Summary of Anne Hutchison

Anne Hutchinson was the spirited daughter of a clergyman. She was born in England, but moved to Boston in 1634. The main reason she moved was to follow Reverend John Cotton, whom she greatly admired. Once in Boston, Cotton helped to get Anne accepted into the church. She was very spiritual and would have gatherings at her house in which those there could discuss the sermon of the week. This started out as a godly activity, but soon began to be a place where people could complain about and criticize the church and those preaching in it. Anne believed that the clergy was not preaching a “covalent of grace” and she was not alone in that belief. Anne was very bright and studied in the Bible; because of this many people became her “adherents”. She started out her trial completely in control. John Winthrop (her accuser) attempted to explain to her what law she had broken by having these meetings in her house and that bad talking the clergy was in fact a sin. He didn’t get very far when trying to talk to her and he was forced to let the deputy governor have a turn. He stated the full accusation and the actual reason that Anne was on trial at all: Anne had said that the clergy were preaching a covalent of works instead of a covenant of grace. In doing so Anne was calling these men Pharisees. Ms. Hutchinson denied this and even after six ministers accused her of saying this to their faces she still claimed that all she said was “one may preach a covenant of grace more clearly than another”. The next day the trial started up once again and Anne immediately started it out by asking that the ministers who accused her would list their accusations once again, but this time on oath. They attempted to ignore this demand, but she would not let it rest. Anne is just about to get her way when she opens her mouth unnecessarily and ruins everything. The men do not go on oath and the trial continues as usual. Reverend Cotton was called up as a witness and he