131. Memoirs of Colonel Hutchinson.

(Concluded from p. 819.)

As it is not in our power to follow the narrative through all its most interesting circumstances, we shall endeavour to fix the Reader's attention on those which appear to as most deserving of notice. Mrs. Hutchinson possessed a strong natural genius, and her parents endeavoured to cultivate it to the utmost of their ability. She read well at four years of age; and was constant in her attendance at church, till at length she acquired the faculty of repeating the heads of the sermons she had heard, with accuracy and facility. At seven, she had eight different instruc tors, in languages, musick, dancing, ting, and needle-work; all of which she acknowledges she neglected for reading. Such was her passion for this pursuit, that the hours for relaxation were given up; and, though her books were taken from her, she found means to procure others. We think the ensuing extract on this subject will cause a smile at the expence of our young votary of literature:

My father would 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 pitifull dull fellow. My brothers, who had a greate deale of witt, had some emulation at the progresse I made in my learning, which very well pleased my father, though my mother would have been 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 harpsicords but when my masters were with me; and for my needle, I absolutely hated it; play among other children despised; and

when I was forced to entertaine such

as came to visitt me, I tired them with more grave instructions than their mohers, aud pluckt all their babies to pieces, and kept the children in such awe that they were glad when I entertained myselfe with elder company."

This turn of mind proved more acceptable to the sedate visitors of her parents, who "tooke" her "memory and instruction for witt." Miss Aps ley's conduct, though apparently under the controul of superior reason, was, in other respects, a series of contradictions, as she employed herself in retailing the serious impressions GENT. MAG. October, 1808.

she had received from her studies in Divinity to the thoughtless maids of

the family on Sundays, and regularly performed her "due taskes of reading and praying." But, after this sacrifice to duty, she gave the reins to pleasure, and entered with avidity into "Conversation which was not scan dalously wicked," learned and heard witty songs and amorous sonnets, and even became the confidant of the female servants in "all the loves that were managed among" them. Here the narrative of her life ends ab ruptly, by the tearing-away of seve ral leaves, which the Editor supposes to have been her own act. We are sorry that part of it which relates to her juvenile levity had not been suppressed; the candid and liberal Reader will view the confession of her childish follies as the artless tale of an inno cent girl; and as such it appears to us: but it may be otherwise with those prudish persons who see every act of youth through the microscope of censure, pronouncing the inconsistencies of early life equally culpable with those of matured age, especially as it terminates in a way that conveys ideas injurious to her reputation; which we are decidedly convinced are undeserved.

A specimen of Mrs. Hutchinson's writing faces p. 18, copied from her Theological Remarks; the neatness of the characters contradicts her assertion that she neglected this part of her education, and leads us to attribute her saying so to her modesty.

The Memoirs are addressed to her

children, in a pious and affecting panegyrick on the deceased subject of them. She then describes his person

with the enthusiasm of a faithful wife; and expatiates on his virtues with all the fervour of grateful remembrance. It would be folly to criticise the ardency of this part of the work, or to enter into an examination whether all her assertions were founded on fact. There is indeed something so amiable in the praises of affectionate relatives (who are gonerally blind to each other's failings), that it would be little better than downright captiousness to point out where the world must dissent from them. Had the Colonel been every thing his fond consort pictured him to his offspring, his enemies were

worge

worse than fiends; but we that live long enough after his time to view things impartially may suppose that he was composed of common flesh and blood, and acted much in the same manner other well-disposed men would under the same circumstances; though the Lady says,

"To number his vertues is to give the epitome of his life, which was nothing else but a progresse from one degree of vertue to another; till, in a short time, he arrived to that height which many longer lives could never reach: and, had I but the power of rightly disposing and relating then, his single example would be more instructive than all the rules of the best morallists."

The Genealogical Table facing p. 19 traces the family of Hutchinson from the 10th of Edward I. 1282; and from Barnard Hutchinson, of Cowlam, co. Ebor, down to Julius the editor. Colonel John H. was the eldest surviving son of Sir Thomas H. and Lady Margaret his first wife, one of the daughters of Sir John Biron, of Newstead. But our business is less with the early particulars of his life than with those eventful acts which distinguished his manhood; and to those we beg leave to confine ourselves, except in one instance, and that is, the opinions of Predestination entertained by the subject of these Memoirs. Nor should we notice them but to do justice to the Editor, who introduces the following note, founded on these words of the text:

"The gentleman that assisted him he converted to a right beliefe in that great -poynt of Predestination, he having bene before of the Arminian judgment, till, upon the serious examination of both principles, and comparing thein with the Scriptures, Mr. Hutchinson convinced him of the truth, and grew so well instructed in this principle, that he was able to maintaine it against any man."

Sensible of the dangers of this doctrine, Mrs. H. endeavoured to shew that her husband's reception into the umber of the Elect did not render him careless of his moral duties; hence the following note:

"Mrs. II, 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 partisans of the two opposite, or supposed opposite, principles 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 discretion 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 than the past."

The candour of the conclusion of the above note affords a striking contrast to the religious dissentions of the time alluded to; which will be proved by another quotation. Mrs. H. speaks thus of her opponents:

"To keep the people in their deplorable security, till vengeance overtooke them, they were entertained with masks, stageplayes, and sorts of rude sports. Then began inurther, incest, adultery, drunkennesse, swearing, fornication, and all sort of ribaldry, to be no concealed but countenanced 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 families; which, no question, was a design of the Popish party to compasse and procure; and so successful, that I have observed that there was not one house of ten, where such a marriage was made, but the better party was corrupted; the children's soules were sacrificed to devills; the worship of God was laid aside in that family, for feare of distasting the idolator; the kindred, tenants, aud neighbours, either quite turned from it, or cooled in their zeale for religion."

The Court mentioned above was that of James I. Of Charles I. Mrs, H. says, "he was temperate, chaste, and serious." The remainder of his character appears to have been drawn with a great degree of candour, as all the better parts are brought into view at the same time that his faults and errors are exposed. Of Laud she speaks as "a fellowe of meane extraction and arrogant pride;" and attributes the destruction of Charles to the insinuations of Henrietta-Maria, who endeavoured to convince him he

ought to be as absolute in England as her father was in France; "and it hath bene observed," adds Mrs. H. "that a French queene never brought any happinesse to England." Enough has already been extracted on this

bead

head to explain why Col. Hutchinson adopted what was called the Puritanical party; the asperity of the wife also explains that he entered it not as an indifferent but as a determined partisan: and this will no longer be wondered at, after the knowledge that "at that time Mr. Henry Ireton was in the country, and being a kinsman of Mr. Hutchinson's, and one that had received so much advantage to himself and his family in the country by Sir Thomas Hutchinson's countenance and protection, that he seemed a kind of dependent upon him.”

"Mr. Ireton, being very active in promoting the Parliament, and the Godly interest in the country, found greate opposition by some projectors and others of corrupt interest, that were in commission of the peace; whereupon making complaint at the Parliament, he procured some of them to be put out of the commission, and others better affected to be put in their roomes; of which Mr. Hutchinson

was one."

This first step towards resistance was followed by Mr. H's demanding that a painting on glass, placed over the altar of a neighbouring church, representing the Crucifixion, should be broken, which the parish-priest complied with, much against his will; and a refusal to give up to Lord Newark, the lord lieutenant of the county, a quantity of gun-powder for the King's service. To this succeeded another less successful attempt to prevent the loss of powder in the town of Nottingham; when Mr. H. received the opprobrious term of Roundhead from a soldier; which induces Mrs. H. to explain the manner of its origin.

"When Puritanisme grew into a faction, the zealotts distinguisht themselves, both men and women, by severall affectations of habitt, lookes, and words; which, had it bene a reall declension of vanity, and embracing of sobriety in all those things, had bene most commendable in them; but their quick forsaking of those things, when they were where they would be, shewed that they neither ever took them up for conscience, or were corrupted by their prosperity to take up those váine things they durst not practise under persecution. Among other affected habitts, few of the Puritanes, what degree soever

they were of, wore their haire long enough

to cover their eares; and the ministers and many others cut it close round their heads, with so many little peakes as was

something ridiculous to behold; whereupon 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 Round-head became the scornfull terme given to the whole 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 seene them would have inquired the reason of that name."

From the time he entered into the views of the Parliament to the day of his death Mr. Hutchinson never enjoyed one quiet day; alarms and escapes without end attended his footsteps. Nor does it appear that he was clear of persecution even from members of his own party; one of whom, Sir John Gell, is particularly mentioned by Mrs. H. in terms vehemently reproachful; but not more so than those in which she describes others not sufficiently zealous in the cause they had adopted.

Speaking of Chadwick, she says,

"Never was a truer Judas since Iscariott's time than he, for he would kisse the man he had in his heart to kill. He natu

rally delighted in mischiefe and treachery; and was so exquisite a villaine, that he destroyed those designes he might have thriven by, with overlaying them with fresh knaveries."

1.

Mrs. Hutchinson has committed one

general oversight, which is the omission of dates; we can therefore only say that her husband and his brother were persuaded to become lieutenantcolonel and major to Col. Pierrepoint's regiment of foot. The former "had a full companie of very honest godly men, who came, for love of him and the cause, out of the country." Yet six weeks elapsed ere the new Colonel could be prevailed upon to put on a sword.

A singular anecdote is related at p. 127, respecting the Earl of Kingston; which, if exactly correct, deserves particular attention; not that we mean to express a doubt of the veracity of the fair Authoress, but of the fatalism or judgment inflicted. The Earl had distinguished himself as a neutral; and, as a neutral ever is, be came an object of suspicion to both parties. The gentry of Nottingham had frequently urged his son to en

deavour

deavour to prevail on his father to declare decidedly for the Parliament; which he declined, asserting that he was confident the Earl was well affected to them. Of this "he continually assured them; till the Colonel's cold behaviour, and some other passages, made them at length, those at least who were firme to the cause, jealous both of the father and the sonne. Hereupon, when the danger grew more imminent, and my Lord lay out a brave prey to the enemie, they sent Captaine Lomax, one of the committee, to understand his affections from himselfe, and to presse him to declare for the Parliament in that so needfull season. My Lord pro fessing himselfe to him rather desirous of peace, and fully resolved not to act on either side, made a serious imprecation on himselfe in these words: When,' said he, 'I take armes with the King against the Parliament, or with the Parliament against the King, let a cannon-bullett devide me betweene them;' which God was pleased to bring to passe a few months after: for he, going into Gainsborough, and there taking up armes for the King, was surprized by my Lord Willoughby, and, after a handsome defence of himself, 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 Earl of Kingston went up upon the decks to shew himselfe, and to prevaile with them to forbeare shooting; but as soon as he appeared a cannonbullett flew from the King's armie and devided him in the middle, being then in the Parliament's pinnace, who perished according to his own unhap pie imprecation."

Some instances of a personal nature occur in this work, which serve to develope the principles of action by which the leaders of the Revolution were governed; and to those we would recommend the Reader to pay particular attention. It is not necessary, we presume, to assert that the character of an individual, in the common concerns of life, may be taken as a guide in judging of his public conduct. Mrs. Hutchinson, either through a laudable anxiety to paint her husband in the most amia ble point of view, or founding her

account of him upon his real disposition, endeavours to prove, in each of his transactions, that he acted, to the best of his ability, in support of justice, humanity, courage, and honour. She mentions, in p. 131, in terms of strong displeasure, that the troops under the command of Sir John Gel and "young Hotham," who to the amount of 6000 were sta tioned at Nottingham, were more injurious to the inhabitants of the town and neighbourhood than the Royal forces; "for Hotham's and Gell's men not only lay upon free quarter, as all the rest did, but inade such havock and plunder, of friend and foc, that 'twas a sad thing for any one that had a generous heart to behold it. When the Committee of fered Hotham to assigne him quarters for his men, because they were better acquainted with the country, he would tell them he was 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, licensed his soldiers, which were the scumme of mankind, to all villanies in the country that might make their partie odious." Colone! Hutchinson is said by his Lady to have felt the utmost displeasure at the impolitic and brutal conduct of this person and his men; and an opportunity soon occurring, by the absolute robbery of some inoffensive people, for remon strance, a warm altercation took place between Hotham and him, which ended in the former declaring that "he fought for liberty, and expected it in all things;" and that the latter might, "if he found himselfe grieved, complaine to the Parliament." The example of Hutchinson in this business influenced Cromwell, who was then a colonel, and present at the dispute, to take part against Hotham. they," adds the Lady, "at that time, being equally zealous for the public service, advised together to seek a remedie, and dispatcht away a post to London, who had no greater joy in the world then such employments as tended to the displacing of greate persons, whether they deserved it or not. Him they sent away immediately from the place, to informe the Parliament of Hotham's carriages, and the strong presumptions

"So

they

they had of his treachery, and the ill management of their forces. This they two did, without the privity of any of the other gentlemen or commanders, some of which were little Jesse suspected themselves; and others, as my Lord Grey, through credulous good-nature, too greate a favourer of Hotham. The messenger was very diligent in his charge, and returned as soone as it was possible, with a commitment of Hotham, who accordingly was then made prisoner in Nottingham castle; and Sir John Meldrum was sent downe to be commander in chiefe of all those united forces. When they marched away, a troope of my Lord Grey's having the charge of guarding Hotham towards London, suffered him to escape, and thereby putt the towne of Hull into a greate hazard; but that the father and sonne were there unexpectedly surprized, sent up prisoners to London, and, after some time, executed. Those who know the opinion Cromwell after had of Mr. Hutchinson believed he registred this businesse in his mind as long as he lived, and made it his care to prevent him from being in any power or capacity to pursue him to the same punishment when he deserved it; but from that time, growing into more intimate acquaintance with him, he allwayes used to profess the most hearty affections to him, and the greatest delight in his plainnesse and open-heartednesse that was imaginable."

The following page is faced by a view of Nottingham castle in its present state, which is accompanied by a plan of the same place, taken in 1617, and an autograph of Colonel Hutchinson's signature. His Lady gives an accurate description of the castle as it was when Col. H. assumed the command there; and this we recommend to the notice of our Topographical Readers as an interesting part of the work. The town was summoned more than once, and the refusal to surrender was peremptory; indeed, the Colonel appears to have acted with that degree of firmness which we hope ever will distinguish a British officer in the hour of dan ger; and we beg leave to quote the speech of the Colonel to his men at the commencement of the siege, as a fair example to future officers under similar circumstances:

"Calling together his souldiers, he once againe represented to them their condition, and told them, that, being religious

and honest men, he could be assured no extremity would make them faile in what undertake; and therefore he should not they found themselves strong enough to feare to lett them freely understand their danger, which yett they had power to shunne; and therefore, whatever miserie might be the issue of their undertaking, they could not justly impute it to him, it being their owne election; for, after this summons, they must expect the enemie, and to be reduced to the utmost extremity by them that thought could reach. It must not moove them to see their houses flaming, and, if need were, themselves firing them, for the publique advantage; to see the peaces of their famelies cruelly abused, and consumed before them; they must resolve upon hard dutie, fierce assaults, poore and sparing diet, perhaps famine, and want of all comfortable accommodations. Nor was there very apparent hope of reliefe at last, but more than common hazard of losing their lives, either in defence of their fort or with the place; which, for want of good fortifications, and through disadvantage of a neighbouring mount and building, was not, in humane probability, tenable against such an armie as threatned it; all which, for his owne part, he was resolved on; and if any of them found his courage failing, he only desired they would provide for their safety in time elsewhere, and not prejudice him and the publick interest so highly as they would doe to take upon them the defence of the castle, except they could be content to lay downe their lives and all their interests in it.”

It is not our intention to follow these Memoirs farther, as we have extended our remarks and extracts to a considerable length already; and shall therefore merely mention the catastrophe of the Colonel, who, towards the close of his life, became less connected with the active operations of the times than he had been. At this period he indulged in a strong propensity he entertained for the fiue arts, and expended above two thousand pounds in the purchase of the best paintings belonging to the King and Nobility, which were exposed for sale by the successful party, who were now, in common with the rest of the nation, the abject slaves of Cromwell. This Usurper, aware of his dangerous situation, and hated by all persons, was surrounded by spies, and deserted by those who had fought with him. Amongst the number was Colonel H.

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