"Family"

By Walt English

This book will take you on a Historical journey of the Royal family descendants of the World, that originally came to America at its beginnings in search of religious freedom. And how their descendants to present day lived, loved, sacrificed and fought in all its Wars to protect and defend our liberties and virtues, to this very day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Jan 30, 2015
• ISBN: 9781312876538

Book preview

"Family"

Family

This Book is dedicated to

Claudia Louise English (Slater), Wife

Lucille Ruth English, Mother

and

Carol Ann Ifland (English), Sister

This is an amazing novel of the lives of noted and common everyday individuals whose blood, sweat and tears contributed to making this country great. Spoken in their own words from generation to generation, who contributed to the success and history of America. Most of these individuals trace their roots and beginnings from many of the Royal Families of Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and yes South and Central America. The events of this book start at the very beginnings of the European influx into the Colonial Americas, in their individual pursuit for religious freedom and their discovery of self. This novel may well be interconnected and interwoven into your very own ancestors’ lives. This is not just the true story of one man’s ancestors and Family, but it represents the story of all of us. This is America’s story about its unknown and unsung sons and daughters, and it maybe your story too.

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Claudia Louise Slater, My Loving Wife, for Time and all Eternity

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Lucille Ruth Monteverde-Ortiz

Chapter 1: Preface, Turn the Hearts of the Children to their Fathers and Mothers

I decided to put the preface of this book as the first chapter. I believe most people never take the time to read the preface of a book, but if you are going to read this book you need to read and understand what is presented here.

The purpose of this book is to get you to seek out and discover who your ancestors are and to get you to do your own genealogy and discovering who you are and realize the capabilities inside you that you have inherited from all your ancestors.

This book is about my ancestors. Each ancestor tells their own story of their own life and in their own words, from birth to death.  Some of my ancestors have much to say while others lived normal quiet lives here on earth and had nothing more to say than when and where they were born, who their parents were and who their children are. For the most part, each ancestor is linked one to the other with none missing in-between. Some stories are lengthy while others are very short. Some tell an in-depth life story, while others may just tell about the most outstanding incidents in their lives.

My ancestors are remembered here, in giving them a voice once again in this life from the other side of the veil.  Now, you may have doubts that our ancestors may now live on in another physical dimension of consciousness, but I do not.  I know our bodies in this life will get old and tired and cease their abilities to carry on and sustain our lives but as we know our spirits will never die. The spirit comes from God and it cannot die. It is from this spirit that each of my ancestors will speak to you from the other side where we will all eventually be.

Back in the early 1950s, as a young child I use to sit with my grandmother in East Los Angeles and talk about what life was like when she was a little girl. Back then I had no idea just how important and valuable these seemingly small and insignificant talks would turn out to be in starting my search to know who I was and who my ancestors were.

When we look at ourselves in a mirror we think the image we look at pretty much tells the story of who we are and where we come from, for me this totally did not apply. Especially when I submitted to a DNA test with 23andMe, found on the web @ https: //www.23andme.com.

When I was in school and college I remember that the following questions would invariably come up at the very first meeting of my history classes by the teacher or by one or more of my fellow classmates, Why do we study history? Isn’t it just about remembering people, places, events and facts?  Does it really apply to us today? What do all these dead people have to do with me?  I can say after about twenty-five years of researching my family roots that I had no idea that the very people, places, events, facts that took place in history had occurred to and because of many of my related ancestors.

Frequently when you talk to people about genealogy, I always hear these same old repetitive comments, Who cares!, They’re just a bunch of dead people!, and Oh my Aunt or Mother is the one that has done all of our genealogy in my family. Really? So, if she has it then what do you know about it? Or when you try to encourage others to find out who’s in their family tree they unknowingly discount your efforts by saying, Well we are all related to each other, so I have some people in my family tree as you too! Really? The real difference is that I know who I am and who I am related too. I have done the research and I have the documentation to prove it and back it up. Sadly, they really have no idea who they’re related to or what contribution their ancestors have made for them or for the good of all mankind.  And how selfish and self-centered can anyone be by not at least trying to find out the names of their ancestors, where they lived and what kind of life they lived. After all, if it wasn’t for them, you wouldn’t be here.

And if you are one that believes in a hereafter aren’t you going to see them there too?  Did you ever think of that? And what are you going to tell them when they ask you, Why didn’t you take the time to find out anything about me? In any case you wouldn’t be here if it hadn’t been for them! In the end, don’t you owe them at least that much gratitude for your life, to find out who they are?

But even if you don’t believe in a hereafter and you believe this is the only life you’ll have; shouldn’t you at least find out who made it possible for you to be here?  And if you are that one who is quick to say no, then answer this, why is it so important for some individuals who find out that they are adopted, for that adopted person to want to find out who their real birth parents are? It’s because there is an invisible link that binds all of us to our birth parents and to our ancestors, I cannot explain it, or what that force is, but I know that those who search for their real birth parents can testify to you that the force is real, and it drives them to find out. What they and I may ask of you is this, why is it, you who knows who your birth parents are don’t even take the slightest interest in finding out who your ancestors are and who and what they did before you?

We are all humans and we all carry the same human emotions. We all want to be someone. We all want to be recognized by others. We all want to be remembered. So why would you think that your ancestors are any different than you? No matter what religious beliefs you have, putting that aside, isn’t it a worthy cause to discover where you came from and who were responsible for your being who you are today? Isn’t it a worthy thing to find out who your generations of grandfathers and grandmothers were? Don’t you think they want to be remembered? And wouldn’t it be best that you, who are their descendant, are the one to find them and remember them? Because if you don’t who else will? Are you really willing to let them lie dead in their graves never to be remembered or mentioned again or are you willing to discover and remember them and pass on their names and their stories on to the next generations from you?

You know I have heard that God’s gift to you is your life and your gift to God is what you make of your life. I believe the same can be said of our ancestors. Shouldn’t we take the time to discover our ancestors, to know what their name was, when and where they were born, who they married, who were their children, and who were their parents and to know the same things about their parents?  What better thing can we do than to honor ourselves by honoring our ancestors in remembering them and passing on their information to our children or the next generation after us? And if you don’t who will remember them? Who will do the work?

I so hope that by you wanting to read about my ancestors’ lives that they will not only become alive to you and be remembered for that small amount of time you spend reading about them, that it will create an intense desire for you to want to find your roots too.

Doing genealogy is exciting! I can’t adequately explain the excitement that one truly gets in discovering the next piece of the puzzle to one’s genealogy. It is challenging! Sometimes you’ll get stuck on how names are spelled or on dates or places that really doesn’t match, but I can guarantee you that if you remain persistent, you will be led to the correct answers to the puzzle of your genealogy. If you like detective work, or figuring out puzzles or you are persistent in things you do, then you’ll literally enjoy doing genealogy.

Genealogy is easy. When I first started doing genealogy in 1987, I had to use the Soundex system at the National Archives in Kansas City, Missouri. In searching for just one ancestor it could take me an hour to find that one person using the Soundex system taken from the United States Census records on microfiche. Today you can find an ancestor in seconds using the many different genealogy websites. I prefer Ancestry.com @ http://home.ancestry.com/ and Rootweb.com @ http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/.  But there are so many more websites that can help you find your ancestors of the past.  Even using Google.com @ http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=en is an excellent source to be used by just typing in your ancestor’s name and their spouses name; you can generally find other websites of information to assist you in your search. These sites that come up can be used in searching for your ancestors too! If you can type, read, and use a computer you can do genealogy. One of the most inexpensive and helpful places to go and get started in doing your genealogy is at The Family History Centers located at your local Stake Centers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their locations and phone numbers are in any local telephone book. It’s all free; they have friendly patient individuals that will assist you on your way to finding your ancestors. They have the computers and free access to the most helpful of websites to get you off and running, and again it’s all free no matter what your faith is.

I hope you will become inspired to do your genealogy by reading this book about my ancestors. And know that even a person of average intelligence like me, was able to discover and find out so much about his ancestors that you can do it too!

As for this book, I will tell you I was inspired to write it!   When I had finally had collected so much information about my ancestors, I thought it would make an amazing story of where and who I came from. After doing about twenty-five years of research and compiling documents and buying books, I was finally ready to sit down and write about my ancestors, I thought their combined lives made such an interesting story from one generation down to the next.

This book is divided up into different chapters. The Chapters are titled with the name of the most mentioned family in each chapter or the title contains words which best describes most of my ancestors presented in that chapter.

Most of the Chapters at the beginning of this book basically start at the end of the 16th Century or about the first half of the 17th Century. These Chapters then continue to funnel down into the 19th and 20th centuries, where they have been dove-tailed into the latter chapters of this book, with all of them culminating into Chapter 17.  As appropriate for each Chapter, I mention those grandparents of mine that descended from Royal Families and list the names of these Kings, Queens and Biblical leaders (not totally inclusive or in succession) that each of these grandparents descended from right down to my parents.

Unfortunately, when trying to discover your ancestors there will be those relatives that will be uncooperative and will be adamantly oppose to your efforts in discovering your ancestors. It is best to circumvent around them and realize that they are unwilling to be helpful in your search for information. I found this to be so with my mother’s sister. Her reasons were based solely upon religious bias. But don’t let that get you down, just move on and continue your search, and if you keep at it you’ll find the answers.

There are parts in this book that were written through inspiration and conjecture. But instead of distracting from the overall story, these parts will not be identified.  The truthfulness of the book is verified by dates, places and generally names. I will tell you that the most accurate chapter in this book is Chapter 17, for this chapter was written from firsthand knowledge. Especially the experiences that my father witness during World War II. And as you read this Chapter know that my father was not religious what so ever. In fact, I never saw my father ever step foot into a church nor did I ever hear or witness him saying a prayer, not even at dinner, he was totally agnostic.  That is why what he saw and what he experienced in combat in Anzio, Italy during World War II was even more believable, because he sworn to me he felt, saw and heard what is written inside. And even today I still can’t fathom how someone, like my very own father could have had such glorious experiences and still not believed in God.

Please enjoy this book. I hope it will inspire you to find your roots too!

Chapter 2: The Cudworth Family

My name is James Cudworth; I am the son of the Reverend Ralph Cudworth and Mary Machell.  I will attempt to tell the story of the Cudworths.  I am the ninth Great Grandfather of the Author of this book.

The first documented person of the Cudworth family is John Cudworth. He was born in 1384 in Werneth, Lancastershire, England and there the family would live until the birth of my father Ralph Cudworth.  Ralph Cudworth was born Wednesday on 14 September 1572 in Aller, Langport, Somerset, England to his father the Lord Rauf Cudworth and Lady Jane Ashton; both parents were born into families of wealth and privilege and royal lineage.

Ralph Cudworth (1572-1624)

My father Ralph Cudworth would never know his father. He had died shortly after his birth. My mother was left with the challenges to raise her children alone.

At an early age Ralph started impressing those around him with his intellectual ability. He was a quick learner. At an early age he demonstrated this ability in grasping all subjects effortlessly. As he grew into his adolescents he especially became fond of literature and languages, were he excelled and adopted a fondness in Latin, Greek and Hebrew languages and books.

Because of his extraordinary intellectual abilities, his mother saw to it that young Ralph received the best schooling and education available to him. Soon over the years from childhood to adolescence he continued to grow intellectually far surpassing others of his age. It would additionally be through these formative years that his mother ensured that he had become a scholar of the Holy Bible. This was accomplished through their daily readings and discussions of the scriptures together.  No one would have realized at the time that this single endeavor would set the course of his life in later achieving a Doctorate in Divinity degree and becoming the Chaplain to the King of England.

It would be because of his mother’s insistence for him to study and memorize the Bible; he had acquired the ability to recite scripture flawlessly over the years. He had developed the ability in becoming quite the extraordinary story teller of the Bible and learned to embellish these stories for greater interest and entertainment value. He would be called upon by his mother’s friends to entertain them with his storytelling at dinner parties and social gatherings held by his mother Lady Ashton.

At seventeen he had everything going for him, Young Ralph Cudworth had been blessed not only as an intellectual but he had been blessed with his father’s tall and athletic build and his Mother’s good looks in the way of giving him a striking masculine face.  It would be during his seventeenth year that he had been chosen to attend Emanuel College of Cambridge University. It would be at Cambridge that he would mass together all the various levels of degrees, receiving his Baccalaureate in 1593, his Masters in 1596, and his Baccalaureate of Divinity in 1603, and most significantly receiving his Doctorate of Divinity in 1619. It was not long after receiving his Baccalaureate Degree in Divinity that he was asked to become a Fellow of Emanuel College.  A little later he was asked to become a lecturer at St. Andrews, at Cambridge. Over the years his lectures became so popular that there was standing room only at these affairs. It would be because of his growing popularity coupled with his excellent record of academic acumen that in 1609 he was appointed the Rector of Aller. It would be because of his popularity and intellect that the paths of King James I of England and he would cross and develop into an extraordinary and strong relationship.

On March 24, 1603, King James I of Scotland became not only the King of England but France too, like all his predecessors before him since October 21, 1422 who sat upon the English throne. This new King was considered to be the most learned and intellectual person ever to sit on the English throne. During the post-coronation celebrations of King James, he met many of his subjects, but none would catch his intellectual eye as did the Reverend Ralph Cudworth. The King felt at ease and engaged with him. The King purposely arranged several more get-togethers in inviting the Lady Machell and Ralph Cudworth to his residence in ensuring that he would be the right choice in becoming his Chaplain and personal confidant. Finally, it would not be long after their meeting that King James appointed my father as his personal Chaplain.

In 1604, King James I of England would authorize a new translation of the Holy Bible into the English language. This would become one of his most important legacies in his personal involvement in directing and overseeing the translation of the Holy Scriptures. Unbeknown to all, the King tasked Ralph Cudworth as his personal representative to watch over the translated documents. Through Ralph Cudworth’s expertise and knowledge of the Bible, the King was able to make his final authorization of The King James Bible.

As their relationship progressed between the King and my father, they would sit for hours discussing religion, politics, and events of day. King James not only brought his keen intellectual opinions to these exchanges but his colliding thoughts that opposed his Scottish Presbyterian beliefs that opposed his Mother’s (Bloody Mary) Roman Catholic scrutiny. It would not be long after the appointment of Ralph Cudworth as the Chaplain to the King, which King James would make known of his homosexual tendencies to my father. Because King James struggled constantly between his self-inflicted and tormenting thoughts about being a homosexual, which was a direct affront to his religious beliefs, the two would spend countless hours working through the King’s personal secret life in dealing with his demons of homosexuality. The greatest trials in their relationship would be from the struggling thoughts and self-persecuting sufferings that King James put himself through.  It would be through my father’s empathy for the King’s situation that he would bring healing and comfort to King James. It would be from my father’s discretion and in his keeping these conversations to himself that would develop their mutual respect for one another. Because of this, their relationship would become the strongest of King James’ life. And throughout my father’s life, he would keep all the King’s difficulties and secrets to himself, with the only exception ever being that of his wife.

As time went by Reverend Ralph Cudworth continued to be a religious man and a free thinker all the way up until his death. Because of the way Ralph Cudworth interpreted how Christ had lived his life in the principles of the gospel, was the reason how I, James Cudworth his son, learned that the spirit of the law was far more important than the letter of the law. It would be from Christ’s teachings coupled with Ralph’s strong love for Christ and for his fellowman that all his children would benefit and learned to be tolerant of others regardless of their race, creed, color, ethnicity or religious beliefs.  And these ideals of tolerance were further learned by me, James Cudworth because of my mother, which was a product of his father’s influence upon her. This influence in loving one another as we would love ourselves would become the single most significant basis for me, James Cudworth, in standing up to Governor William Bradford, Thomas Prence and Reverend John Norton in defense of the Quakers and again it would become the single most important reason for Ralph Cudworth’s son in developing religious tolerance towards all others in the New World.

Mary Machell (1574-1634)

I am Mary Machell wife of Ralph Cudworth and mother of General James Cudworth. I am the daughter of Matthew Machell and Mary Lewknor.  My family descends from most of the Royal families of England, and those of Europe, all the way back to Noah and from there to Adam and Eve. I am a direct descendant of King Edward I of England (Longshanks). (His father had married Alianore de Castile, daughter of Fernando III, a descendant of King Charlemagne). The following are the descendants of King Edward to me. King Edward’s wife was Margaret of France, granddaughter of King Louis the IX of France and King James I of Spain. Edward and Alianore had a son named Thomas of Brotherton, 1st Earl of Norfolk, and Earl Marshal, who married Alice de Hales. Their daughter was Margaret Plantagenet, Duchess of Norfolk; she married John Segrave, 4th Baron Segrave. Their child was Elizabeth de Segrave, who married John Mowbray 4th Baron of Mowbray (signer of the Magna Charta). They had a daughter Eleanor Mowbray, and she married John de Welles, 5th Baron of Welles. Their child was Eudo de Welles husband of Maud de Greystock. Their son was Lionel de Welles, 6th Baron Welles; his wife was Joan Waterton, parents of Eleanor de Welles, her husband being Thomas Hoo 1st Baron Hoo. Anne Hoo being their child married Sir Roger Copley, having the daughter Margaret Copley, who married Edward Lewknor. Edward Lewknor married Dorothy Wroth. Their child was Mary Lewknor, she married Matthew Machell. Their daughter was Mary Machell wife of Ralph Cudworth. Most prominent of their children would be the Reverend Ralph Cudworth, Jr. Reverend Ralph Cudworth, Jr., was a philosopher, theologian and scholar. He became a famous and distinguished man in the educated realm of Europe, which was displayed by his hypothesis of the Intellectual System.  Additionally, He also became the most noted Professor of Hebrew at the University of Cambridge from 1645 to 1688.

So, in this story of life from one generation to the next, the gift of life is passed on by Reverend Ralph Cudworth and his wife Mary Machell to our son General James Cudworth, who is our first born, out of a total of our five children. This then is the continuation of The Cudworth Family story in James’ own words:

General James Cudworth, (1612-1682)

I was born Thursday, August 2, 1612, in Aller, Somerset, England. My father was the Reverend Ralph Cudworth and my mother was Mary Machell. Mother was the nurse to Princess Henry, the eldest son of King James I. And for different reasons my parents both became intertwined within the life of King James I, King of England, and his family, as they did ours.

I like Ralph Cudworth, Jr., and all my siblings were well home schooled by my mother and by many different educators of the Somerset area and a few from London, England when we traveled and stayed there for long periods of time.  I learned to love history, common law and reading about military heroes. At a very young age I was involved in raising sheep, and learned the art of selling wool to Flemish and English cloth weavers, which developed and prepared me for my future business adventures in the New World. When not studying, I was always involved in the various routine farming duties on my step-father’s estate, the Reverend John D Stroughton, D.D.

Mary Parker (1615-1681)

Now fully grown and no longer a child, I James Cudworth, developed an attention in one Mary Parker, who was born about 1615 in Axminister, Devonshire, England, now a resident of Taunton, Somerset, England. In the spring of 1632 I found myself in love with this beautiful and well-mannered lady and she found herself in love with me. It became as clear as the noses on our faces. I became captivated by her beauty and charm. Mary was a lady of a commoner background; her father was a haberdasher and an owner of his own gentlemen’s shop in Taunton, Somerset, England. But even being from a commoner’s status, Mary was a very beautiful and refined lady, who was elegant and sophisticated, fit for a higher social order as were her parents. Additionally, Mary was conspicuously educated for a commoner and was raised in a strong religious family; she was just the person my mother would approve of for me to marry.

One day I went to see my mother to tell her I was going to propose to Mary Parker, James Cudworth: Mother, I want you to know that I have decided to ask Mary for her hand in marriage today! Mother Mary: Finally James! I was beginning to wonder if you were ever going to ask her!  Son, you have my blessings for the both of you. James gently embraces his mother and she kisses him on his cheek, and he on her’s. James: Mother, even though you are of poor health, I expect you to be present at our wedding. For the last number of years Mary’s health had declined significantly and her mobility was now virtually nonexistent. Mary: I understand James; I feel this life is quietly slipping away from me.  Now emotionally uncomfortable in what Mary had just said, he quickly attempts to change the conversation, James: Oh mother, you have countless years left, don’t be silly! Mary: I wish that were true. James: Mother, stop. You have many more years left. Feeling sadden by his mother’s comments, James is even more determined to quickly change the subject to Mary Parker. James: Mother, Mary Parker is so wonderful, I know she is the one! I feel confident that her father will accept my proposal Now smiling, Mother Mary said: And why wouldn’t he? You are a very good person and if I do say so myself, the best looking young man in all of Somerset County. James: Really Mother please stop! Knowing that her servants Andrew and Miss White might hear what she was saying. Mother Mary: As you would have it, but I know she loves you too! She has told me on several occasions she loves you and wonders if you will ever ask her to marry you? James: Well I hope she’s ready, because I am going directly from here to her father to ask for her hand in marriage. I arranged a meeting to see her father today at noon. Mother Mary: Wonderful! James then kisses his mother on the cheek and calls out to Andrew their butler to have Benjamin bring around the carriage from the horse and carriage house. James then gets aboard for the forty-minute carriage ride to the Parker’s residence in Taunton, Somerset, England. As James rode to Taunton he could not stop thinking about what a stunning day it was. It was one of those mid-spring days filled with plenty of birds singing their joyful tunes. The sky was dotted with large bright billowing white clouds resting upon a huge light-blue sky, and there among it all high in the sky was the most beautiful yellowish-golden sun. James continued to think of what a beautiful day it was for such an occasion to ask for Mary Parker’s hand in marriage and for some reason it not only made everything seem more wonderful, but created a great sense of confidence within him.

Before I knew it, Benjamin and I had arrived at the Jonathan Parker’s residence. I told Benjamin: Secure the horses and carriage, and meet me back here in two hours. The Parker house was built of a common dark brownish-red brick. Their house was a stately looking two-story building, standing about thirty feet in height and was approximately thirty feet wide. Each house on either side shared a common wall with the Parker’s house. The entrance to the front doors of the house was a flight of eight steps high where two huge white double doors greeted him. Both doors measured eight feet in height and about one yard wide. Off to each side of the entrance, facing towards the street, were two large wooden windows. About four feet below the bottom edge of each window were two flower beds filled with all types of spring flowers, in an array of rainbow colors. Now posed before the doors I grasped the black S shaped door knocker and gently tapped it three times, which was quickly opened and greeted by a very enthusiastically Mr. Jonathan Parker, originally of Axminister, England. He quickly ushered me into their parlor. There sitting upon two statuesque gold colored wooden chairs with high button tucked backs were my beautiful Mary and her gracious mother. It was obvious to me that everyone knew the intent of my visit, the anticipation was clearly written all over their faces. I was directed by Johnthan Parker to sit down next to him. It was upon sitting down that the seriousness of this event had finally hit me. My mouth became instantly dry. The palms of my hands began sweating and I began to feel like I was going to throw-up at any minute. If that wasn’t dreadful enough I felt like everyone there was focusing in on my shaking legs. Later in thinking about that occasion it all became quite comical to me.

Mr. Jonathan Parker asked me: To what do we owe this pleasure of your company today James?  Being preoccupied with my own thoughts and emotions of the moment I almost over looked the question of Mr. Parker. It was Mary’s sweet smile, and her quick eye movements back and forth from me to her father that I realized I needed to reply to Mr. Parker’s question.  Clearing my voice and trying to sound manly and confident, I said: Yes, Mr. Parker, I have taken this opportunity to bring up a question of great importance to me and the future of all of us here. Looking at Mrs. Parker, her face held an expression of Well young man let us get on with it.  Now having summoned all the courage I had within me, I poised myself and said: Mr. Parker, Mrs. Parker, Mary (then taking the opportunity to pause and look starry eyed at Mary) I heard myself saying; I humbly request your daughter’s hand in marriage. Without any hesitation, Mr. Parker ecstatically popped up out of his chair grasping my hand and began shaking it like a water pump handle and responded with, Why of course James, Yes! Before I realized it, we were all standing in a huddle embracing one another and again several times more I found myself shaking hands with Mr. Parker, whereupon Mrs. Parker finally leaned in and gave me a gentle kiss upon my right cheek. Mrs. Parker then turned to Mr. Parker, tugging on his arm, and said Jonathan let’s leave them alone for a while, I am sure they would like some time by themselves. As soon as they disappeared around the corner of the door way, I quickly embraced Mary and passionately kissed her upon her lips, neck and face. As I had hoped she responded in kind, whereupon we found ourselves in the heat of the moment. A great surge of passion overcame both of us. It seemed that we had just started kissing, and were in tangled in each other’s embraces when Mrs. Parker stated: Ok you two love birds, you have been in their now for nearly thirty minutes and we’re coming in to celebrate with you." We quickly adjusted ourselves as they re-entered the room. We spent the next half hour discussing preparations for the wedding. It was clear to me that all the details for the upcoming wedding had previously been planned, arranged and set in stone well in advance of this occasion by Mary and Mrs. Parker. As they continued to talk, I was overwhelmed with Mrs. Parker’s details and the extent of events already accomplished and undertaken before today’s proposal, had I made it that obvious? Mr. Parker winked at me in a manner to say, Son you’ve been had!  Soon it was time to leave. I kissed Mary, and then I kissed Mrs. Parker’s hand and then shook Mr. Parker’s hand, which showed me to the front door. Before I realized it, Mary had followed me out onto the front porch area, where we once again embraced in each other’s arms and spent at least another ten-minute kissing each other and affectionately expressing our love for each other, this was soon broken up too with the arrival of the carriage and horses driven by Benjamin.

Prior to my marriage to Mary, I wrestled with the thoughts of my future in living in Taunton or Aller, in my attempts to eke out a living. But most of all my greatest worry which plagued me constantly was what occupation could I seek? Having very little money saved, no real property to call my own, and only experienced in how to manage my stepfather’s estate made matters even more depressing. My only saving grace was knowing my Mother would now grant me a small portion of my father’s inheritance. I found myself at the greatest crossroads in my life. I knew if I was to stay put in Somerset, England, I would continue to be one of no title and of little or no significant importance for quite a long time or as so many other brave souls before me, I could travel to the New World and take my chances there. Making matters even more depressing and difficult, I would not only have to convince Mary to leave her family behind for the New World but I would have to leave my wonderful ailing mother too, knowing that I probably would never see her again nor would she ever know her future grandchildren.

It was now December 11th, 1633, and the outside appeared to be as gloomy as my mood inside me. Mary Parker was at my side in the carriage, we had just left her parent’s home with the news we were about to tell my unsuspecting mother. We had both decided to start a new life in the New World. So, with heavy hearts filled with painful emotions, we were on our way now to break the news to my mother and ask her for her acceptance and forgiveness before leaving to the New World. We arrived just in time for the afternoon tea hour at the Dr. John D Stroughton’s Estate, husband now to my mother and my stepfather. Interrupting my thoughts, the carriage pulled up in front of their stately mansion, Benjamin helped Mary Parker down out of the carriage first and then assisted myself. The walk to the front door seem to take forever, I was totally overcome with trepidation. We had finally reached the front door; I just stood there frozen in thought. I thought now I know how Mary must have felt telling her parents that we had decided to go to the New World.  Finally, after quite a long pause standing at the front door, I was brought back to reality by Mary’s voice. Mary: James? James?  I then realize I was lost within my thoughts. Then I heard Mary say: Let’s go inside, Okay? James: Okay, but this is going to be so difficult!  Mary: I know James, let’s go inside and get this done. When Mary finally stopped wiping the tears from her face and we had both composed ourselves, we went inside.  We were instantly greeted by Andrew, who had been over-seeing the preparation for the afternoon tea hour. I was relieved that my stepfather had gone to London on business and none of my half-sisters were present. The less people involved the better, I thought to myself. Andrew: Your mother is in the parlor, we are preparing for tea. James: Thank you Andrew Andrew: May I take your coats? James: By all means yes and thank you Andrew Andrew: My pleasure sir! My mother then called out, James is that you? I just stood there, paralyzed with great trepidation. Mary: Yes Lady Stroughton, it is James and I, Mary turned to me, Mary: James snap out of it Now escorting me by my arm, Mary bravely led me into the parlor. Mother Mary: What a pleasant surprise to see you both at this hour, come sit down and have some tea and sweet breads with me. Mary: Oh how sweet and wonderful to see you Mary Bending down to kiss her on the cheek. Nervously clearing my voice, James said: hmmm, Hello mother, how has your day been Then kissing her on the forehead. Mother Mary: Oh just the regular pains of the day son.  She continued to adjust her comforter on her lap and over her legs.  Mother Mary: Now, please sit down, please Mary sit here next to me, James sit here. Now what do I owe you for this wonderful surprise and your fine presents at this hour? James looked at his mother’s sweet smile and aging face, which made it all the more difficult for what James was about to say to his mother. James: Well mother it was so beautiful out today we decided to take a ride and we ended up here.  Mother Mary, How nice! Then before I knew it Mary and mother were making small talk about the wedding arrangements, Mary said something about her wedding gown, and then I realize my Mother was asking me something. Mother Mary: And how do you feel about that son Not knowing what I was answering I replied, James: Fine Mother, it’s just fine Mother Mary: Very well, we all agree, how wonderful. Now thinking to myself, what the heck was that about, how stupid of me. I need to get a hold of myself; this wasn’t going well for me. Now fussing within my head, I questioned myself; I thought when am I going to tell her? I just didn’t want to break her heart. I was feeling so miserable inside now. I then was saved…at least for a little while longer when Andrew commented: Tea is served.  Andrew and Miss White sat the silver trays of tea and sweet breads before us on the oval shaped tea table. Andrew: Will there be anything else Lady Stroughton? Mother Mary: No, nothing else for now Andrew, thank you both. Andrew: Your welcomed my Lady. Miss White and Andrew then quickly disappeared to the Kitchen area. I poured the tea for my mother first, then Mary and finally for myself. I then lifted the plate of sweet breads gesturing to my Mother to take one. Then I offered Mary the tray of sweet breads where she declined. I found myself unable to bring myself to the task at hand in telling my mother the bad news. Mary and mother continued in their conversation. Finally, after about half an hour of Mother and Mary talking about the upcoming wedding, I could no longer take it. James: Mother I have something to say to you. Mother Mary: Well James, I was beginning to think that the cat ran off with your tongue. The suspense was so great that her levity at this point was greatly appreciated. Mary laughed, and mother reciprocated with her laughter as well. I just sat there showing no signs of emotions. Mother Mary: James what’s wrong, where is your sense of humor? It seemed like an eternity went by. I looked at Mary, she responded in kind with a sweet smile of affection. Mother looked at us both, and then I could see, she knowing me, knew that I had something very difficult to say. I moved my chair closer to her, I then tenderly lifted up her frail hand, placing each of my thumbs on opposite sides of her hand and started to gently caress each side. She stared into my eyes as if to say, well tell me. James: Mother, Mary and I have come to ask for your support and consent to a very difficult decision we have made. Mother Mary: What is it son? Mary: Mary, what James is going to ask, is very difficult for the both of us. James and I love you very much and mean you no sorrow. Mother looked at both of them, masking her true feelings of dread. Mother Mary: Son it will be fine, tell me what it is. She could see now how difficult this was for the both of them, and in an effort to make it easier on Mary and I she reached out for both their hands and placed them on her lap in a tender grasp. Now with tears in my eyes and leaning closer to my mother I finally found my words. James: Mother you know I love you very much and would never do anything to hurt you, but I know what I am about to say will not only hurt just you but Mary and I as well. Mother sat there looking even more anxious. James: Mother, we have decided to go to the New World, and start our lives together there. We have chosen to leave soon. My sweet Mary started to silently weep as tears came down her face, then she placed her face into her hands, her emotions finally got the better of her. In her mind she once again mentally played over the visions of hurt and bewilderment that her parents had displayed earlier that morning. Tears started running down my face as well. Mother sat looking very brave considering the news she had just received, while still holding our hands, with a very kind and understanding smile upon her face. Then she spoke. Mother Mary: Children, I can only imagine how difficult of a decision this has been for the both of you! But know that you not only have my blessings but my full support in your decision. I am getting older and do not have much time left here, and you both have the rest of your lives ahead of you. Have no sorrow for me and never have any regrets in your decisions. You will always be in my heart that is the farthest you will ever be from me. I will always love you both! Now I insist you go and enjoy the rest of your day." We all rose to our feet, then we embraced and kissed one another, hardly speaking a word. We then got into our carriage and rode away. Not knowing that mother would spend the rest of her day locked up in her room crying and secluding herself from everyone else that day. This event of deciding to go to the New World would be the major turning point in all our lives.

Before we all knew it, it was February 1, 1633, I was standing now in front of an alter with Mary at Saint Margaret’s Anglican Church in Northam, Devonshire, England. Mary looked so beautiful standing there in her white gown and long flowing train, saying her vows, with the candle light glowing upon her face, she was radiant and before I knew it, being lost in the moment, we were married. Many came and attended our wedding, from Nobility to commoners, but I was the happiest and thankful that my mother was able to attend as well. I was so thankful she was there representing my father and herself. Unfortunately, the long travel to the wedding from her home had taken its toll upon her health and she was only able to attend the wedding. Little did I know then that she would be taken from us by our Heavenly Father by mid-December of 1634?

Although Northam was a very popular area for having weddings and for newlyweds to stay at, it was also very popular as a vacation spot for many of the Royal family and the Upper Class of Nobility of England.  It was due to its’ romantic seascapes and harbor views and picturesque surroundings.  But it was not just a retreat area, it was a region teaming with commerce and travel headed across the seas to the New World.  Northam had become one of many popular seaports used along the southwestern coasts of England were people, livestock and supplies departed from to the New World, as we were about to too.

Two days after our wedding Mary and I boarded the ship Charles anchored in the harbor North of Northam, Devonshire, England, there we began our journey to our final destination of Salem, Massachusetts.  Thanks to the help of my Step-Uncles, Israel Stoughton, Esq. and Thomas Stoughton, through various letters, we were able to know one Timothy Hatherley, a man who made many arrangements in the past between the Pilgrims and Shipmasters in providing transportation to the New World. Through our collective efforts we made arrangements to sail to the New World aboard the ship called Charles.  Several days after our wedding we boarded the vessel the Charles, which finally raised its anchor in the harbor North of Northam, England early on the morning of February 3, 1633 and which would later arrive and drop anchor in the overcast seaport of Salem, Massachusetts, April 6th, 1633. The Charles was approximately 65 feet in length and weighted about 180 tons empty. The ship was made out of oak, ash and pine. The last trip the Charles took to Massachusetts was on April 10, 1632, from the same port we were now leaving from.  On June 5th, 1632, we finally docked in the seaport of Salem, Massachusetts with nine brave families, Timothy Hatherley. Timothy was to become my best and beloved friend for the rest of my life.

Timothy Hatherley or any of us who had boarded this tiny ship that day were prepared for the journey which lay before us, having never sailed aboard a ship before, let alone sailing across the Atlantic Ocean. At first many of us made the beginning of this journey exclusively topside clinging to the ship’s side railings, constantly emptying the contents of our stomachs over the side, this went on for some of us for days and for a few, sadly weeks. The incessant dipping and rolling of the ships movements not only made us sick and miserable but contributed to our sleep deprivation as well. But believe it or not in a month many were no longer seasick, and many had become accustomed to the various disgusting odors that some of us were still producing. We had either developed a tolerance to the rancid stench or we were too psychologically weary and too physically tired to give a damn.

Once aboard ship, we quickly realized we needed to work out how we were to relieve ourselves at night. First, we setup several curtained off areas below topside, to the chagrin of the ship’s Captain, to relive ourselves during the night, but for practical reasons due to the lack of proper ventilation below, the disgusting smells of human waste and spillage accidents that took place, we had all quickly come to the conclusion to abandon this arrangement. We instead constructed a blanketed off, semi-private area topside to the rear of the ship for reliving ourselves which quickly earned the name the poop deck.

Adding to our problems was the lack of privacy; it was totally non-existent aboard such a tiny ship. At first each family aboard tried to blanket or sheet off their separate areas below deck for basic privacy. This pursuit for privacy was quickly abandoned!  It would be because of the many mad dashes to throw up or to get to the poop deck to properly relieve ourselves that many of us had injured ourselves in the process.  This was due to the pitch darkness below deck and because the majority of us would become entangled in the different sheets or blankets we had put up for our privacy in trying to make our mad dashes topside. It wasn’t long before all our ill-conceived privacy obstacles were taken down.

Despite all these woes, we had all managed to maintain our civilities towards one another. The education of the children continued on a daily basis with the exception of Sunday, of course. Each day was started with group prayer topside, if weather permitted, followed by scripture reading from the The Douay–Rheims Bible or The Geneva Bible.  After the morning meal was served the women would either assist in schooling the children or participating in quilt or comforter making, or helped in the preparation for the next meal. The men would always join together for continued daily scripture reading. Additionally, the men would join Mr. Timothy Hatherley to talk about the farming lands of the colonies, pouring over maps of Massachusetts or sharing in helpful discussions about trapping for furs, planting, building, Indians or other relevant matters.

Prior to my arrival to the New World, I was strongly encouraged by my Step-Uncles Lieutenant Colonel Israel Stoughton, Esq. and Thomas Stoughton to come to the Massachusetts Colony. They had arrived with the Winthrop expedition of 1630 aboard the Mary & John and had settled in what is now called Dorchester, Massachusetts. These men were the brothers of my stepfather, the Reverend John D Stroughton, D.D. Of these two men Lieutenant Colonel Israel Stoughton, Esq., (who would become one of the Founders of Harvard University), took the greatest interest in me upon my arrival to Salem, Massachusetts. Between the years 1633 and 1639 Lieutenant Colonel Israel Stoughton, Esq. trained me in military matters, developed my leadership skills and taught me English Common Law, all of which he was highly qualified to teach.

Mary and I eventually settled in Scituate Massachusetts in 1633, where we joined the Scituate Massachusetts Church on 18 January 1634. Thanks to my association to Israel Stoughton, Esq. on January 1st, 1634, I was admitted as a freeman of the Plymouth Colony, this gave me the rights to full citizenship, of which most importantly was the right to vote and hold public office, a privilege not given to all men at that time. I would buy property in Scituate and build my first home there with the money from my inheritance and that which I would borrow from Israel Stoughton.

It would be between our starting years in Scituate and our return from Barnstable we were blessed with the following children:

(1)  James Cudworth Jr., Birth 3 May 1635 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony. I married Mary Howland, about 1664, at Scituate.  (2)  Mary Cudworth was born July 23, 1637 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony.  I married Robert Whitcomb, on 9 Mar 1660, in Scituate, Plymouth Colony (3) Jonathan Cudworth, Birth 16 Jul 1638 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony. (4)  Israel Cudworth, Birth 18 April 1641 in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony. I married Joanna, about 1678, in Scituate.  (5)  Joannah Cudworth, I was born March 23, 1643 in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony.  Hannah married (John?) Jones, about 1663, probably in Scituate, Plymouth Colony (6) Unnamed Baby Boy Cudworth, was born June 24, 1644 in Barnstable, Plymouth Colony.  (7)  Jonathan Cudworth, I was born about 1648 in Scituate, Plymouth Colony.  I married Sarah Jackson, on 31 May 1667, in Scituate, Plymouth Colony.

In 1639 I moved my family from Scituate to Barnstable, Massachusetts. Having been competently experienced in caring for my step-father’s many sheep and taking them to market, and selling their wool to the cloth weavers, I looked for a similar opportunity in the Colonies.  I found out the majority of the sheep farms were in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, so we moved there. My original intent in moving there was to become a commodities broker. It would entail the selling of wool and mutton to the colonies and England. To my surprise once there I learned of the great salt reserves in the region. At first the salt was used only by the locals to preserve the mutton for market. (Salt was like Gold, during many periods of civilizations, it could be used as a method of paying for goods, service and labor.)  I saw this as a greater opportunity than selling mutton and sheep wool. So, I seized the opportunity of salt mining and became known as a Salter in occupation. I eventually became the middle man between the extractors of salt in Barnstable County and the different buyers in the Colonies and England. This opportunity became a great blessing for my family.  So, after building up my reputation as a businessman and my contacts in the village of Falmouth and throughout Barnstable County, I moved back to Scituate, Massachusetts becoming a Salter, an occupation allowing us to live a very comfortable life in Scituate.

It would be during my time in Barnstable, Massachusetts, I got to know the famous William Vassall, who also became a close personal friend. He was a well-known merchant in Scituate and throughout Massachusetts. He possessed great credentials because he was well connected to those of English Society and of the Royal Court and because he was the son of the famous Naval Armada Hero the Captain John Vassall who participated against the Spanish Armada, who had been singled out by Queen Elizabeth I for Heroic Courage and Merit. What William Vassall was about to do would not only have long lasting effects upon the Plymouth Colony but it would later impact my life as one who would stand up for the rights of others that worshiped differently from the Puritans and would pit me up against the most powerful of Plymouth. William Vassall presented in 1645 to the Massachusetts Bay Colony and Plymouth Colony General Courts a document which suggested a petition for complete religious liberty to grant full and free tolerance of religion to all men that will preserve the civil peace and submit unto the government. All men meant exactly that, including Familyists, Roman Catholics, Jews, Protestants and Quakers. The majority of those who represented the General Courts were in favor of the Vassall petition. Additionally, the majority of the chamber of deputies, Captain Timothy Hatherley and myself included, strongly supported Vassall’s petition. But Governor Bradford, Thomas Prence, and Edward Winslow, being the staunch Separatists that they were and the ruling oligarchy of the colony vehemently opposed any religious freedom other than the Puritan Faith and Ideology, and unfortunately, they crushed its approval. The Vassall Petition" was the starting point for the wheels to start turning for many of us in the Colonies to become in favor of religious tolerance. We knew that if religious freedom of worship and tolerance had to become a part of our society or we would all suffer from the grave consequences that would rise in the future, which would tear us apart; unfortunately, this did occur and with the most dire and despicable consequences. I would soon become a walking testament of this.

In 1647 my family and I moved back to Scituate and I continued to become known as an exceptional entrepreneur thanks to the skills I had learned in England and from my Uncles the Stroughtons. Because of my raising prominence and prior position held as an Assistant to the General Court from 1656-1658, (The General Court was a legal body in making laws, and a judicial court of appeals. which entailed enforcing the laws of the colony) I became a judge on the court of appeals. Later, due to my past experiences on the bench, I was chosen to be the Commissioner of the United Colonies, this post was established as a military defense to protect the English Puritan Colonies of Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven Colonies, from any type of foreign or domestic attacks and to ensure the safety and well-being of the Colonies. Because of my post I quickly became aware and appalled by the overwhelming lack of religious tolerance among the Puritan Leaders of all the colonies as I began to socialize and worked with them. Especially when the matter of the Quakers was becoming more extraordinarily serious, for news had reached the United Colonies that Quakers were currently considering in moving into our colonies and living amongst us in Massachusetts, Plymouth, Connecticut and New Haven.  All of these men who were staunchly Puritan were opposed to anyone living among them in their colonies that were not of the Puritan Faith.

On June 29, 1652, Governor William Bradford declared Plymouth Colony as an independent commonwealth. In addition, on that day Governor Bradford summoned Captain Myles Standish, Captain Timothy Hatherley, Captain Isaac Robinson, Captain Thomas Willett, Mr. Thomas Prence, Mr. John Alden, Mr. John Browne, Lieutenant Thomas Southworth and I to form the Council of War by his order. We were all commissioned to be assistants to William Bradford, then Governor of the Plymouth Colony. Unbeknown to any of us at the time, we were about to be used by Governor William Bradford and the Reverend John Norton to enforce their tyrannical decrees and reprisal that were about to be inflicted upon the Quakers, because of their strict Separatist views against all other religions.

At the beginning of July, 1656, I invited my closest friends Captain Timothy Hatherley and Captain Isaac Robinson and several others to a meeting at my house in Scituate. My