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First Issued: 21 March 2013
Revised (substantive): 22 August 2014
Part II: Lucy Hutchinson’s Text
BELOW: Colonel John Hutchinson and his Son, engraved by James Neagle (1760?–1822), after the painting by Robert Walker (1595x1610–1658).
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As with Walker’s bookend painting, Lucy Hutchinson and her Son, the subject’s domestic and public roles are stressed. Walker portrayed the colonel in his armor, standing before a curtain, with his son at his side, his right hand gesturing rhetorically at the exterior landscape where he engaged in “emproovement of grounds, in planting groves and walkes, and fruite-trees, in opening springs and making fishponds” (Hutchinson, Memoirs, ed. Child, 1904, 39), and beyond that, the theater for his military service. The liminal gesture is significant: according to received rules “touching the artificiall managing of the hand in speaking,” “The Index joyned to the Thumbe, the other Fingers remisse, is another forme of the Hand, fit for an exordium.” (John Bulwer, Chironomia: or, the Art of Manuall Rhetoricke, 1644, 71)
Colonel Hutchinson is described by his wife as an art collector and virtuoso: “he had greate judgment in paintings, graving, sculpture, and all liberal arts, and had many curiosities of vallue in all kinds, he tooke greate delight in perspective glasses, and for his other rarities was not so much affected with the antiquity as the merit of the worke” (Hutchinson, Memoirs, ed. Child, 1904, 38). His interest in art was stimulated by his time spent in London, and by Charles I’s superb art collection, the dispersal of which he oversaw. “As a member of the Council of State [from its inception in February 1649 to 10 February 1651], Colonel Hutchinson’s lodgings at Whitehall were furnished from the ten thousand pounds’ worth of the king’s goods, which were reserved for the use of the council. He was appointed one of the committee of five to decide which of the king’s goods should be so reserved, and also one of the committee to consider how the remainder might be disposed of to the best advantage. In the papers relating to the late king’s goods, printed in the Seventh Report of the Historical Manuscripts Commission, is contained the information of Mr. Geldrop, who gives a list of various persons in possession of the king’s goods. ‘Cornell Hutshanton’ has ‘one Madone of Titian, and divers other pictures, and one naket boy of marbell very raerre’.” (Hutchinson, Memoirs, ed. Firth, 1906, 296n1)
While in London, the regicide colonel made a mutually beneficial connection with the portrait painter Walker. Walpole reports that Walker “paid twenty-five pounds for the Venus putting on her smock (by Titian), which was the king’s, and valued it at sixty pounds, as [R. Symondes] was told by Mrs. Boardman, who copied it, a paintress of whom I [Walpole] find no other mention: and that Walker copied Titian’s famous Venus, which was purchased by the Spanish ambassador, and for which the king had been offered 2,500l.”; also recorded in Symondes’s pocket-book full of “directions in painting that had been communicated to him by various artists,” and quoted by Walpole, is the comment, “Walker cries up De Critz for the best painter in London.” (Walpole, Anecdotes of Painting in England, ed. Wornum, 1862, II. 422–423) John Evelyn, who had Walker paint 2 portraits of him (in 1648 and 1650), recorded in his diary that he saw Walker’s copy of Titian: “To Mr. Walker’s, a good painter, who showed me an excellent copy of Titian.” (Evelyn, entry for 6 August 1650, Diary, ed. Dobson, 1908, 156)
Items purchased by Hutchinson from the king’s collection (and from the confiscated estates of royalist grandees) eventually made their way to the Hutchinson family mansion at Owthorpe, as Lucy Hutchinson explains: “The only recreation he had during his residence at London was in seeking out all the rare artists he could heare of, and in considering their workes in payntings, sculptures, gravings, and all other such curiosities, insomuch that he became a greate virtuoso and patrone of ingenuity. Being loath that the land should be disfurnisht of all the rarities that were in it, whereof many were sett to sale in the king’s and divers noblemen’s collections, he lay’d out about two thousand pounds in the choycest pieces of painting, most of which were bought out of the king’s goods, which were given to his servants to pay their wages: to them the collonell gave ready money, and bought so good pennieworths, that they were vallued much more worth then they cost. These he brought down into the country, intending a very neat cabinett for them; and these, with the surveying of his buildings, and emprooving by enclosure the place he liv’d in, employ’d him att home ... As other things were his delight, this only he made his businesse, to attend the education of his children, and the government of his owne house and towne. This he perform’d so well that never was any man more fear’d and loved then he by all his domesticks, tenants, and hired workmen. He was loved with such a feare and reverence as restrained all rude familliarity and insolent presumptions in those who were under him, and he was fear’d with so much love that they all delighted to doe his pleasure.” (Hutchinson, Memoirs, ed. Child, 1904, 348-349)
His wife gave a prose picture of the colonel’s physique which confirms Walker’s interpretation of his life and character: “He was of a middle stature, of a slender and exactly well-proportion’d shape in all parts, his complexion fair, his hayre of a light browne, very thick sett in his youth, softer then the finest silke, curling into loose greate 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, 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 majesty mixt with sweetenesse, that at the same time bespoke love and awe in all that saw him” (Hutchinson, Memoirs, ed. Child, 1904, 38).
Colonel Hutchinson
Arrested and Confined Again (October 1663)
E X C E R P T F R O M
Lucy Hutchinson’s The Life of John Hutchinson of Owthorpe in the County of Nottinghamshire
(pp. 407–412)
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HE 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 the Duke of Buckingham’s letter, commanding him to imprison the collonell, 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 counsell, upon which he was confident of his liberty. The collonell thus dismist, came home, and upon the 22d day of October, a party of horse, sent only with a wretched corporall, came about 11 of the clock with a warrant from Mr. Leke, and fetcht him back to Newark, to the inne where he was before, Mr. Twentimans, who being still civill to him, whisper’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 souldiers, having now dismist the county, but the collonell forbade the inne to give them any drinke, or aniething elce upon his account. 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 command from Buckingham to keepe 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 collonell; and in it was this expression, “that though he could not make it out as yett, he hop’d he should bring 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 restore 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, holding 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 suddaine night assaults.
After Mr. Leke was gone, the maior, one Herring, of Newark, a rich, but simple fellow, sent the jayler to Mr. Hutchinson, to tell him he must goe to his house; which the collonel refusing to doe voluntarily, without a mittimus from some magistrate, the maior sent five constables and two souldiers, who by violence, both forc’d the collonell out of his quarters, and into the jayle without any legall committment, although the collonell warn’d both the jaylor and the men of the danger of the law, by this illegall imprisonment. The collonell would not advance att 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 jaylor afterwards used him pretty civilly: but the roome being unfitt for him, he gott cold and fell very sick, when, upon the 27th of October, Mr. Leke, with the marquesses secretary came to him, and found him soe, and acquainted him, that the marquesse had receiv’d 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 journey, and be carried up at more ease, in his owne coach, Mr. Leke himselfe being necessitated 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. Atkinson, who first seiz’d him. The same 27th day, att night, his house at Owthorpe was againe searcht, and he and his wife being abroad, all their boxes and cabinetts broken open, and all their papers rifled, but yett for all this they could find nothing to colour their injustice 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 jaylor to Twentimans the inne, from whence he was hal’d, to stay there till a commanded party of the county horse came to guard him to London. But one devision of the county who had warrants sent them, not comming in, Atkinson sent into that part where 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 jaylor. At night, when he was in bed, the maior being drunke commanded him to be carried back to the jayle, but the jaylor, 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 Wilson, 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 inhumanity, who would have forc’d him on horseback without any accommodation, when 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 justices 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 deteine the plunder when it was order’d back). The collonell, about sunsett, 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 replete with so many mallitious enemies to the whole party, and more particularly to him, upon no other account but that he had bene the most formidable protector of the other party in this country, he expected farre worse treatment from the generallity of the towne; who were so farre from joyning in joy of his captivity, that when he was forc’d through their streets they gave him very civill respect, and when he came away civill farewells, and all mutter’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 concern’d in his injuries, and from Cooper and others, not as of themselves, 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 confirm’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, where the collonell had the opertunity to take leave of his poore labourers, who wept 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 children, 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 marmalade 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 faine 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. Hutchinson was exceedingly sad, but he encouraged and kindly chid her out of it, and told her it would 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 journey, and with divers excellent exhortations chear’d her who was not wholly abandon’d to sorrow, while he was with her, who, to divert her, made himselfe sport with his guards, and deceiv’d the way, till upon the 3d of November he was brought to the Crown, in Holborne. From thence, the next day, he was carried by Mr. Leke to the Tower, and committed there close prisoner, by warrant, signed by Secretary Bennett the 20th of October, whereby he stood committed for treasonable practises, though he had never yett bene examin’d by any magistrate, 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 enjoy’d one another, since this eminent change, and bad her trust God with him; whose faith and chearefullnesse were so encouraging that it a little upheld her; but, alas! her devining heart was not to be comforted: she remembred what had bene told her of the cruell resolutions taken against him, and saw now the execution of them.
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