It is conceived to be necessary, for the satisfaction of the Public, to prefix to this work some account of the Manuscripts from which it has been printed, and of the manner in which they came into the hands of the Editor; which we shall accordingly do, interweaving therewith such subsequent information as we have been able to collect respecting the families and descendents of Colonel and Mrs. Hutchinson.

The Memoirs of the Life of Col. Hutchinson had been seen by many persons, as well as the editor, in the possession of the late Thomas Hutchinson, Esq. of Owthorpe, in Nottinghamshire, and of Hatfield Woodhall, in Hertfordshire; and he had been frequently solicited to permit them to be published, particularly by the late Mrs. Catharine Maccaulay, but had uniformly refused. This gentleman dying without issue, the editor, his nephew, inherited some part of his estates which were left unsold, including his mansionhouse of Hatfield Woodhall. In the library he found the following books, written by Mrs. Lucy Hutchinson. 1st. The Life of Col. Hutchinson. 2d. A book without a title, but which appears to have been a kind of diary made use of when she came to write the Life of Col. Hutchinson. 3d. A Fragment, giving an account of the early part of her own life. This book clearly appears to have been Mrs. Hutchinson's first essay at composition, and contains, besides the story of her life and family, several short copies of verses, some finished, some unfinished, many of which are above mediocrity.

He was the eldest surviving sonne of Sr. Thomas Hutchinson, and the lady Margarett, 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 privelledge to inheritt their parents glories. Sr. Thomas was he that remoov'd his dwelling to Owthorpe; his father, though he was possessor of that lordship, having dwelt 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 reputation 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 his who was first transplanted hither, they began other houses, of which one is soone decayed and worne out in an unwoorthy branch (he of Basford) another begins to flourish, and long may it prosper.

“TO MY CHILDREN”

They who dote on mortall excellencies, when by the inevitable fate of all things fraile, their adored idolls are taken from them, may lett loose the winds of passion to bring in a flood of sorrow; whose ebbing tides carry away the deare memory of what they have lost; and when comfort is assay'd to such mourners, commonly all obiects are remoov'd out of their view, which may with their remembrance renew their griefe; and in time these remedies succeed, when oblivions curtaine is by degrees drawn over the dead face, and things lesse lovely are liked, while they are not viewed together with that which was most excellent: but I that am under a command not to grieve att the common rate of desolate woemen, while I am studying which way to moderate my woe, and if it were possible to augment my love, can for the present find out none more iust to your deare father nor consolatory to myselfe then the preservation of his memory, which I need not guild with such flattring commendations as the hired preachers doe equally give to the truly and titularly honorable; a naked undrest narrative, speaking the simple truth of him, will deck him with more substantiall glorie, then all the panegyricks the best pens could ever consecrate to the vertues of the best men.

All this while these pettie committee fellows had carried themselves as absolute governors, and Plumtre was now their intimate favourite, and began to vapour that he would have the castle pull'd downe to re-erect the church, and the fort at the bridges throwne downe, and all the arms and souldiers brought into the towne.

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 was prosecuted, Sr. Henry Vane was so honorable as to give him advice to putt his businesse in such a way, as might take away all colour from his enemies; whereupon he put in some propositions to the committee of both kingdomes, for the composure of these differences, wherein 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 condiscension gave such satisfaction, that forthwith the whole businesse was determined at the committee of both kingdomes, and the governor sent back to his charge, with instructions drawne up for all parties, and letters written 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.

A FRAGMENT

The Almighty Author of all beings, in his various providences, whereby he conducts the lives of men from the cradle to the tomb, exercises no lesse wisdome and goodnesse then he manifests power and greatnesse in their creation, but such is the stupidity of blind mortalls that insteed of employing their studies in these admirable bookes of providence, wherein God dayly exhibitts to us glorious characters of his love, kindnesse, wisdome, and iustice, they ungratefully regard them not, and call the most wonderfull operations of the greate God the common accidents of humane life, specially if they be such as are usuall, and exercised towards them in ages wherein they are not very capable of observation, and whereon they seldome employ any reflexion; for in things greate and extraordinary some perhaps will take notice of God's working, who either forgetfc or believe not that he takes as well a care and account of their smallest concernments, even the haires of their heads.

Finding myselfe in some kind guilty of this generall neglect, I thought it might be a meanes to stirre up my thankefulnesse for things past, and to encourage my faith for the future, if I recollected, as much as I have heard or can remember, of the passages of my youth, and the general! and particular providences exercis'd to me., both in the entrance and progresse of my life.