Submitted By: Don Wright
DonWright@footprints.org
This letter was given to me many years ago. For obvious reasons, I can't provide who wrote the letter or who sent it to me. Regardless, it is worth placing on these pages.
10-19-83
Dear xxxxx
Have been searching ever since I talked to you for more on Anne Hutchinson - so far can't
find name of that book I told you you could get. However, will give you a short-hand sketch of
her life if you get a Bible and hold that in one hand and a tall drink in the other.
If you want more - you'll just have to call me.
Vicar of Wakefield was yakking in Lincolshire's high pulpit and sold Anne Songs of Solomon
"Rise up my fair one and come away ... John Cotton wave his spell on her. Naughty! He was a
puritan... tch .... tch .... Imagine casting off the "romish trappings" which still clung to the
Established Church....He had actually called the POPE Antichrist, etc. John Cotton's faith sided
with JOHN CALVIN. Thought he could STAY in the church and purify it from within....King
James version of Bible was most important to people of England. Anne's mother was Bridget
Dryden, influential Puritan family. Father Rev. Francis Marbury had been tried for accusing
bishops of unfit ordination of ministers, etc. tho not a Puritan. Anne was taught to read and write
(unusual). Rev. Marbury died 1611. Anne married Wm Hutchinson (her old playmate) the next
year. He 5 yrs. older. He had come into a "respectable estate."
After two sons were born she went often to hear Cotton who had announced he was a
Puritan. Medicine had always been a passion with her and she had a collection of herbs at home
to cure her servants and neighbors with. Part of her "magic" was her wry wit and her magnetic
personality. She also kept a spotless house and instilled cleanliness in the houses of all she met.
(unusual) She never seemed to run out of energy.
She read the Old Testament as a history and suffered with all. The New Testament told her
that even though ancient hope fulfilled, Israel was still bound under law of Moses. Possessed,
Anne wondered how man had lost his hope and expectancy, etc. Then one day she "heard" the
voice of "The Lord" - incl. "The voice of my beloved, etc." from Song of Sol. One day she
'heard' from 1st Epistle of John: "And every spirit..." So she prayed for MORE revelation. She
wanted the individual to have the right to find salvation within himself and not transfer it to
priests, etc....Besides Cotton, she liked JOHN WHEELWRIGHT, who had played football
with Oliver Cromwell, and eventually married Wm. Hutchinson's sister, Mary.
Alford area supported by cloth industry which had gone into a decline and money was being
lost every day. High taxes and high cost of living. Where have we heard that before? Worse,
was the persecution of Puritans by the King. It was 1627. Well, how about a grant of land in
American? Holland by now was out.
O.K. - organized as Mass Bay Co. for trading (ha)....John Winthrop of Groton Manor,
Suffolk sort of go-between, but really a Puritan. Lady Arbella supplied most of money. Thos.
Dudley, the Earl's steward, and Sir Richard Saltonstall + group of wealthy northerners wanted to
go. Elected J. Winthrop - gov. of group in N.Eng. (they hoped to reach). They got the grant of
land. It used to belong to Sir Ferdinando Gorges - did that mean trouble?
1632 - Calamity struck - Cotton reported to High Commission. A preacher - not a martyr,
he changed his name and started for London. Wheelwright still preaching to A.H. & others.
Then he got called up on the carpet, too! Ugh. "Well, Bill, I guess we gotta move," Anne said
....or words to that effect. "Get the kids ....", (or ????)
Finally decided to send oldest son, Edward (20 yrs) with Cotton to new world to prepare for
family. Wm's brother, Edward, decided to go with his nephew of the same name. Got on board
the "Griffin" July 1633 lying off the Downs. Cotton and wife smuggled on deck.
Anne packed while Wm. sold estates. Finally the mail came. "It's o.k., Mom. No plague
here." (or something like that....)
Anne went for the last time to the graves of two daughters and a son buried beside little
church in Alford where her father had preached. And off they flew to London.
However - the ship left. Thos. Dudley heard this from Mr. Symmes:
"Of Mistress A.H., who is come, so she says, to sit down at Brother Cotton's feet. It seems
clear that she is come instead to broach heresies here among us."
"In the great cabin where we were together, she stirred up everyone against our preaching.
She seemed to agree with Brother Lothrop and myself, yet there was a secret opposition to the
things we delivered...." and so Brother Symmes vented his pique.
Read in Bible Paul's instructions to the Galatians. That's what Anne believed. ...."A man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified."
She believed in the Covenant of Grace. Not works. She began to hold meetings after church in her home for THE WOMEN....! ACH DU! Everybody knew it was dangerous for women to THINK! The fool! - The men said. "Must be nuts!" Oh boy - the BOSTON CHURCH MEN were so MAD! so they stuck her in jail. And her pregnant. A CRIME! right? However, she wasn't. She had a HUGE tumor which was removed half way to R.I. by Dr. John Clarke. Imagine that - with no anesthetic!?! Ugh. They booted her out of the colony. She and her husband founded Rehoboth (sp?) and did NOT live happily ever after. Well, they called it Aquidneck or something like that. Sale was completed Mar 24, 1638. Anyhow - Anne and Wm. had 23 kids - one every 17 months - if you average them out.
The NAME of that book is 'UNAFRAID' but I don't know who it was by. Ask at the Yak. Library. They'll know. Might be on Inter-Lib. Loan. Rotsa Ruck.
Betty .........
Please place in the Subject Line:
WEBPAGE-STORY
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