4a.
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The National Archives
Education
Civil War
The memoirs of a senior army commander, first published around 1670
(By permission of Taylor & Francis: Memoirs of the Life of Colonel Hutchinson, by his widow Lucy, published by George Routledge, 1906, pp. 297, 300)
Here are two extracts from the Memoirs of the life of Colonel Hutchison, written by his wife. Her account was written in the 1660s. It describes his life and career.
He was a senior commander in the army and a trusted ally of Cromwell at first. However, as time went on Colonel Hutchinson became concerned about Cromwell’s actions.
By the end of Cromwell’s rule Colonel Hutchinson was a bitter critic of Cromwell.
Another critic of Cromwell was named in this source. John Lambert was a general on the Parliamentary side in the Civil War. Afterwards he was an important leader and deputy to Cromwell. However, in 1657 they fell out when Lambert and other army officers urged Cromwell not to accept the offer to become king. Lambert then retired from public life and went to live in Wimbledon.
Working out the viewpoint of this source is an interesting challenge for an historian. Hutchinson was not a supporter of Cromwell by the time this was written. However, the Hutchinsons were no friends of the monarchy. Hutchinson was one of the men who signed Charles I’s death warrant.
This book was written in the 1660s, when Charles II (son of Charles I) was back in power. Lucy Hutchinson’s book was not published until about 1670 as it contained too many criticisms of Charles I to be approved by Charles II.
