. John Meldrum, Avith all the
force that quarter'd in Nottingham, marcht forth to the reliefe of
Gainsborough, leaving the tOAvne to be guarded by few more then
the very townsmen. There had bene large workes made about it,
Avhich would have rcquir'd at least three thousand men to man them
and defend them well, and upon these Avorkes there Avere about
fourteen gunns, Avhich the governor, Avhen the forces Avere marching
aAvay, before they Avent, drew up to the castle, Avhereupon the
If* ^
OD
townsmen, especially those that were ill-affected to the parliament,
made a greate mutiny, threat'ning they Avould pull the castle doA\ ne,
but they would have their ordinance againe, upon their workes, and
wishing it on fire and not one stone upon another. Hereupon the
governor sent Alderman Drury, with 14 more, that were heads ot"
this mutiny, prisoners to Derby, Avhither Maior Ireton convoy'd
them with his troope. The reasons which made the governor carry
the ordinance from the towneworkes up into the castle were, 1st.
that, the towne, being so ill affected, the ordinance remaining in it,
would but be an invitation to the enemie, to come to take them
away, and a booty for them if they should. 2dly. He had often
visited the guards, and found them expos'd much by their carelesse-
nesse, Avherefore he thought it his duty to preserve them, by soul-
diers more under his command, odly. Intelligence was brought to
the committee, by a friend, then with the Earle of Newcastle, that
Mr. Francis PieiTcpont kept intelligence with his mother the Coun-
tesse of Kingston, carrying on a designe for betraying of the towne
to the earle, and that letters were carried betweene them by a
woman, who often came to towne to the collonell, and that two
aldermen and a chiefe oflScer, employ 'd about the ordinance, were
confederates in the plott, whereupon a suspected cannoneer was
secur'd, M'ho, assoone as he obtain'd his liberty, ranne away to
Newark. 4thly, When the towne was full of troopes, there had
bene severall attempts to poyson and bctrey them, which if it should
againe be attempted, after the most of the forces were gone, might
prove effectuall. othly, The maine reason was, that if the towne
should be surpriz'd or betrey'd, (which -was then most to be fear'd),
the ordinance would be uselesse ; if any considerable force came
against the towne, it was impossible then to keepe the workes against
them, with so few men, and it would be difficult, at such a time,
to drawe of the artillery; if any force they were able to deale with
X
136
came, it would then be time enough, after the alarum was given, to
draw them to the workes, unlesse they were surpriz'd.
It was not only the towne mallignants, that murmur'd at the
drawing up of the ordinance, but Dr. Plumlre, hearing that the
forces were to march away, Avas raging att it, whereupon being
answer'd, that it was for the more publick interest of the cause, in
greate passion he replied, " What is the cause to me if my goods be
" lost ?" The governor told him, he might jirevent that hazard and
secure them in the castle. He replied, " It pittied him to soyle
" them, and he liad rather the enemie had them, then they should
" be spoyl'd in remooving." While this was boyling upon his
spiritt, he mett the governor, with some other gentlemen, in the
streete, and began to rayle at him for countenancing the godly
townsmen, whom he call'd a company of puritanicall prick-ear'd
rascalls, and say'd, the worst of the mallignants, the governor had
sent out of the towne, were honester men then the best of those he
favour'd, and in spight of his teeth he would have three of the most
eminent of ihem, turn'd out of the castle : the governor telling him,
he would maintaine them as the most faithfull friends to the cause,
Plumlre replied he was as honest to the cause as the governor.
" No," say'd the governor (who was not ignorant of his atheism),
" that you cannot be, for you goe not upon the same principles,"
The doctor told him, it was false, with such uncivill insolence, that
the oovernor struck him, at which he departed quietly home ; and
and after two or three dayes, relir'd with his Avife and children to the
house of Mr. Parkyns of Bunney, who Avas at that time in arms
against the parliament, where he stay'd till ihc parliament forces
were routed, and Nottingham castle sumraon'd and preparing for a
siege, and then he sent a ridiculous challenge to the governor, Avith
all the foolish circumstances imaginable, Avhich the governor, at
that present, only answer'd Avith contempt : the pretence he made.
137
was a distressc, wherein the committee had employ 'd some of the
governor's souldiers, for the leavying of an assessment, which his
brother would not pay, and this distresse he call'd the governor's
affront to his famely. Though these passages may seeme too imper-
tinent here, yet they having bene grounds and beginnings of iniu-
rious prosecutions, whercAvith the governor was after much exercis'd,
it was not altogether unnecessary to insert them, since even these
little things, were linkes in the chaine of providences which measur'd
out his life/
All the horse that had bene rays'd in Nottinghamshire, marcht
away with Sr. John Meldrum, which were Collonell Thornhaugh,
Maior Ireton, Captaine White, and Captaine Farmer's troopes ;
who, together with Captaine Lomax and Captaine Schrimpshire's
foote companies, ioyning with Collonell Cromwell's men, marcht to
Gainsborough, and engag'd those that besieg'd it, and were victo-
rious, killing their generall Sr. Charles Cavendish, with many more
commanders, and some hundreds of souldiers, and this was oppor-
tunely done, while my Lord Newcastle Avas hastning to come over
the Avater and io3'ne with them, avIio, by a bridge of boates, past all
his army over, and came neere Gainsborough, iust in a season to
behold the rout of all his men. The parliament's forces expected he
would have fallen upon them, and drew up in a body and faced
him, but he advanced not, so they contented themselves to relieve
Gainsborough, and made a very honorable retrcatc to Lincolne;
but Gainsborough not being fortified, nor provided; this reliefe did
not much advantage them, tor my Lord NcAvcastle againe besieg'd
it, which was render'd to him, after eight dayes, upon honorable
conditions, for the defendants, though they were not perform 'd by
^ To some readers the recital of these bickerings and intrigues may seem little in-
teresting, to others highly so; certain it is, that whoever refuses to read tlieni, refuses
to acquaint liimself with the temper of those times, which they characterize in the
most peculiar niantier.
138
the besiegers, for all my Lord Willoughbie's men were disarm'd,
contrary to articles/ and with them, some of the Nottingham soul-
diers, that had gone into the towne, to refresh themselves, and so
were shut up with them, when my lord lay'd siege to it ; the rest had
gone to Lincolne. They had behaved themselves very well in the
fight, where Captaine White receiv'd a wound in his hand in the
forlorne hope ; Collonell Thornhagh, who had fought very gallantly,
was taken prisoner, and after he Avas stripp'd of his arms and coate,
a maior of the enemie's, whom the collonell had slightly wounded
in the fervor of the fight, came and basely wounded the collonell,
being disarm'd, so that he left him for dead ; but by the good pro-
vidence of God, that wound which the enemie intended to give him
death, gave him liberty ; for comming to himselfe a little after his
hurt, he crept to one of his owne tenant's houses, and there had his
wounds bound up, and found meanes to gett to Lincolne, from
whence all the forces that went from Nottingham disperst into dif-
ferent services. Maior Ireton quite left Collonell Thornhagh's regi-
ment, and began an inseparable league with Collonell Cromwell,
whose Sonne in law he after was. None of them could returne to
Nottingham, by reason of my Lord Newcastle's army, winch lay
between them and home.
And now it was time for them at Nottingham to expect my
Lord Newcastle, which the governor made provision for, with all
the dilligence, that it was possible, under so many difficulties and
obstacles, which would to any one elce have bene discouragements;
but he had so high a resolution, that nothing conqucr'd it. The
townsmen, through discontent at the drawing out of the forces,
whereby their houses, famelies, and estates, were expos'd, began to
envie, then to hate the castle, as griev'd that aniething should be
preserv'd when all could not; and indeed those who were more con-
f Particularly noticed by Whitelock.
139
cern'd in private interests then in the cause ilselfe, had some reason,
because the neighbourhood of the castle, when it was too weake to
defend them, would endanger them. In this hale and discontent,
all the souldiers being townsmen, except some of the governor's
owne company, they resolv'd they would not goe into the castle, to
behold the mine of their houses ; little considering that when the
governor came first into Nottingham to defend them, at their ear-
nest desire, he left a house and a considerable estate, to the mercy
of the enemie, rather desiring to advance the cause then to secure
his owne stake ; but their meane and halfe-aftected hearts were not
capable of such things. The governor perceiving this defection,
sett some of the most zealous honest men, to find out how many
there were in the towne, who neglecting all private interests would
cheerefully and freely come in and venture all with him, intending,
if he could not have found enough to defend the place, that he
would have sent to other neighbouring garrisons to have borrow'd
some. Upon this inquiry, it was found that many of Collonell Pierre-
pont's owne company Avere desireous to come in, but first wisht to
know their collonell's resolution, how he would dispose of them ;
whereupon a hall was call'd, and the danger of the place declar'd to
the whole towne, that the}^ might liavc time to provide for their
goods and persons before the enemie came upon them. The collo-
nell being present, his companie asked him what he would advise
them to do ; to whom his answer was, " You have but three wayes
" to- choose, either leave the towne and secure yourselves in some
" other parliament garrisons, or list into the castle,^ or stand on the
" workes and have your throates cut." Two or three dayes after
s The particular account which has hcfore been spoken of, has in this place a little
difference of expression, which yet perhaps signifies much. There Col. I'ierrepont
says, " List into the castle with John, for soe in a iesting way he us'd to call Coll.
" Hutchinson," alluding no doubt to his frank and downright mode of speaking and
acting.
140
this he went to his mother's, and carried his children with part of
his goods, and sent his wife to Sr. Gervas Chfton's house. Notwith-
standing this pubhck resolution in the Hall to his companie, he told
them, and many others in private, that he preferr'd the interest of
the towne above that of his life, and would expose his life for the
good of it, and stand on the Avorkes of the towne as long as they
could be defended, and when they could no longer be kept, would
retire to some other parliament garrison. Others he told he scorn d
his colours should serve in the castle ; that if his companie went up
thither, he would gett him a new one, which should follow him
wherever he went, and many more such things in private ; but
openly, both to the governor and others, approv'd and encourag'd
their going into the castle. According to his advice, the townsmen,
as they were divcrsly affected, dispos'd of themselves, the mallig-
nants all lay'd downe their arms and stay'd in the towne, some
honest and well-affected, but not bold enough to stand the hazard,
went to other parliament garrisons and serv'd there ; others secured
themselves, their goods and famclies, in the country; some listed
into the castle ; one Alderman Nix, captaine of two hundred, gave
up his commission, his men all disbanded, except about 40, who
came into the castle and fdl'd up the broken companies there. At
length, out of all the four companies and the whole towne, about
300 men listed into the castle.
The governor had procured 40 barrells of ponder, and two thou-
sand weight of match from London, and had increased the store of
provision, as much as the present poverty of their condition would
permitt him. Then the conmiittce of Nottingham, so many of them
as were remaining in the towne, and all the ministers of the parlia-
inent's party there, came up to the castle, and, with the officers of
the garrison, eate at the governor's, to very greate charge, consi-
dering that he was so farre from receiving pay at that lime, that all
the mony he could procure of his ownc crcdilt, or lake up with
141
others, he was forc'd to dispend, for the several necessities of the
souldiers and garrison ; yett were the souldiers then, and a long time
after, kept together as long as they could live, Avithout any pay,
and after pay'd part in victualls, and the rest run on in arrears."
The townsmen who came into the castle, dispos'd their famclies
into severall villages, in the countr}^ and at length a trumpett was
sent, for a safe conduct, for a gentleman, from my Lord Newcastle,
and having it Maior Cartwright came from him, with a summons
for the delivery of the towne and castle, to which the committee for
the towne, and the governor, for the castle, return'd a civill de-
fiance in wTiting, about the tenth day of August. Cartwright,
having receiv'd it, and being treated with wine by the governor and
the rest of the officers, grew bold in the exercise of an abusive witt
he had, and told both Mr. Hutchinsons, they were sprightly 3'oung
men, but when my lord should come with his armie, he should
find them in other termes, beseeching my lord to spare them, as
misled young men, and suffer them to march awa}'^ with a cudgel),
and " then," say'd he, " shall I stand behind my lord's chaire and
" lausfh." At which the governor being angrie, told him he was
much mistaken, for he scorn'd ever to yield on any terms, to a pa-
pisticall armie led by an atheisticall generall.' Mr. George Hutch-
'■ In all the histories of those times we read so much of the soldiers complaints for
want of pay, and so much of auditing their officers' accounts, as, being no way recon-
cileable to modern practice^ makes one suppose the officers fraudulent, the soldiers
mutinous; but this opinion will be corrected by observing what is here recited. Hence
we shall likewise conceive a high idea of the virtue of those men, who started forth
out of every rank of life to devote themselves to the service of God and their country,
and persevered through such privations and difficulties, and consider their interference
in the settling the con>titution of their country, for which they had fought^ in a far dif-
ferent light from the tumult and mutiny of mercenary soldiers.
i Charles the First, when accused of retaining papists, denied having any in his
army, and tried to have it believed liiat those which the Earl of Newcastle had enlisted
•were unknown to him^ although there is ample proof that it was done by his order:
142
iiison told hiiii, " If my lord would ha\ e tliat poore castle, he must
" wade to it in blood." Which words they say he told his gencrall.
After these summons were receiv'd, the governor drew all his soul-
diers into the castle, and committed the guard of the towne to the
aldermen, who were to sett guards of fifty in a nigiit, according to
their wards. Then callino- tooether his souldiers, he once ag-aine
represented to them their condition, and told them, that being reli-
gious and honest men, he could be assured no extremity would
make them faile, in what they found themselves strong enough to
imdertake, and therefore he should not feare to lett them freely un-
derstand their danger, which yet they had power to shunne, and
therefore whatever miserie might be the issue of their undertaking,
they could not iustly impute it to him, it being their owne election ;
for after this summons they must expect the cnemie, and to be re-
duc'd to the utmost extremity by them, that thought could reach :
it must not moove them to see their houses flaming, and, if need
Avere, themselves firing of them, for the publique advantage, to see
the peices of their famelies, cruelly abus'd and consum'd before
them ; they must resolve upon hard dutie, fierce assaults, poore and
sparing diet, perhaps famine, and want of all comfortable accom-
modations ; nor was there very apparent hope of reliefe at last, but
more then common hazard of loosing their lives, either in defence
of their fort, or with the place ; which, for want of good fortifica-
tions, and through disadvantao;e of a- neiohbourinti' mount and
building, was not, in humane probability, tenable against such an
armie as threatened it: all which, for his owne part, he was resolv'd
on, and if any of them found his courage failing, he only dcsir'd
that nobleman acted in u much more ingenuous manner, and, as is before related in a
quotation from Sir P. NA'arwick's Memoirs, turned the imputation into a jest ; pro-
bably his indifference about the religion of his soldiers caused the epithet of. Atheistical,
to be applied to him, certainly without suflScient reason.
143
tliej would provide for iheir safety, in time, elcewhere, and not pre-
iudice him and the publick interest so highly, as they would doe, to
take upon them the defence of the castle, except they could be con-
tent to lay downe their lives and all their interests in it.'' The soul-
diers were none of them terrified at the dangers which threat'ned
their undertaking; but at the latter end of August, tooke, upon the
solemne fast day, the nationall covenant, and besides it, a parti-
cular, mutuall covenant, betweene them and the governor, to be
faithful! to each other, and to hold out the place to the death,
without entertaining any parlee, or accepting any tei'mes from the
enemie : and this the governor was forc'd to doe, to confirme them,
for he had his exercise, not only by the ungodly and ill-aftected,,
but even the godly themselves, who thought it scarce possible for
any one to continue a gentleman, and firme to a godly interest, and
therefore repay 'd all his vigilancy and labours for them with a very
uniust iealousie.' The governor of Newark was his cousin germane,
to whom he was forc'd, against his nature, to be more uncivill then
to any other that were governors in that place. Whither it were
that the dissention of brethren is allwayes most spitefully persued,
or that Sr. Richard Biron, as 'twas reported, sutfer'd under the same
suspitions on his side, it is true they were to each other the most
uncivill enemies that can be imagined. After this summons, my
Lord Newcastle came not, according to their bravadoes, but di-
verted his armic to Hull, to besiege my Lord Fairfax there ; they of
Newark having gotten him to send this summons, upon confidence,
^ Sola salus victis nullam sperare salutem. Virgil.
Despair of life the means of safety shows. Dryden.
' It passes for a saying of Charles the Second, that the presbyterian might be a
very good religion, but it was not the religion of a gentleman; these good folks seem
to have been of the same mind. The French have taken care not to fall short in imi-
tating this malicious prejudice, but stamped with the hated name of Aristocrat every
person at all elevated above the vulgar, though ever so generous a friend of liberty.
y
144
knowing the condition of the place, that it would have bene yeilded
to a peice of paper. The governor immediately sett upon the forti-
fication of his castle, made a worke behinde it, another to the Line
side, turn'd the Dove Coate into a plalforme, and made a court of
guard in Mortimer's Hole.
At this time Sr. Thomas Hutchinson died at London,"" and gave
all his personall estate, and all that Avas unsettled at IV^r. Hutch-
inson's marriage, to his second wife and her children ; att which his
two sonns had not the least repining thought, but out of tender love,
Avere very nmch aflicted for his loss, and procured a passe from
Newark for Mr. George Hutchinson, to goe to London, to visit his
mother and fetch mournings, Avhich accordingly he did ; and upon
a letter the conmiittee sent up by him, brought downe an order of
parliament to allow a table to the governor and committee, whom
Mr. Hutchinson had till that time entertain'd at his owne cost, with
all the officers of the garrison and the ministers, which were no
small charge to him, Avho had a noble heart, and could not basely
evade the expence, Avhich that place necessarily drcAv upon him,
not only by the constant entertainement of the committee, officers,
and ministers, and all pariiament officers, that came and Avent
through the ganison, but by the relieving of the poore souldiers,
Avho had such short pay, that they Avere, for the most part, thirty
Aveekes and more behind ; and Avhen they marcht out at any time,
the governor Avould not stiffer them to take a cup of drink, unpay'd
foi", in the country, but all way es, Avherever they tooke any refresh-
ment in their marches, pay'd it himselfe. He besides gave them
much from his owne house, especially Avhen any of them Avere sick
or Avounded, and lent monies to those that Averc most necessitous.
All this runnc him into a greate private debt, besides many thou-
"" August 18, 1643, as appeared by liis tombstone, undtr the communion table in
St. Paul's, Covent Garden, London, and that he was 55 when he died. J. H.
A marginal note written by Julius Hutchinson, grand-father of the Editor.
145
sands of pounds, which he engaged himselfc in with other gentle-
men, taken up for the supplie of the garrison and carrying on of
the pubhck service. AlUhough the allowance of his table were
much envied, by those meane fellows, that never knew what the
expence of a table was, and although it was to him some ease, yet
did it not defray the third part of his expence in the service, being
but ten pounds a weeke allow'd by the state, and his expences all
that time, only in the publick service, and not at all in any parti-
cular of his owne famely, being, as it Avas kept upon account,
above fifteen hundred pounds a yeare. Assoone as his father was
dead, and rents became due to him, the enemies, in the middst of
whom his estate lay, fetcht in his tenants and imprison'd them, and
tooke his rents ; his estate was begg'd and promis'd by the king ;
those who liv'd not upon the place, flung up his grounds, and they
lay unoccupied, while the enemy prevail'd in the country. He was
not so cruell as others were to their tenants, who made them pay
over againe, those rents which the enemie forc'd them to redeeme
themselves out of prison with all, but lost the most part of his rents,'
all the while the country was under the adverse power ; he had
some small stock of his OAvne plundered, and his house, by the per-
petuall haunting of the enemie, defac'd and for want of inhabitation
render'd allmost uninhabitable. For these things he had some sub-
scriptions," but never receiv'd any pennie recompense, and his ar-
rears of pay, Avhich he receiv'd after all the warre was done, did
not halfe pay the debts those services contracted. But when he
undcrtooke this enoaoement, it was for the defence of his countrie's
and God's cause, and he ofter'd himselfe and all he had a willino-
sacrifice in the service, and rather prays'd God for what was sav'd,
then repin'd at what was spent, it being above his expectation, that
" By subscriptions is here meant acknowledgments or certificates given by the com-
mittees, which parUament professed to make goodj but many times did not.
146
deliverance which God gave him out of his enemies hands. He
might have made many advantages by the spoyle of his enemies,
which was often brought in, and by other encroachments upon the
country, Avhich aUmost all the governors, on both sides, exacted
everywhere elce, but his heart abhorr'd it: all prize the souldiers
had, and he never shar'd it; all mallignanls goods, the committee
dispos'd of, and it ever griev'd his heart, to see the spoyle of his
neighbours, how iustly soever they deserv'd it; but he chose all
losse, rather then to make up himselfe," by violence and repine.
If in a iudiciall wa}', he were forc'd att any time, in discharge of
his trust, to signe any harsh orders, against any of the gentlemen of
the country, it was with griefe that they should deserve that seve-
rity, but this testimony is a truth of him, that in his whole actings
in this cause, he never prosecuted any private lust, cither of re-
venge, ambition, avarice, or vaine glory, under a publick vizard,
but was most truly publick spirited. Conscience to God, and
truth and righteousnesse, according to the best information he could
gett, engag'd him in that party he tooke ; that which engag'd him,
carried him through all along, though he encount'red with no
less difficulties and contradictions, from those of his owne party,
that were not of the same spiritt he was, then from his enemies.
The death of Sr. Thomas Hutchinson made every way a greate
reverse in the affaires of his eldest sonne, who had before bene
look'd upon as his father's heire, and reverenc'd as much, or rather
more, upon his father's score, then his owne, so that no man durst
attempt to iniurc him, whom they look'd upon under such a power-
full protection. Sr. Thomas and his fathers before him had ever
deserv'd very well of their country, and, as lovers of their country,
their neighbours had an implicite faith in all their dictates and
actions, insomuch that Sr. Thomas Hutchinson's single authority
" Make himself up, make himself whole, reimburse himself.
147
sway'd willi many, more then all Lhe greater names of the country.
But he at his death having devided, all things consider'd, his estate
betweene lhe children of his two wives, though it be true the latter
deserv'd more then they had, yett it is as true the first deserv'd not
to be so nmch lessen'd as they were, and Mr. Hutchinson having
bene knowne to be the most pious and obedient sonne, from his
childhood, that ever any father was blest in, when it came to be
knowne that his father had given away all that was in his power to
give from him, those that had a greate reverence and esteeme for
Sr. Thomas would not believe him so defective in iustice, to doe
this without some secret cause, and therefore it was given out that
he was displeased with his son's engagement, and for that cause
dispos'd away so much of his estate from them, but that was not
soe. Indeed at the time of his death the parliament's interest was
so low that he might well looke upon them as lost persons, and so
what he gave away to the unengaged infant he might Avell looke
upon as all that could be preserv'd. Mr. Hutchinson had only an
allowance from his father, while he lived, which was duely pay'd
him, but assoone as he died all his estate Avas seiz'd by the enemie;
who had so much desire not to iniure publickly a person so popular,
that they disturbed not Sr. Thomas his tenants while he lived, though
he continued with the parliament, and faithfull to their interest,
because he was moderate, and one that applied all his endeavours
to peace, which he did not out of pollicie, but out of conscience to
his country, and a wise foresight of the sad consequences of a con-
quest by either side; for he hath often exprest, that accommodation
was farre more desireable then warr, and he dreaded that the spiritts
of those men would become most insolent after conquest who were
so violently bent to prosecute a warre ; that some of them, whom we
have since knowne to be vile apostates, then profest they abhorr'd
accommodation. This report of Sr. Thomas his dislike of his son's
engagement was rays'd and disperst by those who themselves were
148
ill-affected to it, but however it abated all the respects men had foi'
him, upon any account but his owne. Tliose who had entertain'd
a secret envie of him, now feard not to manifest it, and began to
worke secret mines, to blow him up on all sides; but God was with
him, and disappointed all his enemies, and made his vertues more
illustrious by the oppositions they encountered with, and the re-
moovall of all those props of wealth and power which are necessary
to hold up weaker fabricks.''
P Here is in the original a marginal note in the following words: " The division of
" Sir Thomas Hutchinson's estate." Sir Thomas Hutchinson being mightil}' belov'd in
" the country, and a moderate man, using all his endeavours for peace, his estate was
" never plunder'd in his lifetime; and though it is here falsely insinuated that he ap-
" proved of his son's conduct in taking armes against the king, 'tis most true that he
" was extremely afflicted at it, being altogether for peace, and condemned such rash
"■ councelis as armes on both sides; and the miserys he saw his king and country in-
" volved in were certainly the occasion of his death : and though Sir T. Hutchinson
" sat longer in the house than many honest men, it was only in hopes by his moderate
" councelis to eflect a happy peace between his king and countrj\ All this I have
" heard attested by his lady and relict, my grandmother. Teste J. Hutchinson."
This is that testimony of Lady Katharine Hutchinson which was spoken of in the
preface, and whicli, in attempting to impeach the veracity of the author in a single
point, contributes largely to corroborate it in all. In the very instance before us there
seems much more reason for the opinion of Mrs. Hutchinson than of Lady Katharine:
Sir Thomas Hutchinson had before been imprisoned for his opposition to the court;
was in this parliament on all committees for the reform of religion; sat with the par-
liament after the war was deeply engaged; sent his sons arms, and promoted their
desires to the parliament: it is incredible that he should have any great objection to
the part they took, other than the general one of regretting that arms were taken on
either side. The most probable thing is that this lady, being of the same party and
opinion as her brother and family, and jealous of Sir Thomas Hutchinson's ciiildren
by his former wife, influenced him to their disadvantage in the making of his will,
and set up these reasons to countenance it after his death. The other estates of Sir
Thomas Hutchinson in Notts were fully equal, if not superior, in value to that of Ow-
thorpe. — This being the only instance wherein the truth of the narrative is called in
question, and this certainly invidiously, if not unjustly, we may safely say wc have the
testimony of an adversary in our favour to all the rest.
149
Soone after the death of his father, one Mr. Ayscough, a gen-
tleman of the country, allied to Sr. Richard, since Lord Biron, then
governor of Newark, came to the governor of Nottingham, and told
him that Sr. Richard Biron, out of that tender naturall affection
which he ever had for him, and still preserved, desir'd him now to
consider his wife and children, and the losse of his whole estate,
which was so inevitable, if he persisted in the engagement he was
in, that some had already bene suing to the Earle of Newcastle for
it; but if he would returne to his obedience to the king, he might
not only preserve his estate, but have what reward he pleas'd to
propound for so doing: to which the governor telling him, this was
a thing he ought to scorne, Mr. Ayscough told him that Sr. Richard
had', only out of love and tender compassion to him, given him
this employment, with many protestations how nuich Sr. Richard
desir'd to employ all his interest to save him, if it were possible,
and therefore beg'd of him that if he would still persist in this party,
that he would yet quitt himselfe of this garrison, and goe into my
lord of Essex his arniie, for there, he said, Sr. Richard Avould find
pretence to save his rents for liiin for the present, and his estate
for the future; for, sayd he, he can plead, " you were an incon-
" siderate young man, rashly engaged, and dares assure himselfe to
" beg your pardon; but to keepe a castle against your king is a
" rebellion of so high a nature, that there will be no colour left to
" aske favour for you." The governor told him he should deliver
the same propositions, and receive his answer, before some wit-
nesses; whereupon he carried the gentleman to two of the com-
mittee, before whom he repeated his message, and the governor
bade him returne Sr. Richard answer, " that. except he found his
" owne heart prone to such treachery, he might consider there was,
" if nothing elce, so much of a Biron's blood in him, that he should
" very much scorne to betrey or quilt a trust he had undertaken;
" but the grounds he went on were such, that he very much der
150
" spised such a thought as to sell his faith for base rewards or
" feares, and therefore could not consider the losse of his estate,
" which his Avife was as willing to part with as hiniselfe, in this
" cause, wherein he was resolv'd to persist, in the same place, in
" which it had pleased God to call him ■• to the defence of it."
About this time a woman was taken, whereof the committee had
before bene inform'd, that she carried intelligence betweene Coll.
Pierrepont and his mother, the countesse of Kingston. The woman
was now going through Nottingham, with letters from the old
countesse to her daughter-in-law, the collonell's wife, who was then
at Clifton, Sr. Gervas Clifton's house. In this pacquet there was a
letter drawne, which the countesse adviz'd her daughter to signe,
to be sent to Coll. Stanton, one of the king's collonells, to entreate
back from him some goods of her husband's, which he had plun-
der'd; wherein there were these expressions: " that though her
" husband was unfortunately engag'd in the unhappie rebelhon, she
" hoped ere long he would approve himselfe a loyall subiect to his
" maiesty." The committee having read these letters, seal'd them
up againe, and enclosed them in another to the collonell, then at
Derby, telling him that having intercepted such letters, and not
knowing whether his wife might follow her mother's advice, which
if she should, would proove very dishonorable to him, they had
chosen rather to send the letters to him then to her. The collonell
was vext that they had open'd them, but for the present tooke no
notice of it. All the horse having bene drawne out of Nottingham
to the reliefe of Gainsborough, and the Newarkers, knowing that
1 Notice is taken by Whitelock of several attempts to prevail on Colonel Hutch-
inson to betray his trust, and of his steady adherence to it: there will be seen other
instances more remarkable than this; but here are two things extremely well worth
notice; this elegant and forcible apostrophe to Sir Richard Byron; and the patriotic
and disinterested devotion of Mrs. Hutchinson to the cause, at least a rare example
in her sex. i
151
the garrison was utterly destitute, plunder'd all the country, even
to the walls of Nottingham; upon which some godly men ofFer'd
themselves to bring in their horses,, and forme a troope for the de-
fence of the country, and one Mr. Palmer, a minister, had a com-
mission to be their captaine/ This man had a bold, ready, earnest
way of preaching, and liv'd holily and regularly, as to outward con-
versation, whereby he gott a greate reputation among the o-odly,
and this reputation swell'd his spiritt, whicji was very vaine-glorious,
covetous, contentious, and ambitious: he had insinuated himselfe
so as to make these godly men desire him for their captaine, which
he had more vehement longing after then they, yett would have it
believ'd that it was rather prest upon him, then he prest into it;
and therefore being at that time in the castle with his famely, and
feeding at the governor's table, who gave him roome in his owne
lodgings, and all immaginable respect, he came to the governor
and his wife, telling them that these honest people prest him very
much to be their captaine, and desiring their friendly and christian
advice, whether he should accept or refuse it. They freely told him
that having enter'd into a charge of another kind, they thought it
not fitt to engage in this, and that he might as much advance the
publique service and satisfie the men in marching with them in the
nature of a chaplaine, as in that of a captaine. He that ask'd not
councell, to take any contrary to his first resolve, Avent away con-
fus'd, when he found he was not adviz'd as he would have bene, and
sayd he would endeavour to persuade them to be content; and
after sayd, they would not be otherwise satisfied, and so he was
forct to accept the commission. The governor having only declar'd
his owne iudgment when he Avas askt, as a Christian ought to doe,
according to his conscience, left the captaine to act accordino-
to his owne, and censur'd him not, but entertained him with the
' This, if not unique, is at least a singular trait. ^^
Z
152
same freedom and kindnesse he had done before; but the man,
being guilty ' of the avarice and ambition of his owne heart, never
after that h)okt upon the governor with a cleare eie, but sought to
blow up all factions against him, whenever he found oppertunity,
and in the meane time dissembled it as well as he could. x\nd now
before his troope was well rays'd, Coll. Thornhagh being recover'd,
brought back his troope from Lincolne, and both the troopes quar-
ter'd in the towne, which being a baite to invite the enemie, the
governor gave charge to all that bclong'd to the castle, being about
three hundred men, that they should not upon any pretence what-
ever be out of their quarters; but they having, many of them, wives
and better accommodations in the towne, by stealth disobeyed his
commands, and seldom left any more in the castle then what were
upon the guard.
The townsmen were every night sett upon the guard of the
towne, according to the Avai'ds of the aldermen, but the most of
them being disaifected, the governor, fearing treachery, had-deter-
min'd to cjuarter the horse in those lanes which were next to the
castle, and to block up the lanes for the better securing them.
Just the night before these lanes should have bene blockt up, Al-
derman Toplady, a greate mallignant, having the watch, the enemie
was, by treachery, lett into the towne, and no alarum given to the
castle; though there were two musketts at the gate where they
entered, both of them were surrender'd, without one shott to give
notice, and all the horse, and about two parts of the castle souldiers,
betrey'd, surpriz'd, and seiz'd on in their beds, but there were not
above fourscore of the castle foote taken; the rest hid themselves,
and privately stole away, some into the country, some by night
came up to the castle and gott in, in disguizes, by the river side;
but the cavaliers were possesst of the towne, and no notice at all
' Guilty ; Latin, sibi conscius, conscious of.
153
given to the caslle. When, at the healing of reveille, some of tlie
souldiers, that had bene on the walch all night, Avere going downe
into the towne to refresh themselves, they were no sooner out of the
castle gates but some of the enemie's musketeers discharg'd upon
them, and they hasting back, gott in with such care tliat the enemy
Avas })revented of their designe of falling in with them. They
brought a strong alarum into the castle, where the governor coming
forth, was exceedingly vext to find that his men were, so many of
them, contrary to his command, wanting in their quarters; but it
was no time to be angrie, but to applie himselfe to doe what was
possible to preserve the place; wherefore he immediately dispatcht
messengers, by a private sally-port, to Leicester and Derby, to
desire their assistance, either to come and helpe beate the enemie
out of the towne, or to lend him some foote to helpe keepe the
castle, in which there was but fourscore men, and never a lieftenant
nor any head officer but his brother, nor so much as a surgeon
among them. Assoone as the governor had dispatcht his messengers
he went up to the towers, and from thence play'd his ordinance
into the towne, which seldome fail'd of execution upon the enemie;
but there was an old church, call'd St. Nicholas Church, whose
steeple so commanded the platforme that the men could not play
the ordinance without woolpacks before them. From this church
the bullets play'd so thick into the outward castle yard, that they
could not passe from one gate to the other, nor relieve the guards,
but with very greate hazard ; and one weake old man was shot the
first day, who, for want of a surgeon, bled to death before they could
carry him up to the governor's wife, who at that time supplied that
want as well as she could ; but at night the governor and his men
dug a trench betweene the two gates, through which they afterwai'ds
better secur'd their passage. In the meanc time the cavalliers that
came from Newark, being about six hundred, fell to ransack and
plunder all the honest men's houses in the towne, and the cavalliers
154
of the towne, who had call'd them in, helpt them in this wovke.
Their prisoners they at first put into the sheep pens in the market
place,' Avhere an honest townsman seeing four or five commanders
goe into his owne house, procur'd a cunning boy that came by him,
while the enemie regarded more their plunder then the prisoners,
to runne privately up to the castle and give them notice, who sent
a cannon bullett presently into the house. The cavaliers call'd in
all the country assoone as they were in the towne, and made a fort
at the Trent bridges, and thither they carried downe all their con-
siderable plunder and prisoners. The next day after Sr. Richard
Biron had surpriz'd the towne, Mr. Hastings, since made lord of
Loughborough, then governor of Ashby de la Zouch, came with a
body of about four hundred men, but being displeased that the
plunder was begun before he came, he returned againe and left
the Newark gentlemen to themselves, who, as they made a fort at
the bridges, threw downe the half moones and bulvvarkes that had
bene rays'd about the towne. They stayd five dayes, but very un-
quietly, for the cannon and muskets from the castle fail'd not of
execution dayly upon many of them, and they durst not in all that
time goe to bed. The third day Maior Cartwright sent a letter, de-
siring the governor or his brother to come and meete him in St.
Nicholas Church, and promis'd them safe passage and returne; but
the governor read the letter to his souldiers, and commanded a red
flag to be sett upon the tower, to bid them defiance, and shott three
pieces of cannon at the steeple, in answer to his desired parlee.
Five dayes the enemie stay'd in the towne, and all that time the
governor and his souldiers, none of them were off from the guard,
but if they slept, which they never did in the night, it was by them
that watcht. At length on Saturday, September the twenty-third,
' It appears by Deering's account of Nottingliain that these once occupied a con-
sklerable portion of the market place.
155
in the afternoone, the governor saw a greate many goods and per-
sons going over the Line bridge, and not knowing what it meant,
sent some cannon bullets after them, when on the other side of the
towne he discern'd a body of men, whom he knew not at first, whe-
ther friends or foes, but having at that time about eightscore men
in the castle, for in that five dayes space fourscore were come in
by stealth, he caus'd them all to be drawne out in the castle yard,
and perceiving that those he last saw were friends, he sent out his
brother, Maior Hutchinson, with all the musketeers that could be
spared, to helpe drive the enemie out of the towne. They having
effected what they came for, in fortifying the bridges, had nothing
more to doe but to gett safe of, which they endeavour'd with more
hast and disorder then became good and stout souldiers. When
Maior Hutchinson came into the towne with his men, they greedie
of knowing what was become of their Avives and houses, dropt so
fast from behind him, to make the enquirie, that they had left him
only in the head of sixteene men, when Sr. Richard Biron, with
Captaine Hacker, follow'd by a whole troope of horse and a foote
company, came upon him. The maior commanded his men to
charge them, Avhich they did, but shott over, yet falling in with
them pell mell, they had gotten Sr. Richard Biron downe, and they
had his hatt, but he escaped, though his horse was so wounded
that it fell dead in the next streete.
These men that came to the governor's reliefe were Captaine
White with his troope, who quarter'd at Leicester, in his returne
from Lincolneshirc, from whence he was coming back to Notting-
ham, land at Leicester mett the messenger the governor had sent
for assistance, which he prosecuted so, that from the two garrisons
of Leicester and Derby, Avith his owne troope, he brought about
four hundred men. Assoone as they were come into the tOAvne
Sr.'John Cell's men, seeing the cavaliers had a mind to be gone,
interrupted them not, but being as dextrous at plunder as fight.
156
they presently went toTopladie's house, who had betre_y'd the towne,
and plunder'd it and some others, while the governor's soiildicrs were
busie in clearing the towne of the eneniie. When they had done
this, the governor did what he could to restreine the plunder; but
the truth is, Gell's men were nimble youths at that worke, yett there
was not very much mischief done by them. Topladie's house fared
the worst, but his neighbours saved much of his goods; he him-
selfe, with severall otlier townsmen and countriemen, who had bene
very active against the well-aftected, at this time were brought up
prisoners to the castle. There were not above five-and-twenty of
the Newark souldiers taken; how many were slaine at their going ot"
and during the time of their stay we could not ceiteinely tell, be-
cause they had meanes of carrying them of by the bridge, where
they left Captaine Hacker governor " of their new fort with fourscore
men. Their prisoners and plunder they sent away in boates to
Newark; many of the townsmen went with them, carrying away not
only their owne, but their neighbours' goods, and much more had
bene carried away, but that the unexpected sally of the castle pre-
vented them. Dr. Plumptre, one of the committee of Nottingham,
whom they found prisoner at the marshall's house in the towne, and
releas'd, Avent out of towne with them. This man, when he had
provok'd the governor to strike him, upon his mallitious and uncivil!
raylings against him for the respect he shew'd to the godly men of
the towne, had retir'd to the house of a mallignant gentleman, in
arms against the parliament, had receiv'd a protection from the
governor of Newark, and had divers meetings M'ith the Newark
" The brother of Colonel Hacker, who was tried, condemned, and executed, for
attending the execution of Charles the First. This brother, who served the king
during the whole war with great zeal, could not obtain the pardon of his brother, nor
prevent the confiscation of his family estate, which was granted to the Duke of York,
the king's brother, from whom he was obliged to ransom it at a high rate: it lay at
Colston Basset, joining to Owthorpe.
157
officers, 3'et after all this had the impudence to come into the towne
of Nottingham ; and in all the taverns and alehouses he came into,
lo belch out abominable scoftes and taunts against the governor
and the committee men, before Coll. Thornhagh's face, Avho com-
manded him out of the room for it; and upon information of these
things to the governor and the committee, he was sent for by some
musketeers, and the enemie's protection for himselfe and his o-oods
found about him, for which he was committed prisoner, but there
being no good accommodation for him in the castle, the governor^
in more civility then he deserv'd, suffer'd him to be in the towne,
whence he went with them, and after retir'd to Derby. At the same
time, the cavaliers having taken some prisoners upon the parlia-
ment's score who liv'd quietly in the country, the committee had
fietcht in some gentlemen's sonns of their party, who were left at
their fathers' houses, whereof one was remaining at the marshall's
house when the cavahers came into the towne, whom the governor
sufter'd to be there upon his paroUe, there being no good accommo-
dation for him in the castle. Him the cavaliers would have had to
have gone away with them, but he would not; which handsome
behaviour so tooke the governor, that he freely gave him his liberty
without exchange."
Assoone as the enemie was driven out of the towne the go-
vernor brought downe two pieces of ordinance to the mai'kett place,
and entreated the souldiers that were come from Leicester and
Derby to march with him immediately, to assaidt them in their fort
at the bridges, before they had time to put themselves in order, and
recollect their confused soules, after their chase; but the maior of
Derby, an old dull-headed Dutchman, sayd ten thousand men
" This story resembles some of those recited in the early and virtuous times of the
Roman republic. Such anecdotes serve to relieve the mind, fatigued with reading of
U>e crimes and follies of mankind.
158
could not doe it, and would by no means be entreated to goe on, nor
to stay one day longer, but to stand by, while the governor made the
attempt, with his owne men. He, when he saw he could not pre-
vaile, thought it not convenient, at that time, to urge his men, be-
yond their power, aiter ihey had had a Aveeke of such sore labour,
and so, much discontented that he could not effect his desire, he
drew back his ordinance into the castle. Here his weomen, while
the men were all otherwise employ 'd, had provided him as large a
supper as the time and present condition would permit, at which he
entertain'd all the strangers, and his owne officers and gentlemen.
There was a large roome, which was the chapell, in the castle :
this they had fill'd full of prisoners, besides a very bad prison,
which was no better then a dungeon, call'd the Lion's Den ; and
the new Captaine Palmer, and another minister, having nothing
elce to doe, walk'd up and downe the castle yard, insulting and
beating the poore prisoners as they were brought up. In the en-
counter, one of the Derby captaines was slaine, and five of our
men hurt, who for want of another surgeon, were brought to the
governor's wife, and she having some excellent balsoms and plaisters
in her closett, with the assistance of a gentleman that had some
skill, drest all their wounds, whereof some were dangerous, being
all shotts, with such good successe, that they were all well cured in
convenient time.'' After our hurt men Avere drest, as she stood at
her chamber doore, seeing three of the prisoners sorely cutt, and
carried downe bleeding into the Lion's Den, she desir'd the marshall
> The reader will remember that thd mother of Mrs. Hutchinson had patronized
and assisted Sir Walter Raleigh, when prisoner in the Tower,, in his chymical experi-
ments, and had acquired a little knowledge of medicine ; whether her daughter had
obtained instructions from her mother, or the mother herself was here (for she passed
the latter part of her life with her daughter, and died in her house at Ovvthorpe), is un-
certain. — Mrs. Hutchinson was certainly an extraordinary woman, and this is not one
of the least singular, nor least amiable instances of it.
159
to bring thein in to her, and bound up and drest their wounds alsoe:
which while she was doing, Caplaine Palmer came in and told her
his soule abhorred to see this favour to the enemies of God ; she re-
plied, she had done nothing but what she thought was her duty, in
humanity to them, as fellow-creatures, not as enemies : but he was
very ill satisfied with her, and with the governor presently after,
when he came into a large roome where a very greate supper was
prepared, and more roome and meate then guests, to fill up which,
the governor had sent for one Mr. Mason, one of the prisoners, a
man of good fashion, who had married a relation of his, and was
brought up more in fury, then for any proofe of guilt in him, and I
know not Avhither two or three others, the governor had call'd to
meale with them ; for which Captaine Palmer bellow'd lowdly
against him, as a favourer of mallignants and cavaliers.^ Who
could have thought this godly, zealous man, who could scarce eate
his supper, for griefe to see the enemies of God thus favour'd,
should have after enter 'd into a conspiracy, against the governor,
with those very same persons, who noAV so much provok'd his
zeale ? But the governor tooke no notice of it, thoug-h he sett the
very souldiers a muttering against him and his wife, for these poore
humanities.
The next day the neighbour forces return'd home. Coll. Thorn-
hagh having lost the most of his troope, went to London to gett an-
other. Captaine White stay'd at Nottingham with his, Avhere intel-
ligence being given, that the cavaliers intended to possesse them-
selves of Broxtowe and Woollerton, two gentlemen's houses Avithin
two miles apiece of Nottingham, Captaine Palmer was sent, with
the remainder of his men to keepe Broxtowe house, and the gover-
nor's captaine lieftenant, with his company, to Woollerton, The
governor, at Nottingham, broke up the Line Bridge to prevent the
' Behold a presbyterian and a sectary, a Levite and a Samaritan!
a A
160
cavaliers comming suddenly that way into the towne; then he
blockt up the lanes next the castle, and cut up all the hedges, that
Avere dangerous to make approaches to the castle, and having the
experience of the niischiefe of it, pull'd downe St. Nicholas' church
by the advice of the committee/
Presently after the cavaliers were gone out of towne, some
naughty people, sett on by them, fir'd the towne, but it Avas
quenched Avithout burning above two or three houses, yett for a
fortnight together it was perpetually attempted, fire being lay'd to
hay-barnes and other combustible places, insomuch that the weo-
men were forc'd to walke by fiftie in a night to prevent the " burning,
Avhich the committee perceiving to be attempted by the instigation
of the Newark gentlemen, they Avritt them Avorde, that if they for-
bade not their instruments, if so much as one house Avere fired, they
would fire all the cavaliers houses neare them. The oentlemen re-
turn'd them a scornefull letter, full of taunts and disdaine, but after
that no more houses Avere attempted with fire.
The Derby souldicrs, Avhen they return'd home, being askt why
they left the cavaliers at the bridges unassaulted, made answer,
they Avould have beaten them out, but the governor Avould not lend
* It is said, in Deering's History of Nottingbam, that this church was pulled down
by Col. Hutchinson, and the bells carried to Outhorpe ; which last was at that time
impossible, the enemy being in possession of the Vale of Belvoir and the ways to it.
In Throsby's edition of Thoroton, he remavks that neither Deering nor Thoroton were
properly acquainted with the circumstances of that affair, and mentions, that in dig-
ing near the foundation of the present tower, (for the church has been rebuilt), a bell
was found evidently broken to pieces at the demolition of the church ; probably by the
cannon shot which was sent in answer to Major Cartwright's message. The situation
of this church was both very near to the castle, and on a parallel height.
•^ This is a curious fact: though not said by our historian, it is very probable it
might be her suggestion to make this profitable use of the propensity of her sex to take
alarm ; as she was a great reader of the classics, she probably remembered that a similar
wafrlifulness of the geese saved the Roman capitol.
161
tliem a piece of ordinance, out of his castle ; which false report^
when the governor heard, peek'd him heartly, being so notorious a
lie; for he drew downe two pieces of ordinance, and could not en-
Ireate them but to stand by, while he attempted it, with his owne
men, but their Maior Molanus, being an old souldier, discourag'd
our souldiers, and told them, it was a vaine and impossible attempt.
For this cause, the governor rcsolv'd he would sett upon it alone,
whenever it was seasonable, and watching an opportunity, he soone
tooke it, at a time, when intelligence was brought him, that all the
forces Newark could send forth, were gone upon a designe into
Lincolneshire. Then, on the Lord's Day, under colour of hearing
a sermon at the greate church in the towne, he went thither, and
after sermon, from the steeple, tooke a view of the fort at the
bridges, no one perceiving his designe, but his engineer, who was
with him, and tooke a full survey of Hacker's workes. Then, after
supper, he call'd the committee together, and communicated his in-
tentions to them, which they approv'd of. So all that night he
spent in preparations against the next morning ; he sent away orders
to the horse and foote that lay at Broxtowe to come to him in the
morning by eight of the clock, with all the pioneers they could
gather up in the country; he sent into the towne, and caused all
the pioneers there to be brought up, under pretence of making a
brestwork before the castle gates, and pretending to sett them upon
the platformes, caused all the cannon basketts to be fill'd, which he
intended for rolling trenches. All things, betimes in the morning,
being gotten into perfect readinesse, and so discreetly order'd, that
the enemie had no notice from any of their friends in towne, nor
knew aniething of the designe, till it was readie, the governor,
about eleven of the clock, on Munday morning, marcht out, al-
though the weather at that time, being very tempestuous and rayny,
seem'd to have combin'd with his enemies and withstood the at-
tempt; but the souldiers were rather animated then discourag'd.
162
ihinking that difficulties, after they were vanquisht, would encrease
their glory. So when the ugly stonne had, three or foure howers,
wasted ilselfe in its fury on them, it fell at their feete, and no more
envious clowds obscur'd the chearfull face of heaven, so long as
they continued in the field. The governor's owne company marcht
through the meadowes and gave the alarum to the enemies foote,
while Mr. George Hutchinson's company went through the lanes,
to gaine a nooke, which was very advantageous for the approaches
of our men, and which they easily possest themselves of, and then
advancing, planted their colours within musket sholt of the fort.
Although they planted so many colours, the governor had but eight
score foote, and a hundred horse, in all that Avent with him, out of
the castle, but he sett the pioneers fairely among them to make the
better shew.
When the colours were thus planted, the pioneers were sett to
. worke to cast up a brestworke, and being left in a safe posture with
the inferior officers, the governor and his brother went up to the
castle, to order the drawing downe of the ordinance: meanwhile
the cavaliers sallied out of their fort to gaine the colours, at whose
approach, all the pioneers ranne away from their workes, but the
souldiers kept their ground and their colours, and beate back the
enemie, into their owne fort, killing some of them, whereof two
were left dead before our men, Avhom they thought it not safe to
carry of. Our horse meeting the flying pioneers, brought them
back againe to their workes, which they continued all that day, and
the cavaliers attempted no more sallies. At evening the ordinance
were brought downe and planted within muskctt-shott of the fort,
and then the governor dispatcht a messenger to Derby to tell Sr.
John Gell, if he pleased to send any of his men, they might come
and see the fort taken. Accordingly on Tuesday the Dutch Maior
came, with about six score foote and dragoones. Hard by the fort,
at the bridges, at that side our men approacht, there Avere two
163
houses full of coales, into which, if the cavaliers had put any men,
they might have done much mischiefc, to the assailants, wherefore
the governor sent two or three souldiers, who very boldly went all-
most under their workes and fired them both, by the light of Avhich,
burning all night, the governor's men wrought all that night, in their
trenches, and cutt a trench in the meadowes, some of them calling
to the cavaliers in the fort, and keeping them in abusive replies,
one upon another, while the pioneers carried on their workes; the
governor and his brother, and all the other officers, continuing all
night in the trenches with them, they behav'd themselves so cheare-
full3% that the governor gave them the next morning twenty pounds,
and they had very good drinke and provisions brought them out of
the garrison, which much encourag'd them, but the governor's pre-
sence and alacrity among them much more. When Derby men
came on Tuesday, the Dutch maior came downe to the trenches,
and told the governor that he wonder'd he would attempt the fort,
for it was impregnable, and therefore much dissAvaded him from
going on, and say'd he and his men would retvune. The governor
told him he and the souldiers with him were resolv'd to leave their
hves rather then their attempt, and if they fail'd for want of second-
ing, by that force which was sent with him to their assistance, let
the blame lie on him. When the Derby officers saw him so resolute
to persist, they, after much disswasion and dispute, determin'd to
stay, and the officers went up with the governor to supper in the
castle ; the souldiers to quarters provided for ihem in the towne :
but after supper, the governor went downe againe, and stay'd all
night in the 'trenches Avilh his men, and left them not as long as
they stay'd there, but only to fetch downe Avhat was necessary for
them. He, his brother, and all the officers, were every night with
them, and made them continue their custome of rayling at each
other in the darke, while they carried on their approaches. There
was in the Trent, a little piece of ground which, by danmiing up
1()4
the water, the cavahers had made an island ; while some of the
souldiers held them in taike, others on Wednesday night ciUt the
since, and by breake of day on Thursday morning had pitclit two
colours in the island, within carabine shott of the fort, and the go-
vernor's companie had as much advanc'd their approach on the
other side. When they in the fort saw, in the morning, how the
assailants had ad vane t, Avhile they were kept secure in talke all the
night, they were extreamely madde, and swore like devills, which
made the governor and his men greate sport: and then it was be-
liev'd they in the fort began to thinke of flight ; Avhich the besiegers
not expecting, still continued their approaches, and that day got
forty yards nearer in the island and on the other side. Although
Sr. John Gell's men came but on Tuesday, on Thursday the second
messenger came from him, to call them back. The governor en-
treated them to stay that night and kcepe the trenches, while his
men refresht themselves : which they did, but his men would not
goe out of their trenches, but slept there to fitt themselves for the
assault which the governor had resolv'd in the morning, and for that
purpose, after he had left them with all things provided in their
trenches, he went to the castle to see the fire-balls and other neces-
saries for the assault brought downe, and at three in the morning
came with them, when the souldiers told him the cavaliers in the
fort had for two hours left of shooting. He sent some souldiers then
lo the worke sides to discover what this meant ; but they, perceiving
the place empty, went in and found that all the garrison was stollen
away, and had left behind them four score sheep, a hundred loads
of coales, twenty quarter of oates, much hay, a greate deale of
plunder'd lead, and a fort so strong, that if they had had such
courage as became men of their profession, they Avould never have
quitt it. They left all their workes standing, and only broke up
two al'ches of the Trent bridges, to hinder the governor's men from
following them. Their flight was by that meanes secur'd, the river
165
being so out that the horse could not ford over. Mr. George Hutch-
inson and his company were appoynted to possesse and keepe the
fort at the bridges, which he did, and the next weeke the gamson
kept a day of solemne thanksgiving to God, for this successe and the
mercy in it, whereby all their men were preserv'd, notwithstanding
their very bold adventures, so that not one of them Avas slaine, and
but four of them wounded, whereof three were so slightly hurt, that
they return'd againe next day into the field. To encrease their
thankes to God, newes Avas brought them that the same Aveeke the
forces that Avent out from NcAvark ioyn'd Avith Henderson's had re-
ceiv'd a greate overthrow by CroniAvell, and my Lord NcAvcastle
had bene forc'd to rayse his siege of Hull Avith greate losse and dis-
honor. Some time after the bridge Avas recover'd, the horse Avent
forth and brought in some oxen of Mr. John Wood's, a iustice of
the country, disaffected to the parliament, but not in action against
them. He, folloAving his oxen, came to the governor, and, after he
had dispatcht his businesse, told him hoAv Mr. Sutton Avould have
once employ 'd him on a message, to offer the governor any termes he
would aske the king, to come over to his side and deliver up the
castle to his use. Mr. Wood told him, such a message might not
obteine creditt, unlesse he had some propositions in Avriting, Avhere-
upon he call'd for pen and inke, and Avritt that he should offer the
governor, if he would resigne his castle, not only to be receiv'd into
favour, but to have what rcAvard of honor, mony, or command,
himselfe Avould propound ; Avhich paper Avhen Mr. Wood had re-
ceiv'd, Sr. Richard Biron came in, and Mr. Sutton told him the
businesse, to Avhich Sr. Richard answer'd, he believ'd it Avould not
take effect, for he himselfe had made the like offers to him, and
bene reiecled : ' Avhich Mr. Wood hearing, Avould not undertake the
"= This is the second instance of attempting Col, Hntchinso'ii's fidelit}-, but the most
remarkable one will be found in the sequel.
166
employment, but the governor made him declare the story to two of
the gentlemen of the committee.
The governor not growing secure by successes, was but stirr'd up
to more active preparations for the defence of the place he had un-
dertaken, and having a very ingenuous person, Mr. Hooper, who
was his engineer, and one that understood all kind of operations, in
allmost all things imaginable, they procur'd some saltpeter-men and
other necessary labourers, and sett up the making of ponder and
match in the castle, both which they made very good ; they alsoe
cast mortar pieces in the towne, and finisht many other inventions
for the defence of the place. The governor also caus'd a mount
neere the castle to be bulwark'd, and made a platforme for
ordinance, and rays'd a new worke before the castle gates, to
keepe of approaches, and made a new in-worke in the fort at the
bridges.
Sr. Thomas Fairfax, being overmaster'd in the North, by the
Earle of Newcastle's greate armie, after his father Avas retir'd into
Hull, came with those horse, that were left him, into the Vale of
Belvoir, and so visited Nottingham castle, where he and the com-
manders that were with him, considering of what advantage it was
to the parliament to keepe that place, by reason of the commodious
situation of it, and the passe which might be there maintain'd, be-
tween the north and south, and the happie retreate it might afford
to their northern forces, he very much presst the governor and the
committee to raise all the force they could, offering arms and com-
missions for them : especially he prest the governor to compleate a
regiment for himselfe, which at that time he would not accept, be-
cause Collonell Pierrepont had not yett declar'd what he would doe
with his regiment. The Collonell was then at Derby, whither some
of his officers going to him, to know what they should doe, he dis-
misst them ; yett comming to town, he gave out strange envious
whispers, and behav'd himselfe so disingenuously to the governor.
167
that he had iust cause lo have no more regard for him, and being
againe importun'd by Sr. Tiionias Fairfax, he receiv'd a commission
to rayse a regiment of twelve hundred. He presently recruited his
owne companies, and began to rayse more : Mr. George Hutchinson
was his lieftenant collonell, and one Mr. Widmerpoole his maior ;
there was a companie rays'd by one Captaine Wright; there remain'd
a broken piece of Coll. Pierrepont's company, and Captaine Poul-
ton, who had bene their captaine lieftenant, being dismist by the
collonell, had a new commission under the governor for a compan^^;
when those souldiers of Coll. Pierrepont's not knowing what to doe,
it was determin'd at a councell of warre of strangers, whereof Sr.
William Fairfax was president, that they should list under Capt.
Poulton. Sr. William and Sr. Thomas Fairfax, both of them, when
the governor made scruple of passing by Coll. Pierrepont, assured
him that they had intelligence given them in the nortii of his intents,
to deliver Nottingham to the king.
About this time Chadwick, the deputy recorder of Nottingham,
and one of the committee, came to Nottingham, from whence he
went away, when the souldiers were all drawne out, and all that
were fearfull went to other places to secure themselves. This fellow,
being sent of a message to the Lord Fairfax, generall of the north,
had receiv'd letters of credence from the committee ; but insteed of
prosecuting their businesse, which was to have procur'd some force
from my lord to helpe keepe the place, when my Lord Newcastle was
dayly expected to come against it, he procur'd himselfe a commis-
sion for a regiment, and a ioynt commission for himselfe and Coll.
Pierrepont to be governors of the towne and caslle. The last he
kept very private ; the first he bragg'd of as a thing, which, my lord
considering his greate abillities, would needs enforce upon him. In
execution of this, he rays'd seven men, Avhich were his meniall ser-
vants, went into Staffordshire, possest a papist's fine house, and
fired it to runne away by the light, when the enemie was thirty
'2 B
168
miles of from it, and cheated the country of" pay for I know not how
many hundred men: for which, if lie had not stollen away in the
night, he had bene stoned ; and as his wife past through the townes,
she was in danger of her life, the weomen Hinging scalding water
after her. But before this, he came to Nottingham at the time the
governor rays'd his regiment, and coming up to the castle behaving
himselfe somewhat insolently, and casting out misterious words of
his authority; the governor sett on a person to find out his meaning,
to whom he shew'd a commission he had privately obtain'd some
foure months before, for himselfe and Coll. Pierrepont to be ioynt
governors of the county, towne, and castle; but neither noAV did he
declare this to any of the committee, but only made some private
braggs in the towne, that he would shortly come -and take order for
the safety of the place, and so went out of towne againe. The go-
vernor acquainted the committee Avith this, who seem'd to have
greate indignation at it, and writt immediately to Mr. Millington,
burgesse of the towne of Nottingham, to have the government of
the castle confirm'd on Coll. Hutchinson by authority of parliament.
Mr. Salisbury, their secretary, had alsoe put in the government of
the towne, but Coll. Hutchinson caus'd him to put it out, and the
governor, being inform'd that Coll. Pierrepont, at London, was la-
bouring to obteine a regiment, and to be sent downe as governor of
the towne, for the more speedy dispatch, sent his owne chaplaine
with the committee's letters to London, and sent other letters of his
owne to Sr. Thomas Fairfax, to acquaint him how Cliadwick had
abus'd my lord, his father, in the surreptitious procurement of this
dormant commission, which, during all the time of danger, had
layne asleepe in his pockett, and now was mention'd, as a thing,
Avhereby he might, when he would, take that place out of Coll.
Hutchinson's hands, which he had with so many labours and dan-
gers preserv'd, by God's blessing, for the parliament's service ; he
therefore desir'd a commission for the castle only.
169
Assoone as Mr. Allsop came to London, he was immediately
dispatcht againe to Nottingham, with an order of parUament, dated
November 20, l643, for Coll. Hutchinson to be governor both of
the towne and castle of Nottingham, with an acknowledgement of
the good service he had done, in preserving the place, and Mr. Mil-
lington sayd he should likewise have a commission from the Earle
of Essex. At Leicester, Mr. Allsop mett letters, directed to the
governor, from Sr, Thomas Fairfax, wherein was a commission en-
closed from his father, then generall of all the north, for the govern-
ment of both the towne and castle. These commina; both together,
although the generall and the parliament had added the government
of the towne to that of the castle, as more honour to him, Collonell
Hutchinson was for many reasons much troubled at it, amono'
which these were some of his considerations. — First, it was allmost
all malignants, there being scarce a man left that was to be confided
in, except those who were allready listed into the castle. Secondly,
they were not so much open profess'd enemies, as close, hipocriticall,
false-hearted people, amongst whom were some leading eminent
men, so subtile in their malignity, that though their actions were
most preiudiciall to the publick service, yet did they cast such
cunning specious pretences over them of publick good, that even
the most upright men of the garrison were often seduc'd by their
faire colours. Thirdly, the religiousest and best people were so
pragmaticall, that no act, nor scarcely Avord, could passe without
being strictly arraign'd and iudg'd at the barre of every common
souldier's discretion, and thereafter censur'd and exclaim'd at.
Fourthly, the townsmen, being such as had liv'd free and plentifidly
of themselves, could not subiect themselves to government, but
were so sawcy, so negligent, and so mutinous, that the most honor-
able person in the world, could expect nothing but scandall, re-
proach, and ingratitude, for the payment of his greatest meritt; and
this the worthy governor found sufficiently from them. Lastly, the
170
few good men, were so easily blowne up into causelesse suspicions
and iealousies, and diere were so many malignant whispers, dayly
spread abroad, of every one in office, that it was impossible for any
man, so worthily to demeane himselfe, but that a iealous miscon-
struction, of some inconsiderable trifle, was enough to blast the
esteeme of all his actions, though never so pious and deserving, and
of all things in the world, nothing was so contrary to the governor's
cleare and generous heart, as a base and causelesse iealousie of
him/ But notwithstanding these and many other reasons, such as
the unprofitable expence of his time, estate, and labours, where he
should reape neither glory nor advantage to himselfe, he consider'd,
that since he had rather declin'd then sought the enlargement of his
power and command, and that the parliament and generalls had, at
such a distance, bene moov'd, to put it unsought for, upon him, it
was a worke which God call'd him to, and that the Lord, who sett
him into the employment, would conquer all the difficulties. For
the uniust thoughts or reports of men or their ungratefull returns, he
was as much above the griefe of that, as the vaineglorie of mutable
popular applause. It was in all things his endeavour to do and de-
serve well, and then he never regarded the prayse or disprayse of
men, for he knew that it Avas impossible to keepe on a constant
careere of vertue and iustice, and to please all. It suffic'd him, for
his inward peace, that he did not thrust himselfe into this and other
employments, for any popular, ambitious, or advantageous interest
of his owne, but that he was call'd of God, to the carrying on of the
interest of truth, righteousnesse, and holinesse, and to the defence
of his country, wherein he was faithfull, and found the Lord's pro-
tection and glorious presence, not only in all he did, but in all he
suffer'd for him and from him.
* In effect it will be seen that this gave him more uneasiness than his enemies in
the plenitude of [jower were ever able to do.
171
Assoone as the governor had receiv'd his commission, he thought
it his duty to put it in execution, and to arme and fortefie the
towne ; but my Lortl Newcastle comming with all his forces into
Nottingham and Derbyshire, the governor, by the advice of the
committee, forbore to publish his new commissions, least the enemy,
perceiving an intent to enlarge the ganison, should utterly destroy
the towne, before they were able to defend it. At the readino- of his
commission in the committee chamber, Coll. Thornhaoh shew'd
much discontent, and was melancholly after it; Avhereupon the
governor told him, that as he had not sought that enlargement bf
command, so if any of them thought themselves abridged by it, or
any other inconvenience to the publick service, he would resigne it,
and never make use of his commission. The collonell answered,
with much kindnesse, that he only Avonder'd how the towne came to
be added, when they only writt for the castle, but he was well satis-
fied with it, and forced himselfe to a seeming content, though the
truth is he had some emulation, but not mallice, to the governor ;
and being of a nature a little iealous and easie to be Avrought upon,
the wicked enemies of the cause endeavour'd, what they could, to
insinuate into him, and worke disaft'ection and devision betweene
these two gentlemen, Avho were the most faithful], unbiassed, and
zealous champions of the publick interest, in their country. But
after Coll. Thornhagh had bene wrought up to declare discon-
tent, there were many oddc passages, by which others alsoe of the
committee, who durst not before reveale their envious hearts, shew'd
themselves displeas'd : whereupon, when they were all together, the
governor, who hated secrett heart-boylings, spoke to them, and
told them, that their carriages, since the commission came to him,
did manifest their dissatisfaction in it, and if they would deale in-
genuously with him and let him know it, as he had not sought the
additionall government of the towne, so he would never undertake
it: if they had any iealousies that unknowne to them he procur'd it
17^2
for himselfe, and closely sought after the enlargement of his owne
power, by the abridgement of theirs, he assur'd them he was much
mistaken, and that neither to Mr. Millington, nor Sr. Thomas Fair-
fax, had he mentioned aniething more then the government of the
caslle : for that of the towne he reioyc'd not in it, but look'd upon
it as a greate burthen ; yet since it was conferr'd as an honor upon
him, he should not decline serving them therein that had thought
him Avorthy of it, except it gave distaste to any of those present;
Avhich if it did, he would esteeme it an obligation, if they Avould bilt
declare it before he publisht h'is commission. They all unanimously
replied, they were not only contented, but exceedingly well pleas'd
in it. Then the governor told them, if they were reall," as they pro-
fess'd, he should expect their ready, and free concurrence with him,
in all affairs tending to the publick service, and in those courses he
should applie himselfe to, for the good of the garrison : and againe
earnestly desir'd them, if they had any dislikes, either of him per-
sonally, or of the alteration of the towne, out of the hands it had
bene in the last yeare, that they would now freely declare it ; for as
he should take it exceeding kindly of them, to doe so at this time;
so if, after he had undertaken the charge, there should be any
thwarting or crossing of powers and commands betweene them, he
should not beare it; for as he should not stand upon all punctual!
niceties in his command, so he would not be abridg'd of the iust
and lawfull power due to him in his place. They all unanimously
answer'd, it was very fitt and iust he should have it, and ihey
would rather endeavour to uphold him in it, then any way to
retrench it.
Now was my lord Newcastle's armie come into Derbyshire, and
having taken some places there, nothing was expected at Derby
and Nottingham but a siege ; whereupon Captaine Palmer's troope
■^ Reall— /'>. Vrais— sincere.
173
was call'd away from Broxtowe, and all the rest of tlie horse was
sent away into Leicestershire, except a few left for scouts, and as-
soone as they were gone my lord Newcastle's forces came and
quarter'd allmost at the towne side, and in all the neere townes, and
Hastings tookc this oppertunity to make a garrison att Willden
fenie/ By the mercy of God the enemic was restrein'd from com-
ming up to the towne, though it lay soe open that they might have
come in at their pleasure, and they not only miserably wasted and
plunder'd the country all about, but one of them told a malignant,
where he quarter'd, that that was their designe in comming to those
parts to devoure the country. The regiments that were quarter'd
the neerest to Nottingham were Sr. Marmaduke Langdale's and
Collonell Dacre's, Avho had bene a familiar acquaintance of Lief-
tenaut-coUonell Hutchinson's when he was in the north, and they
loved each other as Avell as if they had bene brothers. Coll. Dacre
sent a trumpett to desire Lieflenant-collonell Hutchinson to send
him a safe convoy, that he might come and see him, which he
acquainted the committee withall, and would have refus'd, but that
the committee, thinking some good use might be made of it, per-
swaded him to suft'er him to come; accordingly he sent him a
tickett under his hand, promising him' to come and goe safely; so
upon Thursday morning he came, with about eight more, to the top
' Willden Feny was said before to be ih the possession of the king's forces; but
whether that was an anachronism^ or that the thin^ now meant was an increase of the
fortifications, and the placing a larger number of men there, it is clear that the gar-
rison of this place did after this period become a greater annoyance to the parliament,
and Lord Grey of Groby, who commanded in chief the associated forces of Leicester,
Nottingham, &,c. attacked and took it, assisted, as Whitelock says, p. 96, by Sir John
Gell, who contrived to get the thanks of the parliament for his services herein, and
for taking in Winkfield manor and Shelford manor; although some time after we find
him besieging Winkfield manor in conjunction with Lord Denbigh, and that Shelford
manor was not taken till more than two years after by Colonel Hutchinson, acting
under the command of Poyntz.
174
of the hill at Nottingham, and from thence sent his trumpett to the
governor, as not willing to trust himsclfe without his leave, to know
whither he would permitt him and his two servants to come into
his garrison to visitt the lieftenant-collonell. The governor sent him
a tickett for them to come in, and though usually ihey kept no
centiuells in the towne, yett he sent downe some officers and soul-
diers to shew him a guard at his entrance. When the lieftenant-
collonell came to him, he made many endearing expressions to him,
how much he reioyc'd when his regiment Avas design'd for that place
where he was, and how kind an affection he retein'd for him, not-
withstanding their contrary engagements. Falling into further dis-
course of this, he sayd that if he could but be convinc'd that the
king first entertein'd papists into his armie, and that the parliament
had none in theirs, he would never fight more on his side. The
lieftenant-collonell told him, he should easily be able to doe that.
" Well," said Dacre, " you and I must have some discourse in pri-
" vate,^ and I shall be glad if you can satisfie me in that." Then
the collonell desired some drinke might be sent out to two or three
gentlemen, that stay'd on him upon the top of the hill ; which the
lieftenant-collonell hearing, sent some of his owne officers and soul-
diers on horseback to fetch them downe, who comming in all to-
gether with them, the towne rose in an uproare and came to the
governor with a high complaint, that I know not how many cavaliers
were come into the towne, and rid up and downe armed, threatning
the people to their greate terror. This the governor thinking to be
true, Avas vext at it, and sent downe an angrie letter to his brother,
s Though this may appear somewhat improbable in a time when rehgious opinions
have so little effect upon pohtical ones, it was otherwise considered at that time; for
nearly at this same juncture it is to be seen, in VVhitelock, page 81, that Sir E. Deering
did on this very account of there being so many papists and Irish rebels entertained in
the king's army, quit hiui and come into the parliament, who admitted hiin to compo-
sition, being the first.
175
requiring him to send up the men that came last into the towne.
Coll. Dacre hearing this, desir'd the lieftenant-collonell that the gen-
tlemen might passe as they came, and ofFer'd to goe up himselfe
and answer for the offence they had given. But the lieftenant-
collonell presently carried them all out of towne, and came himselfe
up to the castle, taking it something unkindly that his brother
should write such a letter to him, and Avorse that others should have
suspitions of him ; so that though he had made a promise to dine
the Saturday following at Dacre's quarters, yet, to take away all
offence and suspitions, he resolv'd he would have no more meetings
with him, and to that end writt him a very civill letter to excuse
his not comming; and the governor writt another to excuse the mis-
take, whereupon the gentlemen were sent for to the castle. Dacre
return'd complementall answers to them both, and writt another to
Captaine Poulton, entreating very earnestly the lieftenant-collonell
and Captaine Poulton to come and dine with him on Wednesday,
and desiring the governor he might have the honor to see him.
These letters being communicated to the committee, they would
faine have had the lieftenant-collonell to have gone, but he held
firme to his resolution and would not; soe with their privity Captaine
Poulton only went to excuse it, and two of White's officers were
sent allong with him, with charge, if they could, to find out how the
enemie lay. When Captaine Poulton came, the collonell enter*
tein'd him very kindly, and expresst a greate deale of trouble that
the lieftenant-collonell was not come, and tooke him aside and told
him that the governor of Nottinsham and his brother had now an
opertunity whereb}'^ they might much advantage themselves, and
doe the king excellent service. Captaine Poulton asking him how,
he sayd if the governor would deliver up the castle, he should
be receiv'd into favour, have the castle confirm'd to him and his
heires, have ten thousand pounds in mony, and be made the best
lord in the country. If the lieftenant-collonell would deliver up
2 c
176
the bridges, he should have three thousand pounds, and what com-
mand he would aske in the army; and offer 'd Captaine Poulton two
thousand pounds to effect this. The captaine told him, for his owne
part nothing should buy him to such a villainy, and he believ'd
the same of the governor and his brother, and made no question
but they had before bene attempted. The collonell told him he
did not this Avithout authority, and thereupon puli'd a paper out of
his pockett, wherein were words to this effect : " These are to au-
" thorize Coll. Dacre to treate with Coll. Hutchinson and Lieftenant-
" collonell Hutchinson for the delivery of Nottingham-castle and
" the bridges, and to make them large promises, which shall be per-
" form'd by JV. Newcastle." Having shewed him this warrant, the
collonell was very importunate with the captaine to acquaint the
governor and his brother, and returne their ansAver to him upon
the Friday after, when he offered to meete him, if they would, at
a place call'd St. Ann's Well. Captaine Poulton told the governor
and his brother, and they the conmiittee, and shew'd them very
disdainefull refusalls they all had written to the collonell, and sent
him by a drumme, Avho was not long gone out of the garrison but
another came from Coll. Dacre with a letter to Capt. Poulton, ex-
cusing himselfe that he could not stay in his quarters for him,
according to appoyntment, but assuring him that what he had pro-
mis'd should be really perform'd. The governor's drumme, in the
absence of Coll. Dacre, deliver'd the three letters to Langdale, who
writt them back a good civill letter, that he believ'd my lord New-
castle and Dacre, out of familliarity and acquaintance with them,
might have made these offers in kindnesse to them, but for his part
he should otherwise persue the king's service. *"
^ This proposal for betraying the castle, togetlier with the refusal, is mentioaed
by Whiteloci<, p. 79. Mr. Noble, who is mentioned in the preface as having published
the lives of one hundred and thirty-six regicides, makes this remark, " that Colonel
" Hutchinson hereby lost a fine opportunity of aggrandizing himself and his family.
177
After this, the weather being pretty ftiire, and the moone shining
at that time, the governor sent out a foote companie, to beatc up
their quarters, and gave them a fierce alarum throughout, and tooke
twelve horses out of one of their stables, which they sent home.
In their returne, meeting a greate body of horse, they all at once
discharg'd upon them, and kill'd some eight of them, as Ave were
, told in the morning. After this charge the horse immediately re-
treated and would not stand another, and the next day remoov'd
their quarters further from the garrison. Then the governor and
committee sent for the Nottingham horse back from Leicester, and
appoynted them to bring five hundred musketts which were come to
Leicester for the governor. They came, but left the arms behind
them. Besides this the collonell and all his regiment fell into dis-
putes, that the governors of the parliament garrisons had no com-
mand of the horse that were quartered in their townes; and hereupon
the governor was often prevented of many oppertunities advantage-
able to the publick service, and much discouraged to find such ob-
structions from the envious pride and humour of those who should
have bene his assistants ; but he bore with it as long as only himselfe
suffer'd by it, and Avas willing for quietnesse sake to passe by many
iniuries offer'd himselfe, till the publick service came to be infinitely
preiudic'd by it. In the meane time he Avent on, as Avell as he
could, through all diflficulties, in the faithfull and active discharge
of his trust. He call'd a committee and councell of Avarre, Avhere
it Avas put to the (juestion and voted that the toAvne should be forti-
fied : then he applied himselfe to the thing, and call'd a full hall of
all the towne, avIio declar'd sufficiently their disaffection to the par-
liament, but in such a subtile Avay as Avould have entrapt a lesse
" which doubtless they must regret." That very discerning gentleman is here informed
that the Editor of this work, who is the only representative of Colonel Hutchinson in
these kingdoms, is much more proud of his descent from so virtuous a man tiian from
the most illustrious traitor.
178
prudent person: but the governor overlookt many things that he
saw, and made use of all the advantages they gave him, and did
not manifest his resentments of aniething which they could cloake
under a specious pretence, how disadvantageably soever it were
design'd against the parliament interest. The whole towne unani-
mously voted that the place should be fortified, except Alderman
Drury, and two or three that follow'd him : then the governor gave
them encouraging promises of his protection and care over them,
and endeavours to preserve them with his regiment, if they would
assist in their owne defence. The towne being well satisfied, or at
least seeming so, (for he treated them with that dexterity that they
could not for shame openly opose him, though he was not ignorant
that the cavalier party curs'd him in their hearts, as the only ob-
stacle in their greater desire of having declar'd themselves on the
other side) with generall outward cheerefuUnesse, in Christmas
weeke, the workes were begun. About this time Sr. Thomas Fairfax
being to march into Staffordshire, sent for some arms he had left in
Nottingham-castle, and by the same convoy that went with them
the governor gott his fivehundred musketts brought home from Lei-
cester. Sr. Thomas sent orders to the governor to send him all the
horse in the gamson, but when the governor acquainted them with
it, they would none of them obey him and goe, though Sr. Thomas
sent twice very earnestly for them, but stay'd in Nottingham, where
they would obey no order of the governor's, and by doing things
that concerned the garrison without and against his orders, they
made a sad confusion and thwarting of poTvers, which the governor
bore with in respect to Coll. Thornhagh, who did things not so much
out of mallice in himselfe, as out of a little emulation, which did
not destroy his kindnesse to the governor, and by the subtile in-
stigation of Capt. White, who wrought upon his facillity to doe those
things which his mallice and factious ambition prompted him to
wish, but he durst not himselfe attempt. Although the horse Avould
179
not obey Sr. Thomas Fairfax, it was not out of cowardize, for the
men were very stout, and chearful in the service, but only had the
general! fault of all the parliament partie, that they were not very
obedient to commands, except they knew and approov'd their em-
ployment: they had no sooner refus'd Sr. Thomas, but my lord Grey
sending for two troopes, they went to him to Melton, which he had
begun to fortifie. The governor, notwithstanding these obstacles
from secret enemies and refractory friends, carried on his businesse
with good successe, and had many events according to his endea-
vours. Among the rest his men encountering a party where Coll.
Freckeville and Sr. Henry Humlack were in person, fought them,
kill'd many of their men, and tooke Freckeville prisoner; but his
captaine-lieftenant Jammot came to his rescue and freed him,
though himselfe was taken in his stead and brought to Nottingham.
Here, after he had bene some time kept, he corrupted a souldier,
who disguiz'd and led him out, and went away with him. The man
being a Frenchman and a proper black man, some would needes
report him to be Prince Rupert, and thereupon rays'd a greate cla-
mor at the governor.
But before his escape, upon the fifteenth of January intelligence
was brought that all the forces in Newark were marcht on a designe
upon Sleeford in Lincolneshire. The governor not trusting that pre-
tence, commanded all the souldiers and townsmen to silt up that
night and expect them; and the next morning, being Tuesday, two
of his intelligencers came and brought him word very early that the
designe was against Nottingham. After them the horse scouts
came in with the newes of their approach, the cnemie's scouts and
they having fir'd upon each other. Hereupon a strong alarum was
given throughout the garrison, and a foote company sent down from
the castle to the workes, and the horse were there sett with them,
to dispute the enemie's entrance into the towne ; but the horse per-
ceiving the enemie's body to be a greate one, retreated to the castle,
180
and the foote seeing them gone, and none of the townsmen come
forth to their assistance, made alsoe an" orderly retreate back to the
castle, in which there was not a man lost nor wounded. Tlie workes
being imperfect and quitted, were easily entered, though the cannon
that play'd upon them from the castle tooke of wholly the second
file of musketeers that enter'd the gates. The first was led up by
Lieft. Coll. Cartwright, who two dayes before had sent to the go-
vernor for a protection to come in and lay downe amies. The ene-
mie being enter'd, possest themselves of St. Peter's Church and
certeine houses neere the castle, from whence they shott into the
castle-yard and wounded one man and killed another, which was all
the hurt that Avas done our men that day.
The governor was very angrie with the horse for comming up so
suddenly, and stirr'd them up to such a generous shame, that they
dismounted, and all tooke musketts to serve as foote, with which
they did so very good service, that they exceeding well regain'd
their reputations. Having taken foote amies, the governor sent one
of his owne companies with part of them, and they beate the cava-
liers out of the nearest lanes and houses, Avhich they had possest,
and so made a safe way for the rest to sally out and retreate, as there
should be occasion.
When this was done, which was about noone, the governor sent
out all the rest of the horse and foote, to beate them out of the
towne. Sr. Charles Lucas, who was the chiefe commander of all
the forces there, had prepar'd a letter to send up to the governor to
demand of him the castle ; or if he would not deliver it, that then he
should send downe the maior and aldermen, threat'ning that, if they
came not immediately, he would sack and burne the towne. There
were, at that time, above a thousand cavaliers in the towne, and as
many in a bodie without the towne, to have beaten of Derby and
Leicester forces, if they should have made any attempt to come in,
lo the assistance of their friends in Nottingham. On the other side
181
the Trent, were all the forces Mr. Hastings could bringout, from his
owne garrison and Belvoir and Wiverton, to force the bridges. All
the cavalier forces, that were about the towne, were about three
thousand. When Sr. Charles liUcas had written his letter, he could
find none that would undertake to carrie it to the castle, whereupon
they tookc the maior s wife, and, with threats, compclfd her to un-
dertake it ; but iust as she went out of the house from them, she
heard an outcrie, that " the roundheads were sallying forth," where-
upon she flung downe their letter and ran away ; and they ran as
fast, from foure hundred souldiers, who came furiously upon them
out of the castle and surpriz'd them, while they were secure the
castle would not have made so bold an attempt. But the governor's
men chased them from streete to streete, till they had clear'd the
towne of them, who runne away confusedly : the first that went out
shott their pistolls into the thatcht houses to have fired them, but by
the mercy of God neither that, nor other endeavours they shew'd to
have fired the towne, as they were commanded, tooke effect. Be-
tweene thirty and forty of them were kill'd in the streetes, fourscore
were taken prisoners, and abundance of armes were gather'd up,
which the men flung away in hast, as they run ; but they put some
fire into a hay barne and hay mowes, and all other combustible
things they could discerne in their hast, but by God's mercy the
towne notwithstanding was preserv'd from burning. Their horse
fac'd the towne in a vally where their reserve stood, while their
foote marcht away, till towards evening, and then they all drew of.
Many of them died in their returne, and were found dead in the
woods and in the townes they past through. Many of them, dis-
courag'd with this service, ran away, and many of their horses were
quite spoyl'd : for two miles they left a greate track of blood, which
froze as it fell upon the snow, for it was such bitter weather that the
foote had waded allmost to the middle in snow as they came, and
were so nummed with cold, when they came into the towne, that
182
they were faine to be rubbed to get life in them, and in that con-
dition, Avere more eager of fires and warme meate then of phmder,
which sav'd many men's goods, and their security, that did not be-
lieve an enemie, who had unhandsomely, to speake truth, sufi'er'd
them to enter the towne, without any dispute, Avould have durst, at
such greate odds, to have sett upon driving them out. Indeed no
one can believe, but those that saw that day, what a strange ebb
and flow of courage and cowardize there was in both parties that
day. The cavaliers marcht in with such terror to the garrison, and
such gallantry, that they startled not when one of their leading files
fell before them all at once, but marcht boldly over the dead bodies
of their friends, under their enemies cannon, and carried such valli-
ant dreadfullnesse about them, as made very couragious stout men
recoyle. Our horse, who ranne away frighted at the sight of their
foes, when they had brest-workes before them and the advantage of
freshnesse, to beate back assaylants, allready vanquisht Avith the
sharpnesse of the cold and a killing march, within three or four
howers, as men that thought nothing too greate for them, returned
fiercely upon the same men, after their refreshment, when they were
enter'd into defensible houses. If it Avere a romance, one should
say after the successe, that the heroes did it out of excesse of gal-
lantry, that they might the better signalize their vallour, upon a foe
Avho Avas not vanquisht to their hands by the inclemency of the sea-
son : but Avee are relating Avonders of Providence, and must record
this as such a one as is not to be conceiv'd, but by those Avho saw
and shar'd in it ; it Avas indeed a greate instruction, that the best
and highest courages are but the beames of the Almighty; and Avheu
he Avithholds his influence, the brave turne cowards, feare unnerves
the most mighty, makes the most generous base, and greate men to
doe those things they blush to thinke on ; Avhen God againe in-
spires, the fearefull and the feeble see no dangers, believe no dif-
ficulties, and carry on attempts Avhose very thoughts Avould, at
183
another time, shiver their ioynts like agues. The events of this day
humbled the pride of many of our stout men, and made them after
more carefully seeke God, as well to inspire as prosper their vallour;
and the governor's handsome reproaches of their fauhs, with shew-
ing them the way to repaire, relriev'd their stragliug spiritts, and
animated them to very wonderfuU and commendable actions.
The governor would not let his men persue the reare, but
thought they might, in the night, have compleated their dayes
worke, if they had fallen into the enemie's quarters, which he gave
orders to the horse to doe, but Coll. Thornhagh would not obey
them, because they came from him, and so lost a greate opertunity,
and contented himselfe with praysing God for the greate deliverance
of the day, wherein there was not one townsman that came in to the
assistance of the souldiers.
The next day, the governor call'd the towne together, represented
to them the mercy of God and the mallice of their enemies, who,
without regard of any friends they had among them, came purposely
to fire the towne, which God alone preserv'd, who having shew'd
them their danger, requir'd they should be no longer slothfull in
their owne defence, but to take amies to preserve their famelies and
houses. He propounded to them, that if they would soe doe, they
should chuse their owne captaines. They, considering the iust rea-
sons and motives with which he urg'd them, at length resolv'd to
ioyne in their owne defence and chose foure captaines; but the cap-
taines refusing, the souldiers that day went home unlisted, yett by
the governor's dexterity in managing them, he at last brought foure
hundred, whereof more then half were high malignants, to list them-
selves under one Mr. Coates, a minister, an honest godly man,' and
' It appears from this that Mr. Pahner, mentioned before, and who will be men-
tion'd more than once in the sequel, was not quite singular in taking up arms notwith-
standing his function. The famous preacher Hugh Peters, acted as an officer of
3D
184
Mr. Mason," an atturney, a greate caA^alier, but a reserv'd silent
man, who, for an austere knitt of his brow, and a grave severe
countenance, had the reputation of a wise man, but was knowne to
be disaffected to the parhament, though cunning enough not to doe
aniething that might expose him to sequestration. Into these men's
hands he put armes, and so order'd them, that at the last they grew
fiercer in the ser^dce then those who Avere uprightly honest.
The next month the Lord Chaworth sent a letter to the governor,
acquainting him that he was sick, and desir'd a protection to come
and remain at his owne house, in order to making his peace Avith the
parliament, which protection the governor gave him.
The governor had acquainted the parliament with the late suc-
cesse, whereupon they order'd a thousand pounds to be sent to the
garrison out of the sequestrations of London, and the excise of the
towne to goe to the payment of the garrison ; but through Mr. Mill-
ington's negligent prosecution, the thousand pounds never came.'
The governor went on againe successfully in his employment,
and began to endeare himselfe to all the towne as well as the soul-
diery, which awak'ning White's sleeping envie, he cast new plotts
to disturbe him ; and first made a motion to send to London for
two hundred souldiers : to Avhich the governor answer'd — If they
were honest, there were men enough to keepe the garrison ; if they
were not, to call in other forces was but to baite their treachery
with a greater prize ; and that to send for more force, while they
had so slender maintenance for these, was to encrease trouble Avith-
out any benefitt.
horse. It was in those days common to quote the expression, that the saints should
have, the praises of God in tlieir mouths, and a two edged sword in their hands !
^ The same whom, when put into confinement at the castle, the governor invited
to his table.
' Mentioned by Whitelock as given
185
The same afternoone the committee sent the governor a warrant to
he signed, which was before subscrib'd by foure of them, White in
the front. The warrant was to this effect:
To Mr. Hooper, Engineer of the Garrison of Nottingham.
" You are hereby requir'd to make your present appear-
" ance to this conmiitlee, there to give an account, what you have
" done, about the workes of the towne, and how farre you have
" proceeded in them ; how, and in what manner, and by what time
" you intend to finish them ; and what materialls are needfull for
" the finishing of them, there being imminent danger to the gar-
Assoone as the governor receiv'd the warrant, he tooke the en-
gineer with him, and Avent to the committee, to whom, sayd he,
*' Gentlemen, I receiv'd iust noAV such a strange warrant from you,
" that I can impute it to nothing, but a pick't occasion of quarrelL
" If you desire to question aniething in the fortifying of the towne,
*' I have not only brought the engineer, but am here myselfe to an-
" swer it : if there be mony in his hands, let him give you an ac-
" count of it ; but concerning the fortifications, I conceive he is
" only to be accountable to me ; therefore why this warrant should
"be made, I cannot tell, unlessc pvn'posely to affront me; as for
" that imminent danger you pretend, it is utterly unknowne to me,
" and if there be any, I ought to have been acquainted with it, and
" desire now to understand it." They answer'd, " Were they not in
" dayly perill ?" He replied, " That was certeine, but at this time
" none more imminent then usually, that he knew of; and further
" desir'd them, if he had bene negligent of those things, which con-
" duc'd to the safety of the towne, that they would article against
186
" him, whatever they could accuse him of; if he had done nolhing
" worthy of blame, he tooke it exceeding ill, to be thus thwarted
" and aftVonted in his iust and lawfull command." Upon replies
and debate, White sayd, " If Hooper did not render them an ac-
" count of his workes, they would clap him by the heeles." Where-
upon the governor, addressing to him only, told him, " That from
" the first opening of his commission, he had manifested his dis-
*' content, and that he had taken notice of his secret endeavours to
" oppose, and was glad the humour was now so lipe as to vent it-
" selfe ; that for the time to come, since he saw his condiscentions
" did but encourage them to wrest all things from him, and to ques-
" tion all his dues, he would now expect that full observance from
" them all, that was due from the officers of a garrison to the go-
"vernor; that he expected the horse should receive orders from
" him, and that he would noe more put up such affionts and neglects
" as he had that very day receiv'd, when calling for a muster of the
" horse to have bene sent out upon a very advantageable designe, a
" whole troope, unknowne to him, was, by the committee, sent out
*' for hay, whereby that opertunity was lost ; he told them further,
" protections charging officers and souldiers to forbeare plunder,
" ought to be given only by him upon their certificate, and not
" by them ; and," sayd he, " Gentlemen, I receiv'd that affront
" from you lately, which no governor in the world, but myself,
•' would have put up with ; when at a publick councell of warre,
*' among all the officers, enough to have caus'd a mutinie, it was
*' propounded how farre my command extended, and questioned
" whither I could command horse in the garrison ? And all of you,
" at a councell of warre, order'd the booty taken should be at the
" disposal of the chiefe officer that went out ; so that if a corporall
" went out, he must dispose the booty, which in all garrisons is the
" governor's right to doe."
While they were in this dispute, the lieftenant collonell came in,
187
and seconded his brother ; and after some smart disputes on both
sides, they parted for that night.
The next morning the committee sent for the governor, who
coming to them, one of them drew a paper out of his pockett, and
offer'd some propositions to tlie governor; which were, first, that tlie
dispute betweene them might be silenc'd and kept private ; next,
tliat he would iojaie with them, in a letter to Mr. Millington, to
desire him to get the question decided by the close committee. What
were the severall powers of a governor and a committee ? And,
lastly, that he would draw up what he conceived his power to be.
To this the governor replied, that for silencing the thing, he was
very willing to doe it ; for sending to the close committee, he very
well understood his owne power, and if they question'd it, they
might send, whither they pleas'd, to satisfie themselves ; for setting
downe the particulars, wherein he conceiv'd his power to consist,
when he did aniething, which they thought belong'd not to him,
let them call him to question where they pleas'd, and he should be
ready to give an account of his actions, but he would not make
himselfe so ridiculous, as to send for satisfaction in unquestionable
things ; yet to inform them, if any of them pleas'd, he would goe
allong with them, eitlier to my Lord of Essex, or my Lord Fairfax,
to have the power of a governor decided. They told him the gene-
rails understood not the power of a committee as the parliament,
and therefore writt a letter to Mr. JSIillington with extraordinary
commendations of the governor, yet desiring to know the extent of
his power, and shew'd it to him. He told them, if they believ'd
those things they writt of him, he Avondred whence all this discon-
tent should arise, for he appeal'd to them all, whether, ever since
he underlooke the government, he had usurp'd any command over
them, or done so much as the least inconsiderable act Avithout
acquainting them, and receiving their approbation ; and what
should ayle them, he could not imagine, unless they were discon-
188
tented at his being made governor ; which if they were, they might
thank themselves, who put it upon him, when he receiv'd nothing
but trouble, expence, and danger in it. They all acknowledg'd his
appeale true, and sayd they had desir'd his establishment in the
government of the castle, as the man the}"" esteem'd most Avorthy of
it and most fitt for it. He told them, if the addition of the towne
griev'd them, that was to be transferr'd on the parliament, who without
his seeking had added that to him. One of them replied, they had
so worthy an opinion of him, that they wish'd the assessing of the
country too might be only put into his power. He sayd he should
have bene oblieg'd to them had this proceeded from aniething but
discontent, and that if without his owne seeking he should be ho-
nour'd with that trust, as he was with this, he should endeavour to
discharge it faithfuU}^; but he rather desir'd it might continue in the
hands it was, and if he were negligent to fetch in those assessments,
which were given him, then let the blame lie on him ; but for rating
and assessing the townes, those who were acquainted with the coun-
try were fittest for it; and thus for the present it rested.
The designe they prevented by sending out the troope unknowne
to him was the saving the towne of Southwell from being made a
garrison for the king ; which the towne being unwilling to, sent
Avord to the governor, that if he Avould come and assist them, they
Avould ioyne with him to beate out some souldiers that had intent to
fortefie themseh^es there ; but the horse, by reason of their employ-
ment, failing those two dayes, and extraordinary ill Aveather com-
ming after, that opertunity Avas lost: this Avas about the middle of
February. Captaine White continued still afterAvards to prevent all
designes, Avhose events might any Avay have conduc'd to the gover-
nor's honor, not Aveighing Avhat hinderance it Avas to tiie publick
service, Avhich Avas a greate vexation to the governor; but his
courage was above their mallice, and his zcale to the service carried
him vigorously on, in all things Avhich he could accomj)lish by his
189
owne officers and souldiers, who were more obedient to him ; and,
altliough this was the exercise of his patience, yet was it alsoe a
spurre to his dihgencc, and made his fidelhty more ilhistrious, and
kept him more in wailing upon God, and more strict in the Avatch
over all his actions, because he knew how all his enemies watcht for
his fall.
Upon the eleventh of February, Cornett Palmer, who had bene
prisoner at Newark, came home and told the governor that he had
discover'd in his prison a designe intended about this time to sur-
prize the bridge by Hacker's souldiers, who were to come in the
habitt of markett people the next Saturday. This intelligence was
seconded, Avhereupon the governor sent his officers to command all
the bridge souldiers to keepe in their quarters that day: he com-
manded alsoe all the horse in the towne to be ready to goe out upon
the first sound of the trumpett, and gave orders for all the drums in
the garrison to beate betimes in the morning ; the lieftenant collonell
sett out a guard beyond the bridge, with charge strictly to examine
all passengers. About eleven of the clock on Saturday, the 17th of
February, they tooke twelve of them" upon the bridges, disguiz'd
hke markett men and weomen, with pistolls, long knives, hatchetts,
daggers, and greate pieces of iron about ihem, whereupon they
sent and acquainted the governor, who being himselfe on horseback
at the workes, went immediately downe to the bridge, and com-
manded all the horse to come away and persue them, but the horse
commanders, being allwayes slow in obeying his commands, came
not tdl the enemie's foote beyond the bridge, perceiving their fel-
lowes were taken upon the bridge, retir'd and gott safe of, only
nine who were to have assassinated these at the bridge, and ad-
vanct forwarder then the rest, for that purpose, were overtaken, and
with their captaine leapt into the Trent, to have sav'd themselves,
" Hacker's souldiers.
190
of whom our men pluckt foure out of the water, five were drown'd,
and the captaine swom to shore on the other side. The governor
was in doubt whether these men taken in disguizes were to be re-
leased as prisoners of warre, or executed as spies and assassines by
martiall law ; but thougli he had not card if the bridge-souldiers
had turn'd them into the Trent when they tooke them, he afterwards
releas'd them all upon exchange, except one Slater, a souldicr of
his OAvne that had runne away to the enemie, and this day was
taken coming into the towne, Avith a monutero " pull'd close about
his face, but denied that he was of the designe ; yet after, upon
triall at a court-martiall, he was condemn'd and executed. The
governor had sent out some horse and foote, to drive the grounds at
the enemie's garrison at Shclford, which they did, and from under
the very workes from Avhich the enemie shott at them, brought
away many beasts and horses, that belong'd to the garrison, and
brought them up into the castle-yard. The governor being then
in the committee chamber, told them it was fitt the souldiers
should have a reward, whereupon it was order'd to give them six
pounds, and the governor told the souldiers the committee had as-
signed them a reward ; but when they came to receive it, Salisbury,
the treasurer, tith'd it out, and gave the souldiers groates apiece,
and sixpence apiece to the officers, which in all came but to forty
shillings and odde money; which the souldiers, being madded at,
flung back his mony, and desir'd a councell of warre, to doe them
right; which the governor assented to, and the next day the busi-
nesse being heard at a full councell of all the officers of the gar-
rison, it was determin'd by the unanimous vote of all but Mr. Salis-
bury, that in regard the enemie sliott at them, when they tooke the
bootie, it did of right belong to the souldiers that fought for it, and
so they had it ; whereupon Salisbury flung away from the board in
" A kind of cap so called.
191
a greate hufte and muttering, for which the governor rebuk'd him,
and told him such carriage ought not to be sufl'er'd in him, who, as
an officer, ought to have more respect to the place and them that
sate there. After this, about eighteen of the lieftenant collonell's
men went out and mett twenty-five men in arms, betweene them
there was a brooke, the bridge men call'd to them, and ask'd of what
side they were, and perceiving they were cavaliers, told them, after
some litde defies between them, that though the number was un-
equal), they would fight with them: and passing over the brooke,
charged them, put them to flight, kill'd tAvo of them, tooke eight
prisoners and twelve of their horses. Upon examination they were
found to be northerne gentlemen, who having listed themselves in
the prince's o^vne troope, after the death of Sr. Thomas Biron that
commanded under the prince, were assign'd to my Lord Wentworth,
at which being discontented, they Avere now returning into their
owne country, being allmost all of them gentlemen. Sir Richard
Biron, for his brother's memory, exchang'd them for prisoners of
Nottingham, taken Avhen the tOAvne was first surpriz'd.
In the end of this month, on the fast day, the nationall covenant
was taken, with a greate solemnit}', both by the souldiers and inha-
bitants, men and women," of the garrison. This day, unexpect-
edly, came Sr. Edward Hartup, with a thousand horse of Leicester
and Derby, to which the governor added betweene five and six
himdred, Sr. Edward being appoynted to command the party,
should have gone wdth them to take Muscam Bridges, at NcAvark,
before which place Sr. John Meldrum was now come, with about
seven thousand men, and had lay'd siege to it. The horse of New-
ark, assoone as the parliament's forces came, made an escape over
Muscam Bridge, which Sr. Edward Hartup, having more mind to
drinke then fight, lingring a day at Nottingham, and then raarch-
• Nota bene.
2 E
192
ing to no purpose against it, lost his opertimity of taking ; yet God,
by a providence, gave it up with 200 men that kept it. to the
jiarliament's forces, wlio had they then persued their successe,
they might have carried the towne too, but it was not God's time
then to deUver the country of that pernitious enemie. The horse
that were escaped out of Newark, went into all their garrisons in
the Vale and Derbieshire, and gather'd up all the force they could
make, to about the number of two thousand, and with these they
came and (juarterYl neere Nottingham ; themselves and the countiy
giving out that they were about four thousand.
There Avas a fast kept at N(jttingham, to seeke God for his pre-
sence with our armies, and before the first senuon was ended, the
enemies horse came to the towne-side and gave a strong alarum,
and continued facing the towne till night, at which time they re-
turn'd to their quarters, and those horse that were in the gamson fol-
lowing their reare, glean'd up two lieftenants and two or three other
officers : the next day the body march'd iust by the towne-side, and
so past over the river at Wilden Ferry. After they were gone from
about Nottingham, the governor went downe to the Leager, at New-
ark, where Sr. John Meldrum had made all things ready for a
generall assault of the towne; but at a councell of warre that was
caird in the field, it was determin'd that it should not then be,
whereupon the governor of Nottingham returned to his garrison ;
who comming to take his leave of Sr. John Meldrum, Sr. John en-
treated him that he would returne againe and be among them as
much as he could, making a sad complaint of the envyings, heart-
burnings, and dissentions that were among the severall commanders,
so that he had much adoe to hold them together, and had greate
need, of men of moderation and prudence, to assist him, and to
helpe to mediate among them. The forces that Sr. John Meldrum
commanded before this towne, were gather'd out of severall associ-
193
ated counties, and the commanders so emulous of one anolher, and
so refractory to commands, and so peeking in all punctillios of supe-
riority, that it gall'd the poore old gentleman to the heart, who,
having commanded abroad, and bene us'd to dealc with officers
that understood the discipline of warre, Avas confounded among
those who kncAV^ not how to obey any orders, but disputed all his
commands, and lost their time and honor in a fruitlesse expedition,
through their vaine contentions ; whereas had they ioyn'd in the
assault, then when he would have made it, they might probably
have carried the towne, but missing that opertunity, they came of
at last with loss and dishonor. While the governor was at the Lea-
guer, Sr. John Meldrum told him, that Coll, Pierrepont had bene
with him, to get his hand to a paper, which should have testified,
that the government of Nottingham did of right belong to him ; but
Sr. John answer'd he could not testifie any such thing, for it was his
owne act to conferre that government, where now it Avas; with
which Coll. Pierrepont seem'd very well satisfied at that time.
When he could not prevaile in this, he desired Sr. John to sett his
hand to another paper, Avhich should have certified, that in all
things he had approov'd himselfe most firme and faithfull to the
service of the parliament. Sr. John said he Avould not iniure him so
much as to make any such certificate, of a thing not call'd into
question ; but if there should be any doubt of it, he should be
ready to doe him all right. Coll. Pierrepont moreover went to the
governor's souldiers, that had formerly bene of his regiment, and
giving them twenty shillings to drinke, told them he Avas to be go-
vernor of the toAvne, and would shortly come among them.
Sr. EdAvard Hartup Avas sent Avith the party of horse he before
had at Muscam bridge, to persue those that Avere gone out of New-
ark, and fight Avith them and hinder their ioyning with Prince Ru-
pert, Avho Avas expected to come to rayse the siege; and Avhen Sr.-
EdAvard came into Leicestershire the Avhole country rose with him.
194
and the governor' of Leicester brought out foote and cannon to
assist him. His forlorne hope being of the Nottingham hoise,
charged the enemie's forlorne hope and routed them, and then fell
into their body of foote, Avhich diey had drein'd out of their little
garrisons, and routed them alsoe, and if Sr. Edward Hartup would
have come on with his body, they had all bene cut off; but the
knight would not stirre, but commanded the forlorne hope to re-
treate, who had slaine and taken many prisoners of the enemic, and
among them Jannnot, that had lately made his escape out of Not-
tingham-castle. The enemie perceiving Sr. Edward would not hurt
them, rallied againe and ioyn'd with Prince Rupert; of whom as-
soone as Sr. Edward had intelligence, he Avent back to Newark
witli such shamefull hast that he quitted Melton with all the pri-
soners the forlorne hope had lately taken. The Leicester forces,
discourag'd at this carnage, return'd to their garrisons and marcht
no more with him.''
The governor of Nottingham kept out spies upon the enemie's
motions, and sent word to the Leaguer, but the gentlemen there were
so over-confident, they Avould not believe any force could come to
rayse their siege. At length, the governor of Nottingham being
there himselfe, word was brought Prince Rupert was come to Ashby,
wherefore he, fearing some attempt upon liis garrison, to divert the
forces at the siege, return'd home Avith his brother to looke to their
charge. It was late upon Wednesday night Avhen the governor came
home, and was certeinely inform'd that Prince Rupert Avas, that
afternoone, marcht by to rayse the siege, with about six thousand
f In Whitelock's memoirSj p. 85, there is an account of this relief, or raising the
siege of Newark, agreeing with Mrs. Hutchinson's, except that it is not quite so parti-
cular, and omits the account of what hcfel Col. Thornhagh. Whitelock attributes to
the misconduct of Sir E. Hartup and Col. Bingley Prince Rupert's coming Avith his
forces entire to the place, and informs us that a court martial was directed to decide .
upon their conduct, but not what their decision was.
195
men. Immediately the governor sent tAVo men, excellent!}' well
mounted upon his owne horses, to carry the alarum to Sr. John
Meldrura, who by two of the clock on Thursday morning deliver'd
him their letters, and he presently prepar'd to fight with the prince,
who about nine or ten of the clock came. Sr. John had drawne all
his ordnance into the walls of a ruin'd house, call'd the spittle, and
the horse were first to charge the enemie. Coll. Thornhaffh and
Maior Rossiter gave them a very brave charge, routed those whom
they first encounter'd, and tooke prisoners Maior-generall Gerrard
and others, and, had they bene seconded by the rest of the hors^,
had utterly defeated the prince's army; but the Lincolneshire troopes
fled away before they ever charged, and left Coll. Thornhagh en-
gaged, with only his owne horse, in the prince's whole body, where,
they say, he charged the prince himselfe, and made his way and
pass'd very gallantly through the whole army, Avith a greate deale of
honor, and tAvo desperate Avounds, one in the arme, the other in
the bell3^ After the Lincolneshire horse Avere run aAvay, Sr. John
Meldrum sent the Derby horse and the Nottingham foote, with tAvo
companies of Coll. King's, to keepe Muscam bridge, and Molanus,
the Derbieshire maior, to be their commander. Coll. Thornhagh
was sent home in a Avaggon to Nottingham. Sr. John himselfe,
Avith the fcAv horse and dragoones that AA'ere left of Nottingham and
Derby, being about five hundred, Avent into the spittle to his foote..
The prince lost more then Sr. John in the skirmish, hut assoone as-
ever Sr. John had betaken himselfe to the spittle, the prince sent
horse and foote betAveene him and Muscam brido-e.'^ The horse
that Avere left there to guard the foote ran every man away, so that
they had not a horse left to fetch them any provision. The maior
1 Rapin gives a different account of tliis matter, Lut to those who know or observe
the situation of the pkices, Mrs. Hutchinson's will appear to be the true one. Besides
Muscam bridge there was a bridge of boats, which enabled the prince's forces to sur-
round the guard left at Muscam bridge: this guard^ instead o^ deserting, as Rapia
196
that commanded tliem told them that he would goe to the next
towne to buy them some bread, and Avith that pretence came away
and never saw them more. The enemie was endeavouring to make
a passage over the river, to come on the other side of them and
encompasse them, Avhich when they saw and consider'd, that they
had no order what to doe, nor bread for one meale, nor bullett more
then their musketts were loaded withall, and that it was impossible
for them to come of, if they stay'd till the enemie enclos'd them,
and further discovering that their friends in the spittle were in parlee,
they conceiv'd it their best way to come home, which they plotted
so to doe tliat the enemie might not perceive it till they were out
of their reach; so leaving lighted matches and squibbs, layd at cer-
teine distances, to deceive the enemie, they came safe home; but
within lesse than half an howr after they were gone the enemie
came on the other side, and not missing them till morning, by
reason of the squibbs, they pcrsued them not, by which meanes
they came safe to Nottingham; which was a very seasonable mercy,
for had they stay'd the choycest arms in the garrison had bene lost,
and the best and most confiding souldiers disarm'd: for Sr. John
agreed upon articles with the prince, to deliver up the spittle Avherein
he lay, Avith all the musketts, ordinance, and ammunition, in it;
the foote souldiers to march away with colours flying, swords and
pikes, the horsemen with their horse and swords, and all the com-
manders with their pistolls: but the prince broke all these condi-
tions, and pillaged them to their shirts, and sent many captaines
quite naked away.
The committee of Nottingham now began againe to mutter at the
governor, but he would not take notice of it, but applied himselfe
says of it, was deserted and sacrificed for want of support : the road still lay open
to Lincoln, but probably Prince Rupert was too strong and too active to let the
besiegers escape any w;iy unless they had acted with better accord amongst each
other.
197
to take care for the securing of his towne, where the eneniie now
dayly threat'iied to come. So he floted the medowes on the Line
side, where there was no fortification, and raj's'd a fort in the middst
of the medowes, to preserve the flote, and fortified the Trent bridges
more strongly, and, expecting the enemie every hower, was forc'd
to let the worke goe on all the Lord's day. When, calling the cap-
taines together, to consult the best way of preparing for their de-
fence, Mason, the new towne captaine, tooke this time to revive
the old mutiny, and said the townsmen Avould not stand to their
workes except the ordinance Avere drawne downe from the castle to
the towne Avorkes: the governor rebukin"' him for this unseasonable
insolence, he and his men were, all the time of this greate exigence,
so backward that they were rather an obstruction then assistance,
and there was much adoe to get them either to the workes or the
guards. Indeed such a blow was given to the parliament interest,
in all these parts, that it might well discourage the ill-aifected, when
even the most zealous were cast downe and gave all for lost: but
the governor, who in no occasion ever lett his courage fall, but,
when things were at the lowest, recollected all his force, that his
owne despondency might not contribute aniething to his mallicious
fortune, at this time animated all the honest men, and expresst such
vigor and cheerefullnesse, and such stedfast resolution, as disap-
poynted all the mallignants of their hopes. The wives, children, and
servants, of such as were in the enemie's garrisons and armies, he
thought it not safe to suffer any longer in the towne, in such a time
of danger, and therefore commanded diem all to depart, not sparing
even some of his owne relations; but though this was done by the
concuiTence of the Avhole conmiittee, yet some of them, who were
loath the towne should loose any that wisht ill to the governor and
his undertakings, privately, without his consent or knowledge,
brought back severall persons that Avcre verj^ dangerous to the
place.
198
And now, upon the twenty-fifth day of ]\Iarch, a letter was
brought to the governor fi-om all the commissioners at Newark,
telling him that the parliament's forces had quitt Gainsborough,
Lincohie, and Sleeforth, and that the prince intended to advance
against Nottingham, and to fire the towne, if he did not immedi-
ately throw downe the Avorkes, which if he should not doe, the
world would then take notice of him as the only ruine of his native
country. To which the governor return'd them answer, that as he
never engag'd himselfe in this service, with respect to the successe
or actions of other places, so though the whole kingdome were quitt
besides this towne, yet he would maintaine it so long as he was
able, and he trusted that God would preserve it in his hands; but
if it perish'd, he was resolv'd to bury himselfe in the ruiiies of it,
beino- confident that God would after vindicate him to have been a
defender, and not a destroj'cr of his country. The copie of the
letter which the Newark commissioners sent to the governor, Avas
sent to one Francis Cooke, a niallignant inhabitant of the towne,
silbscribed with all the commissioners hands, and desiring him to
communicate it to the whole towne. The governor having taken
what care he could at home, sent immediately to the parliament
and to the Earle of Essex, acquainting them with the desperate con-
dition of the place, and desiring they would send him seasonable
reliefe, if the prince should besiege him, promising to employ his
iilmost endeavor to hold it for them, or to loose himselfe with it.
My lord generall return'd a very civill encouraging letter, and now
the prince, two dayes after the letter, was advanc'd within three
miles of Nottingham, Avhen it pleas'd God to divert him from com-
ing against the tow.ne by letters which were brought him from Ox-
ford, which occasion'd his hasty returne into "the south, without any
attempt upon the place, which by God's mercy was thus deliver'd
from this threatning danger. However their enemies at Newark, by
the late successe, were very much exalted, and by the quitting of so
199
many parliament garrisons about them, encreas'd in power, and
left at leizure to turne all their designes against Nottingham, which
being so infirme within itselfe, the governor had a very difficult
taske to preserve it, while the disaffected, who were subtile, did not
clearely declare themselves, but watcht all opertunities to worke the
governor's disturbance, by fomenting the ill humors of the factious
committee men and priests; for they now tooke occasion to fall in
with them, upon the governor's release of his chiefe cannoneers
out of prison, into which he, by the instigation of the ministers and
the godly people, whom they animated allmost to mutiny, had put
them, for separating from the publick worship, and keeping little
conventicles in their owne chamber. It was with some reluctancy
he had committed them, for the men, though of different iudgements
in matter of worship, were otherwise honest, peaceable, and very
zealous and faithfuU to the cause; but the ministers were so unable
to suffer their separation and spreading of their opinions, that the
governor was forc'd to commit them; yet when this greate danger
was, he thought it not prudent to keepe them discontented and then
employ them, and therefore sett them at liberty, for which there
was a greate outcry against him as a favourer of separatists/
' This being the first time that a disunion in religion among those of the parlia-
ment's party has been plainly named, it is proper liere to state, that in the outset all
those sects, which have since taken so many various names, joined their forces to
repel the encroachments of the Prelates, — it would not be fair to say of the Church
of England, whose characteristic is moderation itself, — but when they had almost
crushed the Episcopalians, the Presliyterian ministers began to rise pre-eminent in
power, and to shew that though they had changed the name, they by no means in-
tended to diminish the dominion of the hierarchy. There are preserved in Whitelock
two speeches, one of his own and one of Selden's, on this subject. To resist this
usurpation there arose a very powerful party or faction under the name of Independ-
ents, under whose banner enlisted all who desired liberty of conscience, of whatever
particular persuasion they might be; and, amongst others, most naturally all such a*
wished to see the Church of England restored to her purity, and redeemed from her
2 F
200
It will not be amisse, in this place, to carry on the parliament
story, that we may the better iudge things at home, when we know
the condition of affaires abroad. The queene, being suffer'd to
passe through Nottinghamshire by those forces Avhich were sent
downe thilher to have prevented her, ioyn'd with Prince Rupert
and came to the king, and was by the parliament voted traitor
for many actions, as pawning the crown iewells in Holland, en-
servility and subsen-iency to the usurpations of the crown ; but whose hopes would have
been totally destroyed if Presbytery obtained a full and firm establishment. It is
extraordinary that almost all the historians put the cause for the effect, and suggest
that many members of the parliament, and at the head of them Cromwell, raised this
faction to obtain their own exaltation ; whereas i;itolerancy raised it in the nation at
large, and especially in the army, and Cromwell availed himself of it when raised. —
In a scarce book, called Anglia Rediviva, or the Success of the army under Fairfax,
written by Joshua Sprigge, he says, " the army was, what by example and justice,
" kept in good order both respectively to itself and the country: there were many of
" them differing in opinion, yet not in action nor business; they all agreed to preserve
"the kingdom; they prospered in their unity more than uniformity, and whatever
" their opinions were, they plundered none with them, they betrayed none with them,
" nor disobeyed the state with them, and they were more visibly pious and peaceable
" in their opinions than many we call orthodox." Let the blame of all the misfortunes
that flowed from it rest with those who gave disturbance to such men, not to those who
screened them from persecution.
The chief of these cannoneers was that Lawrence Colin mentioned in a former
note, page 112. He continued at Nottingham after all the wars were over, but being
persecuted on account of his religion, applied to Cromwell for protection, and was
effectually screened by him from his persecutors; he lived to more than ninety years;
his descendants rose to opulence, and one of them founded a very handsome hospital.
This family united themselves to that of Langford, and both being molested on the
score of nonconformity, were peculiarly protected by James the Second, and stood
stedfastly by him at the revolution, at which time he got many sectaries to join the
catholics, and make common cause against the church of England. By this turn of
events and opinions Langford Colin, Esq. before mentioned came to be the head of
the country, Jacobite, or anti-revolutionist party, while the Plumptrcs and Hutchin-
sons embraced the Hanover or Whig party, as mentioned in the note, page 112, just
spoken of.
201
couraging the rebellion in Ireland, heading a papisticall armie in
England, &c.
The Earle of Essex his armie lay sick about London for recruits;
Sr. William Waller, after many victories in the west, was at length
totally routed, and returned to London, Piince Maurice and Sr.
Ralph Hopton having recovcr'd and possesst allmost the whole west
of England for the king. The north my lord Newcastle's armie
commanded so fully, that they were advanct into Nottingham and
Lincolneshire, and the adiacent counties. The parliament, being
in this low condition, had agreed with Scotland, and enter'd into a
solcmne nationall league and covenant, Avhich Avas taken throughout
both kingdomes, and the king had made a cessation of armes with
the Irish rebells, and brought over the English armie, that had bene
honor'd with so many successes against them, to serve him here;
but God never blest his affaires after they came to him, ' though
indeed before their arrivall God had begun to turne the scale; for
the citie of Gloucester stopping, by its faithfull and valliant resist-
ance, the carreere of the king's victories, after Bristoll and Exeter
and all the west was lost, the king, disdaining to leave it behind
him unvanquisht, sate downe before it, which employ 'd him and
* The parliament and the king seem to have been equally injudicious in seeking
resources from without. Rapin says " the Presbyterians seized the occasion which was
" offered them of establishing their system of uniformity, and that it increased the
" number of the king's friends ;" had he not, through partiality to his sect, withheld a
part of the truth, he woidd have said that, in pursuit of their system of intolerance,
they divided the parliament and the friends of liberty, exasperated the army, and
having forced them to try their strength against them, caused the subjugation of
themselves, and the ruin of their whole cause and party. So much for the league and
covenant.
The king, by seeking the assistance of the Irish in a manner so injurious to the
true interest of England, blemished his own fame, hurt his cause, ruined his partizans
in both countries, and indeed the Irish nation in general, which has never recovered
from the depopulation which took place in consequence of those convulsions.
202
his whole arrnie, till the Earle of Essex and his recruited armie,
assisted with the London auxiliaries, came and reliev'd it, and per-
sued the king's armie to an engagement at Newberry, where the
parliament obtein'd a greate and bloody victory, and the king for
ever lost that opertunity he lately had of marching up to London,
and in probabillity of subduing the parliament. My lord New-
castle, by a like error, about the same time, setting downe before
Hull, mist the opertunity of wholly gaining all those neighbouring-
counties, and much wasted his greate and victorious army, being
forc'd to rise with losse and dishonor from the unyielding towne.
After the fight at Newberry Sr. William Waller, having gotten a new
" armie, had divers successes with it, and at length totally routed all
Hopton's armie, about that time that Prince Rupert rays'd the siege
at Newark, and Avas the occasion that call'd the prince so hastily
out of those counties.
The Earle of Essex persuing the warre, had a designe to block
up Oxford, Avhere the king was, and accordingly attempted it, he
^.^^ on one side, and Waller on the other; but the king, with a few
light horse, escaped out of the towne, and went to ioyne with his
greater armies, which being done, Essex marcht farther into the
west, and in Cornwall was besieg'd, where he lost all his foote, am-,
munition, and ordinance, and came dishonorably home to London.
Waller unsuccessefully folio w'd the king, and tiie parliament's af-
faires, all that summer, were very unprosperous in the west, south,
and midland counties, but contrary in the north, where the Scotch
armie, under Generall Leven, advanc'd, tooke some townes and
forts, and wasted the Earle of Newcastle's armie more by their pa-
tient sufferance of the ill weather and martiall toyle, Avhich the
English could not so well abide, then by fighting. Sr. Thomas
Fairfax, having againe taken the field with his father, after a mira-
culous victory they had gain'd over the Irish army which the king
203
had brought over, ioyn'd the Scots; ' and the Earle of Manchester,
having rays'd a force in the associated counties, with which he made
an expedition to Lincohie, having Colh Cromwell for his heftenant-
generall, marcht into Yorkshire, and uniting with the other two
armies, they all besieg'd the Earle of Newcastle in Yorke. To rayse
this siege. Prince Rupert came Avith a greate armie out of the south;
the besiegers rise to fight with the prince, and Newcastle drew all
his force out of Yorke to ioyne with him, Avhen both armies, on a
greate plaine call'd Marston Moor, had a bloody encounter, and the
Scotts and my lord Fairfax were wholly routed, and the battle lost,
but that Cromwell, with five thousand men which he commanded,
routed Prince Rupert, restor'd the other routed parliamentarians,
and gain'd the most compleate victory that had bene obtein'd in the
whole warre." The victors possesst all the prince's ordinance, car-
riages, and baggage; whereupon the prince fled, with as many as
he could save, back into the south; the Earle of NcAVcastle, with
some of his choyce friends, went into Germany, and left Sr. Thomas
Glenham governor of Yorke, which he soone after surrender'd, and
then the three generalls parted; Leven went back into the north
and tooke the towne of Newcastle, Fairfax remain'd in Yorkshire,
and Manchester return'd into the south, by the way taking in many
small garrisons as he past through the counties.
The queene that summer went into France, to sollicite forreigne
ayd for her husband, but uneffectually; meanewhile new treaties
were carried on betweene the king and parliament, but to no pur-
• Commanded by Sir John Biron, or Lord Biron, near Namptwich in Cheshire.
" There are very various and discordant accounts given of this battle, so that
Rapin says he could neither satisfy himself nor his readers with them: that given by
Whitelock is however pretty clear, and agrees with this of Mrs. Hutchinson, in as-
cribing the success principally to Cromwell; and as Mrs. Hutchinson was by no
means partial to Cromwell, nor does Whitelock upon the whole seem so, we may
better believe them than Hollis, who writes a philippic rather than a history.
20i
pose; for the king's false dealing and disingenuity therein was so
apparent that they came to nothing, but a further discovery of the
king's falsehood, and favour of the Irish rebells, with whom he had
now employ 'd Ormond to treate and conclude a peace. This treaty
was that at Uxbridge, where commissioners mett on both sides, but
effected nothing; for the parliament itselfe began to grow into two
apparent factions of Presbyterians and Independents, and the king
had hope, by their de visions, to prevaile for the accomplishment of
his owne ends/
It was too apparent how much the whole parliament cause had
bene often hazarded, how many opertunities of finishing the warre
had bene overslipt by the Earle of Essex his armie, and believ'd
that he himselfe, with his commanders, rather endeavour'd to be-
come arbiters of warre and peace, then conquerors for the parlia-
ment; for it was knowne that he had given out such expressions:
wherefore those in the parliament, who were griev'd at the preiudice
of the publick interest, and loath to bring those men to publick
shame, who had once well merited of them, deviz'd to new model
the armie, and an ordinance was made, call'd the self-denying ordi-
nance, whereby all members of parliament, of both houses, were
discharg'd of their commands in the armie. Cromwell had a par-
ticular exception, when Essex, Manchester, and Denbigh, surren-
der'd their commissions, and Sr. Thomas Fairfax was made generall
of the new-modelFd armie, Cromwell lieftenant-generall, and Skippon
maior-generall. The armie was reduc'd to twenty-one thousand,
who prosecuted the warre not with designe of gaine and making
it their trade, but to obteine a righteous peace and settlement to the
distracted kingdome, and accordingly it succeeded in their hands.''
" Whoever will take the pains to read the king's letters in Clarendon's State Papers
will see that this is a true representation of his sentiments.
y It is suggested by Rapin and others that this new model and self-denying ordi-
nance arose not from the motives here set down, but merely from intrigue; yet White-
205
To retume to Nottingham, after the prince was marcht away out
of the country, the enemie without was still designing against the
garrison, and the governor's enemies within were still perplexing all
his affaires. Upon the eleventh of May, a letter was found by a
wench in the night-time, dropt in the shoemaker's booths ; Avhich
letter was directed to Sr. Richard Biron, informing him that " the
" businesse betweene them went on with good successe, and that
" the time drawing on, it behoov'd him to be very dilligent, and
" desiring him to burne the letter;" which was subscrib'd, " Your
" carefull servant A. C. ;" and a postscript written, " Faile nothing
" by any means, and there shall be no neglect in me." The gover-
nor tooke all courses that could be imagin'd to discover this person,
but could never find him out. About this time some troopers going
by a house, where one Henry Wandall, a debosht mallignant apo-
thecary had liv'd, (but the house was now empty, and he had the
key of it) ; they perceiv'd a smoke to come out of it, and went in
and found some kindled sticks, laid in a potsherd, iust by a rotten
post, under the stair-case, with hurds and other combustible things
lock, who even spoke against it, p. 1G3, sliews the indispensible necessity for such a
new model. "Some memheis of the house were sent to their generals to complain of
" their remissness. Tlie Earle of Mancliester was under a kind of accusation, the lord
" general in discontent. Waller not much otherwise, the forces not carefully ordered,
" and the parliament business in an unsettled condition, so that it was high time for
" some other course to be taken by them." Mr. Sprigge demonstrates this more fully.
He says, "■ Cromwell was absent in the west when the exemption was voted ; that he
" had come to V\'indsor over night to kiss the general's hand and take his leave on quit-
" ting the service, but the following morning, ere he came forth of his chamber, those
" commands, than which he thought of nothing less in all the world, came to him from
" the committee of bctli kingdoms, in obedience to which he immediately marcht
" away." And further, " that the house did this for their own happiness and that of
*' their general Fairfax."
Mrs. Hutchinson was sufficiently observant of Cromwell's artifices to have accused
him of it on this occasion, if he had deserved it.
206
about it, which it was evident were put there to fire the house, but
for what reason, or by whom, was not discover 'd.
The governor hearing of some troopes of the enemie in the Vale,
had a design to goe thither, and acquainted the committee with it ;
telhno- them he would take out all the horse, and himselfe march
wdth the body, and leave a foote companie and thirty horse behind
him at the bridges, so as by that time he was marcht by Wiverton,
Avhich would give Shelford the alarum, the thirty horse, which were
more then Shelford had to send out, should face the liouse on that
side next Nottingham, and the foote should march a private way
through the closings," so that if Shelford horse or foote should come
forth against those thirty horse, the foote might get betweene them
and home, or take any advantage that was offer'd. All this the
committee very well approved, and so it was resolv'd to put it in ex-
ecution the next night after, because it would take some time to
provide horses for the musketeers. The governor coming out of the
committee, met Capt. White upon the parade in the castle-yard,
and acquainted him with the designe, Avho, with a delected coun-
tenance and a faynt voyce, pretended to approove it, but desired
the thirty horse who were to stay some howers behind, might be of
his troope ; to which the governor assented to gratifie his desire,
though he told him, he was very loath to spare any of that troope,
who were old souldiers and well accpiainted with the country ; but
he desir'd him the rest might not faile to be ready. The captaine
promis'd they should, and so departed. When the governor had
made ready all the horse and dragoones, and was himselfe iust ready
to march out with them, being at Coll. Thornhagh^s house. White
came in ; the governor, not doubting of his intention to goe, ask'd
him if his troope were ready ? He replied, " They were out upon
" service ; thirty," said he, " are gone by your consent, and the rest
" Closings, closes, fields, vulg. Notts, closen.
207
" went to fetch in a mallignant at Ekering, some few odde ones re-
" maine, which you may have if you will." The governor desir'd
him to goe himselfe and assist him, the captaine desir'd to be ex-
cus'd, for " to what purpose should he goe when his troopc was not
" there ?" The governor went from thence to his owne lodgings, and
meeting the committee, acquainted them how White had serv'd him,
who seem'd to resent it very ill at that time ; and while they were
discoursing of it, White's officer came up Avith warrants to be sign'd
for hay for the quarters, which being offer'd the governor, he tore,
and say'd he would signe no warrants for such a disorderly troope,
as would doe no service but what they list, whose officers knew nei-
ther how to give nor obey commands.
Notwithstanding this discouragement, to want eighty of his best
men, the governor went out wilh the rest, and when he had drawne
them into the Trent Lanes, one of his spies came in with intelligence
that at a towne in the Vale, call'd Sierston, and another next it,
qall'd Elston, there was two hundred horse quarter'd, who being
come in weary and secure, might easily be surpriz'd that night.
The governor, calling the captaines together, imparted the intel-
ligence, and they were all forward to goe on in the designe, except
Captaine Pendock, who perswaded much against it ; but while they
were discoursing another intelligencer came in, to second the former,
whereupon the governor told the captaines, that if they would goe,
he was resolv'd to do something that night, and because Captaine
Pendock was best acquainted with that side of the country, he ap-
poynted him to lead on the forlorne hope, which accordingly he did,
but with such sloth and muttering, that in two or three miles riding,
the governor was forc'd to send up some officers to him, to hasten
him on ; neither was this from cowardize, but only humour and fac-
tion, for the man was stout enough when he had a mind to it, but
now he rid allong, muttering that it was to no purpose, and when
he came to Saxondale Gorse, })urposely lost himselfe and his for-
0. c.
208
lorne hope ; Avhich the governor missing, was much troubled, fear-
ing that by some misadventure they might have bene enclos'd and
cutt of betweene the enemie's garrisons ; but Avhen they came to
Saxondale Lane, Pendock and his forlorne hope Avere found safe in
the reare of the body. The governor, perceiving Pendock's back-
Avardnesse, had sent out some parties, one troope under Captaine
Lieftenant Pahner, and another partie with Cornett Peirson, to
some neere townes, to execute some of the committee's warrants, in
fetchino- in dehnquents, when the cornett came back Avith an alarum
thai two or three hundred horse Avere quarter'd at Elston and Sier-
ston, Avhich he must either fight Avith or retreate. Capt. Pendock
was againe AvonderfuU unwilling to goe on, and say'd it Avould be
day before they should come there ; but the governor bade those
that Avould, follow him, for he Avould goe, and accordingly he Avent;
and Avhen he came to the towne, drew up his men at the tOAvne's
end in a body, from Avhich he sent in some parties, to fall into the
towne, himselfe staying Avith the body betweene them and NcAvark,
to defend them from any of the enemies that might have come upon
them:'' so they brought out tAVO captaine-lieftenants, some cornetts,
and other gentlemen of quallity, thirty troopers and many more
horses and amies ; Captaine Thimbleby absolutely refusing quarter
was kill'd. The governor sent into the towne to command all his
men immediately away ; but a lieftenant and cornett making not
hast to obey, Avhile they stay'd for some drinke, were surpriz'd by a
party that came from Newark, before the corporall the governor
had sent to fetch them of, Avas Avell out of the toAvne; but Avith those
he had taken, and all the booty, and many horses and beasts fetcht
y Whoever looks upon-the map, and observes the vicinity of these places to New-
ark, and their great distance from Nottingham, will see it to have been a service of
great delicacy and danger. It is mentioned cursorily by Whitelock, page 89; had it
been Sir John Geil, we should have had it better displayed.
209
from mallignants in the enemies quarters, the governor came safe
home, to the greale discontent of Captaine White, who was some-
thing out of countenance at it. Tiiis may serve, instead of many
more, to shew how hard a task he had to carric on the service, with
such refractory mahitious persons under him.
About this time it liapned, that the engineer being by, Captaine
Pendock tooke occasion to raile at the towne-workes, and Hooper
making answers, which drew on rephes, Pendock strooke him,
whereupon the man angrie lay'd his hand upon his sword and halfe
drew it out, but thrust it in againe ; the maid ran affrighted into
the kitchen, where was one Henry Wandah, who presently call'd
some musketeers, disarm'd Mr. Hooper, and sent him prisoner to
the governor; who asking him upon what account he came so, he
told him he had no reason to accuse himself; if those that sent him
had aniething against him, he Avas readie to answer it. After the
governor had expected 'till about midnight and nothing came, he
sent for Wandall, and enquiring why and by Avhose authority he
committed Mr. Hooper prisoner ? He answered, " for drawing his
" sword, he, as an officer of the garrison, had sent him up." The
governor asked who made him an officer .'' and taking it upon him,
why he did not send up both parties, but only one in a quarrell .''
and he being able to give no answer, but such as sliew'd it was done
out of mallice, the governor committed him for his insolency, who
being but a common souldier, presum'd to make an officer prisoner,
without rendering an account to the governor, and lett the other
engag'd in the quarrell go free. The next day after this, Plumtre
came to the Trent bridges, where being stopt, he sent up a passe
which he had procur'd him from my lord generall, to come and stay
in the towne during his owne pleasure ; which when the governor
saw, he sent him word, that in regard of my lord general's passe he
might stay at his owne house, but bade him take heed, as he Avould
answer it, that he meddled not to make any mutinie or commotion
no
in the garrison : to which he sent an insolent rephe, that he was
olad the ffovcrnor was taught manners ; lie was come to towne for
some businesse, and when he had occasion he would repaire to the
committee. The committee, hearing this, were very sensible of his
insolent carriage, and drew up articles against him, which Avere
sign'd with six of their hands, and sent up to Mr. Millington to be
pieferr'd against him, in the house of parliament, and to be shew'd
to my lord generall, as the lieftenant-collonell should see occasion,
whom the governor sent immediatety to the generall, to acquaint
him the reason why Dr. Plumtre had bene forc'd to procure his passe
for his protection. The governor tooke this occasion to send to the
generall about his cannoneers, whom some dayes before he had
bene forc'd to confine as prisoners to their chamber 'till the generall's
pleasure could be known concerning them, for at the instigation of
Captaine Palmer, all the ministers in towne, and, to make the crie
the louder, certeine loose mallignant priests, which they had gotten
to ioync with them, had most violently urg'd, in a petition to the
committee, that these men might be turn'd out of the towne for
being separatists ; so that the governor was forc'd, against his will,
to confine them, to prevent mutiny, though they were otherwise
honest, obedient, and peacefull. After the lieftenant-collonell was
gone, with letters concerning these matters, to the generall, Plumtre
behav'd himselfe most insolently and mutinously, and he and Mason
entering into confederacy, had contriv'd some articles against the
governor, for committing Wandall ; but Avlien they tried and found
they could do no good with them. Mason came to the governor and
was most sawcily importunate for his release, Avhich, by reason of
the insolent manner of seeking it, the governor Avould not grant.
Tlie generall, upon the governor's letters, sent down a letter to
Plumtre, to discharge him the gamson, and another to the governor
to release the cannoneers ; which he accordingly did, to the satis-
faction of his owne conscience, Avhich Avas not satisfied in keeping
211
men prisoners for llieir consciences, so long as they liv'd honestly
and inoft'ensively ; but it caus'd a greate mutinie in the priests
against him, and they blew up as many of their people as they
could, to ioyne in faction against the governor, not caring now
what men they enter'd into confederacy wiih, nor how disaffected to
the cause, so they were but bitter enough against the separatists ;
which the cunning mallignants perceiving, they now all became zea-
lotts, and laught in secrett, to see how they wrought these men to
mine their owne cause and champions.
Plumtre not taking notice of the generall's letters, the governor
sent him word he expected he should obey them and depart: Plum-
tre replied, his business was done, and he would goe; but in spight
of his teeth he would have a guard. The lieftenant-coUonell would
have put in the articles into the parliament, which the committee
had sent up against Plumtre ; but Mr. Millington pretending all
kindnesse and service to the governor, would needs undertake it,
and desired the lieftenant-collonell to trouble none of the governor's
friends, in any business he had to doe, but to leave it in his hands,
who would employ all his powers, and serve him with all vigilance
and faidifullnesse, against all persons Avhatsoever ; and whereas he
heard the governor had some thoughts of coming to London, he
wisht him not to trouble himselfe, but to charge him with aniething
he had to doe. Notwithstanding all this, the governor went to
London, having some occasions thither. A little before his going,
he and the rest of the committee had requir'd Mr. Salisbur}^ their
treasurer, to give in his accounts, which he either unwilling or un-
able to do, bent his utmost endeavours to rayse a high mutiny and
faction against the governor, and Capt. White was never backward
in any mischiefe ; these, with Plumtre and Mason, made a close
confederac}^ and call'd home Chadwick to their assistance, having
engag'd the persecuting priests and all their idolaters, upon an in-
sinuation of the governors favour to separatists. During Collonell
212
Thornliagh's sickncsse, the governor undertooke the command of his
horse regiment, while it quarter'd in the garrison, and made the
men live orderly, and march out upon designes more frequently
then they us'd to doe when their collonell was well, upon whose
easinesse they prevail'd to do what they list, and some of them, who
were greate plunderers, were conniv'd at, which the governor would
by no means suffer : Avhefefore these men were, by the insinuations
of tlieir officers and the wicked part of the committee, drawne into
the faction, which was Avorking in secrett a while, and at last broke
into open prosecutions. They had determin'd that assoone as the
governor was gone. White, the devil's exquisite sollicitor, should
alsoe follow to London, but knew not how to doe for a pretence to
send him upon the publick purse ; when wickednesse, Avhich never
Avants long the opportunity it waits for, found one soone out, for
the committee of both kingdomes had sent a command for all the
horse in Nottingham, to repaire to Sr. John Meldrum in Lanca-
shii'e; the towne was putt upon a hasty petition that their horse
might not goe, and Capt. White must carrie it, who pretends to
have knowne nothing of it halfe an hower before, yet he was ready;
and Dr. Plumtre too prepar'd to make good his brags, and goe Avith
his convoy. Presently after he was gone, the engine of mischiefe
comes to towne, Coll. Chadwick, Avhom Mr. Salisbury receives Avith
greate ioy and exultance, boasting, to use his OAvne Avords, that
they should noAV mump the governor. At the maior of the town's
house, he Avas entertein'd with much Avine, Avhereof Mr. Ayscough,
a committee man, having taken a pretty large proportion, coming
that night to supper to the castle, told the lieftenant-collonell and
the governor's Avife, that he Avould advise them to acquaint the go-
vernor, there was mischiefe hatching against him, and that Chad-
wick Avas come to tOAvne, on purpose to effect it, Avhich though the
felloAv discover'd in his drinke, Avas true enough, and he himselfe
was one of the conspiring Avicked ones.
213
To fortifie their party, in all hast, they endeavour'd to rayse a
new troope of dragoones, under one Will Hall, a debosht mallig-
nant fellow, and thereupon one of the governor's mortall enemies ;
but some of the honester townsmen perceiving the designe, and not
yet being seduc'd, would not rayse him any horse, so at that season
the troope was not rays'd.
And now Caplaine White came home, when it was observ'd that
after his returne, he would not allow the governor that name, but
only call'd him Coll. IJutchinson, and when any one elce term'd him
governor, would decline the acknowledgment of that name : then
caiolling his fellow horse officers and the troopers, they, through his
insinuations, everywhere began to detract from the governor, and
to magnifie Capt. White, and not only to derogate from the gover-
nor, but from all persons that Avere affected to him. Now Avas
there a petition draAvne up to be presented to the committee of both
kingdoms, desiring that Mr. Millington might be sent downe to
compose the differences which Avere in the garrison. The lieftenant-
collonell, and some others, refusing to signe it, Capt. White told
them it Avas a pretence, Avhich Mr. Millington desir'd the favour of
them, that they would make, to obteine leave for him to come
doAvne and visitt his wife and children, Avhom he had a lonoins:
desire to see, and kncAv not any other Avay to bring it about. The
gentlemen to gratify Mr. Millington sign'd it, and he himselfe at
London, Avith the same pretext, obtain'd the governor's hand to it,
Avhile the governor, deceiv'd by his high and faire professions of ser-
vice and kindnesse to him, never , entertain'd any suspition of his
integrity; and this Avas the greatest of the governor's defects, through
the candidnesse and sincerity of his OAvne nature, he Avas more un-
suspitious of others, and more credulous of faire pretenders, then
suited Avilh so greate a prudence, as he testified in all things elce.
Nothing awak'ned iealousie in him but grosse flattery, Avhich, Avhcn
he saw any one so servile as to make, he believ'd the soule that
214
could descend to that basenesse, might be capable of falsehood ,
but those who were cunning, attempted him not that way, but put
on a face of faire, honest, plaine friendship, with Avhich he was a
few times, but not often in his life, betrey'd. At Mr. Millington's
entreaty the governor releas'd Wandall, but would have prosecuted
tlie committee's petition against Plumtre, which Mr. Millington
most earnestly perswaded him not to doe, but desir'd that he Avould
permitt him to come and live quietly in his owne house, upon en-
gagement, that he should not rayse nor foment any mutiny nor fac-
tion in the garrison, or intermeddle Avith any of the affaires thereof.
The governor was easily wrought to assent to this alsoe, but Plumtre
refus'd to enter into such an engagement to quiet behaviour, and so,
for that time, came not to Towne. There was againe a new de-
signe against the garrison by the enemie discover'd, and a spie
taken, who own'd a souldier in the maior's companie that liad listed
himself on purpose to effect his mischiefc; but through carelesse
custody, the spie escap'd that day that the garrison were celebrating
their ioy for the greate victory at Yorke. Meanwhile the governor,
supposing Mr. Millington, as he profess'd himselfe, highly his friend
and his protector, complain'd to him of the mutinous carriage of the
liorse, and his disturbance and discouragement in the publick ser-
vice thereby, and desir'd him to get a resolution in the thing,
whereby his power and their duty might be defin'd, that he might
know wherein he was to command them in his garrison, and they to
obey him. Mr. Millington advis'd him to write a letter to him con-
cerning this, setting downe his owne apprehensions, what he was to
exact from them, and they to render him; which accordingly the
governor did, and left it with Millington, and return'd to his garri-
son. INIr. Millington told him, that he had shew'd the letter to the
committee of both kingdomes, avIio had given their opinion of it,
that he requir'd no more of them then he ought to have. Soonc
after the governor Mr. Millington came downe to Nottingham, with
215
iustruclions from the commitlee of both kingdomes, to heare and,
if he could, compose the differences at Nottingham ; if not, to re-
port them to the committee of both kingdoms. Mr. IMilhngton,
coming downe with these, brought Plumtre as farre as Leicester
with him, and begg'd of the governor to permitt him to returne to
his house, engaging himselfe tliat he should not meddle with anie-
thing belonging to the garrison, nor come neere the castle nor any
of the forts: which engagement the governor received, and suffer'd
the man to come home ; and Millington, least the governor should
suspect his greate concerne in Dr. Plumtre, made strong professions
to him, that he desir'd his re-admission into the towne for nothing
but to be a snare to him; for he knew the turbulency and pride of
his spiritt such, that he would never be quiet ; but if, after this in-
dulgence, he shf)uld, as he believed he would, returne to his former
courses, he would be inexcusable in the eies of all men. Then Mr.
Millington desir'd the governor to draw up some heads, wherein he
conceiv'd his power to consist, Avhich he did, reducing allmost the
words of his commission into eight propositions, which when he
shew'd first to Mr. Millington, before the committee saw them, Mr.
Millington seem'd very well to approove of them, and protested
againe to the governor, the faithfullnesse of his heart to him, ex-
cusing his intimacy with his enemies, upon a zeale he had to doe
him service, by discovering their designes against him, and call'd
himselfe therein, Sr. Pollitick Woudbe : but the governor disliking
this double dealing, though it had bene with his enemies, desir'd
him rather to declare himselfe ingenuously as his conscience led
him, though it should be against him, and told him freely he liked
not this faire carriage to both. When the governor put in his pro-
positions to the committee, they desir'd each of them might have a
copy of them, and all a weeke's time to consider them ; at the end
of which, when the governor prest their answer, whether they as-
sented to them, or could obiect anicthing against them .'' they, with
2 H
216
false flattering apologies to the governor, that if such command
were due to any man, they should rather the governor should em-
ploy it, then any person whatsoever, by reason of his unquestion'd
meritts ; but they conceiv'd that such a power given to a governor,
would not consist with that which belonged to a committee, where-
upon they produc'd a tedious, impertinent paper, in answer to the
governor's propositions; which, when the governor read over, he
flung b}^, saying it was a ridiculous senselesse piece of stufFe : some
of them taking exceptions, he should so contemne the committee's
paper; he replied, he knew not yet whose it Avas, not being sign'd
by any one, if any of them would owne it he desir'd them to sub-
scribe it, and then he should know what to say. Thereupon, the
next day, it was againe brought out, sign'd by Mr. Millington,
Chadwick, Salisbury, White, and the maior of the towne. The
summe of the paper not containing any exceptions against the go-
vernor himselfe, but against his power, and wholly denying that my
Lord Fairfax had power to make a governor, or conferre any such
power on him, as his commission imported ; the governor told them,
it no farther concern'd him, but only to acquaint my Lord Fairfax,
with whom he should leave it, to iustifie his owne commission, and
his authority to give one : but forasmuch as my lord was concern'd
in it, the gentlemen who had more respect for him disown'd it, and
these were the governor, the lieftenant-collonell, Mr. Pigott, Coll.
Thornhagh, Maior Ireton, Maior Widmerpoole, Capt. Lomax, and
Alderman James. Then the governor told them, how he had bene
jnform'd that this paper was of Chadwick's contrivance, and that
when Mr. Millington saw it, he hugg'd Chadwick in his armes, with
such congratulation, as is not to be imagin'd they could give, to a
fellow, of whom they had iustly entertain'd so vile an opinion,
and then before his face declar'd all their thoughts of indignation
and contempt, Avhich they had formerly exprcst of Coll. Chadwick,
whom he ask'd, with what face he could question my lord's autho-
217
rit3> to make him governor, when he had formerly us'd such surrep-
titious cheates to obtaine it for himselfe, by the same authority?
and he askt the committee, how it came to passe, they now behev'd
my Lord Fairfax had not authority to make him governor, when
they themselves at first writt to him for the commission ? and to Mr.
Millington he said, he had dealt very unfaithfully to those that en-
trusted him to compose diiferences, which he had rather made then
found; and very treacherously with him, making himselfe a party
and the chiefe of his adversaries, when he pretended only to be a
reconciler. Having at full layd them open one to another, and de-
clar'd all their treachery, mallice, pride, and knavery, to their
faces, he went away, smiling at the confusion he had left them in ;
who had not vertue enough in their shame, to bring them back to
repentance, but having begun to persecute him, with their spite
and mallice, were resolv'd to carrie on their wicked designe, wherein
they had now a double encouragement to animate them, Mr. Mil-
lington's sheltring them in the parhament house, and obstructing all
redresse the governor should there seeke for, and the hopes of profitt
and advantage they might upon the change of things expect by the
garrison, if they could wrest it out of the governor's hands, either
by wearying him wdlh uniust vexations, or by watching some ad-
vantage against him, to procure the discharge of his office by the
parliament ; for they, knowing him to be impatient of affi'onts, and
of a high spiritt, thought to provoke him to passion, wherein some-
thing might fall out to give them advantages; but he, perceiving
their drift, shew'd them that he govern'd his anger, and suffered it
not to master him, and that he could make use of it to curb their
insolency, and yet avoid all excursions that might preiudice him-
selfe.'' When the governor undertook this employment, the parlia-
" To some the recital of these municipal broils may appear rather tedious, but
Whitelock's Memorials shew that these, and such like, in various parts of the king-
218
menl's interest in those parts was so low, and the hazard so des-
perate, that these pittifull wretches, as well as the other faithfuU
hearted to the publiquc cause, courted him to accept and keepe the
place, and though their fowle spiritts hated the day-light of his more
vertuous conversation, yet were they willing enough to let him beare
the brunt of all the hazard and toyle of their defence, willinger to be
secur'd by his indefatigable industry and courage, then to render
him the iust acknowledgment of his good deserts. This ingratitude
did not at all abate his zeale for the publick service, for as he sought
not prayse, so he was well enough satisfied in doing well; yet
through their envious eyes, they tooke in a generall good esteeme of
him, and sin'd against their owne consciences in persecuting him,
whereof he had after acknowledgments and testimonies from many
of them. All the while of this contest, he was borne up by a good
and honorable party of the committee, and greater in number and
valine then the wicked ones, whom Mr. Millington's power in the
house only countenanc'd and animated to persue their mischiefes.
What it was that drew Mr. Millington into their confederacy was
afterwards apparent; they hir'd him with a subscription of losses,
for which they gave him publick faith double to what he really had
lost ; ^ and they off'er'd him a share of the governor's spoyles, if he
Mould helpe them to make him a prey, which would have bene
good booty to his meane family; for although the governor had
hitherto gott nothing but desperate hazard and vast expence, yet
now this garrison began to be in a more hopefull condition, by the
dom required the serious and frequent attention of the parliament. Most readers will
pity a man of Coll. Hutchinson's exalted mind for being compelled to cope with such
despicable adversaries, but they will derive some pleasure from observing the address
with which he foiled their insidious attacks.
* Of this custom of applying to the parliament for reparation or compensation, and
of its being granted generally at the expence of delinquents or cavaliers, there appear
many instances in Whitelock — no doubt many abuses crept in.
219
late successe in the north. After Yorke was taken, the Earle of
Manchester marcht into onr parts, upon whose coming Bolsover
and Tickhill castles were dehver'd up to him, and Wclbeck, the
Earle of Newcastle's house, which was given into Coll. Thornhagh's
connnand, and much of the enemie's wealth, by that means, brought
into Nottingham: Winkfield manour, a strong garrison in Derby-
shire, was taken upon composition, and by this meanes, a rich and
large side of the country, was layd open to helpe maintaine the
garrison at Nottingham, and more hoped for by these gentlemen,
who were now as greedy to catch at the rewards of another's labovus,
as unable to meritt aniething themselves: but when the hopes of the
harvest of the whole country, had tempted them to begin their
wicked plotts, God seeming angrie at their ill use of mercy, caus'd
the Earle of Manchester to be call'd back into the south, when he
was going to have besieg'd Newark, and so that towne, with the
pettie garrisons at Wiyerton, Shelford, and Belvoyr, were still left
for further exercise to Nottingham. Yet the hopes these would in
time be gained, made these gentlemen prosecute their designe
against the governor, whose par tie the}^ endeavour'd with all sub-
tileties to weaken : and first attempted Coll. Thomhagh, who having
by his signaliz'd vallour arriv'd to a greate reputation, they thought
if they could gaine him, he would be their best leaver, to heave out
the governor, and that prop once remoov'd, they despair'd not to
make him contribute to his owne ruine ; for they had discover'd in
him a facillity of nature, apt to be deluded by faire pretences, and
more prone to suspect the kind plaine-dealing of his friends, then
the flattery of his enemies: but the governor, after they had dis-
play 'd themselves, by his vigilancy, prevented many of their malli-
tious designes, and among the rest that they had upon this gentle-
man. During his sicknesse the governor tooke care of his regiment,
and employ 'd the troopes that quarter'd in the garrison : but through
the wicked instigations of Captaine White, being very refractory,
220
and the regiment often call'd out on field service, the governor sent
for a commission, and rays'd a troope of horse, which the heftenant-
colloneil commanded, and a troope of dragoones for the pecuUar
service of the garrison. These cunning sowers of sedition wrought,
upon this occasion, Coll. Thornhagh into a iealous behefe, that
Coll. Hutchinson was taking the advantage of his sicknesse, to worke
himselfe into his command. Coll. Thornhagh was griev'd at it, but
sa^'d nothing; but the governor discovering the thing, notwithstand-
ing his silence, Avhen the lieftenant-colonel went to London, pro-
cur'd a commission for Coll. Thornhagh to be, next under Sr. Thomas
Fairfax, commander in chiefe of all the parliament's horse in Not-
tinghamshire, at all times, which being brought to Coll. Thornhagh,
Avhen he knew nothing of it, clear'd him of that suspition. And
now, although they were more inclin'd to delude then openly to
opose Coll. Thornhagh, yet they having no exceptions against the
governor in his owne person, but against his authority, they were
forc'd to deny Coll. Thornhagh's command as well as the governor's,
they being both deriv'd from the same power. The horse captaines,
who were allur'd by faire colours of preferment, and indulg'd in
their plunder, which they hoped to doe with more freedom, if
Capt. White prevail'd, were more obedient to Capt. White and their
owne ambition, then to their coUonell or the lawes and customes of
warre. The committee hoped, by thus disputing the coUonell's
powers, under a fkce of parliament authority, to weary them out,
and make them cast up their commissions, when they had, by Mr.
Millington, blockt up the way of their complaint, so that they fear'd
not being turn'd out of the committee, for the abuse of that trust :
and perhaps they had succeeded, but that the governor scorn'd to
give up a good cause, either particular or publick, for want of cou-
rage to defend it among many difficulties; and then, although he
had many enemies, he had more friends, whom if he should desert,
they would be left to be crusht by these mallitious persons ; and
221
more then all this, the country Avould be abandon'd into the hands
of persons, Avho would only make a prey of it, and not endeavour
its protection, liberty, or reall advantage, Avhich had bene his chiefe
ayme in all his undertakings.
The conspirators, as I may more iustly terme them, then the
committee, had sent Capt. White to Yorke, to my lord Fairfax, and
to get the governor's power defin'd, Avhich he understanding, the
next day went thither himselfe, and Mr. Pigott, who from the be-
ginning to the ending shew'd himselfe a most reall and generous
friend to the governor, and as cordiall to his country and the greate
cause, Avent allong Avith him, arriving a day after Capt. White.
When my lord gave them a hearing together, he asked Avhether the
governor had done aniething of consequence Avithout consulting the
committee, which White could not say he had; then he ask'd White
if he had any other misgovernment to accuse him of, Avhich AA'hen
White could not alledge against him, the governor before his face
told my lord all the businesse, Avhereupon White was dismissed Avith
reproofe and laughter, and letters Avere written to the committee,
to iustifie the governor's power, and to entreate them to forbeare
disturbing him in his command, and to Mr. Millington, to desire
him to come over to Yorke to my lord; both Avhich the governor
deliver'd, but Mr. Millington would not goe over, but, on the con-
trary, continued to foment and rayse up the factions in the toAvne
against the governor, and by his countenance the committee every
day meditated and practis'd ncAV provocations, to stirre up the go-
vernor to rage, or at least to weary him in his employment. The
horse, without his knoAvledge, they frequently sent abroad; pro-
tections, ticketts, and passes, they gave out; and, encroaching upon
his office in all things whatsoever, Avrought such a confusion in the
garrison that, Avhilc all men were distracted and amaz'd, in doubt
whose orders to obey, and Avho Avere their commanders, they obey'd
none, but every man did what he listed; and by that meanes the
m'2
publick service was in all things obstructed and preiudic'd. The
governor, while the iniury was only to himselfe, bore it, but when
it extended allmost to the destruction of the garrison, he was forc'd
to endeavour a remedy. For about tliis time it hap'ned that Salis-
bury, being treasurer, had given base termes and willfull delayes to
the souldiers who were assign'd their pay, when the mony was ready
for them in the treasury; and when this base carriage of his had
provok'd them to a mutinie, the governor Avas sent for to appease it,
which he did; but comming to the committee, told them he would
no longer endure this usage of theirs, to have all things of power,
honor, and command, wrested out of his hands, and all things of
difficulty and danger put upon him; while they purposely stirr'd up
occasions of rigor and punishment, and then expected he should be
the executioner of it, by which he perceiv'd they did these things
only with designe to render him contemptible and odious to all per-
sons. Not lono; after a command came for all the horse that could
be spar'd in the garrison to goe to Sr. John Meldrum, to the reliefe
of Montgomery-castle. The governor went to the committee to
consult what troopes should march, and they voted none. The go-
vernor told them, he conceiv'd when a command was given, they
were to obey without dispute, and that he came to advize with them
what troopes should be sent forth, not whether any or noe; there-
fore althovigh they voted disobedience of the command, that would
not discharge him, especially the service being of greate conse-
quence, and the troopes lying here without other employment:
wherefore at night he summoned a councell of Avarre, and there all-
most all the captaines, having no mind to march so farre from
home, declar'd they conceiv'd themselves to be under the command
of the committee, and would only obey their orders. Upon this
the governor went to the committee and desir'd them that, in regard
unanswerable things Avere done, the publick service neglected, and
all the transactions of the garrison confused, they would unite Avith
him in a petition to the parliament, to define their severall powers ;
and in the meane time either quietly to let him execute his duty,
or elce to take all upon them and discharge him. They presently
made a motion, that he would call a muster, and put it to all the
souldiers, whether they would be govern'd by the committee or the
governor. The governor told them his command was not elective,
but of right belonged to him, and this way Avas only the next occa-
sion to cause a mutiny, which he could not consent to. But they
persisting in their course, he came againe to them and desir'd they
would at length surcease these affronts in his command, and their
underminings, whereby they endeavour'd to alienate men's hearts
from him, and to rayse faction against him by close unworthy prac-
tises : so after much debate it was on all hands agreed, that they
should not at all intermeddle with aniething belonging to the soul-
diery, nor interrupt the governor in his command, till the house of
parliament should decide it, and that the governor and Capt. White
should both goe to London, to procure a speedy determination of
the powers in a faire and open way. This they all faithfully pro-
mised the governor, and made many hipocriticall professions to lum,
some of them with teares; whereupon he, who Avas of the most re-
concileable nature in the world, accepted their faire pretences, and
went to drinke friendly with them in token of kindnesse. Yet was
all this but hipocrisie and falsehood, for even at that A^ery time
they Avearied many of the governor's officers out of the garrison by
the continued mallice Avherewith they persecuted all that had any
respect for him. Among these was Mr. Hooper the engineer, a man
A^ery faithfuU to the cause and very honest, but withall rough, Avho
having to doe with hatefull businesses, Avas made odious to the
common people, the priests too having a particular spite at him, as
one they esteem'd a leader of the separatists ; yet he Avas very in-
genious and industrious in his office, and most faithfull as well to
the governor himselfe as to the publick service. The committee, to
2 I
224
insinuate themselves with the common people, regarded him with
an evill eie, and so discourag'd him, that being ofi'er'd much better
preferment, and invited by Coll. Cromwell into olher parts, he ac-
quainted the governor with it, oftering withall that, if he might yet
be protected from affronts in his employment, he would stay and
serve the governor for halfe the salary offer'd elce where. But the
governor, although he were very sorry to part Avith him, and the
service would much misse him, yet being so much iniur'd himselfe,
could not undertake the protection of any of his officers, and there-
fore would not hinder his preferment, but suffer'd him to goe to
Cromwell. Such Avas the en vie of the committee to him, that iust
as he was going, that very day, they not willing to let him depart
in peace, although they knew he had iustly expended all the mony
he had receiv'd of them, yet they call'd for an account, from the
beginning of his employment, which they had often seene in par-
cells, but believing he could not so readily give it them alltogether,
they then demanded it. He immediately brought it forth, and gott
by it twelve shillings due to him upon the foote thereof, which he
intended not to have ask'd them, but receiving it upon the exhibi-
tion of his account, went away smiling at their mallice; which yett
would not let him go soe, for then Henry Wandall came with a pe-
tition to the governor, that he would vindicate the honor of the
Earle of Essex against Mr. Hooper, whom he accus'd to have
spoken words against him, and done actions to his dishonor. The
governor knowing this Avas but mallice, accepted security for him,
which was offer'd by Mr. Pigott and Maior AVatson, that he should
answer Avhat could be obiected against him at any councell of warre
he should be call'd to.*"
*" This Mr. Hooper was undoubtedly a person of singular abilities. Mr. Sprigge,
in his Anglia Rediviva, mentions him as serving Sir Thomas Fairfax at the siege of
Oxford and other places as engineer extraordinary, and greatly expediting all his
225
Wednesday, Sep. the 25, 1644, Capt. While went to London, to
solhcite the committee's businesse against the governor, for they
were intended to putt it upon a faire debate, as was promis'd. The
next day the governor commanded Capt. Barrett's troope to convoy
him towards London, but iust as he was going to horse, the com-
mittee, contrary to their engagements, not to meddle with any mil-
litary affaires, commanded them another way, and soe he was forc'd
to goe Avithout a convoy, although the captaine was afforded a
whole troope to waite on him.
Two or three dayes before the governor went, Chadwick came
privately to the governor's brother and told him, that his conscience
would not suffer him to conceale the mallitious designes, and that
treachery, which he now discover'd to be in these men's oppositions
of the governor, and, with many insinuations, told him they were
framing articles against the governor, whereof he gave him a copie,
which the governor carried to London widi him, and shew'd the
lieftenant-collonell the originalls in Mason's and Plumptre's owne
hand writings. Three dayes after the governor. Coll. Thornhagh
went to London. That day the governor went, one of the presby-
terian ministers, whose name was Goodall, preacht the lecture at
the greate church, with many invectives against governors and arbi-
trary power, so plainely hinting at the governor that all the church
well understood it; but for the committee, he gloz'd with them, and
told them he had nothing to say to them, but to goe on in the good
way they went. Some months after, this poore man preaching at a
living the committee had put him into, was taken by the enemie,
and much deiected at it, because he could not hope the governor
enterprizes, the rapidity and number of which were surprizing : he was at the siege
of Ragland-castle, the last garrison that surrendered ; he came again to Nottingham
during Coll. Hutchinson's government, and, by the list of tlie ganisoa in Deering's
Nottingham, appears to have continued with Capt. Poulton.
226
would exchange him, after his unworthy pulpitt rayhngs at hiin,
but the governor, who hated poore revenges, when his enemie and
one of his friends were both in the same prison, and he had but
one exchange readie, first procur'd the minister's release, and let
his owne officer stay for the next exchange. Whereupon the man
comming home, Avas struck with rcmorce, and beg'd the governor's
pardon, with rcall acknowledgements both to himselfe and others of
his sin, in supporting faction against the governor; who was told
that on his death-bed, for he died before the gamson was dissolv'd,
he exprest to some of the governor's friends his trouble for having
bene his enemie. But not only to him, but to many others of his
enemies, the governor upon sundry occasions, when they fell into
his power to have requited their mischiefes, instead of A^engeance
render'd them benefitts, so that at last his own friends would tell
him, if they could in iustice and conscience forsake him, they would
become his adversaries, for that was the next way to engage him to
obligations; but although his friends, who had greater animosities
against his uniust persecutors than he himselfe, Avould say these
things in anger at his clemency, his nature was as full of kind gra-
titude to his friends as free from base revenges upon enemies, wha
either fell down to him by their owne iust remorce, or were cast under
his power by God's iust providence.
Assoone as the governor was gone, the committee tooke alt
power upon them, and had the impudence to command the lief-
tenant-collonell, who was deputy governor, and absolute in his bro-
ther's absence, to draw out his troope: he went to them and told
them he was sorrie they broke their agreement, but he could not
breake his trust of his brother's authority to obey them. Then they
feign'd a pretence and turn'd out the governor's quarter master, who
by the governor's appoyntment had quartcr'd souldicrs at an ale-
house ]\Ir. Millington had given a protection to, that they should
quarter none, upon the account of some relation they had to him.
227
Avho married one of the daughters of the place. This occasioning
some dispute, Cooke the quarter master had utter d some words, for
which they sent for him and cast out greate threats, how they would
punish him, Avhich frighted his Avife, big with child, in that manner
that her child died within her, and her owne life was in greate
hazard. The conmiittee then call'd a hall, and caus'd the towns-
men to bring in horses for dragoones, whereof they voted a regiment
to be lays'd, Chadwick to be the coUonell, and Hall and Selby to
be captaines under him. They tooke upon them to command the
souldiers, and made horrible confusion, by which they often put the
garrison in greate danger, if the enemie had knowne their advan-
tage. Among the rest, one night after the guards were sett, the
captaine of the guard, missing the deputy governor to receive the
word from him, gave them the same word they had before, till he
had found out the governor to receive a new one. Mr. Millington
comming by, lialfe fluster'd, would have had the captaine take a
word from him, which Avhen the captaine refused, he being angrie,
commanded Captaine Mason's drums to beate, and sett a double
guard. The lieftenant-coUonell hearing the drums, and having no
notice of this command, sent to Mason to command him to forbeare
drawing any men to the guard, but Mason would not obey him.
Besides this, they did a thousand such like things, to provoke him
to give them some colour of complaint, or some advantage against
him and his brother, for the carrj'ing on of a wicked designe, which
they were secretly managing to destroy them; but God, by a won-
derful providence, brought it to light.
Their conspiracy was to accuse die collonell and his brother as
persons that had betrey'd the towne and castle, and were ready to
surrender them to the enemie, which they would pretend to have
discover'd, and to have prevented their treachery, by a surprize of
the lieftenant-collonell, the castle and the bridges, and all the offi-
cers that Avere faithfull to the governor and his friends. Because
228
they had not force in towne who would act this villainy, they sent
to Sr. John Gell, in whom they had a greate interest, and a man
likely enough to promote their Avickednesse, had they even ac-
quainted him with it, as black as it was in the cursed forge of their
own hearts; but to carric their businesse closely, they sent to tell
him they had cause of suspition that the lieftenant-collonell was false
to his trust, and would deliver the castle to the enemie, to prevent
which they dcsir'd him to assist them with some men and ammuni-
tion; which ammunition was very secretly convey 'd into the towne,
and the men were ready to march, and quarters taken up for them
in Nottingham. The lieftenant-collonell dreamt nothing of the mis-
chiefe that was hatching against him, Avhen, iust at the very time of
the execution, there came into Nottingham two gentlemen, whom
the parliament employ 'd to carrie intelligences betweene the north
and the south, and who us'd to meete at this towne.
Mr. Fleetwood, who came from the south, came immediately up
to the castle, and there was familiarly and kindly treated, as he used
to be, by the lieftenant-collonell. This was upon a Saturday night,
in the month of October. Mr. Marsh, his correspondent, that came
from the north, passing through Derby, was caution'd so by Sr. John
Gell, that he durst not come up to the castle, but on the Lord's day
sent for Mr. Fleetwood to meete him in the towne, who comming
to him, he told him what information he had receiv'd from Sr. John
Gell, and for that reason durst not trust himselfe in the castle.
Mr. Fleetwood undertaking for his safety, brought him up to the
lieftenant-collonell, and he finding the untruth of their forgeries,
told the lieftenant-collonell all the machinations against him; where-
upon, on the Munday morning, he went away to London, and sent
Mr. Millington word that having understood the suspition they had
of him, he was gone to London, where, if they had aniething to ac-
cuse him of, they might send after, him, and he should be ready to
answer it, and in his absence had left Capt. Lomax governor of the
229
garrison. The committee, very much confounded that their wicked-
nesse was come to hght, resolv'd to outface the thing, and denied
that they had sent to Derby for any men. They sayd indeed it was
true, that having formerly lent Sr. John Gell some pouder, they had
sent for that back; but this was not all, for they had alsoe per-
swaded the master of the magazine that was in the castle to convey,
unknowne to the lieftenant-collonell, two barrels of pouder, with
match and bullett suitable, to such place as Chadwick should direct.
This he, not dreaming of their evil intention, had condescended to,
and sent them to Salisburie's house, but assoone as the lieftenant-
collonell was gone they tooke what care they could to shuffle up
this businesse, and presently dispatcht Capt. Palmer to London and
Lieft. Chadwick to Derby, where he so wrought with Sr. John Gell
that he brought back a counterfeit letter, pretended to have bene
all that was sent from the committee of Nottingham to him, and
another of Sr. John Cell's writing, Avherein he disown'd all that
Mr. Marsh had related of his information; but God, who Avould
not let them be hid, had so order'd that while matters were thus
huddling up at Derby, Sr. John Cell's brother came by chance to
Nottingham, and affirm'd that the committee of Nottingham had
sent to his brother for three hundred men, to surprize Nottingham-
castle, which when the committee heard, they sent Capt. Pendock
after him the next day to charme him, that he might no more dis-
cover the truth in that particular. Alsoe that very day that these
intentions of theirs Avere thus providentially brought to light, one of
Sr. John Cell's captaines was knowne to be in towne, whom Sr. John
had sent to discover the state of things, and the new quarter-master
had bene all that day taking billett for souldiers in severall houses
in the toAvne.
When the goA-ernor came to London, the committee of both
kingdomes had appoynted a sub-committee to heare his businesse,
whereof young Sr. Henry Vane had the chaire, Mr. William Pierre-
230
pont, Mr, Sollicitor St. John, Mr. Recorder, and two of the Scotch
commissioners, were nominated for the committee; before whom
the governor's propositions and the committee's answers had bene
read, and when their soUcitor, Captaine White, saw they were likely
to be cast out as frivolous, he produc'd some articles, which they
had formed against the governor, lieflenant collonell, and Mr.
Pigott, but they proov'd as frivolous as the other, and the gentle-
men answer'd them soe clearely that they appear'd to be forg'd out
of mallice and envy, only to cause delayes, there being scarce anie-
thing of moment in them, if they had bene true, whereas they were
all false: and novi after they had trod downe the fence of shame,
and impudently began with articles ; there was not the least ridi-
culous imperlinency that pass'd at Nottingham, but they put it into
a scrip of paper and presented it as an additionall article to the
committee ; to each of whom parlicularly Mr. Millington had
written letters, and given them such false impressions of the gover-
nor, and so prcposscss'd them against him, that was a stranger to
them all, that they look'd upon him very coldly and slightly, when
he made particular addresses to them : but he, that scom'd to be
discourag'd with any men's disregard, from whom he had more rea-
son to have expected all caresses and thankcfull acknowledge-
ments of his unwearied fidellity and good services, resolv'd to
persue his owne vindication through all their frownes and cold re-
pulses : these he met with more from Mr. William Pierrcpont
then from any of the rest, till Mr. Pierrepont perceiv'd the inius-
tice of their prosecution, and then there was no person in the world
that could demeanc himsclfe with more iustice, honor, and kinde-
nesse then he did to the governor, whose iniuries became first ap-
parent to him, when the lieftenant-collonell came and told his bro-
ther what combinations had bene discover'd against him at Notting-
ham, which the governor resenting with great indignation, com-
plain'd of it to the committee. The Sollicitor White impudently
denied the whole matter, or that ever the committee at Nottingham
231
had had the least suspition of the governor or his brother, or the
least ground of any. Wlien this had bene with stiffnesse and impu-
dence enough outfac'd before the committee, Mr. Pierrepont, then
fully convinc'd of their devillish mallice, puU'd a letter out of his
pockett, wherein Mr. Millington made this suggestion to him against
the governor and his brother, and desir'd that he might be arm'd
with power to prevent and suppresse them. This would have made
others asham'd, but their soUicitor was notwithstanding impudent
and rudely pressing upon the committee, avIio though they were
persons of honor, and after they discover' d the governor's innocence,
not forward to oppresse him, yet as they were statesmen, so were
they not so ready to relieve him as they ought to have bene, because
they could not doe it without a high reflection upon one of their
owne members, who encouraged all those little men in their wicked
persecution of him. They were such exquisite rogues, that all the
while some of them betrey'd one another to the governor, and told
him, under pretence of honesty and conscience, the bottome of their
whole designes, shew'd the fowll originall draughls of their articles,
in the men's owne hands that contriv'd them ; and told him how not
so much dislike of him, as covetousnesse and ambition to advance
themselves upon his mines, engag'd them thus against him, and
made them contrive that villainy to accuse him and his brother of
treachery, and to have seiz'd their garrisons, under that pretence,
and gotten them to be made prisoners; and then Mr. Millington
undertooke to have lodg'd their petitions so in the parliament, that
they should never have bene heard and reliev'd. Coll. Thornhagh
too was to be wrought out of his command, and they had divided
the spoyle before they caught the lions. Millington's sonne was de-
sign'd to be governor of the castle ; the ten pounds awceke allow'd
for the governor's table, so many of the committee-men were to
share by fortie shillings a man ; Chadwick was to be collonell of the
towne regiment, and Mason maior ; White collonell of the horse
2 K
232
regiment, and Palmer, the priest, .his niaior ; and all the governor's
friends lo be turn'd out, and their places dispos'd to creatures of
theirs, who, drawne on with these hopes, Avere very active to worke
the governor and his party out of the opinion of all men. They for-
golt the publick interest in this private quarrell, taking in all the
mallignant and debosht people that would ioyne with them, to de-
stroy the governor whom they hated for his unmoved fidellity in his
trust, and his severe restriction of lewdnesse and vice : but because
he protected and favour'd godly men that were sober, although they
separated from the publick assemblies, this open'd Avide the mouths
of all the priests and all their idolaters, and they Avere Avilling enough
to lett the children of hell crie out Avith them to make the loAvder
noyse, and as Ave have since scene the whole cause and party ruin'd
by the same practise, so at that time the zealotts for God and the
parliament turn'd all the hate they had to the enemies of both, and
call'd them to assist in executing their mallice upon the faithfull ser-
vant and generous champion of the Lord's and his country's iust
cause. And noAv the name of Cavallier Avas no more remember'd,
Castillian being the tcrme of reproach with which they branded all
the gOA'^ernor's friends, and lamentable it Avas to behold hoAv those
Avretched men fell aAvay under this temptation, not only from pub-
lick-spiritednesse, but from sobriety and honest morall conversation;
not only conniving at and permitting the Avickednesse of others, but
themselves conversing in taverns and brothells, till at last Millington
and White Avere so ensnar'd that they married a couple of alehouse
Avenches, to their open shame and the conviction of the Avhole coun-
try of the vaine lives they led, and some reflection on the parliament
itselfe, as much as the miscarriage of a member could cast on it,
Avhen Millington, a man of sixty, professing religion, and having
but lately buried a religious matronly gentlcAVoman, should goe to
an alehouse to take a flirtish girle of sixteen ; yett by these noble
alliances, they much strengthen'd their faction with all the Aaine
233
drunken rogues in the towne against the governor. Now their first
plott had, by God's providence, bene detected, they fell upon
others, and sett on instruments every where, to insinuale all the lies
they could, that might render the governor odious to the towne and
to the horse of the garrison, Avhora they dcsir'd to stirre up to peli-
tion against him, but could not find any considerable number that
would freely doe it; therefore the}' us'd all the strong motives they
could, and told them the governor sought to exercise an arbitrary
power over them, and to have all their booties at his owne dispose,
and other such like things, by which aL length they prevail'd with
many of Coll. Thornhagh's regiment to subscribe a petition that they
might be under the command of the committee, and not of any other
person in the garrison. This petition was sent up by Captaine Pal-
mer, and he meeting Mr. Pigott at Westminster Hall, Mr. Pigott,
in private discourse with him, began to bcAvaile the scandalous con-
versation of certaine persons of the committee, hoping that he,
being familliar with them, might be a means to perswade them to
reformation.
After this the governor. Coll. Thornhagh, Mr, Pigott, and some
other, being in a taverne at Westminster, where they din'd, Capt.
Palmer came to the doore, and they bade him come in. Upon dis-
course, the governor pull'd out of his pockett the articles which the
committee had put in against him, shew'd them Captaine Palmer,
and ask'd him whither he thought it possible that he should, after
all his toyles and services, have bene articled against for such things.
Palmer, who had bene from the beginning with the governor and
knew the falsehood of these accusations, profess'd he Avas amaz'd at
them, and that he had not till then heard aniething of them. Con-
tinuing in further discourse, the governor mention'd an unchristian-
like sermon, which Mr, Goodall had preacht with invectives against
him, in his absence : Palmer undertooke the iustification of it, with
such sawcy provocations, that the governor told him, if it had not
234
bene more in respect to his black coate then his grey, he would
have beaten him out of the roome, which for his owne safety, he
adviz'd him to leave: so he went out very angrie, and going to Capt.
^Vhile, told him how Mr. Pigott call'd him a whoremaster, Mr. Mil-
lington a drunkard, and Chadwick a knave. White, meeting Mr.
Pigott in the hall, chaJleng'd him of these scandalls. Mr. Pigott,
seeing Palmer not farre oH', led White to him, and told him he
knew that person had bene his informer, repeating all he had say'd
to him, and added, that it was in a desire of their reformation, but
he Avould maintaine that all the things he spoke were true. Palmer
further, in his rage, putts into the committee a paper of reasons,
why he desir'd to be exempted from being under the governor,
whereof one was, that he had cowardl}^ and unhandsomely behav'd
himselfe in an occasion when Palmer's troope marcht out with him
to Elston. The governor sent a copie of this paper downe to Pal-
mer's ovne troope, and the lieftenant, coronett, and all the troopers,
sent up a certificate, under their hands, of the falsehood of their
captaine's accusation. After this Palmer came into the garrison,
and made a grievous exclamation all over the towne against the
governor and Mr. Pigott for traducing the ministers, Mr. Miliington,
and the committee ; adding a false report, that the governor had
throwne a trencher at his head ; and abusing the pulpitt to per-
swade the people to vindicate them: among other things, he misap-
plied a place in Nehemiah, where Nehemiah says, " I eate not the
" governor's bread, because the feare of the Lord was upon me," to
the governor ; that his accepting a publick table, was a mark of the
want of the feare of God : and many other such mallitious wrcstings
of scripture, did he and his fellow priests at that time practise. The
committee of Nottingham, on their side, taking this occasion, call'd
a publick hall in the towne, Avhere two orations were made by Mr.
Miliington and Coll. Chadwick. Miliington began with a large enu-
meration of Chad wick's worthy actions, (known to no man), where-
Q35
by he merited honor of all men, especially of this towne ; and then
mentioning his ovvne good sei^vices for the towne, told them how un-
gratefully they were repay 'd by Mr. Pigott, with the scandalous
aspersion of drunkards and knaves ; and that their singular affec-
tions and endeavours for the good of the towne, had expos'd them
to this calumny, wherefore they desir'd the tov/ne to ioyne in their
iustitication. Chadwick made iust such another speech, and bolh
of them seem'd to passe by their owne particular, and only to desire
the other's iustification ; Chadwick, in his speech, saying that Mr.
Pigott's abuse of Mr. Millington did not only asperse the committee,
but even the parliament itselfe. Captaine Lomax, then deputy
governor of the ganison, after they had spoken, stood up, and ad-
vised the townesmen that they should forbeare to entangle them-
selves in things they understood not, adding that Mr. Pigott and the
gentlemen at London were persons of such honor and prudence,
that they would maintaine whatever they had spoken of any man.
Hereupon Capt. Mason, and two mallignant townsmen of his soul-
diers, began to mutiny, with high insolence, and to lay violent
hands on him to thrust him out of the hall, giving him most re-
proachful! terms ; but the man being very stout, quieted them, and
would not depart till the hall broke up. After this, w^ithout ac-
quainting the deputy governor, they summon'd another hall ; but
Lomax seeing their inclination to mutiny forbade it. Then, at ten
of the clock at night, they gott a common councell together, at Mr.
Salisbury his house, and there Mr. ]\Iillington againe desired they
would iojme in the vindication of himselfe, the ministers, and the
committee, and gott about eight of them to subscribe a blank paper.
Then the committee, with certeine instruments of theirs, appoynted
rounds to walke the towne, perswading some, and threatning others,
to sett their hands to a petition, which none of them that subscribed
it knew what it was, but they told them it was for the good of the
towne.
236
All this while these pettic committee fellows had carried them-
selves as absolute governors, and Plumtre was now their intimate
favourite, and began to vapour that he would have the castle pull'd
doAvne to re-erect the church, and the fort at the bridges tlnowne
downe, and all the arms and souldiers brought into the townc.
But at London, the governor being growne into acquaintance
with the gentlemen of the sub-committee, that were to heare his
businesse, and they perceiving with how much wicked mallice he
Avas prosecuted, Sr. Henry Vane was so honorable as to give him
advice to putt his businesse in such a way, as might take aAvay all
colour from his enemies ; Avhereupon he put in some propositions to
the commitlee of both kingdomes, for the composure of these dif-
ferences, AV'herein he was willing to decline all things of his owne
right, which might be done without preiudice to the publick service,
and to passe by all the iniuries that had bene done him ; which con-
discension gave such satisfaction, that forthwith the whole businesse
was determin'd at the committee of both kingdomes, and the gover-
nor sent back to his charge, with instructions drawne up for all
parties, and letters Avritten to the officers and souldiers, both of
horse and foote, to be obedient ; and likewise letters to the maior
of the towne and the committee. The governor returning, Avord Avas
brought to Nottingham, that on Friday night he lay at Leicester,
Avhereupon the committee, avIio had heard the determination of
things above, gott them ready to be gone, but the souldiers having
notice thereof, Avent to the deputy-governor and entreated him to
stop the treasurer ; Avhereupon he and the maior of the regiment
went to them, and entreated them to stay till the governor came,
but to see Avhat instructions he brought Avith him, from the powers
above : but Avhen they Avould not be persAvaded fairely, then the
deputy peremptorily forbad the treasurer, as he Avould ansAver it,
not to goe. But he refusing to obey, the deputy told him he sliould
passe on his SAvord's poyut if he Avent, and accordingly Avent doAvne
237
to sett guards at the Trent bridges ; which being told them, tliey
made hast and fled out at the other end of the towne. Milhnvas not sincere : yet certainly he took all the same steps with those who were unques-
tionably so. How little soever Cromwell might wish to succeed, there was good policy
in attending this conference, as it might in some degree serve to diminish the sus-
picions entertained of his own ambitious views, and prevent their being urged in argu-
ment to Fairfax, which if he had been absent they most likely would have been. Be
this as it may, it may be truly said.
Ex illofluert 8f retro stiblapsa referri
Res Danaum.
for the true republicans or commonwealth's men.
From thence the tide of fortune left their shore.
And ebb'd much faster than it flow'd before.
For it was only with the co-operation of a man, who to his martial talents, wiiich cer-
tainly exceeded all of his time, added that moderation and integrity, which will dis-
tinguish Fairfax to the end of time, that the great politicians of those days could have
planned and finished such schemes of representation, legislation, and administration,
as would have rendered the nation great and happy, either as a commonwealth or
mixed government. They had in some respects such opportunities as never can again
315
tiien as unmoovable by his friends as pertinacious in obeying his
wife ; whereby he then died to all his former glory, and became the
monument of his owne name, which every day wore out. When
his commission was given up, Cromwell was made generall, and
new commissions taken out by all the officers from him. He find-
ing that Coll. Hutchinson's commission for the island was not taken
out, and that he addrest not to him, made hast to prevent the
islanders, and gave a commission for the government to one of his
owne creatures. At this time the Lad}' Dormer being dead, had
left to her grandchild, a papist, the Lady Anne Somersett, daughter
to the Marquesse of Worcester, a mannour in Leicestershire, which
the lady, being more desireous of a portion in mony, had a greate
mind to sell, and came and ofi'er'd it to Coll. Hutchinson, with
whom she had some alliance ; but he told her he was not in a
purchasing condition, whereupon she earnestly beg'd him, that if
he would not buy it himselfe, he would procure of the parliament,
that she might have leave to sell it. This he moov'd and was re-
puls'd, whereupon both the lady, and one that was her priest, who
negotiated for her, and other friends, most earnestly sollicited Col-
lonell Hutchinson to buy it; who urging that he had not mony for
such a purchase, they oft'er'd him time of payment, till he could sell
his owne land, and assur'd him it should be such a pennieworth, as
he should not repent the selling his owne land to buy it. He urg'd
to them the trouble and difficulty it would be to obteine it, and that
it might so fall that he must lay a weight upon it, more then the
thing would be worth to him, he never having yet made any request
to the house, and having reason to expect recompences for the losse
of his estate, as well as others. But my lady still importun'd him,
arise ; and if the piesbyterians have nothing else to answer for, tlie perverting the
judgment of this excellent man was a fault never to be forgiven ; if the ruin of their
own cause could expiate it, they were not long before they made that atonement.
514
promising a pennieworth in it, that should countervaile the difficulty
and the trouble; Avhereupon, at the last, he contracted with her,
upon both her and her brother's desire, the Lord Herbert, who was
her next heire, and was then at full age, and gave a release of all
claime to it, under his hand and scale ; and my lady, being be-
tweene 19 and 20 yeares old, then pass'd a fine, and covenanted att
her comming to full age to pass another, and absolutely bargained
and sold the land to Coll. Hutchinson, who secured the price of it
to the Marquesse of Dorchester, whom the lady and her friends had
a greate hope and desire to compasse for a husband, and had
thoughts, that when the portion was secur'd in his hands, it would
be easily effected. This they afterward entrusted to Coll. Hutch-
inson, and desired his assistance to propound the businesse to my
lord, as from himselfe, out of mutuall wellwishes to both parties ;
but my lord would not hearken to it, though the collonell, willing
to do her a kindnesse, endeavour'd to perswade him, as much as
was fitting. In the mean time the collonell could not, by all the
friends and interest he had in the house, procure a composition and
leave for my lady to sell her land, because they say'd it would be a
precedent to other papists, and some moov'd, that what service he
had done, and what he had lost, might be some other Avay con-
sider'd, rather then this any way sulfer'd. But he vigorously per-
suing it, and laying all the weight of all his meritts and sufferings
upon it, all that he could obteine at last was, to be himselfe ad-
mitted, in his owne name, for taking of of the sequestration, after
he had bought it, which he did; and they tooke two thousand
pounds of him for his composition. By the interest of Sr. Henry
Vane and severall others of his friends, powerfuU in the house, this
too was with nmch difficulty wrought out, though violently oppos'd
by severall oth- rs. Of these Maior-generall Harrison was one, and
he, when he saw that he could not prevaile, but that in favour par-
ticularly to Coll. Hutchinson, it was carried out by his friends; after
315
the rising of the house, meeting the collonel], he embrac'd him, and
desir'd him not to think he did it in any personal! opposition to him,
but in his iudgment, who thought it fitt the spoyle should be taken
out of the enemies hands, and no composition admitted from ido-
laters. Whatever might be particular advantage to him, he envied
not, but reioic'd in, only he so dearly lov'd him, that he desir'd he
would not sett his heart upon the augmenting of outward estate, but
upon the things of the approaching kingdorne of God, concerning
which he made a most pious and seeming friendly harangue, of at
least an hower long, with all the demonstrations of zeale to God
and love to the collonell that can be imagined. But the collonell,
having reason to feare that he knew not his owne spiritt herein,
made him only a short reply, that he thanked him for his councell,
and should endeavour to follow it, as became the duty of a Chris-
tian, and should be glad to be as effectually instructed by his ex-
ample as his admonition. For att that time the maior-generall, who
Avas but a meane man's sonne, and of a meane education, and no
estate before the warre, had gather'd an estate of two thousand a
yeare, besides engrossing greate offices, and encroaching upon his
under officers, and maintain'd his coach and famely, at a heighth as
if they had bene borne to principallity.
About the same time a greate ambassador was to have publick
audience in the house, he came from the king of Spaine, and was
the first who had addrest to them owning them as a republick. The
day before his audience. Coll. Hutchinson was sett in the house,
neere some young men handsomely clad, among whom was Mr.
Charles Rich, since Earle of Warwick ; and the collonell himselfe
had on that day a habitt which was pretty rich but grave, and no
other then he usually wore. Harrison addressing particularly to
him, admonisht them all, that now the nations sent to them, they
should labour to shine before them in wisedome, piety, righteous-
nesse and iustice, and not in gold and silver and Avorldly braver}'.
16
which did not become saints ; and that the next day when the am-
Ijassadors came, thej should not sett themselves out, in gorgeous
habitts, which were unsuilablc to holy professions. The collonell,
although he was not convinc'd of anie misbecoming bravery in the
suite he wore that day, which was but of sad colour'd cloth trimm'd
with gold, and silver poynts and buttons ; yet because he would not
appeare offensive in the eies of religious persons, the next day he
went in a plaine black suite, and so did all the other gentlemen,
but Harrison came that day in a scarlett coate and cloake, both
laden with sold and silver lace, and the coate so coverd with chin-
quant, "" that scarcely could one discerne the ground, and in this
glittering habitt, sett himselfe iust under the speakers chaire; which
made the other gentlemen think that his godly speeches, the day
before, were but made, that he alone might appear in the eies of
strangers. But this was part of his weaknesse, the Lord at last
lifted him above these poore earthly elevations, which then and
sometime after prevail'd too much with him.'
After the collonell had bought my lady's land, some that were
extreamely vext at her having that summe of mony, dealt with the
collonell to permit them to sequester.it in his hands, and offer'd him
he should have it all himselfe, which, he told them, he would be
torne to pieces before he would doe, and that it was a treachery and
villany that he abhorr'd. Though, notwithstanding this, he were
much prest he would not yield, and to prevent force, whigh they
threaten'd, after mooving in the house, how dangerous it was to
suffer such a summe of mony to be in the hands of the daughter of
an excepted person, especially at such a time (for now the king was
*> Ch'iquant, Trench , foil.
' Ludlow gives very extraordinary accounts of his devotion to that which he
thought the cause of God, as well as of his readiness to suffer martyrdom for it when
it was in his power to avoid that severe trial.
317
crown'd in Scotland, and the Scotts ready to invade, and the pres-
biters to ioyne with them), the collonell put the mony out of his
owne hands, to preserve it for my lady. All that time both she
and her brother, and other friends, made all the acknowledgments
of obligation that was possible. Not to confound stories, I finish
the mcmoriall of this here.
After the parliament was broken up by Cromwell, and after that
my lady, seeing her proiect of marrying with my Lord Dorchester
would not take, had embraced an offer of Mr. Henry Howard,
second sonne to the Earle of Arundell, and when, in the protector's
time, the papists wanted not patrons, she began to repent the
selling of her land, which before she thought such a blessing, and
told her husband false stories, as he alledg'd, though his future car-
riage made it iustly suspitious, he was as unworthy as she.
The collonell, presently after he had that land, had very much
improov'd it, to a fourth part more then it was att when he bought
it, and they, envying his good bargaine, desired to have it againe
out of his hands, nor dealt fairely and directly in the thing, but em-
ployed a cunning person, Maior Wildman, who was then a greate
manager of papists' interests, to get the land againe, which he was
to have four hundred pounds for, if he could do it. Whereupon he
presently gott mony and came to the gentleman who had a mortgage
upon it, for three thousand pounds taken up to pay my lady, and
tender'd it. But Mr. Ash, a greate friend of the collonell's, Avas so
faithfull that he would not accept it, and then Wildman began a
chancery suit, thinking that the collonell, being out of favour with
ihe present powers, would be necessitated to take any composition.
When he had put the collonell to a grealc deale of vaine charge,
and found he could doe no good, at last they desir'd to make up
the businesse, and the lady and Mr. Howard past a new fine to con-
firme the tille, and the collonell was delivered from further trouble
318
wilh them, till after the change and the returne of the king. Then,
when the parliament men began to come into question for their lives,
my Lord of Pordand and Mr. Howard came to Mrs. Hutchinson's
lodgings three or foure times, while she was out solliciting for her
husband, and my lord left her a message, that he must needs speake
Avith her, upon a businesse of much concernment ; whereupon she
sought out my lord, knowing that he had profest much kindnesse and
obligation to her husband, and thinking he might have some designe
now to acknowledge it by some rcall assistance. But when she
came to him, he told her, her husband was in danger of his hfe,
and that if he would resigne back Loseby to Mr. Howard, he would
helpe him to a good summe of mony to flie, and Mr. Howard would
stand to the hazard of buying it; but she being vext that my lord
should interrupt her with this frivolous proposition, told my lord she
would hazard it Avith the rest of her estate, rather then make up such
desperate bargaines. When Mr. Howard saw this would not doe,
he prepar'd a petition to get it excepted out of the act of oblivion,
pretending that his Avife being under age, the coUonell had by
power and frawd wrested her out of her estate. But when he
shew'd this petition to his friends, they being inform'd of the false-
nesse of the allegations, would none of them undertake either to
deliver or back it. Only one Sr. Richard Onslow was a violent man,
rayling against the collonell concerning this, but he not long after
died by a blast of lightning. Others of his friends, when they un-
derstood that he himselfe had ioyn'd in the confirmation of the fine,
after the collonell was retir'd, in the protector's reigne, bade him
for shame no more make mention of his lady's being fool'd or fright-
en'd to an act Avhich he had voluntarily done. Many told the
collonell how unsafe it was to displease a person Avho had so many
powerfull allies that might mischiefe him, but the collonell Avould
neither be frighted nor flatter'd to give away liis estate, which when
319
Mr. Howard found, he let fall his purpose, and made no more vainc
endeavours.''
And now to rctume to his story where I left it, I shall not men-
tion every particular action of his in the employment of a senator
and councellor of the realms, but only some which were more re-
markaljle, to shew the honor and excellency of his nature, among
which this Avas one. When his old opposites and enemies of the
Nottingham con\mittee had enter'd into the presbiterian conspiracy,
so deepe, that their lives were forfeit to the law, had they bene
brought to publick triall, and this was discover'cl to him ; and alsoc
that Coll. Pierrepont was the chiefe of them, he tooke care to have
the businesse so manag'd, that Coll. PiciTepont was past by in the
information, and others so favourably accus'd, that they were only
restrein'd from the mischiefe they intended, and kept prisoners till
the danger was over, and after, through his mediation released,
without any further punishment on their persons and estates, though
Chadwick's eldest sonne was one of these. For Coll. Pierrepont, he
only privately admonisht him, and endeavour'd to reclaime him,
which the man, being good natur'd, was infinitely overcome with,
insomuch that ever after, to his dying day, all his envy ceast, and
he profest all imaginable friendship and kindnesse to the collonell.
Indeede his excellent gentlenesse was such, that he not only pro-
tected and sav'd these enemies, wherein there was some glory of
passing by revenge, but Avas compassionately affected with the
'' How, when, or b}' whom this estate at Loseby was sold again, the editor has not
been able to discover, it never having cotne into the hands of his branch of the family,
which purchased Owthoj pe. One of the estates sold by Col. Hutchinson in his life-
time, was tlxat of llateliffe on Soarc, which is spoken of in a note as given to Sir
Tliomas Hutchinson by his uncle Saeheverell; the purchaser was Alderman IretoHj
and it %vas, in all probability, sold to enable him jointly with the money borrowed of
Mr. Ash to purchase this estate,
a X
3-20
miseries of any pooie weonien or children, who had bene unfortu-
nately, though deservedly, ruin d in the civill wane ; and widiout
any interest of his owne in the persons, whenever any ruin'd famely
came to seeke reliefe, where he was in power, he was as zealous in
assisting all such, as farre as it might be done with the safety of the
commonwealth, as if they had bene his brothers. As it Avas a
misery to be bewail'd in those dayes, that many of the parliament
party, exercis'd cruelty, iniustice, and oppression to their conquer'd
enemies, wherever he discover'd it he violently oppos'd it, and de-
fended even those enemies that were by might oppress'd and
defrauded of the mercies of the parliament. Upon this account he
had contests with some good men, who were weake in these things,
some through too factious a zeall, and others blinded with their
owne or their friends interests. Among these Coll. flackers father,
having married my Lady Biron's mother, was made a trustee for the
estate of her sonne, which she had by Strelley her first husband.
He had about 1800/. of the estate of young Strelley in his hands,
which, he dying, his eldest sonne and heire Coll. Francis Hacker,
was liable and iustly ought to pay. Young Strelley died in France,
and left his estate to his halfe brother, the sonne of Sr. Richard
Biron, who all the time of the first Avarrc, was at schoole in Coll.
Hutchinson's, garrison at Nottingham, and after was sent into
France. Being there, an infant, when this estate fell to him, he
return'd and chose Coll. Hutchinson for his guardian, who overcame
Coll. Hacker in the right of his pupill, and recover'd that mony out
of his hands, which he Avould not have pay'd, if the infant had not
found a friend that was heartily zealous to obtaine his iust right.
Sr. Arthur Haslerig was a greate patrone of Coll. Hacker's, and la-
bour'd to beare him out against iustice and the infant's right in this
thing ; and when the collonell had overcome him, they were both
displeas'd; for Hacker, on the other side, was such a creature of
321
Sr. Arthur's, that without questioning iustice or honesty, he was
more diUigent in obeying Sr. Arthur's then God's commands. Sr.
Allen Apsley had articles at the rendition of Barnstable, Avhereof he
was governor, and contrary to these, he was put to vast expence
and horrible vexation, by severall persons, but especially by one
wicked weoman, who had the worst and the smoothest tongue that
ever her sex made use of to mischiefe. She was handsome in her
youth, and had very pretty girles to her daughters, whom, when
they grew up, she prostituted to her revenge and mallice against
Sr. Allen Apsley, which was so venomous and devillish, that she
stuck not at inventing false accusations, and hiring witnesses to
swear them, and a thousand other as enormous practises. In those
dayes there was a committee set up, for reliefe of such as had any
violation of their articles, and of this Bradshaw was president ; into
whose easie faith this Avoman, pretending herselfe religious, and of
the parliament's party, had so insinuated herselfe, that Sr. Allen's
way of reliefe was obstructed. Coll. Hutchinson labouring mightily
in his protection, and often foyling this vile woman, and bringing to
light her devillish practises, turn'd the woman's spite into as violent
a tumult ag;ainst himselfe, and Bradshaw was so hott in abettino-
her, that he grew coole in his kindnesse to the collonell, yet broke
it not quite : but the collonell was ^ery much griev'd that a friend
should engage in so uniust an opposition. At last it was manifest
how nmch they were mistaken that would have assisted this woman
upon a score of being on the parliament's side, for she was all this
while a spie for the king, and after his returne, Sr. Allen Apsley
met her in the king's chamber waiting for recompense for that ser-
vice. The thing she sued Sr. Allen Apsley for, was for a house of
hers in the garrison of Barnstable, which was pull'd downe to fortifie
the towne for the king, before he was governor of the place. Yett
would she have had his articles violated to make her a recompense
out of his estate, treble and more than the valine of the house, pre-
32^
tending she was of the parliament's party, and that Sr. Allen, in
mallice thereunto, had without necessity pull'd downe her house.
All which were horrible lies, but so malliciously and so wickedly
affirrn'd and sworne by her mercenary witnesses, that they at first
found faith, and it was hard for truth afterwards to overcome that
prepossession.
The coUonell prosecuting the defence of truth and iustice, in
these and many more things, and abhorring all councells of securing
the young commonwcaUh, by cruelty and oppression of the van-
quisht, who had not laid downe their hate, in deliverhig up their
amies, and were therefore, by some cowards, iudg'd unworthy of
the mercy extended to them, the colloncll, I say, disdaining such
thoughts, displeas'd many of his owne party, who, in the maine,
we hope, might have bene honest, although through divers tempta-
tions, guilty of horrible slips, Avhich did more offend the collonell's
pure zeale, who detested these sins more in brethren then in
enemies.
Now was Cromwell sole generall, and marcht into Scotland, and
the Scots ready to invade, and tlie presbyters to assist them here.
The army being small, there was a necessity of recruites, and the
councell of state solliciting all the parliament men that had interest,
to improve it in this exigence of time, they gave Coll. Hutchinson a
commission for a regiment of horse. He immediately gott up three
troopes, well armed and mounted, of his owne old souldicrs, that
thirsted to be againe employ 'd under him, and was preparing the
rest of the regiment to carry after them himselfe, when he was in-
formed, that assoone as his troopes came into Scotland, Cromwell
very readily rcceiv'd them, but would not let them march together,
but disperst them, to fill up the regiments of those who Avere more
his creatures. The collonell hearing this, would not carry him any
more, but rather employ 'd himselfe in securing, as much as m as
necessary, his owne country, for Avhich he was sent doAvne by the
323
councell of state, who att that time were very much surprljj'd att
hearing that the king of Scots was past by Cromwell, and enter'd
with a greate armie into England. Bradshaw himselfe, as stout-
hearted as he Avas, privately could not conceale his feare : some
raged and utter'd sad discontents against Cromwell, and suspitions
of his fidelity, they all considering that Cromwell was behind, of
Avhom I think they scarce had any account, or of his intention, or
how this error came about, to suffer the enemie to enter here, where
there was no armie to encounter him. Both the city and country,
(by the angrie presbyters, wavering in their constancy to them and
the liberties they had purchas'd), Avere all amaz'd, and doubtfull of
their owne and the common Avealth's safety. Some could not hide
very pale and unman!}' fcares, and Avere in such distraction of spiritt,
as much disturb'd their councells. Coll. Hutchinson, Avho ever had
most vigour and chearefullnesse, when there Avas most danger, en-
courag'd them as they Avere one day in a private councell, raging
and crying out on CromAvell's miscarriages, to applie themselves to
councells of safety, and not to lose time in accusing others, Avhile
they might yet provide to save the endanger'd realme, at least to fall
nobly in defence of it, and not to yield to feare and despaire.
These and such like things being urg'd, at length they recollected
themselves, and every man that had courage and interest in their
countries, Avcnt downe to looke to them." Coll. Hutchinson came
downe into Nottinghamshire, and secur'd those Avho Avere suspitious
to make any commotion, and putt the country into such a posture
* The trepidation of the council of State, and the zeal with which they were sup-
ported, is well described by Whitelock. Col. Hutchinson was now out by rotation.
Whether Cromwell suffered the king to pass by him designedly or otherwise, is uncer-
tain ; but it is very likely tiiat he did it by design, as knowing that those who did not
like, for the same reason as Col. Hutchinson, to send forces to him, would, for their
own sakes, bring them forward to oppose the king. Either his fortune or his judg-
324
*of defence as the time would permilt. But it was not long before
the king chose another way, and went to Worcester. Cromwell fol-
lowing swiftly after with his arniie, and other forces meeting him
from severall other parts, they fought with the king and his Scotts,
totally routed and subdued him, and he, with difficulty, after
concealment in an oake and many other shifts, stole away into
France.
When the collonell hear'd how Cromwell us'd his troopes, he was
* confirmed that he and his associates in the armie, Avere carrying on
designes of private ambition, and resolv'd that none should share
with them in the commands of the army or forts of the nation, but
such as would be beasts, and ridden upon I y the proud chiefes.
Disdaining, therefore, that what he had preserv'd, for the liberty of
his country, should be a curb upon them, and foreseeing that some
of Cromwell's creatures would at length be put in, to exercise him
with continuall affionts, and to hinder any man from standing up
for the deliv^erance of the country, if the insolence of the army
(which he too sadly foresaw) should put them upon it ; for this rea-
son, in Cromwell's absence, he procur'd an order for the remoove of
the gan'ison at Nottingham, which was commanded by his kinsman
Maior Poulton, into the marching army, and the demollishing of
the place ; Avhich accordingly was speedily executed.
When Maior Poulton, who had all along bene very faithfuU and
active in the cause, brought his men to the armie, he was entertain'd
with such affronts and neglects by the generall, that he voluntarily
quitted his command, and retir'd to the ruin'd place, where the
castle was which he had bought with his arrears.' When Cromwell
' The machinations of Cromw«ll are spoken of in general terms by Rapin, \^niite-
lock, and others ; but no where so well detailed as here. Of all things the most ne-
cessary to Cromwell was to obtain soldiers and subaltern officers perfectly subservient
to his own purposes, but this he could hope to effect then, and then only, when he
came back through the country and saw the castle pull'd downe, lie
was heartily vext at it, and told Coll. Hutchinson, that if he had
bene there, when it was voted, he should not have suifer'd it. The
collonell replied, that he had procur'd it to be done, and believ'd it
to be his duty to ease the people of charge, when there was no more
need of it.
When Cromwell came to London, there wanted not some little
creatures of his, in the house, Avho had taken notice of all that had
bene say'd of him Avhen he let the king slip by; hov/ some stuck
not in their feare and rage to call him traytor, and to threaten his
head. These reports added spurres to his ambition, but that his
sonne-in-law, Ireton, deputy of Ireland, would not be Avrought to
serve him, but hearing of his machinations, determin'd to come over
to England to endeavour to divert him from such destructive
courses.^ But God cutt him short by death, and whether his body,
had deprived them of such superior officers as would have preserved them from decep-
tion, and have kept them faithful to their country. Tlie present and similar occur-
rences furnished him with the means so to do, which he employed most assiduously.
Ludlow, vol. iii. p. 21. " And thus the troops of the parliament, who were not raised
" out of the meanest of the people and without distinction, as other armies had been ;
" but consisted of such as had engaged themselves from a spirit of liberty in the de-
" fence of their rights and religion, were corrupted by him, kept as a standing force
" against the people, taught to forget their first engagements, and rendered as merce-
" nary as other troops are accustomed to be." From about this period then we may
date the change of sentiment of the army in general, and of course the change of opi-
liion respecting them, in the minds of Coll. Hutchinson and others who before had
sided with them.
s If this intention of Ireton is mentioned by any other person, it has escaped the
search of the editor, it may have been known zcith certaintif by Mr Hutchinson alone:
but something of the kind seems to have been in the contemplation of Whitelock when
he regrets his death, on account of the influence he had over the mind of Cromwell,
which has been remarked in a former note ; as likewise the probability that the pro-
longation of his life might have made a great difference in the conduct of Cromweil.
What is said of his funeral well agrees with what is said by Ludlow, who adds, that
The description of the house contained in a former note will give a just idea of
the position of all the parties, and of the striking scene here described.
355
upon another businessc. For Owthorpe, Kisholton, and Hicklin,
had a contest about a cripple that was sent from one to the other,
but at last, out of some respect they had for the collonell, the
chiefe men of the severall townes were come to him, to make some
accommodation, till the law should be againe in force. When
the collonell heard the souldiers were come, he left them shut
up in his greate hall, who by accident thus appearing, putt the
souldiers into a dreadful fright. When the collonell saw how
pale they look'd, he encourag'd them to take heart, and calmly
admonisht them of their insolence, and they being chang'd and
very humble through their feare, he call'd for wine for them,
and sent them away. To the most insolent of them he sayd,
" These carriages Av^ould bring back the Stewarts." The man, lay-
ing his hand upon his sword, sayd, " Never while he wore that."
Among other things they sayd to the collonell, when he de-
manded by what authority they came, they shew'd their swords,
and sayd, " That was their authority." After they were dismist the
collonell, not willing to appeare because he was sheritFe of the
county, and had many of their papers sent him to publish, con-
ceal'd himselfe in his house, and caus'd his wife to write a letter to
Fleetewood and complaine of the affronts had bene offer'd him,
and to tell him that he was thereupon retir'd, till he could dwell
safely at home.' To this Flee te wood return d a eivill answer, and
' Probably this circumstance of Col. Hutchinson concealing himself in his own
house came at that time to be known at Nottingham, and gave rise to a tradition
which is to be found in Throsby's edition of Tlioroton, that he concealed himself in
this manner after the restoration, but was taken in his return from church; both of
which were untrue, as probably were some other tales, resembling the legends of
romance, which the Editor heard of him at Owthorpe. But that there was an apart-
ment so adapted for concealment, securit_v, and convenience, as that he might have
made a long residence in it without being discovered, the Editor had ocular demon-
stration.
356
withall sent a protection, to forbidd all souldlcrs from coming to his
house, and a command to Swallow, who was the collonell of these
men, to examine and punish them. Mre. Hutchinson had sent be-
fore to Swallow, who then quarter'd at Leicester, the next day after
it was done, to informe him, who sent a letter utterly disowning
their actions, and promising to punish them. This Mrs. Hutchin-
son sent to shew the souldiers that lay then abusing the country at
Colson; but when they saw their officer's letter they laught at him,
and tore it in pieces. Some dayes after he, in a civil manner, sent
a captaine with them and other souldiers to Owthorpe, to enquire
of their misdemeanors before their faces ; which being confirmed to
him, and he beginning to rebuke them, they sett him at light, even
before Mrs. Hutchinson's face, and made the poore man retire
sneap'd to his collonell, while these six rogues, in one weeke's space,
besides the assessments assign'd tliem to gather up, within the cora-
passe of five miles, tooke away violently from the country, for their
owne expence, above fi\ e-and-twenty pounds. Notwithstanding all
this pretended civillity, Fleetewood and his councellors were afrayd
of the collonell, and the protection was but sent to draw him thither,
that they might by that means get him into their custody. But he,
having intimation of it, withdrew, while men and arms were pre-
paring, that he might appeare publickly in the defence of the
country, when he Avas strong enough to drive out the souldiers that
were left in these parts. Three hundred of them were one night
drawne out of Nottingham to come to Owethorpe for him, but
some of the party gave him notice, who was then at home, and im-
mediately went out of the house. Neither wanted they their spies,
who gave them notice that he was gone againe, so that they turn'd
of upon the wolds and went to Hickling, and the next day Maior
Grove their commander sent to Mrs. Hutchinson to desire permis-
sion for himsclfe only to come downe, which she gave, and so with
only five or six of his party he came. With him Mrs. Hutchinson
• - 357
so easily dealt that, after she had represented the state of things to
him, he began to apologize that he had only taken tliis coniniaud
upon him to preserve the country, and should be ready Lo submit
to any laAvfull authority; and he and his men were not couie tor
any other intent but to prevent disturbance of the peace and gather-
ings together of men, who, they were inform'd, intended lo rise in
these parts. Mrs. Hutchinson smiling, told him it was necessary for
him to keepe a good guard, for all the whole country would shortly
be weafy of their yoake, and, no question, find some authority to
shelter them. Att last he came to that, as to desire her to let the
collonell know he intended him no mischiefe, but he and all his
men should be att her command to defend her from the insolencies
of any others. She heard him without faith, for she knew the good
will they pretended to her husband proceeded only from their feare.
It is true that att that time the collonell had raett with Coll. Hacker,
and severall other gentlemen of Northampton and Warwickshire,
and at the same time Maior Beque was to have reduc'd Coventry,
and another collonell Warwick-castle. Two regiments of horse
should have marcht to a place within seven miles of Coll. Plutchin-
son's horse, where liis men should have rendezvouz'd, and the towne
of Nottingham at the same time have seiz'd all the souldiers there,
and they of Leicester the like. These people had, through the spies
that were about the collonell, gotten some little inclin of his ren-
devouz, but not right, neither could they have prevented it, had
' there bene need.' But iust before it should have bene putt in exe-
' Perhaps this pilsis was the most favourable to the cause of liberty of any that ^^
had occurred; for the genuine assertors of it would, at this moment, have found all - ^ - —
the different factions weakened, and the body of the nation so tired of tumult and
anarchy, that, had they now stood forth in any force, the voice of reason would in all
probability have prevailed. But the fluctuations of power and party were at this time
so frequent and sudden as hardly to leave sufficient interval for any cnterprize that
required combination. ^ / ' ^- .,
' I,
358
cution the parliament were restor'd to their seates, Lambert was
deserted by his men and fled, and Monke was marching on soutii-
wards, pretending to restore and confirmc the parliament; insomuch
that Coll. Hutchinson, instead of raysing his country, was call'd up
to his seate in parliament. Here there were so many favourers of
Lambert, Fleetewood, and their partakers, that the collonell, Avho
used to be very silent, could not now forbeare high opposition of
ihem; in whose favour things Averc carried with such a streame, that
the collonell then began to loose all hopes of settling this poore
land on any righteous foundation.
It was the 26'" of December 1659 that the parliament mett
againe. The manner of it, and the contest and treaty in the north
betweenc Monke and Lambert, are too well known to be repeated ;
the dissimulations and false protestations that Monke made are too
publick: yett did the collonell and others suspect him, but knew
not how to hinder him; for this insolent usurpation of Lambert's
had so turn'd the hearts of all men, that the whole nation began to
sett their eies upon the king beyond the sea, and thinke a bad set-
tlement under him better then none at all, but still to be under the
arbitrary power of such proud rebells as Lambert. The whole
house was devided into miserable factions, among whom some
Avould then violently have sett up an oath of renunliation of the
king and his famely. The collonell, thinking it a ridiculous thing
to swear e out a man, when they had no power to defend themselves
against him, vehemently oppos'd that oath, and carried it against
Sr. Ar. Heslerig and others, who as violently press'd it; urging very
truly that those oaths that had bene formerly impos'd had but mul-
tiplied the sins of the nation by periuries; instancing how Sr. Ar.
and others, in Oliver's time, comming into the house, swore at their
entrance they would attempt nothing in the change of that govern-
ment, which, assoone as ever they were enter'd, they labour'd to
throw downe. Many other arguments he us'd, whereupon many
359
honest men, who thought till then he had foUow'd a faction in all
things, and not his owne iudgement, begun to meete often with him,
and to consult what to doe in these difficulties, out of which their
prudence and honesty had found a way to extricate themselves, but
that the period of our prosperity was come; hasten'd on partly by
the mad rash violence of some that, without strength, oppos'd the
tide of the discontented tumultuous people, partly by the detest-
able treachery of those who had sold themselves to doe mischicfe;
but chiefely by the generall streame of the people, who were as
eaoer for their owne destruction as the Israelites of old for their
quailes.'
One observation of the collonell I cannot omitt, that the se-
cluded members Avhom Monke brought in were, many of them, so
brought over to a commonwealth that, if Sr. Ar. Heslerig and his
party had not forsaken their places because they Avould not sitt
Avith them, they had made the stronger party in the house, which
by reason of their going off were after in all things outvoted."
Sr. Anthony Ashley Cooper at that time insinuated himselfe into
a particular friendship with the collonell, and made him all the
' A frank acknowledgment that the independent parliament, however good the
intentions of many of them might be, had become unpopular: but with the general
mass of mankind the escape from any present evil is paramount to all future considera-
tions. Perhaps this reflux of the public mind was the most effectual cause of the
counter revolution, without which Monk might have plotted in vain. — And thus per-
haps in this, as in so many other instances, Mrs. Hutchinson's natural and rational
way of tracing and unfolding the causes of great events will be found to bring us much
nearer the truth than all the subtleties employed by others!
" We do not know this circumstance to have been noticed by any other historian ;
but it appears much more probable than that the secluded members should have
been unanimous, and that in measures of such transcendent import as were now to
be decided upon. For this secession Whitelock blames and Ludlow commends Sir
Arthur Haselrigge and his friends: their total ruin, which ensued, decides the ques-
tion.
3 C
360
honorable pretences that can bo imagin'd; call'd him his dearc
friend, and caress'd him with such eml^races as none but a trajtor
as vile as himselfe could have suspected; yett was he the most inti-
mate of Monke's confidents: whereupon some few dayes before the
rising of that house, when it began to be too apparent Avhich Avay
Monke enclin'd, the collonell, upon the confidence of his friend-
ship, entreated him to tell him what were Monke's intentions, that
he and others might consider their safety, who were likely to be
given up as a publick sacrifice. Cooper denied to the death any
intention besides a commonwealth; " but," sayd he, with the greatest
semblance of reallity that can be putt on, " if the violence of the
" people should bring the king upon us, let me be damn'd, body
" and soule, if ever I see a haire of any man's head toucht, or a
" pennie of any man's estate, upon this quarrell." This he backt
with so many and so deep protestations of that kinde, as made the
collonell, after his treachery was apparent, detest him of all man-
kind, and think himselfe oblieged, if ever he had oppertunity, to
procure exemplary iustice on him, who was so vile a wretch as
himselfe to sitt and sentence some of those that died. And although
this man ioyn'd with those who labour'd the collonell's particular
deliverance, yet the coHonell, to his dying day, abhorr'd the men-
tion of his name, and held him for a more execrable traytor than
Monke himselfe. Att this time the collonell, as before, was by
many of his friends attempted every way to fall in with the king's
interest, and often oft'er'd both pardon and preferment, if he could
be wrought off from his party, whose danger was now lay'd before
him: but they could no way moove him." A gentleman that had
* It was hard upon him, after this, to be accused by Ludlow of treachery and con-
nivance with the king's friends; but Ludlow was at this time engaged in a different
party, perhaps envious of him for escaping with impunity, when himself despaired of
doing so, and went into voluntary exile : and besides Sir A. Ashley Cooper may have
361
bene employ'd to tamper with liim told me, that he found him so
unmooveable, that one time he and a certeine lord being in tlie col-
lonell's company, and having begun their vaine insinuations, he, to
decline them, seeing Cooper, went away with him; upon Avhich this
lord, that had some tendernesse for the collonell : " Well," sayd he,
to this gentleman, " the collonell is a ruiu'd man, he believes that
" tray tor, which will ruine him." AVhcn they could not worke into
him one way, some, that were most kindly concerned in him, per-
swaded him to absent himselfe and not act for the parliament, and
undertooke with their lives to secure him, but he \Vould not. He
foresaw the mischiefe, and resolv'd to stay in his duty, waiting upon
God, who accordingly was good to him. Some, when they saw
Monke had betrey'd them, would have fallen in with Lambert, but
the collonell thought any destruction was to be chosen before the
sin of ioyning with such a wretch.''
stipulated for Col. Hutchinson's indemnity gratuitousli/ \ while most people suppose
that some conditions were imposed. His moderation in a time of phrenzy was surely
a sufficient argument, and was probably that which Cooper used in support of the man
whom he was forced to esteem, though he did not choose to imitate him.
y This was the point whereupon the heads of the republican party divided, but
probably at tliis day the warmest friends of the liberties of the people will think that
it was better to return to a monarchy, though not sufficiently limited and defined,
than to fall under a stratocracy, or government of the army, which this would have
been more completely than even that which existed under Cromwell: indeed it is not
easy to see which way it would have differed from that of Algiers. Accordingly we
do not find Mrs. Hutchinson ever to have repined that the king had been restored in
preference to the establishing of such a power; but there were many other modes
which might have been adopted, without flying to either of these extremes, had not
their passions overpowered the reason of some of the great men of that day. The
most obvious method for obtaining a better settlement was that proposed by White-
, lock to Fleetwood, of an offer of their services to the king upon reasonable condi-
tions: this opportunity was lost by hesitation, and an easy triumph left to Monk,
whose determined conduct gave efficacy to the small force he possessed.
362
Now was that glorious parliament come to a period, not more
fatall to itselfe then to the three nations, whose sunne of liberty then
sett, and all their glorie gave place to the fowlest mists that ever
overspread a miserable people/ A new parliament was to be
chosen, and the county of Nottingham yett had such respect for
Coll. Hutchinson, that they fixt their eies on him to be their knight,
but Mr. William Pierrepont having a greate desire to bring in his
sonne-in-laAv, the Lord Haughton, to be his fellow knight, the
collonell Avould not come into the towne 'till the election was past ;
which if he had, he had bene chosen without desiring it, ^r many
people came, and when they saw he would not stand, returned and
voted for none, among whom were fifty freeholders of the towne of
Newark.
Sometime before the writts for the new elections came, the towne
of Nottingham, as almost all the rest of the island, began to grow
mad, and declare themselves so, in their desires of the king. The
' If the change in politics was great, the change in morals was much greater: sta-
tutes have since retrieved the errors committed in the former; it is doubtful whether
the national character in taste and morals has ever freed itself from the taint it then
received.
Under the patronage and example of the king, wit put decency to flight; religion
and patriotism, veneration of God and the love of our country, the two noblest affec-
tions of the mind, were dragged through the mire of doggrel rhimes, under the pre-
tence of deriding hypocrisy; under the notion of gaiety and goodfellowship, profligacy
and sensualitj' gained a footing which they have never quitted, but still maintain their
ground, by the dangerous secret then taught them of reducing all by invidious surmises
and unjust depreciations nearly to the level of their own baseness.
The plays and other writings of those days arc tinctured with an air of rakishness
which often appears affected and misplaced; it was the polite ridicule of the Spec-
tators which put this folly out of countenance and practice. Some modern wits have
attempted to revive it, and but for the general turn to philosophical enquiry they would
probably succeed. Those who reason cannot but see that shameless depravity is a very
bad substitute for even simulated virtue.
SG3
The boys, sett on by their fathers and masters, gott druinnies and
colours, and marclit up and downe the towne, and train'd them-
selves in a millitary posture, and otfer'd many aftronts to the soul-
diers of the armie, that were quarter'd there, which were two
troopes of Coll. Hacker's regiment. Insomuch that one night there
were about forty of the souldieis hurt and wounded with stones,
upon the occasion of taking away the drummes, when the youths
were gathering together to make bonfires to burn the rump," as the
custom^f those mad dayes was. The souldiers provok'd to rage,
shott againe, and kill'd in the scuffle two presbiterians, whereof one
was an elder, and an old professor ; and one that had bene a greate
zealott for the cause, and master of the magazine of Nottingham
castle. He was only standing at his owne doore, and whether by
chance, or on purpose shott, or by Avhom, it is not certeine; but
true it is, that at that time, the presbiterians Avere more inveterately
bitter against the fanatiques then even the cavaliers themselves, and
they sett on these boyes. But upon the killing of this man they
were hugely enrag'd, and pray'd very seditiously in their pulpitis,
and began openly to desire the king ; not for good will neither to
him, but for destruction to all the fanatiques. One of the ministers
who were greate leaders of the people, had bene engag'd firmly in
Booth's rebellion, and very many of the godly led in, who, by the
timely suppression of those who began the insurrection in Notting-
ham, Avere prevented from declaring themselves openly. Coll.
Hutchinson Avas as mercifull as he could safely be, in not setting on
too strict inquisition ; but privately admonishing such as Avere not
past hopes of becoming good commouAvealth's men, if it Avere pos-
• The number of the members of the long parliament having been by seclusion,
death, &c. very much reduced, the remainder was compared to the rump of a fowl
which was left, all the rest being eaten; and this coarse emblem was burnt in derision
by the mob, to hail and flatter the rising power of the cavaliers.
364
sible that the labouring state might outUve the present storme.
Upon this bustle in the towne of Nottingham, the souldiers Avere
horribly incens'd, and the townsmen ready to take part with the
boyes ; whereupon the souldiers drew into the meadowes neere the
towne, and sent for the regiment, resolving to execute their vengeance
on the towne, and the townsmen againe Avere mustering to encounter
them. Mrs. Hutchinson by chance comming to the towne, and
being acquainted with the captaines, perswaded them to doe no-
thing in a tumultuary way, however provok'd, but to complaine to
the generall, and lett him decide the businesse.
The men, att her entreaty, were content so to doe, the towns-
men alsoe consenting to restreine their children and servants, and
keepe the publick peace ; while it was agreed, that both of them
should send up together a true information to the generall, concern-
ing the late quarrell. But one of the officers, more enrag'd then the
rest, went immediately away to Monke, and complain'd to him of
the mallice of the presbiterian and cavalier, against the souldiers.
He, without asking more on the other side, signed a Avarrant to Coll.
Hacker, to lett loose the fury of his regiment upon the towne, and
plunder all they iudg'd guilty ; Avith Avhich the officer immediately
went aAvay. Coll. Hutchinson being at that time at the generall's
lodging, my Lord Howard told him Avhat order against the toAvne of
Nottingham had iust bene sent downe. The collonell, Avho had
bene by his wife informed of the disorders there, went to the gene-
rall, and prevail'd Avith him for a countermand of all hostillity
against the towne, till he should heare and determine the businesse;
which countermand the collonell sent immediately by one of tlie
townsmen, Avho, though he ridd post, came not till Coll. Hacker,
with all his regiment, Avere come into the toAvne before him, and
the souldiers Avere in some of the houses beginning to rifle them.
Wherefore the countermand comming so seasonably from Coll.
Hutchinson, they could not but look upon him as their deliverer ;
365
and this being done very few days before die election for the next
parhament, when the collonell came to towne and had waved the
count3% they generally pitch'd upon him for the towne. But then
Dr. Plumtre labour'd all he could to get the burgess-ship for hini-
selfe, and to put by the collonell, with the basest scandalls he and
two or three of his associates could rayse. Mr. Arthur Stanhope, in
whose house the souldiers were enter'd to plunder, being pitcht
upon for the other burgesse, and having a greate party in the towne,
was dealt with to desert the collonell, and offer'd all Plumtre's party;
but on the other side, he labour'd more for the collonell then for
himselfe, and at length, when the election day came, Mr. Stanhope
and the collonell were clearly chosen."
The collonell and Mr. Stanhope went up to the parliament,
which began on the 25th day of April!, 166O; to whom the king
sending a declaration from Breda, which promis'il, or at least inti-
mated, liberty of conscience, remission of all offences, enioyment of
liberties and estates; they voted to send commissioners to invite
him." And allmost all the gentry of all parties went, some to fetch
him over, some to meete him att the sea-side, some to fetch him
•" Both Whitelock and Ludlow assure us, that there were great solicitations in all
parts to get to be parliament men ; and Rapin says, that almost all the elections were
in favour of the presbyterians and royalists, peculiarly the former. This circumstance
renders Coll. Hutchinson's popularity and personal merit so much the more con-
spicuous.
■^ That the parliament, and this, as Rapin calls it, a presbyterian parliament,
should thus simply and unconditionally have invited the king, has always been matter
of astonishment; the first to find out the error into which their precipitancy had led
them were the royalists, and of them the best, the Earl of Southampton, who by
Burnet, p. 89, is said to have laid the chief blame on Chancellor Hyde. But was it
not equally in the power of the parliament after the king's arrival to have imposed any
reasonable conditions, at least before they established for him such an income as to
render him independent ?
see
into London, into which he enter'd on the 29lh day of May, with
an universal! ioy and triumph, even to his owne amazement ; who,
when he saw all the nobillity and gentry of the land flowing in to
him, askt where were his enemies ? For he saw nothing but pro-
strates, expressing all the love that could make a prince happie.
Indeed it Avas a wonder in that day to see the mutabillity of some,
and the hipocrisie of others, and the servile flattery of all. Monke,
like his better genius, conducted him, and was ador'd like one that
had brought all the glory and felicity of mankind home with this
prince.
The officers of the armie had made themselves as fine as the
courtiers, and every one hoped in this change to change their con-
dition, and disown'd all things they before had advis'd. Every ballad
singer sung up and downe the streetes ribald rymes, made in re-
proach of the late commonwealth, and all those Avorthies that
therein endeavour'd the people's freedome and happinesse.
The "^ presbiterians were now the white-boyes, and according to
their nature fell a thirsting, then hunting after blood, urging that
God's blessing could not be upon the land, till iustice had cleans'd
it from the late king's blood. First that fact was disown'd, then all
the acts made after it rendered void, then an inquisition made after
those that were guilty thereof, but only seven nominated of them
that sate in iudgment on that prince, for exemplary iustice, and a
'' It has been pretty generally reported and believed of the king, that he was more
inclined to confirm and augment than disturb or diminish the extent of the amnesty
he had proffered at Breda ; and there are upon record very honourable instances of
many of the royalists exhibiting a spirit of forgiveness and reconciliation: perhaps the
most rational way of accounting for the chief of the presbyterian part}' shewing rigour,
is to suppose that they did it in order to remove from themselves the odium of those
violences of which they had been the original and remote cause, and cast it on those
who were the immediate and proximate one. Be the cause or reasoning what it may,
the fact is well established by the trials of the regicides.
367
proclamation sent for the rest to come in, upon penalty of loosing
their estates.
While these things were debating in the house, at the first, divers
persons, concerned in that businesse, sate there, and when the busi-
nesse came into question, every one of them spoke to it, according
to their present sence. But Mr. Lenthall, sonne to the late speaker
of that parliament, when the presbiterians first call'd that businesse
into question, though not at all concern'd in it himselfe, stood up
and made so handsome and honorable a speech in defence of them
all, as deserves eternal honor. But the presbiterians call'd him to
the barre for it, where, though he mittigated some expressions,
which might be ill taken of the house, yet he spoke so generously,
as it is never to be forgotten of him. Herein he behav'd himselfe
with so much courage and honor as was not matcht at that time in
England, for which he was look'd on with an evil eie, and, upon a
pretence of treason, put in prison ; from whence his father's mony,
and the lieutenant of the tower's iealousie deliver'd him. When it
came to Inglesbies turne, he, with many teares, profest his repen-
tance for that murther, and told a false tale, how Cromwell held his
hand, and forc'd him to subscribe the sentence, and made a most
whining recantation, after which he retir'd, and another had almost
ended, when Coll. Hutchinson, who was not there at the beginning,
came in, and was told what they were about, and that it would be
expected he should say something. He Avas surpriz'd with a thing
he expected not, yet neither then, nor in any the like occasion, did
he ever faile himselfe, but told them, " That for his actings in those
" dayes, if he had err'd, it was the inexperience of his age, and the
" defect of his iudgement, and not the mallice of his heart, which
" had ever prompted him to persue the generall advantage of his
*' country more then his owne ; and if the sacrifice of him might
" conduce to the publick peace and settlement, he should freely
" submit his life and fortunes to their dispose : that the vain ex-
3 D
*' pence of his age, and the gveate debts his pubhck employments
" had runne him into, as they Avere testimonies that neither avarice
" nor any other interest had carried him on, so they yielded him
" iust cause to repent that he ever forsooke his owne blessed quiett,
" to embarque in such a troubled sea, where he had made ship-
" wrack of all things but a good conscience; and as to that parti-
" cular action of the king, he desir'd them to believe he had that
" scnce of it, that befitted an Englishman, a christian, and a gentle-
" man." " What he express'd was to this eft'ect, but so very hand-
somely deliver'd, that it generally tooke the whole house : only one
gentleman stood up and say'd, he had express'd himselfe as one that
was much more sorrie for the events and consequences, then the
actions : but another replied, that when a mans words might admitt
of two interpretations, it befitted gentlemen allwayes to receive that
Avhicli mio'ht be most favourable. Assoone as the collonell had
spoken, he vetir'd into a roome, where Inglesbie was, with his eies
yett red, who had call'd up a little spirit to succeed his whinings,
and embracing Coll. Hutchinson, " O collonell," say'd he, " did I
" ever imagine wee could be brought to this ? Could I have sus-
" pected it, when I brought them Lambert in the other day, this
" sword should have rcdeem'd us from being dealt with as criminalls,
" by that people, for whom we had so gloriously exposed ourselves."
The collonell told him, he had foreseene, ever since those usurpers
thrust out the lawful authority of the land, to enthrone themselves,
it could end in nothing else ; but the integrity of his heart, in all he
he had done, made him as chearefully ready to suffer as to triumph
' This speech will probably be considered as a specimen of art carried as far as a
man of honour would permit himself to go, and managed with as much refinement and
dexterity as the longest premeditation could havi; produced; accordingly it furnislied
his friends with a topic for his defence, without giving his adversaries grounds for re->
proaching liim with tergiversation.
369
in a good cause. The result of the house that day was to suspend
Coll. Hutchinson and the rest from sitting in the house. Monke,
after all his greate professions, now sate still, and had not one word
to interpose for any person, but was as forward to sett vengeance on
foot as any man.
Mrs. Hutchinson, whom to keepe quiett her husband had
hitherto perswaded that no man Avould loose or suffer by this
change, att this beginning was awakened, and saw that he was am-
bitious of being a publick sacrifice, and therefore, herein only in
her whole life, resolv'd to disobey him, and to emproove all the
affection he had to her for his safety, and prevail'd Avith him to re-
tire ; for, she say'd, she would not live to see him a prisoner.
With her unquiettnesse, she drove him out of her owne lodgings
into the custody of a friend, in order to his further retreate, if occa-
sion should be, and then made it her businesse to sollicite all her
friends for his safety. Meanwhile in the house, it was first resolv'd,
that mercy should be shewn to some, and exemplary iustice to
others ; then the number was defined, and voted it should not ex-
ceed seven ; then, upon the king's owne sollicitation, that his sub-
iects should be putt out of their feares, those seven named ; and
after that a proclamation sent for the rest to come in. Coll. Hutch-
inson not being of the number of those seven, Avas advised by all his
friends to surrender hmiselfe, in order to securing his estate, and he
Avas very earnest to doe it, Avhen Mrs. Hutchinson Avould by no
meanes heare of it : but being exceedingly urg'd by his friends, that
she Avould hereby obstinately loose all their estate, she Avould not
yet consent the collonell should give himsclfe into custody, and she
had Avrought him to a strong engagement, that he Avould not dispose
of himsclfe Avilhout her. Att length, being accus'd of obstinacy, in
not giving him up, she devis'd a Avay to trie the house, and Avritt a
letter in his name to the speaker, to urge Avhat might be in his favour,
and to lett him know, that by reason of some inconveniency it
370
might be to him, he desir'd not to come under cusl-ody,. and yclt
should be ready to appeare att their call, and if they intended any
mercy to him, he begg'd they Avould beginne it in permitting. him
his hberly upon his paroUe, till they should finally determine of him.
This letter she conceiv'd would trie the temper of the house ; if they
granted this, she had her end, for he was still free ; if they denied
it, she might be satisfied in keeping him from surrendering him-
selfe.
Havina: contriv'd" and written this letter, before she carried it to
the collonell, a friend came to her out of the house, jieere which her
lodoings then were, and told her that if diey had but any ground to
beo-in, the house was that day in a most excellent temper towards
her husband ; whereupon she writt her husband's name to the letter,
and ventur'd to send it in, being us'd sometimes to write the letters
he dictated, and her character not much differing from his. These
Gentlemen who were raoov'd to trie this opertunity, were not of the
friends she relied on ; but God, to shew that it was he, not they,
sent two common friends, who had so good successe that the letter
Avas very well receiv'd; and upon that occasion all of all parties
spoke so kindly and effectually for him, that he had not only what
he desir'd, but Avas voted to be free Avithout any engagement, and
his punishment only to be discharg'd from the present parliament,
and from all office, millitary or civill, in the state for ever; and
upon his petition of thankes for this, his estate alsoe Avas voted to be
free from all mulcts and confiscations. Many providentiall circum-
stances concurr'd in this thing. That Avhich put the house into so
good a humour toAvards the collonell that day, Avas, that having
taken the businesse of the king's triall into consideration, certeine
committees Avere found to be appoynted, to order the preparation
of the court, the chaires and cushions, and other formallities,
Avherein Coll. Hutchinson had nothing to doe ; but Avhen they had
past their votes for his absolute discharge and came to the sitting of
0'7 1
the court, he was found not to have bene one clay away. A rogue
that had bene one of their clearkes had brought in ail these informa-
tions ; and above all, poore Mrs. Hacker, thinking to save her hus-
band, had brouglit up the warrant foi* execution, with all their
hands and scales. '^
Sr. Allen Apsley loo, who, with all the kindest zcale of friendship
that can be imagin'd, endcavour'd to bring of the collonell, us'd some
artifice in engaging friends for him. There was a young gentleman, a
kinsman of his, who thirstily aspir'd after preferruient, and Sr. Allen
had given him hopes, upon his eifcctuall endeavours for the collonell,
to introduce him, who being a person that had understanding enough,
made no conscience of truth, when an officious lie might serve his
turne. This man, although heow'd his life to the collonell, and had
a thousand obligations to Mrs. Hutchinson's parents, yet not for their
sakes, nor for vertue, nor for gratitude, but for his owne hopes, which
he had of Sr. Allen Apsley, told some of the leading men among the
court party, that it was the king's desire to ha\e favour shewne to
the collonell; whereujjon Mr. Palmer, since Castlemaine, was the
first man that spoke for the collonell, whom Finch most eloquently
seconded. Then Sr. George Booth and his party all appear'd for
the collonell, in gratitude for his civillity to them. For when the
parliament had past by the rebellion of Lambert and Fleetewood,
and those who ioyn'd with them, and would not make their oifences
capitall, he had told the house, they could not without greate par-
tiallity punish these, and had moov'd much in their favour. Mr.
' To those who have not read or not remembered the trials of the regicides, it may
be useful to remark, that Col. Hacker was tried for superintending the execution of
the king in his military capacity, for which it seems this warrant was expected to
prove a sufficient justification : and perhaps it ought to have been so considered : but
it is extraordinary that his wife, before she gave up an instrument which seemed so
precious to those who were seeking revenge, had not stipulated for her husband's
pardon.
372
Pierrepont, and all the old sage parliament men, out of very heartie
kindnesse, spoke and labour'd very effectually to bring him cleare
of; and there was not at that day any man that receiv'd a more
generall testimony of love and good esteeme of all parties then he
did, not one of the most violent hunters of blood opposing favour,
and divers most worthy persons giving a true and honourable lesti-
mony of him. Although they knew his principles contrary to theirs,
yet they so iustified his cleare and upright carriage, according to his
owne perswasion, as was a record much advancing his honor, and
such as no man else in that day receiv'd.^
Yett though he very well deserv'd it, I cannot so much attribute
that universall concurrence that was in the whole house to expresse
esteeme of him and desire to save him, to their iustice and gratilude,
as to an over-ruling power of him that orders all men's hearts, who
was then pleas'd to reserve his servant, even by the good and true
testimony of some that afterwards hated him and sought his mine,
for the perseverance in that goodnesse, Avhich then forc'd them to be
his advocates; for even the worst and basest men have a secrett con-
viction of worth and virtue, Avhich they never dare to persecute in
its owne name. The collonell being thus discharg'd the house,
retir'd to a remoter lodging from Westminster, and lay very private
in the towne, not comming into any companie of one sort or other,
waiting till the act of oblivion were perfected, to goe downe againe
into the countrie ; but when the act came to be past in the house,
then the Lord Lexington sett divers friends on worke in the com-
mon's house to get a proviso inserted, that the Newarker's mony,
which he pay'd into the committee of Haberdasher's Hall, and was
by that committee pay'd to the collonell for his pay, might, with all
s Mr. Lassells (probably Lascelles) enjoyed exactly a similar exemption, the pe-
culiar reasons for it arc not accurately known, but it is natural to suppose they were
similar.
373
the use of it, be pay'd out of the collonell's estate. He forg'd many
false pretences to obteinc this ; but it was reiected in the common's
house, and the bill going up to the lords, was past without any
proviso's. Only the gentlemen that Avere the late king's iudges, and
decoy 'd to surrender themselves to "custody by the House's procla-
mation, after that they had voted only seven to suffer, were now
given up to a triall, both for their lives and estates, and put in to
close prison, where they were miserably kept, brought shortly after
to triall, condemn'd, all their estates confiscated and taken aAvay,
themselves kept in miserable bondage under that inhumane bloody
iaylor the lieftenant of the Tower, who stifled some of them to death
for want of ayre ; and when they had not one pcnnie, but what was
given them to feed themselves and their famelies, exacted abo-
minable rates for bare unfurnisht prisons ; of some forty pounds for
one miserable chamber, of others double, besides undue and uniust
fees, which their poore wives were forc'd to beg and engage their
iointures and make miserable shifts for; and yet this rogue had all
this while three pounds a weeke pay'd out of the checquer for every
one of them. At last when this would not kill them fast enough,
and when some almes were thus privately stollen in to them, they
were sent away to remote and dismall islands, where reliefe could
not reach them, nor any of their relations take care of them : in this
a thousand times more miserable then those that died, who were
thereby prevented from the eternall infamie and remorse, which
hope of life and estate made these poore men bring upon them-
selves, by base and false recantations of their owne iudgcmcnt,
against their consciences ; which they wounded for no advantage,
but liv'd ever after in misery themselves, augmented by seing the
misery of their wretched famelies, and in the daily apprehension of
death, which, without any more forniallity, they are to expect
whenever the tyrant gives the word. And these are the tender
374
MERCIES of the wicked!'' Among which I cannot forgett one pass-
ao-e that I saw. Monke and his wife, before they were moov'd to
the Tower, while they were yett prisoners at Lambeth House, came
one evening to the garden and caused them to be brought downe,
only to stare at them. Which was such a barbarisme, for that man,
who had betre^^'d so many poore men to death and misery that
never hurt him, but had honor'd him, and trusted their lives and
interests with him, to glutt his bloody eies with beholding them in
their bondage, as no story can parallel the inhumanity of.
Coll. Scroope, who had bene clear'd by vote as the collonell was,
was afterwards raced out for nothing, and had the honour to die a
noble martyr.
Although the collonell was clear'd both for life and estate in the
house of commons, yet he not answering the court expectations in
publick recantations and dissembled repentance, and applause of
their cruelty to his fellows, the chancellor was cruelly exasperated
against him, and there were very high endeavours to have rac'd him
'■ Almost all who have written any account of the transactions of those days shew
a desire to gratify the faction which then prevailed, and have endeavoured to establish
a notion that great lenity was shewn to all the regicides who were not of the seven ex-
cepted: what it was we here learn.
The English nation have long dwelt on the hackneyed theme of French oppression,
lettres de cachet, bastilles, &c. and have affected an ignorance of what has passed
here, in full sight of a British parliament. Those who have viewed the matter near at
hand know very well that these superlative powers were not at all more dangerous, nor
so much abused in France as here, nor the treatment near so rigorous. The prisons of
state were there always under the command of noblemen and military officers, who
were little likely to practise the jailor's arts. The more any office is despised, the
more vile hands will it fall into, and the more atrociously wdl it be executed ; this
reasoning sufficiently establishes the necessity of watching with a jealous eye the con-
duct of these ministers of justice, if such they should be called, in a country like this.
A more desolating picture of misery long drawn out can hardly be imagined. We
shall again have to notice the conduct of this lieutenant of the Tower.
375
out of the act of oblivion. But then Sr. Allen Apsley sollicited all
his friends, as it had bene for his owne life, and divers honorable
persons drew up a certificate, Avith all the advantage they could, to
procure him favour; who in all things that were not against the in-
terest of the state had ever pittied and protected them in their dis-
tresses.' The Countesse of Rochester writt a very effectuall letter to
the Earl of Manchester, making her request that the favour to him
might be confirm'd as an obligation to her, to quitt some that she,
and as she suppos'd her lord had receiv'd from him. This letter was
read in the house, and Sr. Allen Apsley 's candidate for preferre-
ment againe made no conscience of deceiving several lords, that the
preserving of the collonell would be acceptable to the king and the
chancellor, who he now knew hated his life. Many lords alsoe of
the collonell's relations and acquaintance out of kindnesse and grati-
tude, (for there was not one of them whom he had not in his day
more or lesse oblicg'd), us'd very hearty endeavours for him. Yett
Sr. Allen Apsley 's interest and most fervent endeavours for him, was
that which only turn'd the scales, and the collonell was not ex-
cepted in the act of oblivion to aniething but offices.
The provisoes to the act of oblivion were all cut of, and it was
detcrmin'd that those things should passe in particular acts; when
the Lord Lexington gott one for that Newark mony to be repay 'd
out of the collonell's estate, with all the interest for 14 yeares.
This act was committed, and the collonell had councell to plead
■ The Countess of Rochester was the wife of Wilmot, general of the horse for the
king, who upon disgust quitted his service, and, receiving a passport, went abroad ;
his wife expressed loyalty to, and received much favour from the parliament, as
Whitelock informs us ; very likely by the procurement of Col. Hutchinson. Tlie
passage before us (and many other such like) may serve as a useful memento to those
who are engaged in civil broils, to maintain all they can of private kindness, con-
sistently with what they think tlieir public duty. For the honour of human nature let
due notice be taken of the steady friendship of Sr.^ Allen Apsley.
3 E
against it, and the Marquesse Dorchester ' having the chayre, was
wonderfull civill to the collonell. The adverse councell having bene
men that practis'd under the parhament, thought they could no way
ingratiate themselves so well as by making invectives against those
they formerly claw'd with, and when quite besides their matter, they
fell into raylings against the iniustice of the former times and scan-
dalls of the collonell, the marquesse check'd them severely, and
bade them mind their cause: but Mr. Finch, one of the collonell's
councell, after a lawyer had made a long rayling speech, which
held them a tedious while, he replying; " My lord," sayd he, " this
" gentleman hath taken up a greate deale of time to tell your lord-
" ship how uniust that parliament was, how their committees per-
" verted iudgment and right, wdiich he setts forth with all his power
" of language to make them odious, and in conclusion would per-
" suade your lordship therefore to doe the same things/' After the
hearing at the committee, a report was made so favourable for the
collonell that the bill was cast aside, and the house being then ready
to adiourne, most of the collonell's friends went out of towne, which
opertunity Lexington taking notice of, the very last day in a huddle
gott the bill past the lords' house."
' The same whom, when Viscount Newark, Col. Hutchinson rescued frOm the vio-
lence of the countrymen at Nottingham; to whom afterwards the colonel made, at the
request of her friends, the offer of the hand and fortune of Lady Anne Somerset, and
who so handsomely now evinces his candour and gratitude. His character is well
contrasted with that of Lord Lexington, who in the first place obtained a peerage for
the sacrifice of this very money ; next refused payment of it to the Newarkers, of
whom he had borrowed it; then, upon being compelled to pay it, procured easy terms
by the colonel's interference; and now attempts to plunder his benefactor of the
whole !
* The practice of parliament at that time must have differed from what it now is,
for such a bill to originate in the house of lords: we shall presently see it miscairy in
the commons.
*
377
Then the colloncll went downe into the country, and found it
necessary to reduce and change his tamely, which were many of
them people he tooke in for charity, when they could no where elce
be recciv'd, and they had bene more humble and dutiful! while
they were under hatches, but now might find better preferrments,
and were not to be confided in; yett he dismist not any of them
without boimtifull rewards, and such kind dismissions as none but
that false generation would not have bene oblieged by. But some
of them soone after betrey'd him as much as was in their power,
whose prudence had so liv'd with them, that they knew nothing that
could hurt his person.
When the colloncll saw how the other poore gentlemen were
trapan'd that were brought in by proclamation, and how the whole
cause itselfe, from the beginning to the ending, was betrey'd and
condemn'd, notwithstanding that he himselfe, by a wonderfull over-
ruling providence of God, in that day was preserved; 3'ett he look'd
upon himselfe as iudg'd in their iudgement, and executed in their
execution;' and although he was most thankfull to God, yett he
was not very avcU satisfied in himselfe for accepting the deliverance.
His wife, Avho thought she had never deserv'd so well of him, as in
the endeavours and labours she exercis'd to bring him of, never
displeas'd him more in her life, and had much adoe to perswade
him to be contented with his deliverance; which, as it was emi-
nently wrought by God, he acknowledg'd it with thankfullnesse;
but while he saw others suffer, he suffer'd with them in his mind,
and, had not his wife perswaded him, had offer'd himselfe a volun-
tary sacrifice, but being by her convinc'd that God's eminent ap-
pearance seem'd to have singled him out for preservation, he with
thankes acquiesced in that thing; and further remembering that he
' A sentiment most conformable to nature — but to a most just and amiable
nature !
578
was but young att that time when he enter'd into this engagement,
and that many Avho had preacht and led the people into it, and of
that parliament, who had declar'd it to be treason not to advance
and promote that cause, were all now apostatiz'd, and as much
preacht against it, and call'd it rebellion and murther, and sate on
the tribunall to iudge it; he again reflected seriously upon all that
was past, and beg'd humbly of God to enlighten him and shew him
his sin if ignorance or misunderstanding had led him into error;
but the more he examind the cause from the first, the more he
became confirm'd in it, and from that time sett himselfe to a more
diligent study of the scriptures, whereby he attain'd confirmation in
many principles he had before, and dayly greater enlightnings con-
cernino; the free grace and love of God in Jesus Christ, and the
spirituall worship under the gospell, and the gospell liberty, Avhich
ouo'ht not to be subiected to the wills and ordinances of men in the
service of God. This made him reioyce in all he had done in the
Lord's cause, and he would often say, the Lord had not thus emi-
nently preserv'd him for nothing, but that he was yett kept for
some eminent service or suffering in this cause; although having
bene freely pardon'd by the present powers, he resolv'd not to doe
aniething against the king, but thought himselfe oblieg'd to sitt still
and wish his prosperity in all things that were not destructive to the
interest of Christ and his members on earth; yett as he could not
wish well to any ill way, so he believ'd that God had sett him aside,
and that therefore he ought to mourne in silence and retirednesse,
while he lay under this obligation.
He had not bene long at home but a pursuivant from the coun-
cell was sent to fetch him from his house att Owlhorjje, who carried
him to the atlurncy gencrall. He, with all preparatory insinuations,
how much he would expresse his gratitude to the king and his re-
pentance for his error, if he would now deale ingenuously, in bear-
ing testimony to what he should be examined, sifted him very
379
thoroughly; but the collonell, who was peck'd at heart that they
should thus use him, to reserve him with an imagination that he
would serve their turnes in witnessing to the destruction of the rest,
conipos'd himselfe as well as he could, and resolv'd upon another
testimony then they expected, if they had call'd him to any. But
the atturney generall was so ill satisfied with his private examina-
tion that he would not venture a publick one. He dealt with him
with all the art and flatteries that could be, to make him but ap-
peare, in the least thing, to have deserted his owne and embrac'd
the king's part}'; and he brought the warrant of execution to the
collonell, and would faine have perswaded him to owne some of the
hands, and to have imparted some circumstances of the sealing,
because himselfe was present. But the collonell answered him, that
in a businesse transacted so many years agoe, wherein life was con-
cern'd, he durst not beare a testimony, having at that time bene so
little an observer, that he could not remember the least title of that
most eminent circumstance, of Cromwell's forcing Coll. Inglesby to
sett to his unwilling hand, which, if his life had depended on that
circumstance, he could not have aftirm'd. " And then. Sir," sayd
he, " if I have lost so great a thing as that, it cannot be expected
" lesse eminent passages remaine with me." Then being shew'd
the gentlemen's hands, he told hun he was not well acquainted with
them, as having never had commerce with the most of them by
letters; and those he could owne, he could only say they resembled
the writings which he was acquainted with; among these he only
pickt out Cromwell's, Ireton's, and my lord Grey's. The attorney
generall, very ill satisfied with his private examination, dismiss'd
him; yett was he serv'd with a writ to appear in the court the next
day. The collonell had bene told that, Avhen they were in distresse
for witnesses to make up their formallity. Coll. Inglesby had put
lliera upon sending for him, which made him give that instance to
380
the attoniey.™ The next day the court sate, and the collonell was
fetclit in and made to passe before the prisoners' faces, but exa-
mined to nothing; which he much waited for, for the sight of the
prisoners, with whom he beheved himselfe to stand att the barre,
and the sight of the iudges, among whom was that vile traytor who
had sold the men that trusted him ; and lie that openly sayd he ab-
horr'd the word accommodation, when moderate men would have pre-
vented the warre; and the collonell's owne chare friend, who had
Avisht damnation to his soule if he ever sufFer'd pennie of any
man's estate, or haire of any man's head, to be touched. The sight
of these " had so provok'd his spiritt that, if he had bene call'd to
speake, he was resolv'd to have borne testimony to the cause and
against the court; but they asking him nothing, he went to his lodg-
ing, and so out of towne, and would not come any more into their
court, but sent the attorney generall word he could witnesse nothing,
and was sick with being kept in the crowd and the presse, and
therefore desired to be excus'd from coming any more thither. The
attorney made a very mallitious report of him to the chancellor and
the king, insomuch as his mine was then determined, and only oper-
lunity Avatch'd to eflect it.°
" Risum teueatis. The subject is too serious for laughter, but an invohintary smile
will be excited by this sarcasm, so well pointed. It is no wonder the attorney general
did not wish to examine him further!
" Monk, Ashley Cooper, and Hollis. Does not every one feel his indignation
roused at this wanton outrage upon decency? Perhaps Col. Hutchinson's appearance
in court may have been misconstrued by many, as they might be ignorant that it was
involuntary, and no one but himself could know that he meant to give evidence con-
trary to what was desired of him.
" The king intimated to the lords, when there were disputes on foot respecting
the exceptions to the bill of indemnity, that " other wai/s might be found to meet
" with those of turbulent and factious spirits:" thereby shewing that he had, like the
rc^t of his family, secret reserves for rendering insignificant his public acts.
381
When Sr. A. Apsley came to the chancellor he was in a greate
rage and passion, and fell upon him with much vehemence. " O
" Nail," sayd he, " what have you done? you have sav'd a man that
" would be ready, if he had opertunity, to mischiefe us as much
" as ever he did." Sr. Allen was forc'd to stop his mouth, and tell
him, that he believ'd his brother a lesse dangerous person then those
he had brought into the king's councell, meaning Maynard and
Glynne; ^ but the truth is, from that time, all kindnesse that any
one expresst to the collonell was ill resented, and the Countesse of
Rochester was alsoe severely "rebuk'd for having appear'd so kind to
the collonell.
When the parliament sate againe the collonell sent up his Avife
to sollicite his businesse in the house, that the Lord Lexington's bill
might not passe the lower house. At her first coming to towne a
parliament man, a creature of Worcester-house, being in his coach,
she out of lier's call'd to him, who was her kinsman, and desir'd his
vigilancy to prevent her iniury. " I could wish," sayd he, " it had
" bene finisht last time, for your husband hath lately so ill behav'd
" himselfe that it will passe against him." She answer'd, " I pray
" let my friends but doe their endeavours for me, and then let it
" be as God will." He, smiling att her, replied, " It is not now as
" God will,'^ but as wee will." However she, notwithstanding many
other discouragements, waited upon the businesse every day, when
her adversaries as dilligently sollicited against her. One day a
friend came out of the house and told her that they were that day
so engag'd t-liat she might go home and rest secure nothing would
be done, and that day most of her friends were away, and her op-
P Maynard and Glynne had chimed in not only with the parliament but with Crom-
well, under whom both held offices. The chancellor will hereafter find them dangerous
inmates— in pushing the affair of his accusation and exile.
1 This well marks the change of stile that had taken place.
382
])osites tooke tliis oppcrtunity to bring it into the house, which was
now much alienated, especially all the court party, from the col-
lonell ; but God, to shew that not friends, nor dilligence, preserv'd
our estates, stirr'd up the hearts of strangers to do us iustice, and the
bill was throwne out when wee had scarce one of these friends wee
relied on in the house.
Presently after Mrs. Hutchinson came to towne a kinsman of
hers, fallen into the wicked councells of the court, came to visit
her one evening, and had bene so freely drinking as to unlock his
liosome, when he told her that the king had bene lately among
them where he was, and told them that they had sav'd a man, mean-
ing Coll. Hutchinson, who would doe the same thing for him he
did for his father, for he was still unchang'd in his principles, and
readier to pptect then accuse any of his associates, and would not
discover any councells or designes, or any party, though he were
knowne to have hated them.' Then this ocntleman told her how
contemptuous a carriage it was, that he Avould not owne one but
dead hands, and how they were resolv'd his pardon should never
passe the seale, and what a desperate condition he was rcduc'd to.
Having thus affrighted her, then, to draw her in by examples, he
told her how the late statesmen's wives came and offer'd them all
the informations they had gather'd from their husbands, and how
she could not but know more then any of them; and if yett she
Avould impart aniething that might shew her gratitude, she might
redeeme her famely from mine; and then perticularly told her how
■■ Tlie king's satirical favourite, Rochester, reports of him that he never said n
foolish thing; but surely this was not a very wise one! How could he have faith in
any such sudden changes? What he did not mean to do he did, which was to establish
Col. Hutchinson's steadiness and consistency beyond question. We know from this
history that Col. Hutchinson's sense of honour was a complete safeguard against
him ; but this was a principle of which Ciiarles felt not, and affected to disbelieve Uie
existence.
383
her husband had bene mtmiate withVane, Pieirepont, and St. Johns,
whose councells thej knew how fairc they had gone in this matter,
and that it" she would prevent others in the declaring of them, she
might much advantage herselfe. But she told him, she perceiv'd
any safety one could buy of them was not worth the price of honor
and conscience; that she knew nothing of stale managements, or if
she did, she Avould not establish herselfe upon any man's blood and
mine. Then he em ploy 'd all his witt to circumvert her in dis-
cource, to have gotten something out of her concerning some per-
sons they aym'd at, which if he could, I believe would have bene
beneficiall to him ; but she discern'd his drift, and scorn'd to become
an informer, and made him believe she was ignorant, though she
could have enlightned him in the thing he sought for; which they
are now never likely to know much of, it being lockt up in the
grave, and they that survive not knowing that their secrets are re-
moov'd into another cabinett.' After all, naturall affection working
' Any who are delighted with the discovery of a secret will be disappointed that
Mrs. Hutchinson did not even here reveal hers, but resisted the bewitching vanity of
shewing the confidence that had been reposed in her by betraying it. She might per-
haps, with great propriety, think it not prudent to commit it to writing, though it was
to be read only by her own family. — Of the persons here named Sir H. Vane, it is well
known, was sacrificed to the manes of Lord Strafford, wliose attainder he was supposed
in a great measure to have procured; but there seems not to have been any pretence
for excepting him out of the amnesty. He viewed his fate, and the king who sen-
tenced him to it, with equal contempt; and the passage before us is a proof of the
fidelity he maintained towards his associates. — St. John was excluded from all offices;
but Pierrepont escaped untouched in all respects, and represented the county of Not-
tingham in the short parliament which restored the king: how he, who was so deeply
engaged, came off so well, there is no certain information; but he certainly was not a
little indebted lo Mrs. Hutchinson's discretion. — It is not beside the purpose to I'emark
here that although Mrs. Hutchinson, all through her history, usels the utmost modesty,
and abstains from all self-commendation, yet here, and in many other places, she ne-
cessarily and naturally proves herself to have possessed the mc^st valuable qualities.
Amongst those of women it is not very common to count that finiiness of mind and
3 P
384
at that time with the gentleman, he in greate kindnesse advis'd her
that her husband should leave England. She told him he could not
conveniently, and the act of oblivion being past, she knew not why
he should feare, who was resolv'd to doe nothing that might forfeit
the grace he had found. But he told her it Avas determin'd that, if
there Avere the least pretence in the world, the collonell should be
imprison'd, and never be left loose againe; which warning, though
others of her friends sayd it Avas but an effect of his wine, the con-
sequence proov'd it but too true.
She advertised the collonell and persAvaded him, being alsoe ad-
vis'd to the same by other friends, to go out of England, but he
Avould not: he sayd this was the place Avheie God had sett him, and
protected him hitherto, and it would be in him an ungratefull dis-
trust of God to forsake it.' At this time he Avould have sold part
of his estate to pay his debts, but the purchasers scrupled, desneing
to see his pardon, Avhich he not having, Avas faine to breake of the
treaty; and though all the friends he had labour'd it, the chancellor
utterly refus'd it. There Avas a thousand pounds offer d to one to
procure it, but it Avas tried severall times and Avould not passe, by
reason of AAdiich he Avas preAJ^ented of the oppertunity then to settle
his estate; yett a v^eare after a little sollicitor shulied it in among
many others, and manag'd it so dexterously that it past all the
scales. The collonell's estate being in morgage Avith a peevish
just sense of honour which made her disdain to serve her husband and children at the
cost of others. To that ciihnged system of education under which she was brought up,
and to her reading of the classics, it is but fair to attribute, in some degree, the ex-
pansion and elevation of her mind.
' This is a pregnant instance of Col. Hutchinson's strong belief in the decrees of
providence, and at the same time of his sincere conformity to them: it is much to
be regretted that he adhered so minutely and Hterally to it, instead of making use of
liis own and his friends discretion. lie might well have lived to see the happy Kevo-
lutionj and have returned and benefited his native country again by his spirit, wisdom,
■ and experience.
3S5
aldennaii, who had a desigiie upon il, lo have bought it for htlle
or liothing, he had a greate trouble with him; for having pro-
cur'd him his mony, he would not assignc the morgage, and the
others would not lend the mony without assignment from him,
so that it put the collonell to many inconveniences and greate
expence.
This parliament being risen, another was call'd by the king's
writt, wherein llic act of obli\ion Avas againe confirm'd, not without
some canvassing and opposition; and here againe another act about
that mony of the I^ord Lexington's was prepar'd and twice read in
the house, through divers abominable untruths which they had
forg'd and possesst the members withall. The collonell himselfe
sollicited his owne defence, and had all the iniustice and fowle play
imaginable att the committee appoynted to examine it, and it was
so desperate that all his friends perswaded him lo compound it; but
he would not, though his enemies oft'er'd it, but sayd, he would
either be clear'd by a lust, or ruin'd by an uniust sentence, and,
persumg it with his usuall allacrity and vigor in all things, he at
last remoov'd that prepossession that some of the gentlemen had
against him, and clearing himselfe to some that were most violent,
it pleas'd God to turne the hearts of the house at last to doe him
iustice, and to throw out the bill for evermore, which Avas a greate
mercy to him and his famely, for it w^as to have throwne him out
of possession of all the estates he had, and to have put them into
his enemies' hands till they had satisfied themselves; but the de-
fending himselfe was very chargeable to him, and not only so, but
this rumor of trouble upon his estate, and the braggs of his enemies,
and the clowd he lay under, hinder'd him both from letting and
selling, and improoving, his estate, so that it very much augmented
his debt.
Before this time, in December I66O, Captaine Cooper sent one
Broughton, a lieftenant, and Andrews, a cornett, wilh a company of
•5.
86
souldiers, who plunder'd his house at Owthorpe, Avhile he was ab-
sent, of all the weapons they found in it, to his very Avearing swords,
and his owne armor for himselfe, although at that time there was
no prohibition of any person whatsoever to have or weare arms.
The collonell was not then at home, and the arms were layd up
in a closet within his chamber, where they search'd, and all the
house over, to see if they could have found plate or aniething else,
but when they could not, they carried these away, which one of his
servants, whom he had dismiss'd with a good reward, betrey'd to
them. His eldest sonne went to the Marquesse of Newcastle, lord
lieftenant of the county, and complain'd of the violence of the
souldiers, and my lord gave him an order to have the swords and
other things back, and some pistolls which were the Lord Biron's,
but Mr. Cooper contemn'd my lord's order, and would not obey it.
The arms were worth neere 100/.
Alsoe an order came downe from the secretary, commanding
certeine pictures and other things the collonell had bought out of
the late king's collection, Avhicli had cost him in ready mony be-
tween 1000/. and 1500/. and were of more valine, and these, not-
Avithstanding the act of oblivion, were all taken from him.
After these troubles were over from without, the collonell liv'd
with all imaginable retirednesse att home, and, because his active
spirit could not be idle nor very sordidly employ 'd, tooke up his
time in opening springs, and planting trees, and dressing his plan-
tations; and these Avere his recreations, Avherein he relieved many
poore labourers Avhen they Avanted Avorke, Avhich was a very com-
fortable charily to them and their famclies: with these he Avould
entertaiu himselfe, giving them much encouragement in their honest
labours, so that they delighted to be employ 'd by him. His busi-
nesse Avas serious revolvino- the law of God, Avherein he labour'd to
instruct his children and servants, and enioy'd himselfe wilh much
patience and comfort, not envying the glories and honors of the
387
court, nor the prosperity of the wicked; but only griev'd that the
streightnesse of his owne revenues would not supplie his large heart
to the poore people in affliction. Some little troubles he had in his
own house. His sonne, unknowne to him, married a very worthy
person," with the manner of which he was so discontented that he
once resolv'd to have banisht them for ever, but his good nature was
soone overcome, and he receiv'd them into his bosome, and for the
short time he enioy'd her had no lesse love for her then for any of
his owne children. And indeed she was worthy of it, applying her-
selfe with such humble dutifullnesse and kindnesse to repaire her
fault, and to please him in all the things he delighted in, that he
was ravisht with the ioy of her, who lov'd the place not as his own
wife did, only because she Avas plac'd in it, but with a naturall af-
fection, which encourag'd him in all the paynes he tooke to adorne
it, when he had one to leave it to that w^ould esteeme it. She was
besides naturaliz'd into his house and interests, as if she had had
no other regard in the world ; she was pious and chearefull, liberall
and thrifty, complaisant and kind to all the famely, and the freest
from humor of any woman, loving home, without melancholly or
sullenesse, observant of her father and mother, not with rcgrett, but
with delight, and the most submissive, affectionate wife, that ever
was: but she, and all the ioy of her sweete, saint-like conversation,
ended in a lamented grave, about a yeare after her marriage, Avhen
she died in childbirth, and left the sweetest babe behind her that
ever was beheld, whose face promist all its mother's graces, but
death within eight Aveeks after her birth ravisht this sweete blossome,
Avhose fall open'd the fresh wounds of sorroAV for her mother, thus
doubly lost. While the mother liv'd, Avhich Avas ten days after her
delivery, the collonell and his wife employ 'd all imaginable paynes
and cares for her I'ecovery, whereof they had often hopes, but in the
" The dangliter of Sir Alexander RatcliiTej of the royahst party.
388
end all in vaine; slie died, and left the whole house in very sensible
afiiction, which continued upon the collonell and his wife till new
stroakes awakened them out of the sillent sorrow of this funerall.
Her husband having no ioy in the "world after she was gone, some
months shut himselfe up with his griefe in his chamber, out of which
he was hardly perswaded to goe, and when he did, every place about
home so much renew'd die remembrance of her, he could not thinke
of but with deepe afiiction, that being invited by his friends abroad
to divert his melancholly," he grew a litde out of love with home,
which was a greate damping to the pleasures his father tooke in
the place: but he, how eager soever he were in the love of any
worldly tl)ing, had that moderation of spiritt that he submitted his
Avill allwayes to God, and endeavour'd to give him thankes in all
ihinss.
This winter, about October and the following months, the pa-
pists began to be very high, and a sort of strangers were come into
Nottingham, who Avcre observ'd to distingguish themselves by Scar-
lett ribands in their hatts; and one niglu, in a dnmken humor, a
papist fired a hay barne in a wood yard in Nottingham, which, if
not discover'd and prevented by many providences, might have en-
danger'd much of the towne: but it did 200/. worth of mischiefe;
but the matter was sluxffled up and compounded, although the same
night severall other townes were attempted to be fired. A greate
papist att Eastwold Avas knowne to assemble 200 men in amies in
the nio;ht, and some of the Lord Carrinoton's tenants, that went to
Arundcll-house to speakc with their landlord, observ'd very strange
suspilious signes of some greate businesse on foote among the pa-
pists, who, both in Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, were so
exalted, that the very country people every wdicre apprehended
some insurrection. Amono- the rest there was a light-headed de-
* Mr. Thomas Hutchinson did not marry again, but died without issue.
389
bosht young kniglit, that liv'd next towne to Owtliorpc, who va-
pour'd beyond all bounds, and had 12 paire of holsters for pistolls
at one time of the collonell's sadler, and ridd at that time with half
a douzen men armed, up and downe the country, and sent them,
and went himselfe to severall men who had bene souldiers in the
armie, to otFer them brave termes to list under him, telling them,
they, meaning the papists, should have a day for it. Jjcsides he,
with the parson of the parish, and some other men, at an alehouse,
began a health to the confusion of all the protestants in England ;
and one of the collonell's maides going to Colson, to have a sore eie
cured by a woman in the towne, heard there that he had vapour'd
the papists should shortly have their day, and that he would not
leave one allive in the collonell's house. He sent to the preacher of
Cotgrove, to forbid him to preach on gunpowder-treason day,
threatning to kill him if he did, insomuch that the towne Avere forc'd
to keep a guard all that day upon the steeple.
The men whom the papists had endeavour'd to list, acquainted
the collonell Avith it, Avhereof some being in Leicestershire, the col-
lonell, sent his sonne to Sr. George Villiei-s, one of the deputy lief-
tcnants of that county, to acquaint him Avith it ; but he slighted the
matter, although at that time it Avould have bene proov'd that Gold-
ing brought a Avhole coach loaden Avith pistolls, as many as they
could stuffe under the seates and in the bootes, to the house of one
Smith, a papist, dAvelling at Quineborough in Leicestershire. The
collonell alsoe sent to the deputy lieftenants of our county to ac-
quaint them the publick danger, and hoAv himselle Avas threalned ;
and, by reason that his house had bene disarm'd, desir'd that he
might have leave to procure some necessary arms to defend it ; but
they sent him Avord that the insurrection of the papists was but a
fanatique iealousie, and if he Avere afraid, they Avould send him a
guard, but durst not alloAV him to arme his house. He disdaining
their security that Avould not tnist him Avith his OAvne, Avould have
390
taken a house att Nottingham for his wife to he in, who being then
big with chiki, Avas neare her account; but ahhough she Avere feare-
full, yet when she found him resolv'd to stay in his owne house, she
Avould not goe: wliereupon he made strong shutts to all his low
windorcs widi iron barrs, and that very night that they were sett up,
the house was attempted to be broken in the night, and the glasse
of one of the greate casements broken, and tlie little iron barrs of it
crasht in sunder. Mrs. Hutchinson being late up heard the noyse,
and thought somebody had bene forcing the doores, but as wee
since heard, it was Golding who made the attempt. The common
people every where falling into suspition of the papists, began to be
highl}^ offended at their insolence, and to mutter strange words ;
whither it were this, or what elce wee know not, but their designe
proceeded no further; yett there is nothing more certeine then that
at that time they had a design of rising generally all over England
in arms. But the collonell liv'd so retir'd, that he never understood
how it was taken up, and how it fell of, yett although they would
not take the allarum from him, even the gentlemen of the county
afterwards believ'd they were hatching some mischiefe and fear'd it.
The collonell continued his usuall retirednesse all that winter,
and the next summer, about the end of which he dreamt one night
that he saw certeine men in a boate upon the Thames, labouring
against wind and tide, to bring their boate, which stuck in the
sands, to shore ; att which he, being in the boate, was angrie Avith
them, and told them they toyl'd in vaine, and would never effect
their purpose ; but, say'd he, lett it alone and let t me try; where-
upon he lay'd him downe in the boate, and applying his brest to
the head of it, gently shoov'd it along, till he came to land on
Southworke side, and there, going out of the boate, walk'd in the
most pleasant lovely fields, so grecne and Nourishing, and so em-
bellisht with the cheerefull sunne that shone upon them, as he never
saw aniething soe delightfull, and that there mett his father, who
391
gave him certeiiie leaves of lawrell which had many words written
in them whicli he could not read. The collonell was never super-
stitious of drcamcs, but this stuck a little in his mind, and we were
therefore seeking applications of it, which proov'd nothing in the
event, but that having afforded one, I know not whither the dreame
might not he inspir'd. The boate representing the commonwealth,
which severall unquiet people sought to enfranchise, by value en-
deavours, against wind and tide, parellelling the plotts and designes
some impatient people then carried on Avithout strength, or councell,
or unity among diemselves; his lying downe and shooving it with
his breast, might signify the advancement of the cause by the pa-
tient sullering of the martyrs, among which his owne was to be
eminent, and on the other side of the river to land him into walkes
of everlasting pleasure, he dying on that shore, and his father's giving
him these lawrell leaves with unintelligible characters, fortold him
those triumphs which he could not read in his mortall estate ; but to
let dreames passe —
I cannot here omitt one story, though not altogether so much of
the collonell's concerne, yet hap'ning this summer, not unworthy
mention. Mr. Palmer, a certeine nonconformist preacher, was
taken at his owne house in Nottingham by the maior of the towne,
for preaching upon the Lord's day, and some others with him,
(whereof one was formerly a servant. of the collonell's, and had mar-
ried one of his maydes), and put into the towne's iayle, where they
continued about two or three months. There being a grated window
in the prison, that was allmost even with the ground, and look'd
into the streete, all people coming by, might see these poore peo-
ple, kept in a damp ill-favour'd roome, where they patiently ex-
horted and chear'd one another. One Lord's day, after sermon-
time, the prisoners were singing a psalme, and the people as they
past up and downe, still when they came to the prison, stood still,
till there were a greate many gather'd about tlu; windore at which
3 G
392
Mr, Palmer was preaching ; whereupon, the maior, one Toplady,
who had formerly bene a parliament officer, but was now a rene-
gado, came violently Avith his officers, and beate the people, and
thrust some into prison that were but passing the streetes, kickt and
pincht the men's wives in his rage, and was the more exasperated,
when some of them told him, how ill his fury became him,^ who had
once bene one of them. The next day, or few days after, having
given order the prisoners should every Lord's day after be lockt in
the colehouse, he went to London and made information, I heard
oath, to the councell, that a thousand of the country came in armed
to the towne, and marcht to the prison window, to hear the prisoner
preach ; whereupon he procur'd an order for a troope of horse to be
sent downe to quarter at Nottingham to keep the fanatiqucs in awe.
But one who had relation to the towne, being then at court, and
knowing this to be false, certified to the contrary and prevented the
troope. After the maior came downe, he was one night taken with
a vomitting of blood, and being ill, call'd his man and his maid,
who alsoe at the same time fell a bleeding, and Avere all ready to be
choak'd in their owne blood, Avhich at last stopping, they came to
assist him ; but after that he never lift up his head, but languisht a
few months and died.
While these poore people were in prison, the collonell sent them
some mony, and assoone as their time Avas expir'd, Mr. Palmer
came to OAvthorpe to give him thankes, and preacht there one Lord's
day." Whither this were taken notice of is not evident, but Avithin
>■ This transaction is seemingly of small note; but will be found of the last impor-
tance to the parties concerned. By the declaration from Breda — " Liberty was
" granted to tender consciences, and none were to be questioned for difference of
" opinion in matters of religion, which do not disturb the peace of the kingdom."
But the parliament which was chosen after the restoration, and which consisted in u
great degree of tories and high church men, encouraged and led on by the chancellor,
passed several severe acts against all dissenters indiscriminately. Particularly one
393
a short time after, upon the Lord's day, the lUli of October, l663,
the cohoncU having that day finisht the expounding of tiie Epistle
to the Romans to his houschoki, and the servants being gone of out
of the pailour from him, one of them came in and told him souldiers
were come to the towne. He was not at all surpris'd, but stay'd in
the roome till they came in, who were conducted by Atkinson, one
^of those Newark men, who had so violently before prosecuted him
at the parliament, and he told the collonell he must goe allong with
them, after they had searcht the house ; for which the collonell re-
quir'd their commission, which at the first they say'd they need not
shew, but after they shew'd him an order from Mr. Francis Leke,
one of the deputy lieftenants, forthwith to repayre to his house, to
search for and bring away what armes they could find, and to seize
his person. All which they did, and found no armes in the house,
but four birding gunns, that hung open in the kitchen, which being
the young gentlemau's, at that time they left. It was after sunsett
when they came, and they were at least two howers searching every
corner and all about the house, and the collonell was not at that
time very well in health, and not having bene fornix months before
called, the Act of Unitbnnity, and this they followed up with an act forbidding noii-
confoimists to frequent conventicles, under which probably Mr. Palmer was seized.
As it had been declared that those who differ'd from tlie church could not fail to be
enemies to the state, and that the fsuiatics, as they called them, resorted to these
meetings under pretence of religion, but in reality to form and ripen plots and sedi-
tions, and that principally for tliis reason these acts were framed, this renegado very
aptly introduced his thousand men in arms.
How far it was discreet in Col. Hutchinson at such a juncture to let this man
preach at Owthorpe, on whom a mark had bene set, is doubtful ; it seems that in ge-
neral he confined his religious opinions and worship to his own house, and was of
course inoffensive even to the captious government under wliich he lived.
The manner, time, and place of his being seized, demonstrate the falsehood of
the legend contained in Throsby's edition of Thoroton's Nottinghamshire, of his long
concealment in his own house, and at last being taken coming home from church.
394
on horseback, had neither horses nor saddles at that time in the
house ; the coachman was alsoe gone away, and the coach-horses
turned out, and it was as bitter, a stormie, pitchie, dark, blacke,
raynie night, as anie that came that yeare; all which consider'd, the
collonell desir'd that they Avould but stay for the morning light, that
he might accommodate "himselfe: but they would not, but forc'd
him to goe then allong with them, his eldest sonne lending him a
horse, and alsoe voluntarily accompanying him to Newark, where,
about foure of the clock in the morning, he Avas brought into the
Talbott, and put into a most vile roome, and two souldiers kept
guard upon him in that roome.
And now what they ayl'd wee knew not, but they were all seiz'd
with a panick feare, and the whole country fiercely allarum'd, and
kept at Newark many dayes at intollerable charges, and I thinke
they never yett knew what they were sent for in to doe, but to guard
Coll. Hutchinson ; who being at first put into a roome that look'd
into the streete, Avas remoov'd after into a back roome, worse, if
worse could be, and so bad that they would not lett the Duke of
Buckingham's footemen lodge in it : and here he continued, no man
comming at him nor letting him know why he was brought in. The
next day Mrs. Hutchinson sent him some linnen, and assoone as the
man came, Tomson, the host of the inne, Avould not sufter him to
see his master, but seiz'd him and kept him prisoner two days. Mr.
Thomas Hutchinson had a mare which the inne-keeper had a desire
to buy, and his father perswaded him to lett him have her worth
mony, who thereupon agreed on the price, only Tomson desir'd him
to lett him trie the mare six miles, which he condiscended to, upon
condition that if Tomson ridd the marc above six miles, he should
pay the mony for her, and furnish Mr. Hutchinson with a horse
home, or to my Lord of Newcastle's, or any other occasion he had
while he was at Newark. Upon this bargaine Tomson had the
mare, but instead of going but six miles, led a greater partie of
395
horse tlien those who first seiz'd the collonell to Owthorpe, and
coming in after sunsett, to the affright of Mrs. Hutchinson and her
children, againe searcht their house more narrowly if possible then
at first, with much more insolent behaviour, although they found no
more than at first ; but they tooke away the birding gunns they had
left before, and from Owthorpe went to Nottingham, where they tooke
one Captaine Wright and Lieftenant Franck, who had bene Lambert's
agitant-generall, and brought the poore men to Newark, where they
are yett prisoners, and to this day know not Avhy.^ Severall others
were taken prisoners, among the rest one Whittinton, a lieftenant,
who being carried to prison, " Coll. Hutchinson," say'd he, " hath
" betrey'd us all:" such were the base iealousies of our owne party
over him, who because he was not hang'd at first, imagin'd and
spoke among themselves all the scandalls that could be devis'd of
him, as one that had deserted the cause, and lay private here in
the country to trapan all the party, and to gather and transmitt all
intelligence to the court, and a thousand such things, giving each
other warning to take heed of comming neere him. Those Avho
began to render him thus odious among his owne part}', were the
Lambertonians, in mallice because he had openly oppos'd their re-
bellious insolencies against the parliament. Frank and Whittington,
Sec. were of these, but the collonell would not putt himselfe in
hazard to rectifie their uniust thoughts, and had no resort of his
owne friends, the soberer and honester men of the party ; onl v, as-
much as the streights that were upon him would allow, when any
of them were in distresse, would send them reliefe. Hereupon some,
convinc'd of the iniuries they did him, about this time sought to doe
him right, in some meeting where one of the Buckingham's trapans
was, and say'd he was unchanged in his principles, Avhich was all
• This shews that the confinement of these persons lasted still longer than Coll.
Hutchinson's, and likewise that this history was written while the events were still re-
cent and fresh in the memory.
396
that ever I could heare was inform'd against him, but anielhing
would serve for those who sought a pretence.*
While the collonell was at Newark, Golding, the papist, was a
very busie fellow in spying and watching his house at Owthorpe,
and sending in frivolous stories, which amounted to nothing, but
declaring his pittifull malice, as they that receiv'd it after told the
coUonell.
When Tornson came back, Mr. Hutchinson, out of the window,
spied his owne gunne, which some of the men brought in, and soone
understood that this rogue had made use of his OAvne horse to plun-
der him. At night Tomson, the host, came up into the collonell's
chamber, and behav'd himselfe most insolently, Avhereupon the col-
lonel snatch t up a candlestick and lay'd him over the chaps with it,
whereupon Mr. Leke, being in the house, and hearing the bustle,
with others, came in with drawne swords, and the collonell tooke
that opportunity to tell him, that he stood upon his iustification,
and desired to know his crime and his accusers, and that till then
he was content to be kept as safe as they would have him, but de-
sir'd to be delivcr'd out of the hands of that insolent fellow, and to
have accommodation fitt for a gentleman; which when they saw he
would not be without, for he would eate no more meate in that
house, they after two days remov'd him to the next inne, where he
was civilly treated, with guards still remaining upon him.
It was not passion which made the collonell doe this, for he was
not at all angrie, but despis'd all the mallice of his enemies, but he
* The whole history of the reign of Charles the Second is filled with plots real or
imaginary, but mostly the latter : of all the engines of state the most nefarious is that
at this time miieli employed, of sham or pretended fomenteis of sedition or trepans,
who drew unwary persons either into some confederacy or expressions of discontent,
and tiien gave information, probably heightened by invention. Many iiave thought
the information given against Lord Russell and Algernon Sidney, whereon tliey were
tried and condemned, was no better.
597
having bene now foure dayes in Newark, Mr. Leke came every day
to the house where he was kept by Leke's warrant, and never vouch-
saf'd so much as to lookc on him, but put him into the hands of a
drunken insolent host, who dayly affronted him, which, if he would
have suffered, lie saw would be continued upon him, iheiefore know-
ing that Leke was then in the house, he looke that occasion to make
him come to him, and thereupon obtain'd a remoove to an accom-
modalion more belitlino; a oendeman..
While he was at the other inne, several] gentlemen of the king's
party came to him, some whom he had knowne, and some whom he
had never scene, complementing him, as if he had not bene a pri-
soner, which he very much admir'd att, and could yett never under-
stand, for by his former usage he saw it was not their good nature;
but whither this carriage of his had made them believe innocency
was the ground of his confidence, or whither the appearance of his
greate spiritt had made them willing to obliege him, or whither even
his vertue had strucken them with a guilty dread of him, though a
prisoner, certcinc it is, that son)e who had bene his greatest enemies,
began to flatter with him, whereupon, in a Bible he carried in his
pockett, and markt upon all occasions, he mark'd that place, Prov.
xvi. 7j " when a man's wayes please the Lord, he maketh his ene-
" mies to be at peace with him."
The 19th of October, Mr. Leke, with a party of horse, carried
the collonell to the Marquesse of Newcastle's, who treated him very
honorably; and then falling into discourse with him, "Collonell,"
sayth he, " they say you desire to know your accusers, which is
more then I know." And thereupon very freely shew'd him (he
Duke of Buckingham's letter, commanding him to imprison the col-
lonell, and others, upon suspition of a plott, which my lord was so
fully satisfied the collonell was innocent of, that he dismist him
without a guard to his owne house, only engaging him to stay there
one weeke, till he gave account to the counscll, upon which he was
398
confident of his liberty.'' The coUonell thus dismist, came home,
and upon the 22d day of October, a party of horse, sent only with
a wretched corporal], came about 11 of the clock with a warrant
from Mr. Leke, and fctcht him back to Newark, to the inne Avhere
he was before, Mr. Twentimans, who being still civill to him, Avhis'
per'd him assoone as he allighted, that it was determined he should
be close prisoner ; whereupon the collonell say'd he would no more
pay any centinells that they sett upon him, yett they sett two hired
*> Here shines out the genuine spirit of a noble Briton! This was the same man,
who commanding a host, against which the forces Col. Hutchinson had to defend
Nottingham Castle with, were but as a dwarf before a giant, yet saw his fidelity to be
proof against both danger, and the temptation of great rewards, and had generosity
enough to see and value virtue in an adversary ; he well linew that such a person as the
coUonel, was safer in the keeping of his own honour than all the guards or prisons of
his enemies. Who can fail to regret that such a man should have been so long the
dupe of his loyalty to the Stuarts, and above all that he should be to receive mandates
from the infamous sycophants of diaries the Second ! If a man was inevitably to be
persecuted, it made much for his honour, and somewhat for his satisfaction, to have
two men of such opposite characters as Newcastle and Buckingham, the one for his
protector, the other for his persecutor.
Of Buckingham we shall again have occasion to speak.
As we shall not again see any thing more of this truly noble man, the Marquis of
Newcastle, we take this opportunity to cite, from a tradition preserved by Deering in
his History of Nottingham, that at the time of the great revolution another Cavendish,
Earl, and afterwards Duke of Devonshire, together with Lord Delamere, son of that
Sir George Booth whose life and fortunes Col. Hutchinson preserved, together with
Col. Hutchinson's half brother, and others of that country, set up their standard at
Nottingham ; there waked again the soul of liberty and patriotism, which had slept
ever since Col. Hutchinson's days, and causing the trumpet to sound to arms, and tell-
ing the inhabitants a Stuart was at hand with all his army, saw the whole people fly to
arms, some on horseback, some on foot, with all the various weapons they could find,
march all as one man to meet him, and take their determined stand at that pass of the
Trent where their old governor had repeatedly fought and conquer'd, and whose spirit
they imagined to hover over and inspire them with its wonted energy. Having thus
tried their temper, he committed to the guard of these true-born sons of freedom, that
princess (Anne) who was to carry the British name to its highest pitch of glory.
399
souldiers, having now dismist the county, but the collonell forbade
the inne to give them any diinke, or aniething elce upon his ac-
count. The next day^ being the 23d, Mr. Leke came to him and
shew'd him a letter from my Lord Newcastle, wherein my lord writt
that he was sorry he could not persue that kindnesse he intended the
collonell, believing him innocent, for that he had receiv'd a com-
mand from Buckingham to kecpe him close prisoner, without pen,
inke, or paper ; and to shew the reallity of this, with the order he
sent a copie of the duke's letter, which was alsoe shew'd the col-
lonell ; and in it was this expression, " that though he could not make
" it out as yett, he hop'd he should hrmg Mr. Hutchinson into the
" plott." Mr. Leke having communicated these orders to Mr.
Hutchinson, told him he was to goe to London, and should leave
him in the charge of the maior of Newark.
Because here is so much noyse of a plott, it is necessary to tell
what it hath since appear'd. The Buckingham sett a worke one
Gore, sheriffe of Yorkshire, and others, who sent out trapanners
among the discontented people, to stirre them to insurrection to re-
store the old parliament, gospell ministry, and English liberty,
which specious things found very many ready to entertaine them,
and abundance of simple people were caught in the nett ; whereof
some lost their lives, and others fled." But the collonell had no hand
in it, hokling himselfe oblig'd at that time to be quiet. It is true he
still suspected insurrections of the papists, and had secur'd his house
and his yards, better then it was the winter before, against any sud-
daine night assaults.
After Mr. Leke was gone, the maior, one Herring, of Newark,
a rich, but simple fellow, sent the iayler to Mr. Hutchinson, to tell
* Rapin speaks slightly and cursoiily of this, under the name of the Northern Plot;
but plainly shews that some of the principal persons pretended to have been concerned
in it, neither were nor could be,
3 n
400
him he must goe to his house ; which the collonell refusing to doe
voluntarily, without a mittimus from some magistrate, the maior
sent five constables and two souldiers, who by violence, bodi forc'd
the collonell out of his quarters, and into the iayle without any
legall committment, although the collonell warn'd both the iaylor
and the men of the danger of the law, by this illegall imprisonment.
The collonell would not advance alt all into the prison, into which
the men would faine have entreated him ; but when they saw they
could not perswade, they violently thrust him in, where the iaylor
afterwards used him pretty civilly: but the roome being vmfitt for
him, he gott cold and fell very sick, when, upon the 27th of Octo-
ber, Mr. Leke, with the marquesses secretary came to him, and
found him soe, and acquainted him, that the inarquesse had re-
ceived expresse orders from the king, to send him up in safe custody
to London. Mr. Leke finding him so ill, was so civill to permitt
him to goe by his owne house, which was as neere a roade, that he
might there take accommodations for his iourney, and be carried up
at more ease, in his owne coach, Mr. Leke himselfe being necessi-
tated to make more haste then he could have done, if he had stay'd
for the party that was to guard the collonell, went away before, and
left his orders for sending him away with Mr, xVtkinson, M-ho first
seiz'd him. The same 27th day, att night, his house at Owthorpe
Avas againe searcht, and he and his wife being abroad, ail their
boxes and cabinetts broken open, and all their papers ritied, but
yett for all this they could find nothing to colour their iniustice to
him.
Having bene falsely and illegally imprison'd, from six of the
clock on friday night the 23d of October, till ten of the clock in the
morning October the 28th, he was then, in order to his going to
London, brought by Beek the iaylor to Twentimans the inne, from
whence he was hal'd, to stay there till a commanded part}' of the
•county horse came to guard him to London. But one devision of
401
the county who had warrants sent them, not connning in, Atkinson
sent into that part Avhere the collonell liv'd, and his owne neighbours
comming slowly and unwillingly to that service, he was forc'd to
stay there all that day till night in the custody of the iaylor. At
night, when he was in bed, the maior being drunke commanded
him to be carried back to the iayle, but the iaylor, weary of his
drunken commands, sat up with two souldiers, and guarded him in
the inne.
The next day the partie not being come in, a meane fellow, that
was appoynted to command the collonell's guard, one Corporall Wil-
son, came and told him that he must not goe by his owne house, nor
have the privelledge of his coach, but be carried up another way,
whereupon the collonell sent to Atkinson to desire him he might not
be denied that civillity Mr. Leke had allowed him; but he was so
peevish and obstinate that the collonell was sending his sonne post
to the Marquisse of Newcastle's to complaine of his mallitious inhu-
manity, who would have forc'd him on horseback without any ac-
commodation, Avlien he was so ill that he could not have ridden one
stage without manifest hazard of his life : and yett Mr. Cecill Cooper
and Mr. Whally, though iustices and deputy lieftenants, could not
prevaile with him, till he saw the collonell as resolute as himselfe ;
and then at last, by their mediation, (wherein Mr. Cecill Cooper
did soomething redeeme his former causelesse hatred, which made
him plunder the house, and deleine the plunder Avhen it was ordcr'd
back). The collonell, about sunsctt, was sent out of Newark,
with those horse that were come in, to stay for the rest at his owne
house. Being driven in the night by an unskillfull coachman, the
coach was overturn'd and broken; but about 12 of the clock at
night they came safe home. Thus the collonell tooke his last leave
of Newark, which being a place he had formerly subdued, and re-
plete with so many mallitious enemies to the whole party, and
more particularly to him, upon no other account but that he had
402 ^
bene tlie most formidable protector of the other party in this coun-
try, he expected farre worse treatment from the generalhtj^ of the
towne ; who were so farre from ioyning in ioy of his captivity^
that wlien he was forc'd through their streets they gave him very
civill respect, and when he came away civill farewells, and all mut-
ter'd exceedingly at their maior, and say'd he would undoe their
towne by such simple illegall proceedings. The collonell regarded
all these civillities from the towne, who were generally much con-
cern'd in his iniuries, and from Cooper and others, not as of them-
selves, but as from God, who at that time overaw'd the hearts of his
enemies, as once he did Laban's and Esau's, and was much con-
firm'd in the favour of God thereby, and nothing at all daunted at
the mallice of his prosecutors, but went as cheerefully into captivity
as another would have come out of it.
They were forc'd to stay a day at Owthorpe, for the mending of
the coach and comming in of the souldiers, Avhere the collonell had
the opertunity to take leave of his poore labourers, who Avept all
bitterly when he pay'd them of, but he comforted them and smil'd,
and without any regrett went away from his bitterly weeping chil-
dren, and servants, and tenants, his wife and his eldest sonne and
daughter going with him, upon -Saturday the 31st of October.
Golding, the night before he went, had sent him a pot of mar-
malade to eat in the coach, and a letter to desire all grutches might
be forgotten, and high flattering stuffe, by his man that was to be
one of the guard, which he say'd he had chosen out the best he had,
and his best horse, and if he did not pay him all respect he would
turne him away ; and as the collonell came by his doore, came out
with wine, and would fainc have brought him into the house to eate
oysters, but the collonell only drank with him, and bid him friendly
farewell, and went on, not guarded as a prisoner, but waited on by
his neighbours. Mrs. Hvitchinson was exceedingly sad, but he en-
couraged and kindly chid her out of it, and told her it would
405
blemish his innocence for her to appeare aflicted, and told her if she
had but patience to waite the event, she would see it all for the best,
and bade her be thankefull for the mercy that she was permitted
this comfort to accompany him in the iourney, and with divers ex-
cellent exhortations chcar'd her who Avas not wholly abandon'd to
sorrow, while he was with her, who, to divert her, made himsc Ife
sport with his guards, and deceived the Avay, till upon the 3d of No-
vember he Avas brought to the Crown, in Hoi borne. From thence,
the next day, he was carried by Mr. Leke to the Tower, and com-
mitted there close prisoner, by warrant, signed by Secretary Bennett
the 20th of October, Avhereby he stood committed for treasonable
practises, though he had never yett bene examin'd by any maoi-
strate, one or other. His wife, by his command, restrein'd herselfe
as much as she could from shewing her sadnesse, whom he bad to
remember how often he had told her that God never preserv'd him
so extraordinarily at first, but for some greate worke he had further
for him to doe or to suffer in this cause, and bad her be thankefull
for the mercy by which they had so long in peace enioy'd one an-
other, since this eminent change, and bad her trust God with him ;
whose faith and chearefuUnesse were so encourasiino; that it a little
upheld her ; but, alas ! her devining heart was not to be comforted :
she remembrcd Avhat had bene told her of the cruell resolutions taken
against him, and saw now the execution of them.
On Friday, Nov. the 6th, he was sent for by Secretary Bennett,
to his lodgings at Whitehall, Avhich Avas the first time he AA^as ex-
amin'd, and the questions he asked him Avere : — 1st. " Where he
" had liv'd this four or five months.^" To Avhich he ansAver'd, " Con-
" stantly at home, at his owne house in Nottinghamshire." 2d.
" What company used to resort to his house ?" He told him,
" None, not so much as his nearest relations, Avho scarce ever saAv
" him." 3d. " A¥hat company he frequented ?" He told him,
" None, and that he nex'^er stirr'd out of his owne house to visilt
404
" any." Bennett sayd, " That was very much." 4th. " Whither
« he knew Mr. Henry Nevill "t" He answer'd, " Very well." 5th.
" When he saw him V He sayd, " To his best remembrance never
" since the king came in." 6th. " When he writt to him ?" He
sayd, " Never in his life." 7th. " When Mr. Nevill writt to him ?"
He sayd, " Never." 8tli. " Whither any messages had past be-
" tween them ?" He sayd, " None at all." 9th. " Whither none
" had moov'd aniething to him concerning a republique i" He
sayd, " He knew none so indiscreet." 10th. " What children he
"had?" He sayd, " Foure sonnes and foure daughters." 11th.
" How old his sonnes were ?" He sayd, " Two were at men's estate,
" and two little children." 12th. " Whither his sonnes had not done
" aniething to iniure him ?" He replied, " Never that he knew of,
" and he was confident they had not." 13th. " Where he went to
"church to heare devine service, common prayer?" He sayd,
" No where, for he never stirr'd out of his owne house." 14th.
" Whither he heard it not read there ?" He answer'd, " To speake
" ingenuously, No." 15th. " How he then did for his soule's com-
" fort ?" He replied, " Sr. I hope you leave me that to account be-
" tweene God and my owne soule." Then Bennett told him his
answers to these had cut him of of many questions he should have
asked, and he might returne. So he Avas carried back to the Tower
with only two of the warders which brought him thither."
d What will the reader think of this examination when he is reminded, or, if he
knew it not before, is informed that this gentleman who is so anxious for the welfare
of Col. Hutchinson's soul, and so earnest for his frequenting the church, was himself
a concealed papist, and privy to the king's being so too ! It is necessary to be here ob-
served, that upon the publication of the act of uniformity a very great number of the
parochial clergy quitted their benefices, and were replaced by others; it is highly pro-
bable this would be the case at Owthorpe, and it was a very natural consequence of it
that Col. Hutchinson should absent himself from his church, where, although he had
heretofore taken much pains to get a good minister established and his salary aug-
405
Not long after one Waters was brought prisoner out of York-
shire, a fellow of a timorous spiritt, Avho being taken, was in so
greate a feare, that he accus'd many, guilty and not guilty, to save
himsclfe ; caus'd his owne wife to be put in prison, and hang'd the
dearest friend he had in the world, and brought his wives brother
into the same danger; some say through feare, others that he was a
trapanner from the begining, for he drew in all the people whom he
accus'd. Whatever he were, he was so utter a stranger to Coll.
Hutchinson, that he never saw his face ; yett that day he was ex-
amin'd at Whitehall, Coll. Hutchinson was in greate haste fetcht
away from his dinner at the Tower, and told he should be examin'd
in the king's owne hearing ; which he was very glad of, and, with
greate hast and formallity and strictnesse he was carried by the de-
puty lieftenant and a strong guard by water from the Tower to
Whitehall ; and when he came to land at Whitehall stairs, one
Andrews, an officer, with two files of musketeers, was ready to re-
ceave him, and led him to Bennett's lodgings, where he observ'd a
greate deale of care to place the guard at the outAvard doore in the
court, and to keepe the chamber doore continually shutt, that none
might peepe in, but a few gentlemen Avho were admitted to come
now and then and stare him in the face at the doore, but none wci'e
in the roome for a long space but Andrews and himselfc, till at the
last his keeper thrust in. The collonell, having stay'd two howers,
concluded that he should now be confronted by some accuser, or at
mented, he had now to expect, instead of spiritual comfort, siicli pulpit railings as he
had been assailed with at Nottingham. Accordingly he performed the worship of God
in his own family, much as a protestant father of a family would have done in a c atho-
lic country. And the history informs ns he was so occupied when the soldiers came to
seize him: but it was prudent to say nothing of this to tlie secnlary confessor!
Mr. Nevil, whom he speaks of, made a considerable figure in the latter times of
the long parliament, as a staunch republican, a man of strict integrity, and a steady
opposer of all the usurpations.
406
least liave an examination more tending to treasonable practices
then his first seemed to doe, especially understanding that Mr. Wa-
ters had bene many howers before in the house, and was yett there.
But at last parturiunt monies! and out comes Secretary Bennett!
who taking him to a window apart from Mr. Andrews and the keeper,
most formally begins thus : " Mr. Hutchinson, you have now bene
" some dayes in prison, have you recollected yourselfe any more to
*' say then when I last spoke to you Y' Mr. Hutchinson answer'd,
" He had nothing to recollect, nor more to say." " Are you sure of
" that ?" sayd the secretary. " Very sure," sayd Mr. Hutchinson.
" Then," sayd Bennett, " you must return to prison." And accord-
ingly he was carried by the same guard back againe to the Tower,
where he was kept with a greale deale of strictnesse, and some
weekes before his wife was admitted to see him ; for whom, at the
last, Sr. Allen Apsley procur'd an order tliat she might visitt him,
but they limitted it that it must not be but in the presence of his
keeper. The lieftenant, in hope of a fee gave leave that her sonne
and daughter might goe into the roome with her, who elce must
have stood without doores; but he would not permitt her to take lodg-
ings in the Tower, which, being in a sharpe winter season, put her to
greate toyle and inconvenience, besides excessive charge of provid-
ing his meate att the Tower, and her company in another place :
meanwhile he was kept close prisoner, and had no ayre allow'd him,
but a payre of leads over his chamber, which were so high and cold
he had no benefitt by them ; and every night he had three doores
shutt upon him, and a centinell at the outmost. His chamber was
a roome where 'tis sayd the two young princes. King Edward the
Fifth and his brother, were murlhered in former dayes, and the
roome that led to it was a darke greate roome, that had no windore
in it, where the portcullis to one of the inward Tower gates Avas
drawn up and lett downe, under which there sate every night a
court of guard. There is a tradition, that in this roome the Duke of
407
Clarence was drown'd in a but of malmsey ; from which murlher,
this roome and that ioyning it Avhere Mr. Hutchinson lay, was
called the Bloody Tower. Betweene Mr. Hutchinson's chamiocr and
the dark roome there was a doore, which ]\Ir. Hutchinson desir'd the
lieftenant might be left open in the night, because it left a little ne-
cessary house open to the chamber, which he and his man had occa-
sion of in the night, having gotten duxes with their bad accommo-
dations and diet : but the lieftenant Avould not allow it him, ail-
though, when that was open, there were two doorcs more shutt upon
him, and he could not have any way attempted any escape, but he
must, if it had bene possible to worke through the walls, have fallen
upon a court of guard.
Notwithstanding all this strictnesse, which Avas exercised alsoe to
most of the other prisoners, yet their owne centinells hated the lief-
tenant, and his Cerberus, Crfesset, because they cheated them, and
had nothing of generosity or bounty to engage the hearts of their
souldiers, who, seeing so much of their wickcdnesse, abhorr'd them,
and pittied the poore gentlemen that were so barbarously used by
them; and whether out of humanity, or necessity, or villany, I know
not, but they would ofi'er the prisoners many curtesies, and convey
letters betweene them. Mr. Hutchinson was never so imprudent to
trust any of them with his, having within an hower of his imprison-
ment bene instructed by another prisoner a safer and more conve-
nient Avay; yet Avas it their interest to use courteously all those that
ofFer'd themselves to doe them service. Among the rest, as he Avas
one day sitting by the fire, the centinell at the doore peept in his
head and call'd to him: " Sir," sayd he, " God blesse you! I have
" sometimes guarded you in another manner at the parliament
" house, and am griev'd to see the change of 3'our condition, and
" only take this employment now, to be more able to serve you,
" still hoping to see you restor'd to Avhat I have scene you." The
collonell not turning his head, told the man that language suited
3 I
408
not the coate he wore, bade him mind his present duty, and told
him he had no employment of his service. " Well," sayd the soul-
dier, " I perceive, Sir, you dare not trust me, buL my Lady Vane
" and my Lady Lambert know me, and if you have any service to
" command me to them, I will bring you a testimony from them."
The collonell tooke no more notice of him, but the fellow, officious,
or hoping to gett niony, went to myLady Lambert's house, and
told her that he had formerly bene her husband's souldier, and that
he Avisht his restitution, and that he us'd sometimes to guard the
prisoners, and would carry her letters to any of them, and that he
had bene centinell lately att Collonell Hutchinson's chamber, and
Avould carry any thing she would s-end to him. She only bade him
remember her service to him, and tell him she wisht him liberty;
and the fellow flattering her Avith professing his love to her lord, she
expresst some pleasure Avith his speeches, and gave him some mony;
which her daughter considering, assoone as he Avas gone out told
her that she had done vuiAvarily to open hersclfe so much to one of
the souldiers in present employment, whom she did not know but
he might l)e sett on purpose to trapan her. My lady, to prevent
any inconvenience of her error, thought it the best Avay to goe im-
mediately and complaine that one of the souldiers had come to her
to trapan her, under coulour of a message from Coll. Hutchinson,
Avhicli she had not enterlain'd; and desir'd they might not be al-
low'd in anie such thing, protesting her OAvne loyalty and rcadincsse
to discover any that Avere false to them. This Avas extreamcly Avell
represented of her at the court, and as ill of Coll. Hutchinson, that
he had not done the like; and Coll. Leg, Avhose companie it was
that then had the guard of the Tower, Avas commanded to find out
and punish tliis souldier, Avho, it proov'd after, was a good honest
fellow, and was the only protestant in that companie, the rest being
most of them Irish and papists, and some rcbells. This poore fel-
low, having bene a parliament souldier, listed among them to get a
409
living, but was very tender-hearted to the prisoners, and had a desire
to do them kindnesse. Hereupon he came to the colloneirs man
and desired ids master would not owne him, and that he would send
to my Lady Lambert to doe the same, which the coUonell did: but
when she was sent to by him, she sent a maid to see all the soul-
diers, who own'd the man, and he was put in prison, and cashier'd
and undone, for nothing but ofTering his service to have done the
prisoners slight services; and Coll. Hutchinson was ill thought of att
the court, because when Coll. Leg brought his men under the win-
dore of his prison, and came up to Mr. Hutchinson and desir'd him
to view them all, he would not accuse any of them, which if he
had, he would not only have cutt of his owne, but all the other
prisoners' wayes of sending to their friends abroad; yet he never
made use of this fellow, nor any of them, in any businesse of trust,
allthough he thought it not good to discourage any that appear'd to
wish them well, among so many bloody murtherers as they were
given up to.
The collonell endured his prison patiently till the triall of those
they caird conspirators in Yorkshire was over; but when he had
layne from November till Candlemasse terme in prison, he sent his
wife to Secretary Bennett to desire that such persons as had busi-
nesse with him might have the liberty to come to him. She had
before bene Avith some of the privie councell who were her hus-
band's friends and allies, to complain of his uniust imprisonment,
and his harsh usage there, contrary to all law, from the beginning
to the ending, even their owne lawes, and they had told her that
they were sensible of it, but that they only stood for ciphers, while
the chancellor and Bennett manag'd all things without their privity,
in most oppressive and illegall wayes." She, as she was advis'd,
• It was thought better to bring together here several observations relating to
Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, and chancellor, Bennet, Earl of Arlington, and secretary.
410
went therefore to Bennett and told him that, by reason of some en-
gagements for mony her husband had upon his estate, this very
close imprisonment had bene infinitely preiudiciall to him, both his
and Villiers, second Duke of Buckingham. The first is well known from his history
and letters to have been an unreasonable enemy to Presbytery a«d Presbyterians;
vhich prejudice induced him to persuade his royal master, whose confidence for a
c;reat length of time he almost entirely engrossed, to violate all his promises to them,
though gratitude as well as honour should have made him keep them. About this
time his credit began to diminish by the introduction of Bennet to be secretary of
state instead of IVicholas, who was the particular friend of Hyde. But at the period
here spoken of, this had taken effect but partially, and not enough to furnish for those
who were oppressed by the one, a succour in the opposition of the other; nor does
there appear much reason to hope for moderation in either. Who it was of the privy
council that gave Mrs. Hutchinson her information cannot be conjectured; but there
is no doubt that the too great ascendancy of the chancellor did, no long time after,
cause him to be impeached in parliament, and accused of all the misconduct of many
years. It was in vain that he endeavoured, in the written defence he sent to the par-
liament, to distribute the odium among the council in general: the information here
given to Mrs. Hutchinson obtained general belief; he was condemned, and died in
banishment. He very justly, in the same writing, attributes a good deal of the hatred
and bitterness which prevailed against him to his many refusals of setting the seal to
pardons and other indulgences. When among the speakers against him we see the
names of Maynard, St. John, Hampden, and Prynne,* we may well conclude that these
men, though they had a little temporized, were glad to assist in the downfal of the
man who had persecuted the more zealous of their former associates, and pleased to
see him sue for that clemency which his own former severity gave him good reason
to despair of. — Bennet was several years after impeached together with Buckingham,
the same wiio first entrapped and caused Col. Hutchinson to be seized, and whose
infamous letter the Marcjuis of Newcastle shewed the colonel. On this occasion he
employed his usual treachery, and criminated the earl, who was fain to save himself
from the indignation of the parliament by a total change of conduct; by practising
the hypocrisy he had recommended to Col. Hutchinson of frequenting the comuiuaion
of a church he was averse to, and persecuting the papists, whom lie had piuUcttd,
and wished to protect. On account of his conduct a strict enquiry was made by tlie
commons concerning the coiinnilment of persons by order of council, and amend-
ments were made in the Habeas Corpus act, which, if they bad existed in tJie colonel's
time, would have preserved him from his long and unjust imprisonment. — Bucking-
* liapin, vol. ii. p. G43.
411
tenants and his creditors taking advantages of his incapacitie, by
reason of his close restreint, to defend himselfe, or to speake with
lawy>.>rs or others about affaires that necrely concerned his estate,
besides the neglect of all his businesse, and the intollerable charge
and niconvenience of his disorder'd famely, disperst into three seve-
ral! places, which would suddenly bring mine upon his whole fa-
mely, besides the destruction of his health. Bennett told her, her
husband was a very unfortunate person in regard of his former
crimes. She told him, she had rather hoped he had bene hap])ie in
being compriz'd in the act of oblivion, Avhich allow'd him not to be
remember'd as a criminall, and that she had chosen to make her
addresses to him in this occasion, because some of the councell
had told her the king left all the management of these things lo
him. He was very urgent with her to know who it was that in-
form'd her that he was the sole actor in these businesses; but she
desir'd to be excus'd for naming any author in that thing, whicli
ham, after bringing the family of Fairfax to extinction by marrying and shghting his
daughter, heightening and exposing his master's vices, and passing his whole life in
playing, by countless alternations, the parts of traitor and sycophant, died in disgrace
and beggary, and, to sum all up in that which to him would be the greatest suffering,
his memory remains hung up to ridicule in the chains of never-dying satire by Pope,
in some of the best lines he has written.
To those ,who believe in the peculiar interposition of God in human affairs, as
our author did, it must be very striking, and to her, if she lived to witness it, hi"-hly
gratifying, to observe this course of events. Mr. Hutchinson's three great enemies,
Buckingham, Clarendon, and Arlington, ruin each other, and two of them. Clarendon
and Arlington, without the design of doing any thing so good, laid the foundations of
an alliance which furnished the assertors of British liberty and toleration with a cham-
pion who overthrew, ^t is hoped never to rise again, despotism ^in church and state:
for Clarendon obtained of Charles the Second to constrain his brother to marry his
daughter, whom he had dishonoured: she brought him tlie Princesses Mary and Anne,
successively queens of England : and Bennet, Earl of Arlington, to gain himself popu-
larity in a moment of need, first propos'd thejnatch between Mary and the Prince of
Orange, afterwards William the Third!
412
she had not mention'd but that she thought it his honor to owne:
but he told her, he would not move for any more liberty for her
husband then he had, unlesse he could be secur'd it might be done
with more safety to his maiesty then he could apprehend it.
" But," sayd he, " Mrs. Hutchinson, I have some papers of yours
*' which I would shew, not to examine you, but to see whether you
" will informe me aniething of them." She told him she had curi-
osity enough to see aniething that past under her name; whereupon
he call'd forth his man, who brought out a greate bundle of papers,
call'd examinations, taken at Grantham, of passages betweene Mrs.
Hutchinson and Mrs. Vane. First he shew'd her a character which
contein'd ciphers for the names of many gentlemen and weomen
Avho were not very distant neighbours, with others whom she knew
not at all. She told him she understood nothing att all of that
paper: then he turn'd downe the rest, and shew'd her a letter, be-
ginning, " My deare Amaranta;" Avhich she told him she knew not
att all. " But," sayd he, " you will yet owne your owne hand;" and
shew'd her among these papers the copie of the letter that was
sent to the house of parliament in her husband's name, written in
her hand, which when she saw she was a little confounded, won-
derino- how it should come into his hands; but she told him that she
could not absolutely say that was her writing, though it had some
resemblance: and so when she had againe urg'd the businesse she
came for, and could obleine nothing from him, she went away, and
left in the roome with the secretary Sr. Robert Biron, a cousin-
german of her husband's, Avho was by chance come in thither upon
some businesse of liis owne, and had stood by Avhile she urg'd to
the secretary the mischiefe and mine her husbaird's imprisonment
brought upon his famely and estate. Assoone as she was gone the
secretary told Sr. Robert that he had heard Mrs. Hutchinson relate
the sad condition of her husband and his house; " and," sayd he,
" you may here take notice how the iustice of God pursues those
413
" murllierers, that, though the king pardon'd both his life and
" estate, by the hand of the devine iuslice they were now hke to
" come to mine for that crime:" which words being told Mr. Hutch-
inson, he laught nuich at the simple folly of the man, that could
call his ownc illegall persecutions and oppressions of innocence the
iudgements of God. The papers which he shew'd Mrs. Hutch-
inson she after learnt to have bene some letters betweene Mrs.
Vane, one of Sr., Henry Vane's daughters, and one Mrs. Hutch-
inson, a gentlewoman that us'd to come thither, fiU'd with such
frivolous intelligence of private amours and intrigues as youno-
people use to communicate to their confidents, and such as any
wise statesman would have beiiev'd himselfe affronted to have had
brought to him, and not made such pollitick enquiries, and im-
prisoned those with whom they were found, about so unconcernino-
a matter.
Mr. Henry Ncvill and I\Ir. Salloway had bene put into the
Tower about the same suspition they had of Mr. Hutchinson, a
northerne plott, for which there was a peculiar assizes, and some
men Avere executed; and the iudges, at their relurne, sayd that
their confessions allmost amounted to treasoil; but that allmost
served their turnes. Assoone as those assizes were past Mr. Hutch-
inson sent to Mr. Nevill and Mr. Salloway that he thought it now
time for them to endeavour their liberty, and therefore desir'd to
know what course they intended to proceed in, that they might all
take one way. They both sent Mr. Hutchinson word that they
look'd upon him as the best befriended, and they were resolv'd to
see first what successe he had, and to make him their leadins; card.
Hereupon he, fearfull to doe aniething that they could not, sate
still deliberating, while they, without giving him the least notice,
wrought their owne liberties secret]}^, Mr. Nevill desiring to travell,
and Mr. Salloway making such a false, flattering petition, that no
honest man could make such another, and a lesse after his would
414
Lave but more exasperated. It tooke so, that immediately he had
his hberty, both of them taking some oathes to confirme their loy-
ahy, which were given them by the clearke of the Tower/ Tliey
had a mind at court Mr. Hutchinson should have made such an-
other petition, and therefore Salloway's was shew'd to a friend of
his; the words of which were, " That since God by his miraculous
" providence had set his maiestie over us, he had acquiesc'd thanke-
" fully under it, and never, not so much as in thought, made a
" wish against it;" and promises of the hke nature: which perhaps
were no truer then the professions, for they were utterly false ; for
at his first coming into the Tower no man had mutter'd more then
he, who scarce refrein'd even blasphemies against God himselfe tor
bringing him into bondage. After his release he went to their com-
mon prayer, and pleas'd them so well that 'twas sayd they would
give him an office. But when they found that, notwithstanding
their hint, Mr. Hutchinson Avould not follow his example, their mal-
lice grew very bitter against him at the court, insomuch that a gen-
tleman havino- treated with Mrs. Hutchinson for a neice of his, to
whom he was guardian, that Avould have bene a convenient fortune
for her sonne, the chancellor sent for the gendeman and peremp-
torily forbade him to proceed in the affaire,' and openly sayd, " he
" must keepe their famely downe."
Mr. Hutchinson was not at all dismay'd, but wonderfully pleas'd
with all these things, and told his wife this captivity was the hap-
' Mr. Nevill, as just before mentioned, liad acted with steadiness and integrity;
Mr. Sallovvay had been more variable, and was both of tlie council of state, of the
rump parliament, of the committee of safety, and council of officers.
6 What base and atrocious malice! yet tins was the virtuous Lord Clarendon !
This method of alternately persecuting those whom they suspect, and suspecting
those they persecute,- has for ever been the practice of bad ministers, and has for ever
created rebels, and will for ever continue to create new ones in the place of those
they destroy.
415
piest release in the world to him; for before, allthough he had made
no express engagement, yet, in regard his life and estate had bene
freely left him, when they' tooke away others, he thought himselfe
oblieg'd to sitt still all the while this king reign'd, whatever opertu-
nity he might have; but noAV he thought this usage had utterly dis-
oblieg'd him from all ties either of honor or conscience, and that
he was free to act as prudence should hereafter lead him, and that
he thought not his liberty out of prison Avorth the purchase by any
future engagement, which would againe fetter him in obligations to
such persons as every day more and more manifested themselves
enemies to all iust and godly interests. He therefore charg'd his
wife tliat she should not make applications to any person whatso-
ever, and made it his earnest request to Sr/Allen Apsley to let him
stand and fall to his owne innocency, and to undertake nodiing for
him, which, if he did, he told him he would disowne. Mrs. Hutch-
inson remembering how much she had displeased him in saving
him before, submitted now to suffer with him, according to his owne
will,'' who as he would doe nothing that might entangle him for his
freedome, so he patiently suffer'd their uniust bondage, and had
no guilt found in liim; yet was cruelly and mallitiousl}^ persecuted
and hated, and criminalls, with threats and promises, were tried all
wayes to see if they could have brought out any accusation against
him, but all they could arrive to was only that he was an un-
chang'd person, yet they kept him still as close prisoner as at the
first. After Salloway was releas'd, Sr. Allen Apsley asking the
chancellor why his brother was not as well let out as Sallowaj';
•■ There does not appear reason for supposing that Col. Hutchinson had any
distinct prospect of manifesting his sentiments with effect, nor can these declarations
be accounted for upon any principle but that of general disdain. The complete and
generous attacluncnt of Mrs. Hntchinson deserves a higher term: if our language
would admit of it, as the French does divouement, we should call it devotion.
416
" What," sajd the cliancellor, " make jou no difference betweene
"your brother and Sallowayr" Sr. Allen replied, he thought his
brother as innocent. " Surely," sayd the chancellor, " there is a
" greate difference; Salloway conforms to the government, and goes
*' to church, but your brother is the most unchang'd person of the
" party."
The collonell at last with some other prisoners were deliberating
to sue out a Habeas Corpus, and in order thereunto sent to the
lieftenant of the Tower to desire a copie of the warrant whereby he
stood committed, which indeed was so unperfect, that he could not
legally be kept upon that, for there was neither his Christen name
nor any place of residence mention'd in it, so that any other
Hutchinson might have as well bene kept upon it as he; but
the lieftenant refus'd to give him a copie, and his iaylor told the
prisoner it was alter'd after they had kept him 4 or 5 months in
prison: then the collonell wrilt to Bennett, but neither could he
obteine any copie of his commitment from him.
After this a friend gave him notice that they had a designe to
transport him to some island or plantation; whereupon he writt
a narrative of his imprisonment, and procur'd it to be secretly
printed, to have left behind him, if he had bene sent away, to ac-
quaint the parliament, which was then shortly to assemble, and
to leave with his friends; but he kept them in the mean time pri-
vately.'
' At the time of Col. Hutchinson's imprisonment tlie parliament were so devoted
to the views of the court that they might very likely have taken little notice of his
representations. Many years elapsed before they animadverted as they ought upon
such arbitrary and unjust proceedings. Probably the time will never arrive when par-
liaments will become sensible of the solecism of making good laws and then dispensing
with the execution of them. The fact is, that governors and makers of laws seldom
feel the effects of them in their own persons : to the governed, any variableness destroys
the benefit of all law.
417
At length, through the Hes that the Heftenaiit of the Tower made
of his prisoners, and the malhcc of their wicked persecutors, who
envied even the bread which charity sent in, to feed some of the
men Mhose estates were wholly taken away, warrants were sio-ned
for carrying away most of the prisoners, some to Tangier, and to
other barbarous and distant places: among the rest Coll. Hutciiinson
was design'd to the Isle of Man, which Sr, Allen Apsley hearing of,
told the king he had some private businesse of trusts with the col-
lonell concerning his owne estate, for which he oblein'd that he
might be respited 3 months, and have liberty for lawyers to come
to him. But when the colloncll heard of it, he was more displeas'd
with this petty favour then with all their rigour, and resolv'd to have
done something to reverse it, but that his wife perswaded him to
rest till she made a short voyage into the country to fetch him sup-
plies, which he did.
Assoone as she was gone, the lieftenant of the Tower sent his
iaylor, ]\[r. Edward Cresset, early in the morning, upon the l6th
day of April 1664, to fetch Mr. Hutchinson to his lodgings, whither
being come. Cresset Avithdrew, and the lieftenant told Mr. Hutch-
inson that he had bene civill to him in permitting his children to
come to him with their mother, and yet he had not paj^d him his
fees and dues, although that warrant which allow'd the access of his
•wife did not mention his children, and therefore he now demanded
his dues. Mr. Hutchinson told him, " At his departure out of the
" Tower he should not be behind hand with him for the civillity of
" suffering his children to come to him." Robinson replied, " That
" signified nothing, he expected his dues, and would have them."
Mr. Hutchinson answer'd, " His was not every prisoner's condition,
" for he had bene now 24 weekes kept close prisoner, and yctt never
" knew accuser nor accusation against him, and therefore he should
" desire to consider before he parted irom his mony ; but for any
" civill ities he should repay them." Robinson sayd, " He medled
418
" with no man's crimes, but whither guilty or not guilty, he ex-
" pected his tlues, which he could recover by law if they were
" refus'd." Mr. Hutchinson asking, " What they were ?" He sayd,
" Fifty pounds." Further demanding, " By what law they were
" due, soe as he could recover them ?" Robinson answer'd, " By
" custome." Mr. Hutchinson told him, " He was confident that
" pretence would not recover them ; and if he thought it would, he
" would goe to a civill and faire triall with him the next terme; yett
" due or not due, what civillities he either had or should afford him,
" he would recompence at parting." Robinson answer'd, " He
*' stood upon his right, and he would make Mr. Hutchinson, or
" somebody elce, pay it." Mr. Hutchinson told him, " He knew
" not who he meant by somebody elce, but if his liberty were taken
" from him without any reason that he knew, he would not soe part
*' with his mon}', if he could help it." He then, in anger, sayd,
" He would lock him up close, and let nobody come att him."
Mr. Hutchinson told him, " He could be lock'd no closer then he
" had bene all this time, and he hoped he would not forbid those
" comming to him who had warrant from the secretary; for the rest
" he might use his pleasure." He, in fury, commanded to take
away Mr. Hutchinson, and lock him up that no person might come
at him ; and gave order at the Tower gates to keepe out his children
and all his relations that should come to enquire for him ; and he
sent word to Sericant Fountaine who had an order lo come in, that
he should not be admitted, although his businesse was of greale con-
cernment to others, and not to Coll. Hutcliinson, who being a trus-
tee for some of his relations, was to have made some settlements in
their affaires ; which could not be done, but they, to their prciudice,
were forc'd to so without it. Although his commands were executed
to the full, yet Mr. Hutchinson's eldest sonne found mcanes to
s leale into the Tower, and to informe his father ofa niallilious lie
that the lieftenant had made of him at court, that day that he fell
419
out wilh him ; wliich was this. — Robinson told the king, that when
Mr. Henningham and others were carried out of the Tower to be
shipt away, Mr. Hutchinson looking out of his Avindore bad iheni
take courage, they should yet have a day for it. This lie comminp-
to Mr. Hutchinst>n's knowledge the 19th of April, moov'd him more
then all his other base usage ; whereupon he writt a letter to Robin-
son to tell him he should have had a care of provoking his prisoners
to speake, who had so much expos'd himselfe to every one of them;
and to let him know what he himselfe had observ'd and could proove,
he drew it up into certeine heads, which he told him, if he continued
his vile usage of him, he would publish. The articles were:
1st. That Robinson had affirra'd that the king gave no allowance
to his prisoners, not so much as to those Avho had all their estates
taken from them ; and accordingly he gave them none, but con-
verted what the king allow'd to his owne use, and threat'ned some
of the prisoners with death if they ofFer'd to demand it ; and suffer'd
others, at twelve of the clock in the night, to make such a miserable
outcric for bread, that it was heard into some parts of the city, and
one was absolutely starv'd to death for want of reliefe; although the
king at that time told a prisoner, that he tooke more care for the
prisoners then for his OAvne table.
2d. That he sett downe to the king seven pounds a weeke for one
prisoner, for whom he never lay'd out above 27 or 30 shillings a
weeke at the most.
3d. That he not only kept back the prisoner's allowances, but
exacted of them excessive rents for bare prison lodgings, and empty
warders houses unfurnisht; and if they have not punctually pa^^'d
him, hath stifled them up by close imprisonment, without any order,
allthough he knew they had not a penny to buy bread, but what
came from the charity of good people.
4th. That he receiv'd sallary of the king for forty warders, and
420
Lad not neere so many, but fill'd up the list with false names, and
tooke the pay to himselfe.
5th. That when he had recciv'd mony for those warders he kept,
he had detein'd it many months, to his owne use, while the poore
men were thereby in miserable wants.
6"th. That he sold the wardeis places, and lett them houses at a
deare rate, and yet tooke the most considerable prisoners, which
ought to have bene committed to them, into his owne house, and
made them pay him excessive rates for bed-roomes, and sett his man
Cressett over them, making them pay him for attendance, what the
warders should have had.
7. That he made many false musters in his owne company be-
longing to the Tower, and though he had receiv'd the souldier's
mony, was runne in arrears to them five or six pounds a man; at
which they cruelly murmur'd, because by this meanes their main-
tenance was streightned, and their duty brought more frequent upon
them.
8lh. Tliat notwithstanding all his defrawding, oppressive, and
exacting wayes of raysing mony, he had ungratefully complain'd of
the king's scanty recompence of his service.
9- That after the sterving of the poore prisoners and their miser-
able outcrie, when shame forc'd him to allow about a dozen poore
tradesmen ten shillings a piece," though at that time he receiv'd forty
of the king for each of them, he and his man Cressett denied the
king's allowance, and sayd it was his owne charity.
10th. That he was frequently drunk, out of the Tower till tAvelve,
one, and two of the clock, and threatned one of the warders, who
'' It hence appears that many more in number^ and persons of a different descrip-
tion from what other accounts mention, were made prisoners of state at this time.
421
came one night to fetch him home, with Newgate, and spited him
ever after.
All these things being notoriously true, this letter put him into a
greute rage, and no lesse dread that the collouel, as lie had threatncd
him, would pubhsh it ; Avhereupon he, assoone as these things were
lay'd to his charge, within ten daycs he pay'd liis souklicrs 15 months
pay of 22 due to them when the letter was written. He having all
that while kept back eighteene pence a wecke out of every soul-
dier's pay, and the souldiers understanding that Coll. Hutchinson's
observations of his frawd had procur'd them this satisfac lion, us'd
to give him thankes when they came to stand centinells at his
doore.
Presently after he receiv'd the letter, he went to Sr. Allen Apsley
and complain'd to him that the collonell had sent him a vile letter,
but did not shew it Sr. Allen, as he sent word to the collonell he
would; whereupon Sr. Allen Apsley sent Mr. George Hutchinson
Avith a letter to Sr. John Robinson, to tell him that if he would let
him goe to his brother, he doubted not but he would be a good
meanes to perswade the collonell to pay him fees, and to reconcile
differences between them. Sr. John, upon the 21st of Aprill, went
allong with Mr. George Hutchinson to his brother, and at his en-
trance, in a passion began to quarrell at the collonell's sower lookes;
who told him, if he had knowne they would not have plcas'd him,
and had had notice of his comming, he would have sett them in a
glasse for him. Then Robinson told him, in a rage, he had written
him a libell. Mr. Hutchinson answer'd it was no libell, for he had
sett his name to it, and it was truths, which if he put him to, he
could proove by sufficient testimonies. Whereupon he fell into hor-
rible rayling and cruell language, but by Mr. George Hutchinson's
interposition at length all was pacified, and he was fairely going out
of the roome with Mr. George Hutchinson, when his man Cressett
niiuding him that the collonell had a fowle copie of his letter, and
422
had sayd he would send it Sr. Allen, who had desir'd to see it;
Robinson resolv'd to take that draught away from him ; but the col-
lonell foreseing that, had sent copies of it long before out of the
Tower, which Robinson's dull head not dreaming of, came back
and insolently commanded the collonell to give him the first draught
of the letter. The collonell desir'd to be excus'd, whereupon Robin-
son sayd he Avould have his pocketts searcht, and accordingly bad
Cressett feele in them. He, a little moov'd, tooke a bottle in his
hand, and bad Cressett forbeare if he lov'd his head, and told Sr.
John if he had any warrant to search him from the king or councell
he would submitt to it, but otherwise he would not sufter it, espe-
cially for a paper wliich was only of private concernment betweene
them ; for all this, when Sr. John saw that Cressett durst not ap-
proach the collonell, he commanded one Wale, a warder, to search
his pocketts, who comming with entreaties to the collonell to per-
mit! it, he suifer'd him ; and then the lieftenant caus'd a little dress-
ing box which the collonell had to be open'd, and tooke away all
the papers he found in it, among Avhicli there was one wherein the
collonell had written a verse out of the 43d psalme, it was the first
verse, to be ioyn'd wiUi a narrative of his imprisonment, that he had
provided to leave behind him for the satisfaction of his friends. This
paper Robinson carried to court, and sayd, that by the deceitfull
and uniust man the collonell intended the king, although the appli-
cation was of his owne making. In the meane time, while they were
ransacking his box and pocketts Robinson fell a rayling att the col-
lonell, giving him the base termes of Rebell and Murtherer, and
such language as none could have learnt, but such as had bene con-
versant among the civill society of Pickt-hatch, Turnbull-streete,
and Billings-gate, neere which last place the heroe had his educa-
tion.' When the collonell patiently told him he transgrest the act
' In a former note we remarked that the evils of imprisonment were considerably
enhanced by the custody of prisons, and peculiarly prisons of state being committed
423
of oblivion ; he sayd he knew that well enough, and bad him sue
out his remcdie; then in fury and rage turn'd out the collonell's ser-
vant out of his chamber, who had bene lockt up with him all the
time of hisr imprisonment, and left him altogether unattended, which
having never bene before in his whole life, put him into a cold and
a flux, Avith a feaveiish distemper: but the greatenesse of his mind
was not broken by the feebleness of his constitution, nor the bar-
barous inhumanity of his iaylors, Avhich he receiv'd with disdaine
and laught at them, but lost not anger on them.
After these things, Mrs. Hutchinson comming out of tiie country
was, by the lieutenant's order denied to see her husband, but at her
lodgings found letters from him convey 'd to her every day, spite of
all his guards ; and thereupon she writt to Robinson to desire to
know whither the secretary had countermanded her first order to see
her husband, or whither he denied obedience to it: whereupon
Robinson sent to her to come to him the next day, but when she
came he was gone forth, and she was not admitted within the gates,
and thereupon she Avent back to her lodgings and writt him a smart
letter, and sent him with it a copie of her husband's letter, which
she told him she would publish, and not suffer him to be murther'd
to extort undue mony from him. The next day, being the Lord's
day, he sent one of the warders to entreate her to come to her hus-
to persons' of low education and sordid mind; it is here strongly exemplified and
doubly painful must it have been to Mrs. Hutchinson to witness the unworthy treat-
ment her husband now received, and to compare it with that which the persons con-
fined in this same place had experienced from her father, a man of liberal and noble
mind. Considering the prejudice which reigns against prisons and prisoners, and
therefore how few visit them, and how few prisoners dare make observations or re-
monstrances, it is to be icared many abuses pass unknown and uncorrected ; it is but
once, in ages, that there appears a Howard ! These considerations ought to render the
guardians of the public welfare extremely tender of the liberty of individuals: but if
such things as state prisons be at all necessary, then to provide for their being super-
intended by gentlemen, and men of liberal and benevolent minds.
3 L
-Ui
424
band, and ihc blood-hound Cressett met her at the gate, and led
her to her husband, and left her all the day alone with him, which
they had never before done all the time of his prison ; and in the
evening Sr. John Robinson sent for her, and partly expostulated with
her and partly flaller'd, and told her her husband had bene sent to
the Isle of Man,™ but that he in kindnesse had procur'd a better
place for him, and that he was not covetous, but since her husband
Avould not pay him fees, he might use his pleasure, and site and his
children and relations might freely goe to him. She receiv'd this as
befitted her, being in his hands, and knowing, that not good nature,
but feare she would have printed him, moov'd him to this gentler
course, as she luiderstood, both by the enquiries his servants made
of the collonell's warder concerning her intentions, and by Robinson's
continuing, notwithstanding all this dissimulation, to make a thou-
sand false insinuations of the collonell every where, and to do him
all ill offices at court; if there were not a more abominable wicked-
iiesse then all this, a lingering poyson given him, which though wee
had not wickednesse enough to suspect then, the events that have
since ensued make a little doubtfull. It is ccrtaine that Cressett did
make that attempt upon Sr. Henry Vane and others, and tw^o or
three dayes before tlic collonell was sent away, brought into his
chamber, when he came to lock him up at night, a bottle of excel-
lent wine, under pretence of kindnesse, which he, the collonell, and
the warder drunke together, and the warder and the collonell both
died within foure months ; the collonell presently after falling sick,
"" An exile, for the second time, to the Isle of Man is mentioned. Had the co-
/ f^ lonel, or his fiiends, been properly informed, they would not have wished to exchange
C^ U^^-if' it for the flat coast of Kent. In our times, when it has become the retreat of the gaj;
/ ■ / and imprudent, it must seem strange to hear it spoken of as a spot to be dreaded. Had
InAJi' i-Hyiyiyi'^f ^ jjg been sent there he would very likely have lived to see the downfal of his enemies.
/ /I J lie uccil »l-lit Liicit; lit wuuiu vtiy iiKciy iitivc iivcu lu snj tiic uuwiiitii ui iiis ciiciiiica,
■i/)fjf f ^'^ /^U ^/ ^"'^^ \\A^c returned to shine in the autumn of life as aa evening sun^ when his virtues
/ / \t-J' r. * would have been recognized and revered.
A IP
/-jy C. <■' wouiu uuve uecu ictoj^
/L-Uw-r C' i"tM'^^4i\f
Ui,di> (//.^//i^^' ^'^^^f'^-^
y.
in\ lAt
425
but very iinsuspitious, and wee must leave it to the greate day, when
all crimes, how secret soever, will be made manifest, whither they
added poyson to all the other iniquity whereby they certeinly mur-
ther'd this guiltlesse servant of God.
A few dayes after, att nine of the clock att night, after his wife
was gone from him, Cressett brought the collonell a Avarrant, to tell
him that he must, the next morning tide, goe downe to Sandown
Castle, in Kent; which he was not surpris'd at, it being the bar-
barous custome of that place to send away the prisoners, when they
had no knowledge, nor time to accommodate themselves for their
iourney ; but instead of putting him into a boate at the mornino-
tide, about eight of the clock Sr. Henry Wroth came with a party
of horse to receive him of the lieftcnant, and finding him sick, and
not well able to endure riding in the heate of the day, Avas so civill
to let him goe by Avater in the evening tide to Gravesend, Avith a
guard of souldiers in boates hired at his owne charge, Avhere the
horse guard mett him. By these meanes he got opertunity to take
leave of his children that Avere in towne, and about 4 of the clock
was sent out of the ToAver^ Avith one Gregory, design'd to be his
felloAV prisoner ; Avho going over the draAvbridge, turn'd back to the
lieftcnant, and told him he Avould have accepted it as a greater
mercy if the king had commanded him to be sliott to death there,
rather then to send him to a distant place to be sterv'd, he having
nothing but his trade to maintaine him, and his friends, from Avliom
he should now be so farre remoov'd that he could expect "notliino-.
The lieftcnant in scorne told him, he Avent Avith a charitable man
that Avould not suffer him to sterve, whereby he expos'd the mallice
of their intentions to the collonell; Avho thouoht it not enough to
send him to a farre prison not much differing from exile, but to
" This Gregory seems to have been a low man, but had probabh^ commanded a
company in some of" the city regiments during t!ic latter times of the parliament.
426
charge him wilh a companion, which however his kindnesse might
have render'd him charitable to, yet they ought not to have putt
upon him, neither would the collonell take notice of their impo-
sition, though he design'd kindnesse to the man, had he bene worthy
of it.
The collonell's wife and children gott a boate and follow'd him
to Gravesend, whither alsoe Gregories wife, and one that call'd him
brother, went, and that night all the company and all the guards
supt at the colloneirs charge, and many of the guards lay in the
chamber with him, who, with the refreshment of the evening ayre,
and the content he tooke to be out of Robinson's claws, found him-
selfe, or thi'ough the livelinesse of his spiritt fancied himselfe, some-
thing better then he was in the Tower. The next morning, very
early, his guards hurried him away on horseback ; but, to speake
truth, they were civill to him. His sonne went allong with him to
see the place he was sent to, and Sr. Allen Apsley had procur'd an
order for his servant to continue Avith him in the prison ; his wife
went back to London, to stay there to provide him such accommo-
tion as she should heare he had need of.
When he came to the castle, he found it a lamentable old ruin'd
place, allmost a mile distant from the towne, the roomes all out of
rcpaire, not Aveather-free, no kind of accommodation either for
lodging or diet, or any convenicncy of life. Before he came, there
were not above halfe a dozen souldiers in it, and a poore lieftenant
with his Avife and children, and tAvo or three cannoneers, and a fcAv
guns allmost dismounted, upon rotten carriages ; but at the collonell's
comming thither, a company of foote more Avere sent from Dover to
helpe guard the place, piuifuU Aveake fellows, halfe sterv'd and eaten
up with vermine, Avhom the governor of Dover cheated of halfe their
pa}^ and the other halfe they -spent in drinke. These had no beds,
but a nasty court of guard, Avhere a sutler liv'd, Avithin a partition
made of boards, Avith his wife and famely, and this was all the ac-
427
comniodation the collonell had for his victualls, which was bought
at a deare rate at the towne, and most horribly drest at the sutlers.
For beds he was forc'd to send to an inne in the towne, and at a
most unconscionable rate hire three, for himselfe and his man and
Captaine Gregorie, and to get his chamber glaz'd, which was a
thorowfarc roome, that had five doores in it, and one of them open'd
upon a platforme, tliat had nothing but the bleake ayre of the sea,
Avhich every tide washt the foote of the castle walls ; which ayre
made the chamber so unwholsome and damp, that even in the sum-
mer time the coUonell's hat-case and trunkes, and every thing of
leather, would be every day all cover d over with mould, wipe them
as cleane as 3'^ou could one morning, by the next they would mouldie
againe; and though the walls were foure yards thick, yet it rain'd
in through cracks in them, and then one might sweepe a peck of
saltpeter of of them ever}- day, Avhich stood in a perpetuall sweate
upon them. Notwithstanding all this, the collonell was very cheere-
fuD and made the best shifts he could, Avilh things as he found
them; Avhen the lieftenant's wife, seing his stomack could not well
beare his food, ofFer'd to bord him, and so he and his man dieted
with her for twenty shillings a Aveeke, he finding wine besides,* and
linnen, &c. Whilst the sutler provided his meate, Gregory eate
Avith him ; but when he tabled Avith the captaine, Gregories sonne
comming to him, he had his meate from the tOAvne, and soone after
a Avoman came downe avIio left not the man destitute and comfort-
lesse. The Avorst part of the coUonell's sufferings in this prison, Avas
the company of this fellow, Avho being a felloAv prisoner, and poore,
and the collonell having no particular retreate, he could not Avholly
decline his company, and he being a carnall person, Avithout an}'
feare of God, or any good, but rather scandalous conversation, he
could take no pleasure in him; meane while many of his friends gave
caution to his Avife concerning him, as suspecting him a Irapaner,
Avhich Avee had after some cause to feare.
428
The captaine of the castle, one Freeman, had all this while a
chamber which was a little warmer, and had a bed in it, but this
he reserv'd, intending to sett a rate upon it, and this too was so
darke one could not have read by the fire or the bedside without a
candle at noon day.
When the coUonell's wife understood her husband's bad accom-
modation, she made all the means she could by her friends to pro-
cure liberty that she might be in the castle with him, but that was
absolutely denied; whereupon she and her sonne and daughter went
to Deale, and there tooke lodgings, from whence they walk'd every
day on foote to dinner and back againe at night, wdth horrible toyle
and inconvenience, and procur'd the caplaine's w ife to diet them with
the collonell, where they had meate good enough, but through the
poverty of the j^eople, and their wants of all necessaries, and the
faculty to order things as they should be, it was very inconvenient
to them, yet the collonell endur'd it so chearefuUy that he was never
more pleasant and contented in his whole life. When no other re-
creations Avere left him, he diverted himselfe with sorting and shad-
dowing cockle shells which his wife and daughter gather'd for him,
with as much delioht as he us'd to take in the richest aaathes and
onixes he could compasse with the most artificiall engravings, which
were things, when he recreated himselfe from more serious studies,
he as much delighted in as any piece of art. But his fancy shew'd
itselfe so excellent in sortino- and dressino; these shells, that none of
us could imitate it, and the cockles began to be admir'd by severall
persons that saw them. These were but his trifling diversions, his
businesse and continuall study was the scripture, Avhicli the more he
converst in, the more it deli"lited him ; insonmch that his wife
having brought downesome bookes to entertaine him in his solli-
tude, he thank'd her, and told her that if he should continue as long
as he liv'd in prison, he would reade nothing there but his Bible.
His wife bore all her owne toyles ioyfuUy enough for the love of
429
him, but could not but be very sad at the sight of his undeserved
sufferings; and he would very sweetely and kindly chide her for it,
and tell her that if she were but chearefull, he should think this suf-
fering the happiest thing that ever befell him; he would alsoc bid
her consider what reason she had to rcioyce that the Lord supported
him, and how much more intollcrable it would have bene, if the
Lord had suffer'd his spiritt to have sunke, or his patience to have
bene lost under this. One day when she was weeping, after he had
said many things to comfort her, he gave her reasons why she should
hope and be assur'd that this cause would revive, because the in-
terest of God was so much involv'd in it that he was entitled to °it.
She told him she did not doubt but the cause would rc\ive, but,
sayd she, notwithstanding all your resolution, I know this will con-
quer the weakenesse of your constitution, and you will die in prison.
He replied, I think I shall not, but if I doc, my blood will be so
innocent, I shall advance the cause more by my death, hasting the
vengeance of God upon my uniust enemies, then I could doe by all
" The notion of the revival of The Cause, and of the advancement of it by their
sufferings, seems to have been very prevalent witli those who fell in these times; ac-
cordingly they supported their fate with the true spirit of martyrs. The speech of Col.
Okey at the time of his execution, preserved in the Trials of the Regicides, maintains
the stile of prophetic eloquence with so much dignity and firmness, as almost to cap-
tivate the imagination of the coolest reasoner. These sentences following are extracted
from it.
" And truly, as to the Cause, I am as confident, even as I am of my resurrection,
" that that cause which we first took up the sword for, which was for righteousness and
"justice, and for the advancement of a godly magistracy and a good ministry, (however
" some men turned about for their own ends), shall yet revive again. I am confident,
" I say, that cause for which so much blood hath been shed, will have another resur-
" rection, and that you will have a bk-ssod fruit of those many thousands that have
" bene killed in the late war. I would say to all good men, rather to softer than take
" any indirect means to deliver themselves; and God, when it shall make most for his
" own glory and the good of his people, will deliver, and that in such a way that liim-
*' self shall have glory in, and the gospel have no reproach by."
430
the actions of my life. Another time, when she was telhng him, she
fear'd they had plac'd him on the seashore, but in order to transport
him to Tangier, he told her, if they should, God was the same God
at Tangier as at Owthorpe ; prithee, sayd he, trust God with me,
if he carrie me away, he will bring me back againe.
Sometimes when he Avould not be perswaded to doe things
M'herein he had a liberty, for feare of putting a snare and stumbling-
block before others that had not soe, and she would expostulate
with him, why he should make himselfe a martyr for people that
had bene so censorious of him, and so unthankfull and unsensible
of all his meritts ; he would say, he did it not for them, but for the
cause they own'd. When many ill usages of himselfe by godly peo-
ple have bene urg'd to him, he would say, that if they were truly
the people of God, all their failings were to be borne; that if God
had a people in the land, as he was confident he had, it was among
them, and not among the cavaliers, and therefore although he
should ever be severe against their miscarriages in any person in
whomsoever he found them, yett he would adhere to them that
OAvn'd God, how unkindly soever they dealt with him. Sometimes
he would say, that if ever he should live to see the parliament power
up againe, he would never meddle any more either in councells or
armies: and then sometimes againe, Avhen he saw or heard of any of.
the debosheries of the times, he would say, he would act only as a
iustice of the peace in the country, and be severe against drunkards,
and suffer none in his neighbourhood. Oftentimes he would say, if
ever he were at liberty in the world, he would flee the conversation
of the cavaliers, and would Avrite upon his doores,
Procul hinc, procul este, profani !
and that, though he had in his former conversation with them, never
had any communication with their manners nor vices, yet hence-
431
forth he would never, in one kind or other, have any commerce at
all with them; and indeed it was a resolution he would oftcner re-
peate then any other he had, telling us, that he was convinc'd there
was a serpentine seed in them. Yett he had many apprehensions of
the rash hot-headed spiritts of many of our party, and feares that
their pride and sclfe-coneeit of their owne abillitics, would againe
bring us to confusion, if ever they should have the reines againe in
their hands; and therefore he would bid us advise his sonne, if ever
we liv'd to sec a change, and would himselfc advise him not to fall
in with the first, how faire soever their pi-etences were; but to waite
to see how their practises suited them: for he Avould say, that a hot-
spirited people would first get up and put all into confusion, and
then a sober party must settle things ; and he would say, let my
sonne stay to fall in with these. He foresaw that the courses that
the king and his party tooke to establish themselves Avould be their
ruine, and would say, that whenever the king had an armie it would
be his destruction.'' Once when his wife was lamentins; his con-
dition, having sa3'd many things to comfort her, he told her he could
not have bene Avithout this affliction, for if he had Hourish'd while
all the people of God were corrected, he should have fear'd he had
not bene accounted among his children, as he had not shared their
lott. Then would he with thankfulnesse repeate the kind and gentle
dealings of the Lord att all times toward him, and erect a firme
and mighty hope upon it, and wonderfully encourage her to beare
it patientl^^ not only by words, but by his owne admirable ex-
ample.
' Is it permissible to extend tliis prediction to the time when James the Second
mustered his army near Salisbury, and in their almost general detection received his
irrevocable doom ? If it is, it will appear a very signal instance of foresight. The king
then reigning, Charles II. never made but one, and that a very short-lived attempt to
raise an ajmy, which was speedily flisbanded.
3 M
432
After Mr. Hutchinson had bene some time prisoner at Sandowne,
the governor of the caslle came over, and would t'aine have lett him
his chamber for 20s. a week, which Mr. Hutchinson told him iie
would give him, if his wife might come there to him; but the go-
vernor refus'd that without an express order, which Avas endeavour'd
but could not be obtein'd. Then Freeman demanded a marke a
weeke of the collonell for fees, but the coUonell told him, except he
could shew how it was due by any known law, he would not pay it.
Sometime after the governor of Dover came over, with the governor
of Sandowne and one Mr. Masters, and Freeman consulting his
master of Dover how he should get mony of the collonell, the go-
vernor of Dover adviz'd to putt him into a dungeon, but the fellow
durst not attempt it. Yet some time after he came to the castle,
and passing into his owne chamber, through Mr. Hutchinson's, who
was there, as he went by with his lieftenant Moyle at his heeles, he
call'd out to Mr. Hutchinson's man, and bad him bid Hutchinson
come to him, without any addition of so much as the title of a gen-
tleman. Mrs. Hutchinson being then in the roome with her hus-
band, desir'd him she might goe in with him and answer the cap-
taine's insolency, and that he would take notice of it, which he told
her he would not, neither should she, and soe they went into the
captaine's chamber, who had alsoe call'd Gregory. When they
Avere both there, the captaine turning to Moyle sayd, " Captaine
" Moyle, I ordeine you to quarter Hutchinson and Gregorie to-
*' gether in the next roome, and if Hutchinson will make a partition
" at his owne charge, he may have that part of the chamber that has
" the chimney, and for this expect a marke a weeke of Hutchinson,
" and a noble of Gregory ; and if they will liave any enlargement
*' besides, they must pay for it.""". Mr. Hutchinson laught at him,
•i In speaking of the persons who liad the command of the castle, and custody of
the prisoners, there seems in some parts of the narrative to be a little perplexity ; but
433
and bad his wife report his usage of him to the secretary at London,
to whom she presently writt an account of it, and sent it to Sr. Allen
Apsley, desiring him either to procure a remoove, or an order for
better accommodation, and shew'd this letter to Gregory before it
went, representing equally his condition with her husbands: and
seeing she could not get admission into the castle, she tooke a house
in the towne, to which she intended to bring her children for the
winter, had not God prevented.
Not' long after the collonell's brother, Mr. George Hutchinson*
came downe, and brought with him an order, sign'd by Secretary
Bennet, for to allow the coUonell leave to walke by the sea-side
with a keeper, which order Sr. Allen Apsley and his lady had at
length procur'd Avith some difficulty and sent him ; wherein he was
this passage shews clearly that Fregman was captain, but did not reside at it; and
and that Moyle was his lieutenant, and did reside at it. The former was the person
who, on this and some other occasions, attempted to extort money from Col. Hutch-
inson and liis family; the latter was the person whose wife boarded and accommodated
them.
' We now hasten to the conclusion of our tragedy, and accordingly here are all
the principal characters in their proper places and attitudes : our hero suffering with
fortitude, calmness, and dignity; the kind hearted brother, the idolizing devoted wife,
the observant Fon and daughter soothing him with their assiduities, and the constant
friend procuring and sending alleviations. Evils so endured, so consoled, almost begin
to partake of the nature of enjoyments ; but even this state of things will prove very
transient, and like the last gleams of departing day, and we must speedily descend
into the vale of tears ; those who solicited this exile as a mitigation of oppression, and
this licence of walking on the shore as a relief, little knew or thought of the effect the
situation on this low shore would have on the constitution of a person brought tenderly
up, and having lived all his time in the centre of the kingdom; or that walks by the
seaside, in the decline of the day and of the year, added considerably to the dangei'.
Those who are acquainted with these parts are well aware of it, and probably so were
those who granted both.
Timco iJuiiaoa etdonaftrtntt%.'
Trust not the fraudful present of a foe.
434
so well satisfied, that he lliouglit not his prison now insupportable ;
neither indeed Avas it so to him before, for his patience and faith
wonderfully carried hiui on under all his sufferings. As it now drew
nio'h to the latter end of the year, Mrs. Hutchinson, having prepar'd
the house, was necessitated to goe to Owthorpe to fetch her chil-
dren, and other supplies to her husband ; whom, when the time of
her departure came, she left with a very sad and ill-presaging heart,
rather dreading that while he lay so ready on the sea-coast, he might
some time or other be shipt away to some barbarous place in her
absence then that which after ensued. The colloncll comforted all
he could, and that morning she Avent away, " Now," sayd he, " I
" myselfe begin to be loath to part with thee." But yet, according
to his usual chearefullnesse, he encoiu-ag'd himselfe and her, and
sent his sonne along with her. His daughter and his brother stay'd
at Deale; who comming to him every day, he Avalk'd out Avith them
by the seaside, and Avould discourse of the pui^lique concernments,
and say that the ill management of the state Avould cause discon-
tented Avild parties to rautinie and rise against the present poAvers,
but they would only put things in confusion ; it must be a sober
partie that must then arise and settle them. He Avould olten say to
his sonne and his Avife, as he did noAv to his brother, " Let not my
" Sonne, hoAV fairely soever they pretend, too rashly engage Avith
" the first, but stay to see Avhat they make good, and engage Avith
" those Avho are for settlement, avIio Avill have need of men of in-
" terest to assist them ; let him keep cleare and take heed of too
" rash attempts, and he Avill be courted if he behave himselfe piously
" and prudently, and keepe free of all faction, making the publique
** interest only his." He would sometimes in discourse say, that
Avhen these people once had an armie up, Avhich they seem'd to
aymc att, that armie Avould be their destruction, for he Avas very
confident God Avould bring them doAvne : he Avould often say they
could not stand, and that Avhoever had anicthing to doe with them
435
could not prosper. He once made this expression, *' Although,"
sayd he, " I am free from any trucking with them, yet even tliat
" consenting submission that 1 had, halh brought this suftering upon
" me." And he would often say he would never have so much as a
civill correspondence with any of them againe: yet when he men-
tion'd Sr. Allen Apslev', he would sa^', he would never serve any
that would not for his sake serve the person that had preseiv'd him.
When his wife went away he was exceeding well and chcarefull,
and so confident of seeing Owthorpe, that he gave her directions in
a paper for planting trees, and many other tliings belonging to the
house and gardens. " You give me," sayd she, " tliese orders, as
" if you were to see that place again." " If 1 doe not," sayd he,
"I thanke God I can chearefully foregoe it, but I will not distrust
" that God will bring me back againe, and therefore I will take care
" to keepe it while I have it."
The third of September, being Saturday, he had bene walking
by the seaside, and comming home found himselfe aguish, with a
kind of shivering and payne in his bones, and went to bed and
sweat exceedingly; the next day was a little better, and went downe,
and on the ]\[onday expecting another fitt, which came upon him,
lay in bed all day, and rose againe the next day, but went not
downe, and after that he slept no more 'till his last slcepe came upon
him, but continued in a feaverish distemper, with violent sweatings,
after which he us'd to rise out of his bed to refresh him, and when
he was up us'd to read nmch in his Bible. He had appoynted-his
wife, when she went away, to send him the Dutch Annotations on
the Bible, and she had sent it downe with some other things ; which
he presently caus'd to be brought him, though he was in his bed,
and some places in the Epistle to the Romans read, Avhich having
lieard, " these annotators," sayd he, " are short ;" and then looking
over some not's upon that Epistle, which his wife had leit in a
booke she had gather d from him ; *' I have," sayd he, " discover'd
436
" much more of the mystery of truth in that Epistle, and when my
" wife returns I will make her sett it downe ; for," sayd he, " I will
" no more observe their crossc humors, but when her children are
" necre, I will have her in my chamber with me, and they shall not
" pluck her out of my armes ; and then, in the winter nights, she
" shall collect severall observations I have made of this Epistle since
" I came into prison." The continuall study of the scriptures did
infinitely ravish and refine his soule, and take it of from all lower
exercise, and he continued it in his sicknesse even to the last, de-
siring his brother, when he was in bed and could not read himselfe,
to reade it to him. He found himselfe every day grow weaker, yet
was not exceeding sick, only he could not sleepe at all, day nor
niglit. There w.as a country phisitian at Deale, who had formerly
belong'd to the armie, and had some guifts, and used to exercise
them among godly people in their meetings ; but having been taken
there once by the persecutors, and being married to a wicked un-
quiet woman, she and the love of the world had perverted him to
forsake all religious meetings, yet the man continued civill and faire
condition'd, and was much employ 'd thereabouts. He being sent
for to Mr. Hutchinson, found that on Friday his mouth grew very
sore, Avhereupon he told Mr. George Hutchinson that he distrusted
his owne skill in looking to it, and apprehended some danger, and
advis'd him to send for a very famous phisitian that was at Canter-
bury, which they did, and he came on Saturday. As he came allong
he cncjuired of the messenger that fetcht him Avhat kind of person
tlie collonell was, and how he had liv'd and bene accustom'd, and
which chamber of the castle he was now lodg'd in .'* Which when die
man had told him, he sayd his iourney would be to no purpose, for
that chamber had kill'd him. Accordingly, when he came, he told
the collonell's brother, on Saturday night, that he apprehended
danger, and appoynted some remedies, and some applications to his
temples, and a cordiale to procure rest, but it had no effect. There
437
was a nurse watcht in his chamber, and she told them after his
death, that she heard him pray in the night, with the deepest sighs
that ever she hear'd. Tlie next morning, before the doctor and his
daughter, and brother and servants came to him, the gentlewoman
of the castle came up and ask'd him how he did? He told her, in-
comparably well, and full of faith.
Sometime after, when the doctor came, he told his brother that
the fever had seiz'd his head, and that he believ'd he would soone
fall into ravings and die, and therefore wisht him, if he had anie-
thing to say to him, to speake while he was in perfect sence. So
Mr. George Hutchinson came to him, and told him he believ'd he
could not live, and therefore desir'd him if he had aniething to do,
to dispatch it, for he believ'd his end was approaching. The col-
lonell, without the least deiection or amazement, replied, very com-
posedly and chearefuUy, " The will of the Lord be done, I am
" ready for it." And then he told them that he did now confirme
the will he writt in the Tower for his last will and testament, and all
others to be voyd. The doctor, who had, when religion was in
fashion, bene a pretender to it, came to him, and askt him if his
peace was made with God ; to which he replied, " 1 hope you do
" not thinke me so ill a Christian, to have bene thus long in prison,
" and have that to doe now!" The doctor asked him concernino- the
ground of his hope; to which he answer'd, " there's none but Christ,
" none but Christ, in whom I have unspeakable ioy, more then I
" can expresse ; yet I should utter more, but that the sorenesse of
" my mouth makes it difficult for me to speake." Then they askt
him where he would be burried .'' He told them, in his vault at
Owdiorpe ; his brother told him it Avould be a long way to carrie
him : he answer'd, " Let my wife order the manner of it as she will,
only I would lis there." He left a kind message to his wife, " Let
" her," sayd he, " as she is above other weomen, shew hcrselfe, in
*' tliis occasion, a good christian, and above the pitch of ordinary
438
" weomen."" He commanded his daughter that Avas present to tell
the rest, that he would have them all guided by her councells ; and
left with his brother the same message to his eldest sonne. " I would,"
sayd he, " have spoken to my wife and sonne, but it is not the will
"of God;" then as he was going to utter something, here's none
but friends; his brother minded him the doctor was present; " O, I
" thanke you," sayd he; and such was their amazement in their
sorrow, that they did not thinke of speaking to the doctor to retire,
but lost what he would have sayd, Avhich I am confident was some
advice to his sonne how to demeane himselfe in publick concern-
j)»euls. He lay all the day very sensible and very chearefull, to the
admiration of both the doctors and of all that saw him ; and as his
daughter sate weeping by him, " Fie Bab," sayd he, " doe you
" mourne for me as for one without hope? There is hope." He de-
sir'd his brother to remember him to Sr, Allen Apsley, and tell him
that he hoped God would reward his labour of love to him. While
he was thus speaking to them, his spiritts decay'd exceedingly fast,
and his pulse grew very low, and his head allrcady was earth in the
upper part ; yett he rays'd himselfe in his bed, " And now," sayd
he to the doctor, " I would faine know your reason why you fancy
" me dying ; I feele nothing in myselfe, my head is well, my heart
" is Avell, and I have no paine nor sicknesse any where." The. doc-
tor seeing this, was amaz'd ; " Sir," sayd he, " I would be glad to
" be deceiv'd ;" and being at a stand, he told Mr. George Hutch-
inson he was surpriz'd, and knew not what to thinke, to see him so
chearefull and undisturb'd, when his pulse was gone ; which if it
were not death, might be some strange working of the spleen, and
therefore advis'd him to send away for Dr. Ridgely, which he would
• This is that command of her husband which Mrs. Hutchinson speaks of at "the
beginning of her narrative, where she says she has determined to employ her thoughts
upon the preservation of his memory, not the fruitless bewailing of it. ^
439
before have done, but that the doctor told him he fear'd it would
be vaine, and that he would be dead before the doctor could come.
While they were preparing to write, the collonell spoke only these
two words; " 'Tis as I would have it; 'tis where I woidd have it:"
and spoke no more, for convulsions wrought his mouth, yet did his
sence remaine perfect to his last breath; for when some named
Mrs. Hutchinson, and sayd, " Alas, how will she be surpriz'd ! " he
fetcht a sigh, and within a little while departed; his countenance
settling so amiably and cheerefull in death, that he lookt after he
was dead as he us'd to do when best plcas'd in life. It was obser-
vable that the same hower, and the same day of the month, and
the same day of the weeke, that the wicked souldiers fetcht him out
of his owne rest and quiet condition at home, eleven months before,
the Lord of hosts sent his holy angels to fetch him out of their
cruell hands up to his everlasting and blessed rest above; this being
the Lord's-day, about seven o'clock at night, the eleventh day of
September, l6"64; that, the same day and hower, the eleventh of
October, l663.
The two doctors, though mere strangers to him, were so moov'd,
that they both wept as if it had bene their brother; and he of Can-
terbury sajd, he had bene with many eminent persons, but he never
in his whole life saw any one receive death with more Christian
courage, and constancy of mind, and stedfastnesse of faith, then
the collonell had exprest from the first to the last; so that, consi-
dering the heigth of his feaver, and his want of rest, there was an
evidence of a devine assistance that over-rul'd all the powers and
operations of nature. This doctor, who was call'd Dr. Jachin, had
most curiously and strictly observ'd all his motions, I know not by
what impulse, but he after sayd, in regard of the collonell's former
engagements, he knew he should be examin'd of all circumstances,
and therefore was resolv'd dilligently to observe them; and as he
ghess'd, it after fell out, for the gentlemen of the country, being
3 K
440
of the rojall partie, were busie in their enquiries, which the doctor
answer'd with such truth and clearnesse as made them ready to
burst with envie at the peace and ioy the Lord was pleas'd to give
his servant, in taking him out of this wicked world. I am apt to
thinke that it was not alone tendernesse of nature, but conviction
of their owne disturbed peace, which drew those teares from the
doctors, when they saw in him that blessed peace and ioy which
crownes the Lord's constant martirs : whatever it were, the men were
failhfuU in divulging the glory of the Lord's wonderfull presence with
his servant.
Assoone as the colionell was dead his brother sent away a mes-
senger to carrie the sad newes to liis house, and caus'd his body to
be embalm'd in order to his funerall, as he had thrice order'd.
When he was embowell'd all his inwards were found exceedina;
sound, and no taint in any part, only two or three purple spotts
on his lungs: his gall, the doctor sayd, was the largest that ever he
saw in any man, and observ'd it to be a miracle of grace that he had
bene so patient as he had scene him.
Some two or three dayes before the colionell fell sick. Freeman,
the captaine of the castle, had sent downe a very strict order that
the colionell should carrie nothing out of the castle: in persuance
of which the souldiers would not sutfer them to take out his beds and
furniture, and clothes, which Mr. Hutchinson forbore till an order
came for them.
Assoone as the newes came to Owthorpe, the collonell's two
eldest sonnes and all his houshold servants went up to London with
his horses, and made ready a herse, trickt with scutcheons and six
horses in mourning, with a mourning coach and six horses to waite
on it, and came downe to Deale with an order from the secretary
for the body; but when they came thither the Captaine Freeman,
in spite, would not deliver it, because Mrs. Hutchinson herselfe was
not come to fetch it; so they were forct, at an intollerable expence,
441
to keepe all this equipage at Deale while they sent to the secretary
for another order, Avhich they got directed to the lieflenant in the
absence of the captaine, and assoone as it came delivered it to him,
who immediately sufFer'd them to take away the body, which they
did at that hower, though it was night, fearing a further dispute
with Freeman. For he, after the body had bene ten dayes em-
balm'd, sayd he would have a iury empannell'd, and a coroner to
sitt upon it, to see whether he died a naturall death. Mr. Hutch-
inson ask'd him why he urg'd that, when it lay on their side to have
sought satisfaction. He sayd he must doe it to cleare the kino-'s
garrison. Mr. Hutchinson told him he had shpt his time; it should
have bene done at the first, before the embalming. He sayd he
would have it unlapt, and accordingly he sent for a coroner and a
iury, who when they came Avould not unlap the body, but call'd
those persons that were about him, and examined them as to the
occasion of his death. They made affidavit, which remains yet
upon record, that the doctor sayd the place had kilVd him, and
satisfied with this, they did not unlap the body. As it came into
Deale Freeman mett it, and sayd, if he had bene in the castle they
should not have had it till ihey had pay'd the mony he demanded;
which when he could not iustifie any right to by any law, he fell
to begg most basely and unworthily, but neither had aniething given
him for that. However though the secretary had alsoc order'd the
collonell should have his things out, yet he detein'd all he found in
the castle, his trunkes, and beds, and furniture, which could never
be gotten out of his hands. Although this spite of his put the
collonelfs famcly to an excessive charge in sta3'ing so long in that
cut-throat towne of Deale, yet there Avas a providence of the Lord
in it; for the coUoncll's dau oh ter that was there through orief had
contracted a violent sicknesse, Avhich tooke her withgreatc extremity,
and wrought of of her slomack in black vomitts, that made her for
the present desperately ill, and the doctor that was with her sayd
442
that if she had bene then iu her iourney, as she would have bene,
had they not bene delay 'd by his cruell spite, she could not have
liv'd.
The next day after they had gotten out the body they brought it
with a handsome private equipage to Canterbury, and so forward
towards London, meeting no affronts in their way but at one towne,
where there was a faire, and the priest of the place came out with
his clearke in his foole's coat, to offer them buriall, and, to stop
their herse, layd hold on the horses, whom when the attendants putt
by, the wicked rout at the faire took part Avith them, and sett upon
the horsemen; but they broke severall of their heads, and made
' their way cleare, having beaten of all the towne and the faire, and
came on to London. They past through Southwarke, over the
bridge, and through the whole heart of the citie, to their lodging in
Holborne, in the day time, and had not one reviling word or indig-
nity offer'd them all the way, but severall people were very much
moov'd at that sad witnesse of the murderous cruelty of the men
then in power.
From London he was brought downe to Owthorpe, very seri-
ously bewailed all the way he came allong by all those who had
bene better acquainted with his Avorth then the strangers among
whom he died, and was brought home with honor to his grave
through the dominions of his murtherers, who were ashamed of
his o;lories, which all their tirannies could not extinguish Avith his
life. So was he brought lamented home, and layd in his owne
vault, which he thrice before his death order'd he should be brought
to-
r
443
Inscriptions on the Monument of Colonel Hutchinson,
AT OWTHORPE, IN NOTTINGHAMSHIRE.
(Supposed by Mrs. Hutchinson.)
Quousque Domine!
In a vault under this wall lietli the body of
JOHN HUTCHINSON,
Of Ovvthorpe, in the county of Nottingham, Esq.
Eldest Sonne and heire of Sr. Thomas Hutchinson by his first wife,
the Lady Margaret, daughter of Sr. John Biron, of Newsted,
in the sayd county.
This monument doth not commemorate
Vaine ayrie glorious titles, birth, and state ;
But sacred is to free, illustrious grace,
Conducting happily a mortal's race;
To end in triumph over death and hell.
When, like the prophet's cloake, the fraile flesh fell,
Forsaken as a dull impediment,
Whilst love's SAvift fiery chariot climb'd th' ascent.
Nor are the reliques lost, but only torn.
To be new made, and in more lustre worn.
Full of this ioy he mounted, he lay downe.
Threw off his ashes, and tooke up his crowne.
Those who lost all their splendor in his grave,
Ev'n there yet no inglorious period have.
444
He married Lucy, the daughter of Sr. Allen Apsley, lieftenant of
the Tower of London, by his third wife, the Lady Lucy, daughter
of Sr. John St. John, of Lidiard Tregoz, in the county of Wilts,
who dying at Owthorpe, October 11, 1659, heth buried in the
same vault.
He left surviving by the sa3'd Lucy 4 sons; Thomas, who married
Jane, the daughter of Sr. Alexander RadclifFe, buried in the same
vault: and Edward, Lucius, and John: and 4 daughters; Barbara,
Lucy, Margaret, and Adeliza; which last lies buried in the same
vault.
He died at Sandowne Castle, in Kent, after 11 months harsh and
strict imprisonment, — without crime or accusation, — upon the
11'" day of Sept. 1664, in the 49"" yeare of his age, full of ioy,
in assured hope of a glorious resuiTection.
445
VERSES WRITTEN BY MRS. HUTCHINSON,
In the small Book containing her own Life, and most probably composed by her during
her Husband's retirement J'rom public business to his seat at Owthorpe.
All sorts of men through various labours presse
To the same end, contented quietnesse;
Great princes vex their labouring thoughts to be
Possest of an unbounded soveraignetie ;
The bardie souldier doth all toyles susteine
That he may conquer first, and after raigne;
Th' industrious merchant ploughs the angrie seas
That he may bring home wealth, and live at ease.
Which none of them attaine ; for sweete repose
But seldome to the splendid pallace goes;
A troope of restlesse passions wander there.
And private lives are only free from care.
Sleep to the cottage bringeth happie nights,
But to the court, hung round with flaring lights.
Which th' ofhce of the vanisht day supplie.
His image only comes to close the eie,
But gives the troubled mind no ease of care ;
While countrie slumbers undisturbed are;
Where, if the active fancie dreames present,
They bring no horrors to the innocent.
Ambition doth incessantly aspire,
And each advance leads on to new desire;
Nor yet can riches av'rice satisfie.
For want and wealth together multiplie:
Nor can voluptuous men more fullnesse find,
For enioy'd pleasures leave their stings behind.
He's only rich who knows no want; lie raignes
Whose will no severe tiranny constreins;
446
And he alone possesseth time delight
Whose spotlesse soule no guiltie feares affright.
This fi-eedome in the countrie life is found,
Where innocence and safe delights abound :
Here mans a prince; his subiects ne'er repine
When on his back their wealthy fleeces shine :
If for his appetite the fattest die,
Those who survive will rayse no mutinie :
His table is with home-gott dainties crownVl,
With friends, not flatterers, enconipast round;
No spies nor traitors on his trencher waite,
Nor is his mirth confin'd to rules of state;
An armed guard he neither hath nor needs,
Nor fears a poyson'd morsell when he feeds;
Bright constellations hang above his head,
Beneath his feete are flourie carpetts spred;
The merrie birds delight him with their songs,
And healthful! ayre his happie life prolongs .
Att harvest merrily his flocks he sheares,
And in cold weather their warme fleeces weares;
Unto his ease he fashions all his clothes;
His cup with uninfected liquor flows:
The vulgar breath doth not his thoughts elate,
Nor can he be o'erwhelmed by their hate;
Yet, if ambitiously he seeks for fame,
One village feast sliall gaine a greater name
Then his who weares tlV imperiall diadem.
Whom the rude multitude doe still condemne.
Sweete peace and ioy his blest companions are;
Feare, sorrow, envie, lust, revenge, and care.
And all that troope which breeds the world's offence,
With pomp and maiestie, are banisht thence.
What court then can such libertie afford ?
Or where is man soe uncontrou" d a lord ?
THE END.
1. Bcnsicy, Printer,
Dnlt Court, Fleet Street, Lornkm.
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SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY
405 Hilgard Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90024-1388
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from which It w/as borrov»ed.
g if^t ii^ JAN 16 1996
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