V - Regimental Troubles

Summary

One of the officers appointed to Okey’s regiment to fill a vacancy caused by the departure of officers for the Irish service was Captain Francis Freeman. It is to Freeman’s published account of Okey’s quarrel with him that we owe a number of details regarding the Colonel and his regiment during the years 1649 and 1650 : it is unfortunate, however, that Okey did not give his own account of the affair. The quarrel was about religion, on which Okey had strong views, for he was an Anabaptist, as were many of the leading officers of the Army and Navy. Freeman, who had been arrested in 1647 by the Mayor of Taunton on a charge of blasphemy, had some peculiar and extravagant views. He mentions a discourse he had with Captain Lieutenant Leigh and Cornet Friend “touching forms in the worship and service of God, and touching several administrations or dispensations that the people were under : and my position was, that God might be seen in the lowest form or ministration, and that I had now no prejudice against the person of any man, that was above me, or below me, and that I saw God in all things and in every thing that had a being in the whole creation : working in the creature, according to the several dispensations wherin he had placed them.” Freeman tells how these officers “made some complaint to Colonel Okey of some strange points which I should hold (as they said) which occasioned some dispute amongst us, in the presence of one Capt. Smith and others. Now the Colonel meeting me at Bedford (with some other officers of his Regiment) told me that he had heard of some strange opinions I should hold, but never had any discourse with me, as to know what they were; Therefore he desired to propound some questions unto me. My answer was, that I should be very free to answer to any question that he should propound unto me, so that it might be done in a way of love.”