One morning in the spring of 1638 a large number of people had assembled at a Richmond Church to witness the marriage of John Hutchinson, eldest son of Sir Thomas Hutchinson, with Lucy Apsley, the daughter of Sir Allen Apsley. The bride, who was only eighteen years of age, was, according to her contemporaries, exceedingly beautiful and very accomplished; her future husband was learned, well-bred and handsome. Both had a host of friends, and thus it was that a large crowd had gathered at the church to witness their marriage.
The time for the bride to arrive at the church had come; but she was not there. Minutes passed, and soon a messenger arrived with the news that the marriage would not take place that day. 'But why was it postponed?' This was the question which the disappointed friends asked, and the answer was soon forthcoming.
Lucy Apsley had been seized with small-pox on her wedding morning. In those days small-pox was far more feared than it is at the present time, and the crowd quickly dispersed, some of the people fearing that the messenger who brought the bad news might also have brought the dreaded disease.
For some time it was thought that Lucy Apsley would die from the complaint, but she recovered. There were many people, however, who declared that it would have been better if she had died, for the once beautiful girl was now much disfigured, and the Society gossips expressed their confidence that John Hutchinson would never marry her.
It was unjustifiable for these people to talk of John Hutchinson as if he were a scoundrel, for he was a manly, honourable, young fellow, and quite unlikely to refuse to marry Lucy Apsley because she had lost her beauty. He told her that he was thankful to God for having spared her, and urged her to marry him as soon as it was possible.
They were married at St. Andrew's Church, Holborn, on July 3, 1638, the bride presenting such a shocking appearance that the clergyman who performed the ceremony could not look at her a second time. It is highly satisfactory to be able to say that in the course of time Lucy Hutchinson regained some of her beauty; but the contemporary writer's statement that she became as beautiful as ever she had been must be received with a certain amount of doubt.
However, it is not for her beauty but for her bravery that Lucy Hutchinson deserves to be remembered. When she had spent a few happy years of married life, the troubles which ended in the execution of Charles I. began. It was impossible for any man or woman to refrain from siding with one or the other party in this momentous struggle, for any person who claimed to be neutral would have been suspected by both parties. Lucy Hutchinson's husband was of a studious disposition, and had little taste for the frivolities and dissipation in which the majority of men of his position indulged, and it is therefore not surprising that, when it became necessary to take part in the struggle, he determined to espouse the cause of the Parliamentary party.
This step caused Lucy Hutchinson some sorrow, for her brother and many other members of her family were fighting for King Charles. However, she felt that it was her duty to hold the same political opinions as her husband, and she became a staunch Parliamentarian.
The Cavaliers, hearing that John Hutchinson had proclaimed sympathy with the Roundheads, decided to take him prisoner immediately, but warning of their intention reached him, and he fled to Leicestershire. Lucy joined him at the earliest opportunity, but they had little peace, for the Cavaliers were constantly in search of John Hutchinson.
After fleeing from place to place he arrived at Nottingham, soon after the battle of Edgehill. The Cavaliers were on their way to take possession of Nottingham, and John Hutchinson and others urged the citizens to defend the town. The militia was organised, and John Hutchinson was appointed a lieutenant-colonel.