regiment in the army of the Earl of Essex, that the primitive pattern in worship and discipline. the colonel himself countenanced the Separa- About that time and a little after there were tists, particularly the Anabaptists. Although many ministers, some who had been before ortheir numbers increased considerably from about | dained, and others who had been admitted to pa the year 1649, to such a degree, indeed, as that rochial and other public charges: among whom the principal officers in different regiments both of my acquaintance were Mr. Tombes, some of horse and foot became Baptists, particularly time preacher at the temple; Mr. Christopher in Cromwell's own regiment of horse, and in Blackwood in Kent, Mr. Benjamin Cox at Bedthat of the Duke of Albemarle's regiment of foot, ford, Mr. Edward Harrison, Mr. Daniel Dyke, yet it is said, on good information, that previous and some others in or near Hertfordshire; Mr. to this there were not to be found, at any time, Hansard Knollys, and many others who did twenty persons of this denomination vested with openly profess, and several of them write and command of any kind in the whole army. Until publish, their opinions concerning the proper the year 1648, two only of this profession, Mr. subject and manner of baptisin. Some of them Lawrence, and Mr. John Fiennes, a son of Lord | voluntarily left their parochial charges and benSay, were members of the House of Commons; efices, as not approving the baptizing of infants, and in that year, before the death of the king, and collected distinct congregations of such as they withdrew from the Parliament because they agreed with them in this doctrine of baptism: disapproved of its proceedings, and lived in re- which, by a succession of ordained ministers is tirement for about six years, when Mr. Law- the places of such as are dead, remain to thi rence was again called into public employment. | day. In 1650, Captain Mildmay, Captain Pack, and Sir John Harman, who were all Baptists, were preferred to commands at sea.*+ Major-general Harrison, whom Baxter pronounces “a man of excellent parts for affection and oratory, though not well seen in the principles of his religion,"‡ was the only Baptist among the king's judges; and, indeed, it appears that he himself was not actually baptized till 1657, which was several years after that tragical event had taken place.§| The following extract of a letter from Captain Richard Deane to Dr. Barlow, bishop of Lincoln, furnishes considerable information con- | cerning the state of the Baptists at this period, and their conduct in the affairs of the state: "My Lord, "The ground of my humbly tendering these ensuing pages to your lordship is your declared condescension to peruse any small treatise that should be presented to you concerning the proper subject and administration of baptism. That they may in your lordship's charity, so far as their conversation suits with their doctrine, be admitted among the number of sincere Christians, I intend to bring to your remembrance some of their leaders, and the occasions which prepared the way for the increase of their numbers. "In the year 1649 the Baptists greatly increased in the country, and their opinions did likewise spread themselves into some of the regiments of horse and foot in the army; and that in 1650 and afterward, some professing this opinion were called from their private employments, and preferred to commands at sea: among others, Captain Mildmay to command the admiral flag-ship, under the late Duke of Albemarle, when he was one of the generals at sea; Captain Pack, to command the flag-ship under Sir George Ascue, rear-admiral; Sir John Harman, to command the admiral flag-ship under his royal highness the Duke of York. "But, notwithstanding some of this sect had that countenance given them as I have mentioned, by such as had the principal managehave published in their apologies, were the least ment of affairs, yet this sect in general, as they of any sort of people concerned in any vicissitudes of government that happened among us. My station within the afore-mentioned ten years gave me opportunity to know most persons and actions of note, in reference as well to civil as martial affairs, and particularly those of this their numbers did increase, insomuch that the sect. And although in and after the year 1649 principal officers in divers regiments of horse "About thirty-eight years since, in the heat Oliver Cromwell's own regiment of horse when and foot became Anabaptists, particularly in of our late troubles, Episcopacy being laid aside, he was captain-general of all the Parliament's and Presbytery only as it were by way of ex- forces, and in the Duke of Albemarle's own regperiment for a season attempted, but never in aiment of foot when he was general of all the national way prosecuted with effect, every man was at liberty to pursue the persuasions of his was at liberty to pursue the persuasions of his own mind as to entering into church-fellowship in distinct congregations, and therein to join with such as he conceived came nearest to is to say, righteousness and sincerity, then adieu to thy greatness here, and thy eternal happiness here after. "From him who wishes your happiness so long as you do well.-Printed for the information of all such as prize the liberty of their consciences, for which so much blood has been spilt.' * Crosby's History of the Baptists, vol. ii., p. 2-5. + See Pepy's Diary for proof of the existence of Baptist influence in the English navy at this period. Baxters Life, part i., p. 57. § The reader is referred to Harrison's life in Noble's Regicides, Burnet, and Godwin.--C. -C. English forces in Scotland; yet, by the best information I could have, there were not, at any time before the year 1649, twenty Anabaptists in any sort of command in the whole army; and until after the year 1648, there were no more than two, viz., Mr. Lawrence, and Mr. John Fiennes, one of the Lord Say's sons, who made profession of this opinion, chosen into the Commons' House of Parliament, and both these did in that year, and in the lifetime of Charles I., as I have been credibly informed, voluntarily depart from that Parliament, as not approving their proceedings against the person of the king, and sat no more in it, but lived privately until about six years afterward. A new form of gov ernment being then formed, and in appearance settled, Mr. Lawrence was again called inta public employment churches, rather than defend a singular opinion of her own, she not being then enlightened in that great mistake of the national churches. But in this year, she happening to be with child, communicated her doubts to her husbard, and desired him to endeavour her satisfaction; and while he did, he himself became as unsatisfied, "I confess to your lordship, I never heard of any Anabaptists in the king's army during the contest between his majesty and the Parliament; and perhaps, because there were some in the Parliament's army and none in the king's army, some persons have from thence taken occasion to affirm that the opinion of Anabaptism in the Church is opposite to monarchy in the State. Itor, rather, satisfied, against it. First, therefore, is true, as before is mentioned, that this opinion was no general bar to the continuance of such as did embrace it in public employments, though I have cause to believe that one special reason of disbanding one entire regiment in the Earl of Essex's army was, because the colonel enter-error of the Pædobaptists. After this, his wife tained and gave countenance to Separatists and some Anabaptists. And that which occasioned Oliver Cromwell, after he usurped the government of lord-protector, to discharge at once all the principal officers of his own regiment upon other pretences was, for that they were all Anabaptists."*+ It belongs to this period, also, to introduce some account of another distinguished military officer, who ranks among the denomination of Baptists. I refer to COLONEL HUTCHINSON, who was governor of Nottingham Castle during the time of the civil wars. He was one of the king's judges; and, whether in the senate or the field, uniformly distinguished himself as a person of great courage, judgment, piety, and liberality. An interesting narrative of his life and times, drawn up by his amiable and accomplished wife, has been recently issued from the press, in which the following account is given of the manner in which he was led to embrace the sentiments of the Baptists: the circumstances are related with the characteristic simplicity and good sense. which pervade the whole work. he diligently searched the Scriptures alone, and could find in them no ground at all for this practice. Then he bought and read all the treatises on both sides, which at that time came thick from the presses, and still was cleared in the being brought to bed, that he might, if possible, give the religious party no offence, he invited all the ministers to dinner, and propounded his doubt and the ground thereof to them. None of them could defend their practice with any satisfactory reason, but the tradition of the Church from the primitive times, and their main buckler of federal holiness, which Tombes and Denne had excellently overthrown. He and his wife then professing themselves unsatisfied in the practice, desired their opinions what they ought to do. Most answered, to conform to the general practice of other Christians, how dark soever it were to themselves; but Mr. Foxcraft, one of the assembly, said, that except they were convinced of the warrant of that practice from the Word, they sinned in doing it whereupon that infant was not baptized. And now the governor and his wife, notwithstanding that they forsook not their assemblies, nor retracted the benevolences and civilities from them, yet they were reviled by them, called fanatics and Anabaptists, and often glanced at in their public sermons. Not only the ministers, but all their zealous sectaries, conceived implacable malice against them on that account, which was car the last; though he, on his side, might well have said to them, as his Master to the old Pharisees, Many good works have I done among you; for which of these do ye hate me?' Yet the generality even of that people had a secret conviction upon them that he had been faithful to them, and deserved their love; and, in spite of their own bitter zeal, they could not but have a reverent esteem for him whom they often railed at for not thinking and speaking according to their opinions."* "At Nottingham they had gotten a very able minister into the great church, but a bitter Presbyterian. Him and his brethren my Lady Fair-ried on with a spirit of envy and persecution to fax caressed with so much kindness, that they grew impudent to preach up their faction openly in the pulpit, and to revile the others, and at length they would not suffer any of the army chaplains to preach in the town. They then, coming to the governor and complaining of their unkind usage, he invited them to come and preach in his house, which, when it was known they did, there was a great concourse of people came thither to them; and the Presbyterians, when they heard it, were madded with rage, not only against them, but against the governor, Having introduced this excellent man to the who accidentally gave them another occasion reader's notice, it possibly may not be altogethabout the same time. When formerly the Pres-er unacceptable to him to be furnished with a byterian ministers forced him, for quietness' few more particulars of his personal history, sake, to go and break up a private meeting in and that of his amiable consort. the cannoniers' chamber, there were found some He was descended of an ancient and honour notes concerning Pædobaptism, which, being able family, and born at Nottingham, in the brought into the governor's lodgings, his wife month of September. 1616. He was the eldest having then more leisure to read than he, hav-surviving son of Sir Thomas Hutchinson and ing perused and compared them with the Scriptures, found not what to say against the truths they asserted concerning the misapplication of that ordinance to infants; but, being then young and modest, she thought it a kind of virtue to submit to the judgment and practice of most * Crosby, vol. ii., Preface, p. 2-5. + Clarendon speaks in high terms of a young Anabaptist, without naming him, who, in time of Cromwell, brought an application on their part to Charles II., then on the Continent.--C. Lady Margaret, his first wife, a daughter of Sir John Biron, of Newsted,† in the same county As soon as his age permitted, he was placed under the tuition of Mr. Theobalds, then master of the free school at Nottingham; and shortly afterward he was sent to the free school at Lincoln, which was conducted by a Mr. Clarke. This person, though pious, was remarkable for his pedantry; which so disgusted young Hutchinson, that he could never profit under his instructions. While at this seminary, he was taught the military exercise by an old soldier, who was kept by the master to give his pupils some notion of the art of war. He was again sent to the free school at Nottingham, in which he made very great proficiency; and from this place went to the University of Cambridge, and there was made a fellow-commoner of Peter House. The tutor of his college was Mr. Norwich, a person of great learning, and of an amiable disposition. Under this perceptor he made rapid progress in his studies, received great applause for several public exercises, and obtained a degree as a testimony of his merits. After remaining at college five years, he returned to his father's house at Nottingham. He was now about twenty years old, having hitherto resisted the temptations of youth, and been noted for the sobriety and consistency of his deportment. His father had been for some time married to a second wife, and was surrounded by a youthful and increasing progeny. This circumstance was not altogether agreeable to young Hutchinson, who, however, wishing to avoid any complaints that he might make if he continued at home, adopted the resolution of visiting London. There he entered Lincoln's Inn; but soon found the study of the law so irksome and unpleasant, that he very shortly abandoned it. Soon afterward, in 1638, he entered into the marriage relation with Miss Lucy Apsley, second daughter of Sir Allen Apsley, lieutenant of the Tower. She was a young lady of great beauty, parts, and acquirements, and wrote the memoirs of her husband, which have been lately published by a descendant of the family. During two years' leisure that Mr. Hutchinson now enjoyed, he directed his attention to several branches of divinity. In October, 1641, he retired to his seat at Owthorpe, in Nottinghamshire. About this time was perpetrated the Irish massacre, which filled the nation with horror, and preceded those civil commotions and distresses with which Britain was about to be chastised. This massacre, and the conversation which it everywhere occasioned, led Mr. Hutchinson to employ his thoughts on the political state of the country; and the result of this inquiry was a persuasion that the cause of the Parliamentarians was supported by justice. He, with some others, was requested by nearly all the freehold ers and middle classes in his native county to present a petition to the king, then at York, to return to Parliament. Soon afterward he took up arms, though not till necessity compelled him; for a warrant was issued for his apprehension, and he, with his wife, was obliged to quit home. He accepted the commission of lieutenant-colonel among the forces appointed by the Parliament to be raised. He was then engaged, in conjunction with many Parliamentarians, in the defence of Nottingham; and when the troops there quartered were called out to the relief of General Essex, he was appointed, by the committee of that town, to the government of its castle. In 1643 his father died, having left his personal estate, and all his property that was unsettled at Mr Hutchinson's marriage, to his second wife and children. The enemies of Col onel Hutchinson then seized, by violence, the rents of his tenants, which he was about to receive; and his estate being sought for by several, promise of it was obtained from the king. In this extremity, though he had supported the garrison chiefly at his own expense, and thus lessened his pecuniary resources; and though he was repeatedly tempted with the most flattering promises to desert his party, he remained inflexibly firm. He adopted the most salutary measures for the protection of the castle and town; but his efforts were frequently rendered abortive by the treachery of some under his command. By them a party of the Royalists were one night admitted into the town, but were soon expelled by the prudence and intrepidity of the governor. A few of the commit. tee, wishing to ruin their commander, that they might obtain authority themselves, endeavoured to excite a spirit of discontent among the soldiers and townsmen, and had the effrontery to lay a statement of their pretended grievances before a committee of both nations. The result of this contest was a perfect justification of Colonel Hutchinson, and the disgrace of his infamous calumniators. His office had been previously ratified by Parliament, who had also intrusted him with the government of the town, and presented him with thanks for his services. While he held these commissions he often distinguished himself for his bravery. At the siege of Shelford, in which was a garrison under the command of Colonel Fhilip Stanhope, eldest son to the Earl of Chesterfield, he exposed himself to the greatest dangers, and was the first that scaled the walls. He was also at the siege of Newark, which surrendered to him and his men. Having been chosen a member of Parliament in the place of his father, he came to London to discharge the duties of his new office. The Parliament were at that time divided by the factions and animosities of the Independents and the Presbyterians. Colonel Hutchinson was soon marked as a strenuous Independent; and, in the controversy between the army and the Presbyterians, he ranked himself with the army. Returning, at the settlement of Parliament, to his garrison at Nottingham, he found it consisted only of the castle, and that all his regiment, except two companies, had been disbanded. This being the case, he resigned his commission, and went, with his family, to live at Owthorpe. His house was almost in ruins, but he then had not money sufficient to repair it. He was, however, earnestly entreated to resume his commission, but in vain; for his health was now rather delicate, and he wished to enjoy a little peace and retirement. Being again summoned to Parliament, he was nominated one of the commissioners for the trial of King Charles I. To this nomination he at first felt considerable reluctance to accede. But being convinced, after mature deliberation, and fervent prayer for direction, that the measure was fully justifiable, he no longer hesitated Whatever were the motives which induced that assembly to judge and condemn their sovereign, or whatever opinion may be formed of their proceedings, the conduct of Colonel H. in that affair was certainly dictated by conscientious principles. After the dissolution of Parliament, he re the political conduct of Colonel Hutchinson various sentiments are entertained, but none question his integrity or piety. CHAPTER IV OF KING CHARLES II. TO THE BANISHMENT OF THE EARL OF CLARENDON, A.D. 1660-1670. WHATEVER Concern the Baptists may be supposed to have had in national affairs, while the unhappy contest was pending between Charles I. and his army, it is sufficiently apparent, from what has been seen in the foregoing chapter, that it soon ceased after Cromwell assumed the himself well settled, and perceived that it would please the dominant party, began to undermine the sectarians, and, in particular, to suppress the Baptists. Mr. Baxter charges them with growing insolent both in England and Ireland after Cromwell's death, and the succession of turned to Owthorpe, and devoted his time to the education of his children (who had, besides, the ablest masters); to the suppression of disorders in his neighbourhood; and to the administration of justice. He was elected a member of the Parliament summoned April 25, 1660, but was soon suspended, on account of the part he took in the transactions relative to Charles I. ; and his punishment was a sentence of dismis- HISTORY OF THE BAPTISTS FROM THE RESTORATION sal from the present house of Parliament, and of incapacity to sustain any public office, civil or military, forever. This sentence must be allowed not to have been very severe; but he was not permitted to live unmolested. He was accused, without the least shadow of proof, of treasonable designs and practices. His house was pillaged of all his armour, to the value of £100; and some pictures that had once belong-reins of government, who, when he thought ed to the late king, and which he had purchased in London during the interregnum, to the amount of £1000 or £1500, were wrested from him by an order from the secretary of state. By a warrant from the same secretary, he was seized one Sunday evening, while expounding to his family a portion of the Epistle to the Ro-his son Richard was set aside; and that, joinmans. After undergoing very severe treatment, he was dismissed; but in a short time again apprehended, thrust into a filthy prison, where he fell sick, and commanded by the king to be carried to London in custody. Having with much pain arrived there, he was committed to the Tower, and bore several petty examinations. Sir John Robinson, then keeper, a worthless character, was as cruel and hardened as a torturer in the Inquisition, and employed every method he could devise of insulting and injuring Colonel H. ing their brethren in the army, they were everywhere put in power. He complains of some personal insults and ungenerous treatment which he received from some who resided near to him, irritated by their remembrance of the opposition he had made to their sentiments, and who, though not many more than twenty, "talked," as he expresses it, "as if they had been lords of the world."* This spirit of resentment and triumph was soon humbled by the disappointment of hope, and a subsequent series of sufferings. shire. It stated, that not only their meetings for religious worship were interrupted by the magistrates, and bonds for good behaviour were imposed upon them, for the violation of which, on account of renewing their assemblies, they were prosecuted as peace-breakers; but that they were abused in the streets, and their own houses could not afford them protection; for, if they were heard praying to God in their families, they were insulted by sounding of horns, beating against their doors, and threats that they should be hanged. If they appealed to the magistrates, the rage of their adversaries received a sanction from the odious terms with which those who sat on the bench of justice reviled them. Many of them were indicted at the sessions for not attending on the preaching of the Episcopal clergy, and alarmed with a design of levying from every one of them a penalty of £20 a month. Under all these multiplied calamities, Colonel This appears, in the first instance, from a peHutchinson was patient and submissive. An tition presented to King Charles II., signed by order at length came for his removal to San-thirty-five, on behalf of many others in Lincolndown Castle, in Kent, whither he was still pursued by the malice and cruelty of his adversaries. He was confined to a dreary, damp room, that was exposed to the piercing air of the sea, and against the bottom of which the waves dashed in angry murmurs. In this miserable condition, his wife, who had attended him in all his sufferings, brought some books for his entertainment; but he declared, that if he were to remain in prison all his life, he would read nothing but the Bible. This book, indeed, afforded him divine consolation, so that he said to his disconsolate partner, what reason she had to rejoice that God supported him under his trials, and did not suffer his patience or spirits to fail. He was even thankful for his afflictions, considering them as tokens of his heavenly Father's love, who chastises all his children. Symptoms of disease now began to appear, and he very rapidly grew weaker. In his sickness he was wonderfully cheered by the comforts of religion; and to a person who asked him how he did, he replied, "Incomparably well, and full of faith." He continued in this happy frame, giving serious advice to those that were around him, and pouring out his desires in ejaculatory prayers. When he was questioned as to the ground of his hope, he said, "There's none but Christ, none but Christ, in whom I have unspeakable joy, more than I can express ;" and on the Sabbath day, September 11, 1664, his spirit winged her flight to the regions of everlasting repose. Of The petition was graciously received by the king, who promised that he would take particular care that none should trouble them, on account of their conscience, in things pertaining to religion; and immediately directed a mem|ber of Parliament to go to the lord-chancellor and secretary, that the proper measures for this end might be taken. In the same year, another petition and representation of their sufferings was presented by some Baptists, inhabitants of Kent, and prison* His own Life, part ii., p. 206 ers in the jail at Maidstone. In this paper they | and detained there, without so much as the appealed to their "Confession of Faith," as tru- least pretence of any crime laid to their charge ly representing their principles concerning ma- till the assizes, when they were dismissed. A gistracy and government; and deplored the dar- Dover, the magistrates were severe agains ger which threatened their lives, and the ruin them, taking them from their meeting-houses which hung over their wives and little ones, by and committing them to prison. After four the violence exercised against them; for, be-and-twenty days they were admitted to bail sides being made prisoners, the houses of some had, without any authority from the executive power, been broken open in the dead of night; and from others their goods and cattle had been taken away and detained. Great, also, were the sufferings of those who resided in Gloucestershire. The most eminent Cavaliers rode about armed with swords and pistols, ransacking their houses, and abusing their families in a violent manner. At the house of Mr. Helme, at Winchcombe, the bed whereon his children laid was not spared; and their outrageous conduct so frightened his wife as to throw her into an illness which threatened her life. Mr. Warren, who possessed the parsonage of Rencome, was, with his wife and family, penned up into an upper room of his house, and so harassed night and day by the violence of the assailants and the noise of hautboys, that he died in the place. Mr. Fletcher, who had been put into a vacant place by authority, was so beat and inhumanly treated by a Cavalier of his parish, that he and his family fled for their lives. One pious minister was assaulted as he was entering his pulpit. Another was violently pulled out of his house; his wife, children, and goods were thrown into the street; none of the parish were allowed to give them entertainment, and he himself was haled to jail.* and appearing at the assizes, were forbidden to In June, 1661, one of these military banditti went to a meeting-house in Whitechapel, and laid hands on more than twenty; one of whom refusing to go with them unless they produced their warrant, they not only pulled him along by force, and beat him about the head with their hangers, but lifting him up several times between three or four, let him fall with violence, and drove his breast and stomach against the rails with such force, that his health was greatly inIt is less surprising that these people were jured by the blows and falls. When a suit was insulted by the ignorant populace, and were commenced against the actors of this tragedy, abused by the petty officers of power, when the persons at whose complaint the soldiers were even the Legislature marked them as the ob- arrested were themselves arrested, and sent to jects of suspicion, hatred, and severity; for the Newgate, where they lay about ten or twelve Parliament assembled upon the Restoration, days before they could be bailed, and were held when it passed an act for confirming all minis-bound from sessions to sessions, for a long time, ters in the possession of their benefices, how heterodox soever they had been, provided they would conform for the future, excepted such as had been of the Baptist persuasion.† before they could be discharged. The persons assembling in the same meetinghouse were assaulted by a like body of soldiers, October the 20th, 1661, and one of them, the minister objecting to the authority under which they professed to act, was by a mittimus pretending and asserting great matters, cast into Newgate, where he lay thirty weeks, without anything laid to his charge, and then they released him. So far from being encouraged to conform, or being permitted in peace and security to dissent, they were pursued with cruelty. Divers of them were cast into Reading prison for conscientiously scrupling to take some oaths administered to them. At Newport in Wales, at the end of sermon, two were set upon by soldiers On the 3d of November, in the same year, a with swords and staves.‡ At London, Dr. John similar outrage was committed, in the same Griffith was committed to Newgate, where he place, with as little show or face of law. The lay seventeen months, for no other crime but preacher and three more were seized, and thrown preaching to a congregation of Protestants. In into New Prison, from which, in time of sessions, Lincolnshire, Mr. Thomas Grantham and some one was removed to Newgate, under pretence others were taken from their meeting at Boston of being brought to his trial; which, however, by some soldiers, and after having been lodged | he could never procure, though he called for it all night in a public inn, had their rest disturbed, in the face of the court, nor was his name reand their minds grieved, by the incessant cur- turned in the calendar. Yet he was kept in jail ses and caths of their guards; they were, on twelve weeks, till fetched out by a person in the next morning, conveyed to the common jail, authority. He suffered in all eighteen, and the other persons twenty-eight, weeks' imprisonment.‡ * Crosby, vol. ii., p. 1–30. cur-turned + Wall's History of Infant Baptism, vol. ii., p. 215. ‡ Crosby, vol. ii., p. 94, 97. The author of "Primitive Christianity," in folio, a very able performance. Mr. Grantham was a General Baptist.-C. |